Why is important to monitor all the video cameras in your house at once?

If you have security cameras instaled in your home, you might wonder how often you should check them. Some people only look at their cameras when they get an alert of unusual activity, while others like to watch live feeds of their property on their smartphones or computers. In this blog post, we will explain why it is important to monitor all the video cameras in your house at once, and how you can do it easily and effectively.

One of the main benefits of security cameras is that they can deter criminals from breacking into your home or stealing your packages. A study by the University of North Carolina found that 60% of burglars would avoid a house with visible cameras, and 40% would look for another target if they saw any signs of surveillance. By monitoring all the cameras in your house at once, you can see if anyone is approaching your property or trying to tamper with your cameras. You can also contact the police or your alarm company if you see something suspicious.

Another benefit is that they can help you protect your family and pets. You can use them to chek on your kids when they are home alone, or to see what your pets are doing when you are away. You can also use them to communicate with them through two-way audio features, or to send them alerts if you notice something wrong. For example, if you see that your dog has escaped from the backyard, or that your child has left the stove on, you can call them or send them a message through the camera app.

A third benefit of security cameras is that they can help you assess property damage or recover stolen items. If a storm, fire, or flood damages your home, you can use your cameras to see what happened and how bad it is. You can also use them to file insurance claims or lawsuits if needed. If someone steals something from your home, you can use your camera footage to identify the thief and provide evidence to the police or the court.

To monitor all the video cameras in your house at once, you need a system that allows you to view multiple feeds on one screen. You can use a computer monitor, a TV screen, or a tablet to do this. You also need a camera app that lets you switch between different views, zoom in and out, and adjust settings. Some camera apps also let you create custom layouts or groups of cameras that you want to see together.

Some technical words that you might encounter when using security cameras are:

- Resolution: This is how clear and detailed the image is. The higher the resolution, the better the quality, but also the more storage space and bandwidth it requires. Resolution is measured in pixels, which are tiny dots that make up the image. For example, 1080p means 1920 x 1080 pixels.
- Storage: This is where the camera footage is saved. You can use cloud storage, which means uploading the footage to an online server that you can access from anywhere, or local storage, which means saving the footage on a memory card or a hard drive that you have to plug into the camera or a device.
- Bandwidth: This is how much data the camera uses to stream or upload the footage. The more bandwidth you have, the faster and smoother the video will be. Bandwidth is measured in megabits per second (Mbps), which are units of information transfer. For example, 5 Mbps means 5 million bits per second.
- Field of view: This is how wide or narrow the camera can see. The wider the field of view, the more area the camera can cover, but also the more distorted the image might be at the edges. Field of view is measured in degrees, which are units of angle measurement. For example, 130 degrees means 130 degrees of arc.

Monitoring all the video cameras in your house at once can help you improve your home security and safety, if you are interested in using Apple Secure Video for your home security needs, you might also want to check out MultiCam for HomeKit, an app that lets you watch multiple cameras at the same time on one screen.

MultiCam for HomeKit is compatible with any HomeKit-enabled camera that supports live streaming. You can view many cameras simultaneously on iPhone/iPad/Mac and zoom in/out with pinch gestures.