We all are already constantly watched in public, and sometimes at home we need a break too. But taking down cameras isn't the best way. Let's learn how to pause a CCTV camera.
First you should be aware that pausing is not the same as disabling a CCTV camera. Therefore, you should understand the difference
Pausing vs. Disabling
When pausing a camera, it will not be recording for a certain amount of time. Or until you manually turn it back on.
This is usually done through your account on a browser or app. Some brands even offer certain recording times that you schedule.
Disabling a camera means it will not be working. Usually when it is unplugged, or you took it down. This can also be done by cutting cables that connect the camera.
Disabled cameras can be a sign of thieves and burglars attempting to break into your home. While a paused camera could just be a teen sneaking out of the house. 
So if a couple of hours are missing from the footage, the camera was paused. Therefore not damaged or disabled.
Reasons to pause cameras
There are a couple of reasons for you to pause a CCTV camera. And solutions to your problem too! So, let's go over them
Financial
One of many is to save energy and some money. Recording 24/7 might be a bit excessive sometimes. Especially if you are home all day!
Let's say your camera cannot record at night as it does not have LED lights around the camera. Then there is no need to record at night.
Therefore, you can program your camera to only record when there is sunlight and save yourself a bit of money!
Personal
Another reason to pause a CCTV camera is for personal reasons. Maybe you have an indoor camera that you only look at when the maid comes to clean.
Or you utilize it for keeping an eye on your kids when they are home alone. A trip outside the country? Babysitters?
Whatever it is! If you do not use your indoor camera (or outdoor) frequently, you can pause it!
Not only will it save electricity but you can also have more space in the cloud, which can also save you money in the long run.
Legal
You might not want to record conversations or footage of a family dinner or meetings that are personal. This may also include business meetings and transactions.
For legal and personal reasons you might want to keep these private. To quickly achieve this you can pause a CCTV camera.
Apart from this, it might also bother your neighbors if you have a camera. This can even lead to a lawsuit.
So having a camera that only records when it senses someone in your front porch can be your way out.
However, you cannot pause a CCTV camera when people are on your porch. But leave that to the camera!
How to pause a CCTV camera
This can be manually done through a browser or app for as long as you need it. Some cameras offer the ability to program the hours.
However, if that's a hassle for you, I have the solution. And apart from saving you money, it will only record needed footage.
This can be used in offices, front doors, and many other places where you want to remotely record as you need.
To pause a CCTV camera without apps, or doing it yourself, consider a detector. This can be found in cameras used for bird watching.
Since birds are fast-moving creatures, these cameras are equipped. The feature allows the camera to instantly begin recording when it detects movement.
You can apply the same feature to your front porch or office. Though you should be aware that there is a range in which the detector reaches.
Detectors can usually also be programmed to focus on people and not be activated by cars that drive by.
Additionally, these monitors can be added on to the camera and bought separately. Or it might be offered by the camera itself.
Recording at night
Since you might have to record at night, it is usually equipped with LED lights. Either infrared or white LEDs, but they both get the job done!
These LEDs will illuminate the area, allowing the camera to record in good lighting. Therefore, it can record in poorly lit rooms or at night.
Some motion detectors also have the ability to record audio. However, you should look into the regulations in your area about audio.
This footage is normally stored in your cloud, and will most likely show the date and time. And the camera can upload it by itself.
Apart from that, it is hard for someone to tamper with the camera as the detector will be activated. Making it a good option for a place outside your home without issues.
The footage can be used as evidence and if damages are made to the camera, you will have proof through the cloud. Additionally, your cloud is available anywhere you go!
And you can even have your camera alert you when there was movement detected by your camera through the app.
This type of camera is usually wireless and not wired through your home. Making it quick and easy to install and connect to the cloud and WiFi.
Features to look for
If the power to pause a CCTV camera intrigues you, you should also look for some other features:
- Wireless
- Weatherproof (if outside)
- Motion detector
- Accessible app
- Pausing of footage
- Detection regulation
- Replaceable parts (optional)
- Audio (optional)
The bottom line
You should aim for a camera that can quickly allow you to manually pause footage through an app. Or have a built-in motion detector.
However, keep in mind that adding one in is not hard or expensive if needed! Therefore, there are various ways you can pause a CCTV camera, and many reasons too.
But leaving it running 24/7 is not the end of the world. Though you should keep your eye out for your cloud. Understand that after a certain amount of days, the footage is deleted.
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