Build Your Own Nanny Camera

Building your own Nanny Camera is now a simple process. Although there are many varieties of self contained security cameras that are preinstalled in everything from a pack of cigarettes to mirrors, to the classic teddy bear camera. A less expensive option is to assemble your own from readily available parts. It is especially to your advantage to install a hidden camera in an already existing household object as it will be completely unnoticed by even friends and relatives.

The first step is to decide what object to use for your nanny cam. Choose an object in which you can readily open and close, or if hung on a wall, one that is concealed well when displayed in a room. You will also need an opening like a button or hole for the lens to be installed.

The next step is to choose a board camera or a pinhole camera to mount. Board Cameras are basically a fixed lens mounted on a circuit board. These cameras are often used in mini cameras, dome cameras and for making hidden cameras but are also sold unpackaged, for mounting by the buyer. spybuy.com/spybuy has a number of both models with cables and some working
examples of objects used as Nanny cameras.

Lenses in these cameras are either of a full opened lens or pinhole in which the opening of the lens is very small. Pinhole lens cameras are often called spy cameras and are most often used in making hidden cameras. All of the hidden cameras featured at spybuy.com/spybuy are examples of hidden board cameras.

Lenses in board cameras are pre-mounted and have a fixed iris. In most cases they have a short focal length (the distance between the surface of the lens and its focal point) which results in a wide angle of view (kind of a fish-eye lens effect for those familiar). Featured board cameras at our site and other suppliers have a lens between 3.6 and 6mm.
Because board cameras have some many fixed features they are limited to what they can be used for. However, they offer a low cost solution to security needs; especially hidden camera situations.

The next decision is to setup a wired security camera or a wireless security camera? The
most convenient yet more expensive option is to have a fully self contained unit. The world's
smallest DVR, can be easily hooked up via RCA cables and recording can be activated with or
without motion detected, depending on the type of spy camera attached. This is an example of a wired security or nanny camera.

A less expensive option is to setup a wireless transmitter which would broadcast a 2.4Ghz
signal to a receiver attached to any TV or Monitor. Avoid wireless camera transmitters that operate at a lower frequency, they have a weaker range and can interfere with home electronics. You can then watch remotely or attach a VCR or recordable DVR to the TV and record everything either in real time or time lapse. You also have the option to attach
the remote recording device to a wireless router (your home cable-modem router) and connect
from anywhere to monitor activity.

There are many options for wireless and wired nanny cameras as you can see. The 3 key
components can be summed up as: Find an object to hide the security camera, decide which
type of board or pinhole camera to install, hookup a local small DVR or wireless transmitter to a remote TV.
For further information, go to our web site or send us an email and we will answer
all technical questions.

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