Best Home Security Camera Features

An indoor security camera posts an extra set of eyes (and sometimes ears) 24/7 in your home—eliminating the guesswork of what’s happening when you’re away. And when wireless cameras are connected to a home security system, they can deliver even more benefits: possibly deterring criminals, supplying critical evidence in case of a break-in, letting you keep an eye on your home, family, and pets—and much more.

Here’s how indoor wireless security cameras work as part of a monitored home security solution—and the features that set the best ones apart.

A better question might be, “who doesn’t?” Indoor security cameras can pair an alarm’s ability to tell you something happened in your home with a real-time visual of what’s happening right now.

But security isn’t the only advantage video surveillance integrated with a smart security system can provide. Consider these seven benefits that make indoor wireless security cameras an excellent investment:

1. Cameras may prevent break-ins. No criminal wants to get caught. Installing home security cameras can be enough to convince an intruder to choose another target.

2. They sometimes help catch criminals. Just over 14% of burglaries were solved in 2019, according to the latest FBI report. The main reason: no witnesses to the crime. By recording high-quality footage, the best home security cameras can provide crucial evidence that helps apprehend and convict criminals.

3. Audio may stop intruders. Cameras with two-way audio enable off-site owners to warn away some intruders and potentially stop a crime by announcing they see them (only from a safe location). Watch this news report of a homeowner using his indoor security camera with audio to stop a burglary in progress:

4. Check on family, pets, or workers in your home. Home security cameras do more than crime protection. Use them to make sure the kids got home from school safely, keep an eye on your puppy while you’re at work, check on elderly parents, peek at a sleeping infant without entering the room, or ensure nannies, pet sitters, and other unsupervised workers are doing their jobs properly.

Indoor security cameras with two-way audio reach another level—enabling you to chat with your kids when you aren’t home, soothe anxious pets, give instructions to in-home service providers, and more.

5. Avoid many false alarms. The best home security cameras send alerts when movement is detected. This enables you to check video clips or a real-time feed to see whether there’s a problem—or it’s just your cat being curious again.

6. Mitigate environmental damage. If a wireless security system includes hazard sensors, the system sounds an alarm and sends remote alerts of dangers like fire, water leaks, or the presence of carbon monoxide. If you’re home, evacuation and ensuring help is on the way are the immediate steps in an emergency. But if you’re not or safely outside, viewing a video feed can help you assess the situation. You can also use indoor security cameras to check the property if you’re away during a weather event or burst pipe that causes flooding or other damage.

7. Snag possible insurance savings. Many insurance companies offer discounts for indoor security cameras connected to a home security system with 24/7 monitoring. If a burglary occurs, cameras may also provide evidence that identifies what was stolen, helping with the claims process.

There are many indoor security cameras on the market, but the best ones sport features that set them apart, like night vision, high resolution, two-way audio, and feeds that can be checked remotely from anywhere.

Let’s examine the specific features of Frontpoint’s Indoor Camera and Premium Indoor Camera to help you make the best choice for your needs:

The Indoor Camera provides a wide-angle view of 110°, a night vision range of 15’, and an HD video resolution of 1080p. It does not pan and tilt automatically or remotely but can be manually placed to get a good viewing angle of a given space. It features user-initiated two-way audio, allowing you to see and speak to people in the house from anywhere via the Frontpoint App or web portal.

Frontpoint’s Indoor Camera connects wirelessly through a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network. On its highest settings, it requires a dedicated upload speed of 2 Mbps at its mounted location.

Like the Indoor Camera, the Premium Indoor Camera offers 1080p HD resolution, night vision with a range of up to 15’, and user-initiated two-way audio.

But the Premium Indoor Camera features an echo-canceling microphone, and its Bluetooth speakers let you play your favorite music or podcast. The camera also has a full 180° view and can digitally pan and tilt to survey more of an area on command.

In addition, Frontpoint’s Premium Indoor Camera can be added to your account but placed in another home, giving you the ability to easily check on and speak to aging relatives or view a vacant rental property.

The Premium Indoor Camera connects wirelessly through a 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz Wi-Fi network. It can also be hardwired directly to a router with an ethernet cable. The camera requires a dedicated upload of 2 Mbps (per camera) at its mounted location on its highest resolution settings

Both Frontpoint cameras are compatible with Video Analytics, a highly intelligent security tool that can distinguish important events—and necessary alerts—from routine activity.

Video Analytics assess your streams to filter and categorize the alerts you receive—for instance, automatically detecting if movement was caused by a person or your dog.

Homeowners can also create virtual “zones” and multidirectional “tripwires” that categorize activity based on the home’s layout. For example, is the family dog entering a forbidden area? An indoor security camera can send you a specific alert and let you use your voice to redirect him.

Frontpoint cameras can also work in tandem with other components of the home security system. For instance, if your system includes smart light controls or Z-Wave light bulbs, specific alerts can trigger lights to switch on when cameras detect activity.

Frontpoint indoor security cameras have night vision capability up to 15’, allowing you to get good footage in low-light conditions.

Both indoor security cameras come pre-configured and ready to sync with any Frontpoint system right out of the box. Video is sent using your home’s Wi-Fi, so there’s no need to plug them into a wired internet connection. 

Simply position the camera anywhere in your house within range of your Wi-Fi router. Installation is as simple as sitting a home security camera on a shelf or attaching it to the wall or ceiling.

If your Frontpoint system is armed, every camera in the house will start recording if an alarm is triggered. An alarm also alerts the professional monitoring service, which will send emergency responders if you can’t be reached by phone. You may also be able to confirm the presence of an intruder after quickly viewing camera footage.

While Wi-Fi routers typically require a plug-in power supply, you can install backup batteries to power these devices and keep your camera feed running for a decently long time during a power outage. Various battery packs may serve as an intermediary between a router’s plug and an electrical outlet, and some routers are sold with internal backup batteries.

Frontpoint’s indoor security cameras are motion-activated. If movement is detected, they automatically record a video clip and alert you via text, push notifications, and/or email.

This provides an extra layer of security even if the alarm isn’t on—enabling you to call 911 yourself if you receive a camera alert and spot signs of trouble.

Video clips can be viewed anytime, anywhere, and from various devices with an internet connection. Up to 1,000 clips can be stored in the cloud for later viewing. You can customize other triggers for cameras to start recording as well, such as doors being opened or based on different individual sensor activity.

Frontpoint cameras also allow you to check on your home through live video feeds available on the mobile app or web portal. And for a bigger view, you can access the camera’s video on any TV that’s connected to Apple TV or a Roku device.

If you see something that you want to record, simply click on the camera icon to take a snapshot or the film reel icon to create video clips.

Note that privacy is a priority: Frontpoint uses bank-grade wireless encryption on all video feeds to ensure secure transmission and storage. And monitoring personnel don’t access your indoor security cameras, keeping footage for your eyes only.

Anywhere video monitoring can provide peace of mind if an alarm goes off, but it’s not an intruder, or the kids won’t answer the phone when they’re home alone. It can let you know if in-home service providers are doing their job or check up on an aging relative. And choosing indoor security cameras with the right features—such as night vision, video analytics, two-way audio, and networked to a smart security system—take this visibility and control to another level.

Frontpoint helps keep you safe and informed with expert monitoring, powerful technology, and customizable home safety solutions. Take a look at our security packages or get a quote today by calling 1-877-602-5276.