Windows and doors do a lot more than keep out heat and cold. They also protect the material goods, expensive appliances and costly entertainment systems our homes contain. Nowhere should we feel safer and more secure than within our home—even when we're not there. The companies that design, manufacture, install, and support today's state-of-the-art security systems and services understand the importance of feeling protected within one's home, and the technologies that exist in today's market reflect a more complete vision of home safety and security.
Burglar and Fire Alarm System
A twenty-four-hour monitoring service is standard for nearly all of today's modern security systems. In the past, however, once a homeowner left the premises they were out of the loop. Any event that took place at the home could only be discovered upon their return. Cellular telephones can alleviate a portion of that disconnect, but the convergence of security systems and the Internet have solidly put homeowners back in charge. They can now remotely monitor a house from nearly anywhere.
 
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Home Security Options - Internet Home Alliance's Tim Woods discusses home security options, including sensors, installation, and wiring.  Watch Video!
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Security basics remain the same: Every window and doorway to the home is monitored once the system is armed, and the security service is ready to respond at a moment's notice to any sign of an intruder or unwanted entry. Smoke and fire detectors are present in every room and alert the home's occupants and the local authorities in the event of a fire. Systems are even capable of monitoring carbon monoxide levels, can detect flooding in the home, and even recognize the sound of breaking glass.
Security's New Look
ATM-like touchpads are replacing traditional keypad interfaces. New systems now incorporate a dedicated, secure Internet connection into home monitoring systems. By converging security monitoring with Internet access, companies provide next-level services to homeowners.
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Security's New Look - ATM-like touchpads are replacing traditional keypad interfaces. New systems now incorporate a dedicated, secure Internet connection into home monitoring systems. By converging security monitoring with Internet access, companies provide next-level services to homeowners. Watch Video!
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Touchpads situated at a home's main entryways allow access to the security system. Additional touchpads and access screens can be located throughout the home for added convenience. The interface's menu allows for the management of PIN-codes and security passwords and can be programmed to display customized information for each family member. One-time pin codes can be created for visitors or service repairmen. Remote access to the system is possible through the Internet connection; from nearly anywhere in the world the home's security system can be accessed, monitored, and manipulated — provided the proper passwords are entered. As the first stop in the home, these systems do double-duty. An Internet connection offers features like message centers, weather updates, email access, and sports and news headlines.
Video Options
Interactive video surveillance technology brings management of the home's security system into the hands of the homeowner. Internet cameras positioned in and around the house observe the protected property, and can be fixed with motion sensors. Each camera image can be viewed on a personal computer individually, or split-screen options can be selected to view more than one camera at once. An always-on home Internet connection allows the homeowner to access the password- and firewall-protected cameras and view their images from any Web-enabled device. Perhaps the refrigerator repairman has called the homeowner's work phone to say he's at the house but the front door is locked. From the office PC the homeowner can log onto the camera's internal Web page, enter a security password and access the camera positioned at the front door to verify the visitor's identity. In a home with advanced connectivity and security features, the homeowner can even disarm the alarm system and unlock the door remotely if the correct equipment is installed.
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Interior Video Monitors - Web-based Internet cameras can be placed almost anywhere in a structured wiring environment. Watch Video!
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Exterior Video Security - A home network's video options allow you to keep tabs on the kids in the backyard or check who is at the front door from any television in the house. Watch Video!
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Authentication Camera
For Web-based computer security, a little James Bond-esque technology can go a long way in managing how you use the Internet. Paying bills, banking, managing personal finances, and other private business is now a Web-based affair for many homeowners. However, each task typically requires unique accounts—and unique passwords.
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No More Passwords - An iris-scanning identification camera from Panasonic insures only authorized individuals can gain access to private information stored on computers or the Web. Watch Video!
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Your iris is more unique than your fingerprint—and much more difficult to gain access to than a list of stored passwords on your computer. Panasonic's Authenticam prevents unwanted visitors from accessing an individual computer or its file folders, and the accompanying software can replace passwords on most frequently visited Web sites. To enter an iris pattern into the system, you align your eye with the camera while it captures several consistent samples of the iris. Once an iris profile is stored, access to the computer can only be granted to recognized eyes. Unauthorized users are denied access, and the probability of the system mistakenly granting access to unwanted prying eyes is nearly zero. The authentication camera can be programmed by the homeowner to recognize any number of irises to open up access to spouses, children, and other family members.
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