Custom Built Nanny cameras

In the 3 plus years I have worked for this store I have noticed a trend, that trend being not wanting to anything new into the home to monitor activities. While most nanny cameras are extremely covert and hard to find the camera in, it is the sheer fact that someone will notice a new IPod dock, clock radio, fan, or any other object that is new in the environment. With that being one of the biggest complaints from customers it has driven me to experiment with making my own line of nanny cameras, and evolving into the custom built line of cameras for my customers. When deciding on if a custom built nanny camera may be right for your application please take into consideration the following when choosing your item you would like it built in. The most important consideration would be the size of the object, due to the fact that a dvr board, pin hole camera, a ac adapter or battery pack has to be placed inside the item. If you have any questions about a custom built camera feel free to email us at sales@spyshopsusa.com

Audio Recording laws in the United States

With so much great technology on the market these days, it is easier to record conversations than ever before, either over a land line, on a mobile phone or even in-person with a hidden recording device.
Recorded conversations (either tape or digital) are often very helpful in a variety of scenarios. These audio recordings may assist in an investigation of employee misconduct or in business or personal lawsuits, even in potential criminal investigations.
It is very important, however, to make sure that any recording, either of a phone conversation or an in-person conversation, complies with federal and state laws. Otherwise, you may very well open yourself up to criminal charges or civil suits. And it is unlikely that you will be legally able to use the recording for your original purpose. So, if you're thinking about recording some phone calls or placing a voice activated recorder in a room to record conversations, you'll need to take a look at the applicable laws. The first place to look is at the federal wiretapping statute, also known as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. Federal law allows phone calls (traditional, cellular and cordless) and other electronic communication to be recorded with the consent of at least one party to the conversation. This means that if you are one of the people taking part in the conversation, it can be recorded because one person (you) has consented to the recording. If you are not taking part in the conversation, at least one of the people in the conversation must know about and consent to the recording. You can't stop, however, after considering federal law and assume that your recording passes muster. Each state and territory has its own statutes regarding the recording of conversations. Most state wiretapping and eavesdropping laws are based upon the federal law and allow recording with the consent of one party to the conversation. The 37 states which allow one party consent recording of oral communications are: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. The District of Columbia also allows people to record conversations with the consent of only one party. Nevada has a one party consent statute but there is some question as to how the law should be interpreted by the courts. It could be considered an all party consent state. The 12 states which definitely require all parties to a conversation to consent before it can be recorded are: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington.
In California, there is an exception. You can record a conversation with the consent of only one party if certain criminal activity (kidnapping, extortion, bribery or a violent felony) is involved.
So, the basic rule is that it is illegal to record conversations or communications in which you are not a participant, unless you have consent of at least one, if not all, of the participants.
The obvious exception to this general rule is that law enforcement officials can seek permission from a court to perform no-consent wiretaps as part of a criminal investigation. For the finer points of your own states laws and requirements, you should always consult with an attorney.

Choosing the right security camera for you

When choosing a security camera you need to take into consideration a few variables before making your purchase, the first would be camera resolution. Cameras are given a tv line or a mega pixel rating, generally your standard camera is 480tvl and can go up to 700tvl, on high definition cameras they range from 1.3 to 5.8 mega pixels. What you have to remember here is that the more tv lines or mega pixels the camera displays not only do you get a better picture but better color quality as well. The Second factor would be the night vision capability in the camera. Night vision capability can range from 20 feet up to 100 feet in a standard camera with a non varifocal, as a general rule most cameras that are rated at 60ft of night vision for example will have a day vision of approximately 70 to 75 feet. The third factor would be choosing between a varifocal or non varifocal lens. In most cases non varifocal lenses are used in your typical home installation, but for those who want a camera specifically focused on a certain area should consider a varifocal lens to get the exact coverage that you are looking for. The fourth and final factor in deciding the best camera for you would be the style, this is more of a preference than actual functionality. Generally speaking on just this topic of a dome versus a bullet camera alone brings up the old Ford versus Chevy debate, some love the look of domes some love the look of bullet style cameras but in the end they all function the same exact way. Hopefully this bit of knowledge can help you out when you choose either your first camera system or when updating your existing system.

Gary

Smart Phone and Tablet Recovery

We are proud to announce that we now carry the Recover It 2.0. Recover It 2.0 introduces not only the capability to recover deleted information off all IOS7 IPhones but with the added ability to recover deleted information off IPads and IPod touches. Along with this added ability you still have the reliability of having a all in one forensics tool for all smart phones and windows based computers for the do it yourself-er who just needs to know whats really going on but doesn't want anyone knowing. Now in stock in our store and online at Spy Shops USA 

The Importance of Home Security Cameras

A residential Security Camera System is becoming more and more important due to the increasing crime and theft around us. They are able to provide us with video footage, whether live or recorded, within our property. In fact, thanks to the presence of surveillance systems, undeniable video evidences have led to the incarceration of many criminals. This is the reason why a lot of people are protecting their homes and businesses with security cameras.
The popularity of Security Cameras have increased in the last decade and due to the advancement of technology, they now come in many shapes and sizes. There are also wired and wireless versions of these security systems. The wireless versions offer much more flexibility as they can be placed almost anywhere.
Security cameras that are internet-ready are a good way of monitoring your home or your business. They can be viewed from almost any location that has a computer with internet connection. This allows owners to keep an eye on their property while they are away. There are even surveillance systems that can notify you through email when movement has been detected.
Security cameras that are equipped with motion sensors give them the capability of detecting movements. Even the slightest movement can trigger these motion sensors to start the video recording process.
Digital Security surveillance cameras are much smaller. Despite their size, they are capable of recording video for a long period. The images and videos they record can be saved and edited in a computer. They have gained in popularity because they have eliminated the need for video tapes as a recording medium.
The presence of security systems have helped in deterring crimes and theft. This reputation has helped them become popular with homes and businesses. Through the years, security surveillance camera systems have become more affordable. For this reason, more and more households and businesses are being equipped with security cameras with the hopes of protecting their properties.
Overall, the importance of a residential security system has become more and more undeniable. There are a lot of intruders who are wary of security cameras and are well aware that they can be easily be tracked by law enforcers if they ever get caught in one. They get discouraged with just the sight of it. One of the major benefits of having a video surveillance system is safety. The installation of surveillance systems gives home owners and business owners a peace of mind.

The importance of nanny cameras

There are many reasons to hire a nanny especially if you have babies or young kids. We know the duty and responsibility of the nanny is to take care of the children at home while you are away at work. However, do you really trust your nanny, is she really true to her master? Well, it is never easy to tell that not until you know the nanny well. Parents are mostly worried of hiring nannys especially if they have expensive jewelries and other household objects. There have been various incidents in our country, where nanny had stolen objects from home and disappeared. Indeed, every person who hires a nanny would remember such incidents. This is why it is important to monitor the nanny at home and know what she does at home when you are away. As we know, nannies are available in all age categories and they are from different lifestyles. Therefore, it becomes very important to ensure your child is safe with the nanny. Similarly, you can also buy a nanny camera, monitor and record your nanny’s activities at home. This will help you to know all her activities.

GPS Tracking Laws

GPS tracking is an easy and affordable way to monitor a person, vehicle or asset. With extremely minimal effort, you can know where they are, where they've been, where they're going and how fast they're traveling. But what's legal and what's not in the world of GPS?

For starters, it's entirely legal to use a GPS tracking device on any vehicle or asset you own. But before you use a GPS tracking device on someone else's person, vehicle or property, you should do a little research on current federal, state and local laws.

As of now, here's what private citizens need to know about GPS tracking and the law:

It's generally legal to use a GPS tracking device if:

• You or your organization own the vehicle
• You or your company do not own the vehicle, but you place the GPS device on the outside of the car – under the rear bumper, for example
• The vehicle is visible to the public – in a public parking lot or on a public street, for example
• You could obtain the same location or travel information by physically trailing the vehicle
• The vehicle is not situated on someone else’s private property

It’s generally illegal to use a GPS tracking device if:

• You need to break into the vehicle to situate the device

• You need to physically hard-wire the device inside the vehicle
• The vehicle is in a place where its owner has a reasonable expectation of privacy – in a private garage, for example

You should know that the laws governing GPS tracking by government agents, police or private citizens are not definitive. The Fourth Amendment and other state and federal laws grant United States residents certain protections to their privacy, including strict limits on illegal search and seizure. But there's nothing in the Constitution that specifically addresses GPS tracking technology – or many other forms of electronic surveillance.

The Supreme Court and several lower courts issued rulings on GPS in 2012, but those decisions addressed narrow uses of the technology by police and employers, respectively. The courts didn't address the use of GPS tracking devices by private citizens.

With its recent ruling on GPS tracking by police, the Supreme Court left many questions unanswered. But the justices signaled that they were ready to delve more deeply into electronic surveillance issues. You can read more about the latest Supreme Court decision here.