Nowadays, no one ever knocks anymore. We all ring doorbells and even talk to the people inside, even without them opening the door. In this article, I will go over how to tell if a security camera has audio.
Why having audio in cameras is beneficial
Whether you have a camera inside or outside or even have a camera doorbell, the audio feature can be extremely useful.
Having a camera with audio can further provide you safety as you can talk or scare off anyone inside or outside your home.
This can be beneficial to your home and can allow you to communicate with your family members. Additionally, this addition to technology has made everyone's life easier.
Even if you are traveling, you can have access to your camera and audio that works both ways, meaning you can hear and talk to the people on the other side.
Keep in mind that burglars won't stop once they see your cameras. Almost every house has some sort of camera installed.
Audio is especially important when it comes to burglaries. However, it is more likely for them to leave your house alone if they hear phrases such as:
- "Hey! The cops are on their way."
- "You are trespassing on private property."
Therefore, having a camera that alerts you and allows you to say threatening things to a potential burglar can help keep you, your home, and your family safe.
Before you install a camera that can record audio, be sure that the security camera is allowed to record audio.
Now that you know why it is essential to have an audio camera, let's go over the ways you can ensure yourself that your camera is equipped with audio features.
How to tell if a security camera has audio
There are around five main ways to be sure a security camera has audio features.
When in doubt, Google it out.
The most straightforward way to figure out whether your camera has audio is to search it up.
You can get the best results if you use the model number or the camera's full name and brand in your search.
Keep in mind that if you look into the brand's website, they often have a complete description of the camera's ability, followed by plenty of features that are listed off for customers.
Checking it could be an easy solution to your question.
However, if you fail to find your camera online or want to see where the audio comes from in the camera, there are other ways to find out.
Peak around the camera
If you want to tell if a security camera has audio, one of the easiest ways about it is to look around it. Though usually small, the microphone in a camera is generally very easy to spot.
It should be around the camera's housing and is most likely a small black dot that is used for picking up sounds.
Nonetheless, specific cameras can have an Audio Iris, which is a black hole, normally tiny, in the middle of the camera.
Though this might be harder to spot, it is a tell-tale sign that your security camera has audio.
Take a look at the recording
If you own a wireless camera, such as a Nest, they tend to connect with an app on your phone or desktop.
By logging in to the app or accessing the footage by other means, you can see, and hopefully, hear the recording.
Suppose the recording is played, and you can hear the noises around the camera. In that case, you will know it is fully equipped with audio capacities.
Scroll the app
While on the app, you can also keep your eye out for an unmute button that allows you to talk through the camera.
It is crucial to understand that if you can talk from your phone and the audio is projected through the camera; you have two-way audio. Meaning you can hear and speak using the camera.
However, there are cameras where you can only hear the sounds around without having the function to talk or answer back.
To quickly recap. One-way audio; you can hear but not speak. Two-way audio; you can hear and speak through the camera.
Chat with a representative
Nothing is better than getting the words straight from the horse's mouth.
Suppose you have tried all of the above and are still hopeless to discover whether your camera has audio features. In that case, you can reach out to the company.
This is another reason why it is vital to purchase from big brands and companies that are most likely to be able to help, whether through an online chat or a phone call.
After figuring out what kind of camera you have, they will be able to tell you whether or not you have audio features and if it is a one or two-way audio.
Lastly, if you find out that the camera has audio and is not working, you can ask for help from the representative and even receive a new camera if the audio functions are not working properly.
The bottom line
Overall, the important thing is to keep your property safe and secure, and by using audio features, you can decrease the chances of getting your house robbed.
With the technology available at our fingertips in today's world, you can scare off a burglar through your phone wherever you may be.
Hopefully, you can locate the microphone in your camera and be able to use it to your advantage as you wish.
Let us know below whether your camera has an audio feature and what type of camera you have!