How to Use a Hidden Spy Camera
If you’re thinking about hiding a camera to catch your sitter having her boyfriend over, catch your kids doing whatever it is kids do when no one’s home, or catch a roommate stealing your food, you may have some questions. Whatever you’re planning to do with your hidden spy camera, the first thing you need to do is set it up so that no one knows it’s there, get it started recording, and know how to access the video from your hidden spy camera.
When you set up a hidden spy camera, there are certain things you need to do, regardless of the purpose of your camera. While the uses of spy cameras can vary widely, the setup and operation of all spy cameras is basically the same.
First, make sure you know how your hidden spy camera works. Figure out where the lens is and how far it will focus. Does it need to be pointed slightly up or down, or does it need to be absolutely flat? You need to be sure that your camera can see what you want it to see.
Next, find a place to put your camera. Look for a location where a hidden spy cam will fit in with its surroundings. If you have a camera that looks like a clock or DVD player, put it where its “clone” would naturally be. If your camera is just a simple small camera, place it where you can disguise it without covering the lens.
Once you know how your camera views the world, and have a location picked out, it’s time to learn how your camera works. As you read the manual, there are three things you want to know.
First, figure out how to turn on the motion detector feature on your camera. You want the camera to “sleep” when nothing is happening in the room and “wake up” when someone is in the room. If your camera is on all the time, you’ll end up with hours and hours of footage to watch, with nothing on it. So figure out how to turn on motion detection on your hidden spy camera before you set the camera up.
Next, set up your recording device to capture the video that your hidden spy camera records. This is easier with a wireless camera that can record to your computer. However your hidden spy camera records video, make sure you know where the video is being saved and how to watch it later. You need to be sure that your storage device can handle several hours of video.
Now it’s time to install your hidden spy camera and test it. Put your camera in the spot you’ve picked out, turn it on, and leave the room. If the motion detector is working correctly, the camera should stop recording. When you enter the room again, your camera will wake up and start recording.
Watch the video you’ve taken. You want to make sure that the camera is recording correctly, and that you know how to access the video you’ve taken. Consider this your one opportunity to make sure the hidden spy camera is going to do what you’re expecting.
Now, it’s time to disguise your hidden spy camera and make sure it fits into your décor. You may want to drape a plant over the camera, or set something on either side of it so that it recedes into the background. Make sure you don’t cover the lens, but camouflage the body of the camera, if necessary, to make it harder to detect.
Setting up a hidden spy camera is really pretty easy, once you understand the steps involved.