Labs

CCTV Equipment

Many of the products in this month's test impressed us, and several are excellent value. Which one you buy depends on the kind of area you want to secure and how you would prefer to monitor it.

If you already have an Ethernet network and you don't need to monitor in the dark, D-Link's DCS-900 IP camera is great value. You can use it to watch live video or use its software to record whenever motion is detected. It wins a Best Budget Buy award. The Vivotek XIP101 costs more, but it's wireless and works without a PC, emailing you pictures of anything that moves.

If you don't have an existing network, or you want to monitor outside or in the dark, you'll need a traditional CCTV system. CCTV cameras can be monitored on a TV or recorded on a VCR, but for an intelligent motion-capture system you'll need a video capture card. We recommend Swann's PC DVR 4 NET or Voltek's identical DVC3004. Both cost just £99 including VAT and provide all the tools you need to record footage from up to four cameras. Both receive our Best Buy award.

As well as a monitoring card, you'll need one or more cameras. If you want to monitor outdoors or in the dark and you can run a cable between the camera and your computer, the best choice is X-Vision's XV300E. It's well priced and produces decent pictures by day or at night. This camera wins a Best Buy award. The Brainz Day & Night Colour is also good and comes in a convenient kit, but it's more expensive.

If you don't want to run wires and the area you're monitoring isn't private, a wireless camera and receiver might be a neater solution. For the best image quality, we recommend Swann's Black Knight. It's sturdily made, includes a receiver and produces good images day and night. It would be ideal for watching over your front door or car, but at £170 including VAT it's expensive. X-Vision's XWLIR isn't as good in the dark, and you'll need to buy a separate receiver, but it costs less than £60 including VAT. If you plan to use several wireless cameras in your security system, it's a great choice. It wins a Best Budget Buy award.