Camera-audio may seem a useful accessory to be implemented with no problems into one's home surveillance camera system. One may think that this addition will improve the level of information available and support surveillance and investigations with useful knowledge and cues.

When one looks through many Catalogs of Surveillance Cameras, one can will find that many surveillance cameras have no built-in Camera-audio microphones. This is in contrast with many hand held video cameras (camcorders) readily available for personal use.

You may find however on the market, many cameras being offered for home surveillance purposes, which include a tiny microphone in their advertised features. Not a word of warning is offered by the suppliers.

It may therefore come as a surprise to find out that the mere existence of such a facility being implemented into one's camera is against the law, at least in the USA.

The origin of this legislation, matured over years of hot debates, is centered on the fundamental right of citizens to privacy. It moved along two different paths.

One path dealt with authorizing law enforcement authorities to break the privacy of ordinary citizens when there is suspicion (in a very large sense) of criminal conduct.

The other path means to forbid individuals from spying on their unaware fellow citizen by eavesdropping and collecting audio evidence of conversations.

Normally only video imaging is considered permitted. Any breach of privacy in video records, if documented, is self evident and prosecutable. On the contrary the mere existence of audio capability in any given commercially available surveillance camera is illegal, according to strict interpretation of the law, except that in the privacy of your home you may legally monitor your own baby’s voice.

This law may not be compulsory in every country, but, given the increasing globalization of tendencies and technological trends, the matter should be checked anywhere, if necessary, with legal advice.

Notwithstanding law requirements, it is a fact that such surveillance equipment is publicly advertised and available from many stores, and it is possible that customers are not advised of legal restrictions applicable. With the elimination of Camera-audio, the subject of home surveillance video is simplified in this respect because there is no more need for a separate channel of transmission and transformation of audio signals.

We publish these notes as we believe it is important that homeowners be alerted in advance of the legal implications of their decisions in implementing home surveillance Camera-audio so that they can independently investigate their own specific case. Read more > http://www.1st-diy-home-surveillance-guide.com/Camera-audio.html

Elia Levi is a retired engineer. He built a website to assist you with a step-by-step guide to understand, design, select and set up, all by yourself the best and least expensive surveillance system for your home security. Find out how at http://www.1st-diy-home-surveillance-guide.com