Do-it-Yourself: Home Video Surveillance Alarm Systems

Decide where you want the wireless video camera that comes with the wireless video kit to be placed, such as facing a door leading to the backyard. Screw the antenna onto the back of the camera, if it is not already attached.

Open the side panel on the camera. Set the "Channel" selector switch to "1." If the camera does not have a "Channel" switch, ignore these steps completely.

Plug the power supply's camera cord into the power socket on the camera. Place the camera on a shelf or on top of a cabinet. Rotate the front of the camera so that the lens faces the area that is to be monitored. Plug the power supply's power cord into a wall outlet. Use an extension cord if the distance between the outlet and the power cord necessitates doing so.

Place the video receiver that comes with the wireless video camera kit next to a TV. Screw the antenna onto the video receiver, unless one is already attached. Angle the antenna so that it is pointed in the direction of where the camera is located.

Plug the video receiver's power cord into an outlet. Set the "Channel" switch on the receiver to "1," unless there is no "Channel" switch.

Insert one end of an S-Video cable into the "S-Video" output on the video receiver. If there is no "S-Video" output, use the "Video" output instead.

Run the other end of the S-Video cable to the back panel of the TV. Insert the end of the S-Video cable into the "S-Video" input on the TV. If using a video cable instead, insert the end of the video cable into a "Video" input.

Press the "On" button on the TV's remote. Press "Menu." Select "System Setup" from the list of onscreen choices. Select "Video input" from the list of onscreen choices. Select the "S-Video" input or the "Video" input, depending on which type of cable is used, from the list of onscreen choices. Press "Exit" to leave the menu settings.

Turn the video receiver on to watch the videos from your Do-It-Yourself home surveillance system.