How to Set Up Hidden Camera In Living Room?
As the living room is the place where you spend the most time in your house, you want to feel safe in it. Hidden cameras provide security since whoever is in your house, whether it’s a guest or a babysitter, you’ll always be able to see what’s happening while you’re away. This is one of the reasons why more and more people have been opting for hidden security cameras, especially in the living room.
The biggest issue that people encounter when setting up these devices is not knowing where and how to hide them, which is one of the most important steps. In this article, we’ll focus on how to properly set up and hide a spy camera in the living room. So, let’s start!
If you want to learn more about hidden spy cameras, be sure to read How Do Hidden Spy Cameras Work?
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How to Set Up a Hidden Spy Camera In Living Room?
Setting up a hidden spy camera in a living room is actually pretty simple. You don’t have to be an expert in this field or know anything about technology. Simply follow our steps, and you will have everything set up in just a few minutes. Here is what you need to do:
1. Find A Perfect Hiding Spot For Your Spy Camera
Since the whole point of setting a hidden camera is to monitor the activity in the living room, it would be best to place it somewhere where the whole room can be covered. Of course, if you only want to monitor a specific place in the room, then place the camera so that it is focused on that part only.
Make sure there isn’t anything in front of the camera that would block it or reduce the recording angle. It would be good if the camera is placed in a higher place so you can get a better and wider angle. However, having a camera placed in a higher place means that it can be easily detected unless it is well hidden.
2. Choose A Blind Spot
Today, you can find spy cameras in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Because of that, installation is not a problem. Still, don’t place them in the direct line of sight because you don’t want a camera to stand out.
Choose a blind spot. Recommended places are in a bulb, wall painting, photo, or even a vase. Ensure that the camera is practically invisible and does not attract much attention.
3. Choose A Recording Mode
Almost every hidden camera comes with two operating modes; continuous and motion detection mode. The continuous recording mode will record everything up until you turn off or disable the camera. This means that everything happening in a room will be recorded. The downside to this mode is that your SD card or hard drive storage will most likely fill up very quickly.
The second option that you have is the motion detection mode. Whenever the camera detects motion, it will automatically start recording.
This mode is great because it will not take up much memory, but on the other hand, it means that some details could be missed due to the possible delay between detecting the motion and starting to record.
4. Get An SD Card
There are a few things to pay attention to when choosing an SD card. The most important ones are the size and storage of the SD card. The general rule is that the more memory you have, the better. You won’t have to change the card often or delete old recordings from it.
Furthermore, the MB/s rate is also important when it comes to transferring these videos from the camera to any other device. Also, it determines how fast the files are saved on the camera itself.
5. Connect Your Camera
The last step is to connect your camera to your smartphone, computer, or tablet. When setting up the camera, it is necessary to ensure a Wi-Fi connection with the device on which you will monitor what your camera records. Most often, these are smartphones.
You will generally find the instructions for connection in the manual that comes with a camera, or you can also look for them online by searching on Google for your model.
Best Places To Hide Spy Cameras in Living Room
Hidden cameras are very small devices that can be hidden easily. However, that doesn’t mean you can put them anywhere. When setting up the camera, you should choose a good angle so that the camera records everything that happens in the room. These are the best places to set up a hidden camera in the living room:
1. Stuffed Animals
One of the possible locations where you can hide your spy camera is in a stuffed animal. Most living rooms have teddy bears or similar stuffed animals, and by replacing one of the eyes with a camera that looks the same, you can monitor anything that happens in your living room.
2. Electrical Outlets
Today, hidden cameras also come in the form of electrical outlets. Although they don’t have a real purpose and cannot be used as an outlet, others don’t know that. They have a small camera built into them that monitors everything that happens in the room, even when you are not in it. These models of hidden cameras require installation, and they cannot be placed just like that against the wall.
3. Desk Plants
If you have desk plants in your living room, then this can be a perfect spot to place your hidden camera. People usually don’t pay too much attention to such things, and you have plenty of space to set up the camera to monitor everything that’s going on in your room.
Since desk plants are fairly common, there’s almost no chance that people might suspect a spy camera is inside it.
4. Clock
Alarm clocks, regular wall-mounted clocks, and normal desk clocks can also be used as a spot in which you can place your camera. People generally don’t pay too much attention to clocks. It is recommended to buy an alarm clock with a built-in camera instead of putting it on yourself. It’s more complicated that way.
5. Smoke Detectors
Since smoke detectors are usually mounted on the ceiling, they are practically unreachable, and most people don’t even notice them or take them as something important.
For this reason, they can serve as a great place to hide a spy camera. Also, this should be one of the first places to check for spy cams if you’re staying at a hotel or hostel.
6. Picture Frames
Almost every room, including the living room, has pictures on the walls. As the pictures are mostly large, their frames are also suitable for installing a spy camera in it. Most people don’t even pay much attention to pictures, so you don’t have to worry about them spotting a small hidden camera in the picture frame.
7. Spy Pens
Since pens can be found in any room without attracting attention, having a spy pen in a living room is a perfect choice. Today you can find spy pens at very affordable prices, which in addition to video, can also record audio. Place the pen where you think it would suit you best, and that’s it. You are ready to monitor your room.
8. Lamps
Tiny cameras can be mounted inside lamps, and you can even buy bulbs that are already equipped with a camera and simply screw them on. Having a spy camera inside a lamp is the perfect place because who would even think of such a thing?
Extra Tips For Hiding Spy Cameras
As you can see, there are plenty of places where you can hide the camera in the living room. Below you can find some bonus tips when it comes to hiding a spy camera.
Location
Deciding where to hide your camera is very important if you wish to monitor what’s going on in your living room. Make sure that whatever location you choose, that camera fits nicely and doesn’t draw too much attention. When it comes to the living room, you have plenty of places where you can place it, but it’s up to you to make a decision.
Power Outlet
If you decide on getting a surveillance camera rather than a spy camera, concealing your wires is also extremely important to ensure that the camera isn’t that visible.
You could place it closer to the floor, but in that case, it would probably not record as much of the area as if it were mounted somewhere higher. On the other hand, most spy cameras are battery-powered, so there’s no need for an outlet.
Type Of Camera
Another question to ask yourself is, what type of camera do you need? A large surveillance one or a small hidden spy camera? Also, if your spy camera will primarily be used for your safety, for example, if a burglar breaks in, then you don’t have to try as hard to conceal the camera since the burglar will most likely be in a hurry. If you want to monitor the activities of regular household members, then hiding the camera properly gains importance.
Connectivity
A strong and good Wi-Fi connection is very important when it comes to spy cameras. If you want to monitor what is happening in real-time in your living room, pay attention to connectivity. You should also have a good home modem for this.
If you want to do this in your bedroom, then read our article How to Hide a Camera in Your Bedroom?
Local Laws and Regulations
Even though the point of having a spy camera is to record videos of people and their behavior without them knowing, it doesn’t mean that it is legal in all states.
For example, recording people in private areas such as bedrooms or bathrooms is illegal in most states, whereas some require a written letter of approval from the person you are recording. They should primarily be used for safety reasons and not, as the name suggests, to spy on unaware individuals.
FAQ: People Also Ask
Do hidden cameras need wifi?
It depends on the model of the camera. Some hidden cameras can transmit the recordings live to another device, and those definitely require Wi-Fi, but some simply store the recordings onto an SD card.
How long can hidden cameras record for?
This depends on the model but also the mode of the camera. Usually, a hidden camera can record for up to 36 hours, while on standby mode, it can be up to 270 days.
Final Thoughts
Hidden spy cameras are a great way of making yourself feel safer at home. They are easily set up; if you know where and how to hide them, they’ll certainly be a good investment. They have multiple recording modes and even the ability to transmit video to other devices. Spy cameras can easily be hidden inside picture frames, teddy bears, or even pens. I hope that this article has helped you and if you have any additional questions about these devices, feel free to comment below.
