In the modern Digital Age the desire to always be connected is only natural. Having a home camera system in place to check on your home or office while you are away becomes the new standard.

So when you are on the hunt for a surveillance camera for home, where do you start?

It’s easy. Ask yourself, what features are most important for you in a home monitor? Decide what features are essential, and which are secondary.

In our opinion, these are the five features that are essential for a modern home security system:

• Connection. For a connection at any time and from anywhere, choose a Wi-Fi based monitor. Most of the modern monitors will work on Wi-Fi or cellular Internet connection on your phone or tablet. Find out if the monitor has a minimum speed requirement for uninterrupted video feed. Also, check what requirements exist for the router frequency.
• Video. You are picking a digital video camera, so the quality of the video is of utmost importance. Having a monitor with high definition video will guarantee you will be able to see the smallest details in your video feed.
• View. Closely connected to the video quality, the type of monitor’s viewfinder is your next check point. Do you prefer a static camera with a wide angle that will need to be manually adjusted, or a monitor that has vertical and horizontal movement and can be controlled over the app? It is often a question of personal preference, but keep in mind that wide angle cameras often distort the part of the picture that is close to the edge.
• Alerts. If you’re picking a monitor to make sure nothing goes wrong when you’re away from home, make sure the monitor has an alert system that will push a notification to your mobile device when something happens. Modern surveillance cameras provide options for motion, sound, and air quality alerts.
• Sound. Other than being able to see what happens on the other end, you also may want to hear what is going on. If you are planning to use the monitor to check on your kids, or pets, consider a two-way monitor that allows you not only to hear but also talk back through the system.

Still looking for that perfect home security system? Consider Helmet. Not only it has all of the features above, but it also has a fun side to it. With a built-in laser, you can play chase with your pet, while taking a video or photos along the way. Helmet also has a social platform that allows you to share, like and comment on the best views from Helmet monitor.