There a lot of legitimate reasons for someone to consider using hidden video camera equipment. Maybe you have a business and you suspect that an employee might be stealing from you. Perhaps your child is marked with strange bruises after a day with the babysitter. Could it be that you're significant other might be cheating on you? Maybe you think your teenager is doing drugs?

Regardless of your reasons for considering using hidden video equipment, there is a lot to consider before you jump right into it. There is the issue of whether or not it's even legal for you to secretly video record someone without their knowledge. You must consider what type of equipment you are going to use. You need to prepare yourself for what you might catch on video. Maybe it's something you are better off not knowing. Lastly, you need to think about what you will do with the information that you learn from your hidden video surveillance footage.

Let's talk about the legalities of using hidden video. Each state has their own set of specific laws that you must be aware of. In some states it's perfectly legal to secretly video tape someone provided that they are being recorded in an area where they would not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. In other states it's legal to record people in private places. Some states allow you to secretly record video but not audio. Some states require that one person in the video be aware of the recording process. It's important to make sure you know the laws in your area BEFORE you drop your hard earned cash on hidden video cameras, monitor's and recording devices. You can check your particular state's official government website for a listing of the statutes pertaining to hidden video recording.

There are a number of options to choose from when you are shopping for equipment. The traditional systems consisted of one or more video cameras, one or more monitors to view the footage on, a hidden video recorder, and cables to connect them all together. This type of system is still in use today and it's actually the most common. If you are doing new construction, it's fairly easy to install this type of system. If you are considering installing some hidden cameras in an existing building this type of system can pose a problem. If your building has suspended ceilings it's not too difficult to hide the long lengths of cable. If not, you'll find it more difficult to conceal the cable without a lot of work. You may even run up quite a bill in construction while the contractors tear into the walls to run and conceal the cables If your cameras and cables aren't hidden very well this pretty much defeats the purpose doesn't it.

The second option is installing a wireless system. When this technology first emerged in the public marketplace, it was pretty much worthless. The signal quality was very poor and the range was very short. The advantage of this type of equipment is that you can install your cameras quickly and secretly without much work. The ranges for the new equipment is significantly better than it used to be. It's not uncommon for a camera to have a range of over 1000 feet.

The third option is a self contained system. With this type of equipment, you can simply hide an item with a camera in it and start recording. The device might look like a clock radio or maybe a smoke detector. When you want to review the video footage, you can simply connect it to your computer with a USB cable.

No matter what system you use, one thing is clear. Hidden video equipment is more advanced today than ever before. You don't have to be an video geek to utilize this technology effectively. Anyone can do it.

One last reminder, make sure it's legal to secretly video record people in your state so you don't get yourself into trouble.

Here's a great video clip from the popular television program Nancy Grace.  It is an interview about how someone used hidden video to find out that their nanny had been abusing their baby