Thursday January 3, 2008

Wireless spy camera costs as little as RM300

KUALA LUMPUR: For as little as RM300, one can easily set up a wireless camera to spy on unsuspecting victims.

The price of a pinhole camera, about the size of a matchbox, starts from RM50, while a wireless transmitter and receiver set can be bought at RM250.

Electronics storeowner David Leng said the camera could easily be bought and installed by anyone without the need to hire a technician.

“You use a screw to attach the camera to the wall or ceiling, and then connect the camera to a wireless transmitter and a power outlet. You can even use a battery to power the transmitter, but of course it won’t last long,” he told The Star.

Hot item: The pinhole camera is easily set up by connecting it to a wireless transmitter. The wireless receiver (foreground) is then plugged into a DVR, laptop, or computer, to record the moving images.

Leng said the wireless set could receive the transmission signal within a 100m radius.

“The wireless receiver is either plugged into a digital video recorder (DVR), or a computer or laptop with audio-visual plug points, to record the images,” he said.

Another electronics storeowner, who requested anonymity, said one could also buy a RM280 USB-enabled DVR, which enables the wireless receiver to be plugged into the USB port of any computer.

He also sells a wireless model, where the receiver is complete with an LCD screen, for RM600.

“This model is usually used as a baby monitor. So you can only see the live view on the LCD monitor,” he said, adding that to record the video, one can link the receiver to a DVR.

He said those who buy cameras for surveillance purposes would usually get the bigger, wired ones instead of pinhole cameras as they were of better quality and not affected by electronic interference.

“Usually those who buy the pinhole ones are up to mischief. I just sell them. We cannot assume everyone has bad intentions. If I sell knives, and they are used to kill people, does that mean I must stop selling them?” he said.

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