Magnetic Alarm Contact Switches, Window Sensors, Door Sensors

Magnetic contact window and door sensors / switches can be integrated with security camera systems to trigger alarms and video recording. For example, a door sensor can be connected to the alarm input of a security camera DVR or network IP camera NVR to trigger video recording and send an alert to the property owner that a door or window was opened. CCTV Camera Pros sells door and window sensors that have been tested with the video surveillance systems that we supply. Please consult installation diagram below, these frequently asked questions, or contact us if you need help.

Window and Door Contact Sensor FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about window and door sensors with security camera systems.

• How are window and door sensors used with security camera systems?
  The most common way to integrate a door sensor with a security camera system is to hard wire the sensor to the same surveillance DVR that your security cameras are connected to. You must make sure that your DVR has alarm inputs. Please refer to this installation diagram. You can also read this article: "How-to Trigger Video Surveillance Recording with Burglar Alarm Sensors" to learn more.
• What type of cable is used to wire window and door sensors / detectors to DVRs?
  The following types of cable can be used to wire magnetic door and window sensors: CAT-5 cable (one pair), 18/2 conductor power cable.
• Do window / door sensors require power?
  No. Magnetic door sensors are "dry contact" which means that are volt free.
• What is the maximum cable distance for dry contacts?
  The max cable length for dry contact wiring is 1000 feet / 300 meters. This assumes that you are using a high quality CAT-5 cable (one pair) or 18/2 conductor cable.
• Can I use multiple window and door sensors with my surveillance system?
  Yes, as long as your DVR has multiple alarm input ports, you can use sensors. Different model DVRs support different numbers of alarm inputs so consult the specification or contact us if you need help.
• Can I also use motion detectors on the same system?
  Yes, window / door alarm sensors and PIR motion detectors can be used on the same surveillance system as long as the system has enough alarm input ports to support all of the sensors that you want to integrate.

How-to Install with a Security Camera DVR

The above installation diagram shows how-to wire a window / door sensor to the alarm input panel of a surveillance DVR.

1. 18/2 power cable or 1 of the pairs from CAT-5 network cable is typically used to wire the alarm sensor to the DVR.
2. One of the contacts of the door sensor has wire terminals that the cable attaches to.
3. The right side of the diagram shows the alarm input block on the back of the DVR. One of the wires connects to an alarm input port and the other connects to a ground terminal. Please note that the maximum distance that you are run cable to dry contact door sensors is approximately 1000 feet.
4. Last, the DVR must be configured to trigger an alarm and take some type of action such as video surveillance recording, email alerts, and / or mobile push notification. More details instructions on how-to setup alarm inputs on Viewtron surveillance DVRs can be found here.