Imagine you're on the beach and a glorious sunset starts to light up the horizon. How nice it would be to catch that scene as it unfolds. If you're the proud owner of a spy pen camera, then that's a breeze. A tiny DVR (Digital Video Recorder) camera in the form of a pen, it contains a video recording unit and solid state memory storage that allow you to easily record any scene and play it back later whenever you want. Meanwhile you can enjoy your day at the beach confident that your office is being safely monitored by a CCTV DVR recorder.

These are both examples of the use of digital video recorders, devices that improve our lives in many ways. Once the sole preserve of shadowy espionage agencies and private eyes, cameras which can record video and sound are now in mainstream use for anyone who needs to record a scene or keep an eye on someone or some place.

In fact, advancements in technology mean that the kinds of devices on the market for everyone today are light years ahead of those used just a decade ago. This is particularly true of the size of the gadgets which are now small enough to conceal almost anywhere. Nowadays you can buy a DVR camera that comes in the forms of an everyday device such as calculator, clock, watch or key chain.

Take for example the spy pen camera. These nifty devices are indistinguishable from regular pens. You can just slip one in your shirt pocket. Then when you come across a scene worth filming, you can just whip out your DVR pen and turn it on to capture the moment in clear picture and sound Or if you're a student, you can use it to record lectures and seminars for review at your convenience. When you visit beautiful places, you can save the memories for future enjoyment and to show others. The uses are endless.

Another type of DVR camera now in mainstream use is the CCTV DVR camera. CCTV stands for closed circuit television and is simply a surveillance system comprising a video camera connected to a monitor.

Firms such as banks and stores once used video tape to record what the camera saw but now digital recording is taking over. A CCTV DVR recorder allows digital recording onto a hard disk or optical media. This allows much greater storage capacity as well as greater reliability when compared to the old video tape recorders.

Here are some situations where CCTV DVRs can be extremely useful.

Firstly and commonly, these cameras work well to identify and help catch shoplifters. Virtually all large stores now employ CCTV DVR which not only allows security guards to identify thieves but also to record their actions as evidence. Not many shoplifters would deny their crime when seeing their action played back to them. The CCTV DVR can also help keep an eye on the employees of the store.

Another important use is in the deterrence of vandalism. Vandalism such as the destruction of shop windows, public telephones or the defacing of public places with graffiti is a major problem in modern cities. If you own a store with vulnerable windows, installing outside CCTV can help deter vandalism and help apprehend those responsible.

One side benefit of using a CCTVDVR recorder is lower insurance premiums. Insurance companies offer cheaper premiums to companies with proper surveillance systems. This is because the incidence of crime is less, and the culprits are more likely to be caught and charged because of the evidence recorded by the CCTV DVR recorder.

As technology has developed prices for high end gadgets such as DVR recorders have plummeted. This means CCTV DVR recorders are now popular for home use, as well. They’re the best way to monitor your home and its occupants as well as the people who work there such as your nanny. And the images and sound captured by the camera can be streamed over the internet to wherever in the world you happen to be.

These are just a few of the uses that today's modern DVR recorders can be put to. The fact is that extremely versatile as well as being affordable to anyone and easy to order online.

Check out the websites of the UK's premier suppliers for full details of the best dvr camera, spy pen camera, and cctv dvr recorder.