Four Things to Know About CCTV Systems

If you’re in the market for a security or surveillance system, CCTV systems are your best option. Choosing the right CCTV system, however, isn’t always easy. There’s a lot of lingo and technical jargon that can make it difficult to understand exactly what you’re getting. Understanding some of these important facts can help you make the best choice of CCTV security systems for your home or business.

A Wired CCTV System Is More Secure than Wireless

While wireless surveillance systems offer a lot of flexibility and convenience, wired CCTV systems are more secure against intrusion. On a wireless system, a skilled hacker can figure out how to log onto your server and monitor or alter your feeds. While the chances of that happening are generally low, it can be a legitimate concern if you don’t want others watching what happens on your property.

A Wireless Security Camera Offers More Flexibility

On the other side of the argument, a wireless surveillance camera gives you a lot more flexibility than most wired CCTV systems. You can place the camera anywhere you want as long as it’s within transmission range of the receiver without worrying about wires showing to give the location or the presence of the camera away. If your intent is to do covert surveillance – and you should be aware of the laws that govern the use of covert surveillance camera systems – then a wireless system is probably a better choice for you.

The Video Resolution Determines How Much Detail Your CCTV Camera Records

The video resolution of your security camera determines the level of detail that your security videos see and record. Higher resolution cameras provide more detail, but take up more memory space on your DVDs or hard drive. A high resolution surveillance camera will also be more expensive, so weigh your priorities carefully. If you want the kind of detail you see on “CSI” or “Criminal Minds,” you’ll pay a hefty price for it. If you’ve got no reason to blow up a screen capture 350 times to count the fly specks on a windshield, a very high-res camera is probably a waste of your money.

Your CCTV Camera, Monitor and Recorder Must All Be Compatible

There are several different standards in use by the CCTV industry and it’s easy to get confused by them. If you’re not careful, you could end up with a security camera that won’t talk to your receiver or your monitor. If you’re unsure, a professional at a CCTV security store can help you with your decision.

CCTV systems provide your home or business with an unparalleled level of security. Make sure you understand what you’re buying before you make your purchase.

Four Ways That CCTV Systems Can Improve Your Security

CCTV systems used to be an expensive alternative to security systems for retail and home use, but technology has brought the price for high-quality CCTV systems well within the range of nearly any business owner. If you’re looking for a way to improve the security in your shop, store or other business, consider these advantages and benefits of using a security camera and CCTV system to monitor and safeguard your property.

Round the Clock CCTV Monitoring Keeps Your Property Safe

Indoors or out, security cameras provide round-the-clock monitoring for your property. An obviously mounted CCTV camera serves as a deterrent to would-be thieves and vandals, who will frequently bypass a protected property to find easier pickings. If you combine a CCTV security system with active monitoring, you’ll have immediate notification when something goes wrong at your business. Even if you opt out of round-the-clock monitoring, your security camera will still record what’s happening. You can review the recordings in the morning and store them in case they’re needed for evidence.

Outside and Indoor Security Cameras Protect Your Employees

Mount a security camera to monitor remote parking areas or storage rooms to provide oversight and protection to employee cars and employee safety when they’re working in remote areas. Protecting your employees and their property will have the fortunate side effect of increasing productivity.

Protect Your Store from False Lawsuits

While most people consider CCTV security systems to be loss prevention tools, they can also serve to protect you and your employees from false lawsuits. Your security cameras can provide the evidence you need to stop a fake slip-and-fall lawsuit in its tracks, or back up an employee involved in an altercation with a customer.

Reduce Loss Due to Employee Theft of All Kinds

No one likes to think his employees may be cheating him, but it’s an unfortunate fact of many businesses. As night life expert Jon Taffer shows week after week on “Bar Rescue”, employees often take advantage of the business owner – often without even realizing they’re doing it. CCTV systems can monitor your employees and help you pinpoint loss, wasted movements and inefficiency. Once you find the problems, you can address them and improve your bottom line.

When CCTV systems are so inexpensive and can save you so much trouble and cost, installing security cameras and CCTV security systems is one of the best business decisions you can make.

CCTV systems keep your eyes everywhere

If you run an entertainment venue, you know how hard it can be to have eyes on everything that might happen. CCTV systems are among the best ways to put more eyes in areas that need the most surveillance. Choosing the right surveillance camera, monitor and recording options for your CCTV systems can be confusing unless you plan out your needs ahead of time. When you know what you expect from your CCTV system, you can choose the features you want and need.

How Many Areas?

The first thing you need to decide is how many security cameras you’ll need based on the number and size of the areas you need to cover. Think strategically. Ideally, you’d be able to provide total surveillance camera coverage of your entire club (with the exception of those areas the law prohibits you from placing surveillance cameras), but few small businesses can manage total coverage under their budgets. If you need to pick and choose, figure out the areas where trouble is most likely to start and prioritize them for a CCTV camera. Once you know how many cameras you’ll need, you can start looking at receivers.

Choosing a Receiver

Most small businesses today choose PC-based CCTV systems because they can provide a lot of storage space, but DVR-based systems are also popular. Decide how much surveillance footage you want to store and choose a recording method that offers the best solution. Keep in mind that DVR disks occupy far less space than videotapes, and hard drive storage – while limited – can be the best solution of all if your storage space is extremely limited. Consider backup methods, and of course, choose a display or receiver that can handle input from the number of cameras you’ve decided you need.

Resolution and Light

In a performance or entertainment venue, you’ll probably want to choose CCTV camera options with low light or IR recording capabilities. Beyond that, you’ll need to strike a balance between the amount of resolution you need and the size of the files you’ll be saving. Higher resolution gives you more detail, which can be important in your business. On the other hand, high resolution generates very large surveillance files.

Don’t forget to include your outdoor areas when deciding on the number of cameras your CCTV system should have. If you have a parking lot for patrons, it can easily become a magnet for dangerous and even illegal behaviors if you don’t provide a surveillance camera. Finally, if your venue checks IDs at the door, consider CCTV systems that allow you to store still photographs alongside your video data. Capturing ID information at the door can provide proof that your doormen are adequately checking identification if you ever face a challenge to your policies.