Choosing the Best CCTV System for Your Needs

As the cost of CCTV systems has come down, more and more people are choosing to install CCTV security in their homes and small businesses. There are many different types of security camera and CCTV recording systems, each of them best suited for different types of applications. Choosing the right system for your needs requires knowing your expectations and understanding a little bit about the capabilities of various types of surveillance camera systems.

Do You Want Surveillance or Security?

Surveillance camera and security camera are often used interchangeably, but there’s a fine point of difference. If you want to keep an eye on things going on in a location, you want a surveillance camera. CCTV cameras used for surveillance may be hidden or obvious. Generally, though, if you want a security system that provides a deterrent, you’ll want to choose a security camera and CCTV setup that you can set up in plain view. Most burglars will avoid a home or business that is obviously protected by a security system.

Will Your Security Camera Be Indoors or Outdoors?

If the area you want to cover is outdoors, such as your driveway, parking lot or back yard, you’ll want to choose a camera with a weatherproof housing. You’ll probably also want a security camera with the capability of recording in low light situations, or a camera with infrared capabilities.

Do You Want Real-time Surveillance, Recording or Both?

CCTV systems with DVRs or hard drives can hold a great deal more data than old-fashioned videotape security systems. There are many different configurations for cameras and DVRs, as well as many different types of software you can choose to control your security camera and recording equipment. Be sure to choose components that are compatible with each other.

Will You Be Watching a Small Area or a Larger One?

A fixed security camera will work fine if you’re focusing on one small area and don’t need to change your view at all. If you want to cover a wider area or want to be able to zoom in or out, you’ll want to choose a PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) surveillance camera to give you more options for surveillance.

Wireless or Wired?

Wireless systems are easier to install and deploy and more versatile than most wired systems. Wired systems are also usually more expensive than wireless or IP-based CCTV systems. On the other hand, wired CCTV systems are more secure and less prone to being hacked.

Choosing the right CCTV system can reduce your insurance premiums and increase your security. Take the time to shop carefully and find the best CCTV camera for your needs.

CCTVs: Cost Effective and Useful

CCTV security systems are one of the most cost-effective ways to protect your business from loss, according to security experts. According to one security consulting firm, up to 80 percent of people would consider stealing something if the chances of being caught are low enough. Without a good CCTV security system in place, your business is at a much greater risk of loss and theft from both customers and employees. A quality CCTV camera can protect your business from loss in more ways than one.

Protect Against Shoplifting

A visible CCTV camera provides an excellent deterrent to shoplifting, say security experts. The simple presence of a security camera is enough to discourage most shoplifting attempts. A combination of visible and hidden security cameras can greatly reduce shrinkage in retail stores because of the deterrent factor.

Reduce Employee Theft

The U.S. Department of Commerce estimate that employee theft contributes to about 30 percent of business failures. While it’s never pleasant to think your employees may be stealing from you, the consequences of blind trust could be the loss of your business. A surveillance camera can be a visible deterrent. A hidden security camera can help you pinpoint the sources of your loss.

Protect from Litigation

In a litigious world, evidence from a surveillance camera can be vital protection for your business if you find yourself involved in a lawsuit. A security camera can reveal the truth in situations where customers accuse your business or employees of mistreatment or claim that they were injured on your premises.

Protect Your Employees

A surveillance camera in vulnerable areas can help protect your employees from attack and injury. Video surveillance of employee parking areas, which are often removed from plain sight of your place of business, can be invaluable in protecting employee vehicles from damage and theft, and in protecting your employees when they walk to their cars after closing time.

Improve Efficiency

Video surveillance can help you pinpoint areas of inefficiency in your operations. Sometimes, employees fall into a routine way of doing things that reduces efficiency and productivity just because it’s always been done that way. A CCTV camera can help you or a consultant analyze your business routines and pinpoint changes you can institute to increase productivity and efficiency and reduce the chances of injury.

Thanks to improvements in technology, CCTV security systems are more affordable than ever. The cost of installing a CCTV camera and DVR will quickly be offset by the savings your business realizes in reduced theft and increased efficiency and safety.

Five Reasons to Install a CCTV Security System

Did you know that according to the experts, a CCTV security system can stop up to 67% of break-ins and burglaries? When a major CCTV camera maker surveyed 30 convicted burglars, two-thirds of them said that they avoided properties with an obvious burglar alarm or CCTV camera in evidence. Despite that, only about 9 percent of homeowners have a CCTV security system installed in their homes. If you’re not one of them, maybe one of these four other reasons will be enough to convince you.

Out of 1,000 homeowners questioned in the same survey, 25 percent of them had been the victims of a burglary. One in five of those said they would never get over the burglary and more than 50 percent of them said they still worry that it will happen again. In fact, based on the answers provided in that survey, burglary is more stressful than divorce, job loss, moving and getting married. Isn’t it worth the small cost of a CCTV camera and DVR to avoid all that stress and fear?

A stolen car can have far-reaching effects. Most stolen cars are never recovered, and when they are, they’ve often been damaged or destroyed. Even if you have theft insurance, you’ll have to deal with the hassle of a replacement. It can take weeks to get through all the paperwork for the insurance. In the meantime, you’re driving an unfamiliar vehicle, probably at a high cost. If you rely on your vehicle to get to work, a stolen car can put your job in danger. And, say experts, having your car stolen has unexpected emotional effects. And of course, your car insurance premiums are likely to increase. A CCTV camera trained on your driveway could avert the whole problem. Car thieves are every bit as wary of being caught on camera as burglars. Those that are caught on camera are far more likely to be caught in real life as well.

A security camera can allow you to check in on your kids and your home while you’re at work. If you chose an IP security camera, you can log in from any Internet-enabled device and make sure that everything is going well at home. The peace of mind and increased safety is priceless.

The cost of a CCTV security system is far lower than you’d expect. New technologies have brought prices well within the budget of nearly any homeowner – and your insurance company will often decrease your premiums if you install a burglar alarm and CCTV camera system.

Why leave your family and belongings unprotected when it’s so easy to reduce the chances of burglary by almost two-thirds? Talk to a professional about CCTV cameras and security systems today.

Five CCTV Camera Features to Look For

The price point has come down considerably on CCTV security systems and cameras. The best CCTV systems are only as good as the security camera you choose for them. Today’s surveillance cameras offer lots of features and options that can improve your overall security, if you know what to look for. These five key features can make a big difference in the quality of your CCTV security.

Night Vision or Low-Light Viewing

If your camera will ever be recording in low light situations, look for a camera with a low lux rating. The lower the lux rating, the better it can see in the dark. This can be important if you’re using CCTV to monitor outside. If you want a camera for total darkness, choose one with a 0 lux rating and a built-in IR illuminator.

Minimal Wiring

Even a wireless security camera requires a power outlet. If you’re installing a new security system, look for cameras that require minimal wiring. It’s always easier to pull one wire than to route two.

The Right Style

Your camera doesn’t have to be a fashion standout, but its style should suit its intended purpose. If your intent is to deter shoplifting or warn intruders away from your home, choose a bullet camera mounted very visibly. If you prefer your surveillance to be unnoticed, there are many covert security camera styles available.

Adjustability

Choose a security camera that suits your needs. If you only intend to monitor a limited area, a fixed surveillance camera may be just fine. If, on the other hand, you need to keep watch over a wider range or want to be able to get a closer look at suspicious activities, choose a PTZ security camera that can be panned, tilted and zoomed to get different views of the area.

Viewing

Consider whether you only want real-time monitoring or whether you need to record surveillance for later viewing. If the latter, choose a camera that can record captured images to a hard drive or DVR. Likewise, if you want to be able to view your camera feed remotely, choose a web access or IP CCTV camera that will allow you to access the video feed and control the camera from your Web browser, smart phone or other media device.

In addition to those key features, you should also consider such things as durability, picture quality and, for an outside CCTV security camera, weather resistance. When you take the time to  consider your needs, you’ll find it much easier to find the right surveillance camera for your security needs.

Seven Tips to Help You Select the Right CCTV Security Camera

CCTV security systems are becoming very popular as crime-fighting tools, with DIY security camera systems becoming commonplace. While CCTV surveillance can be a powerful tool, it’s important that you choose the best security camera to obtain the kind of security footage that you need for your situation. These tips can help you choose the right surveillance camera for your CCTV system.

Determine the Coverage Area

Before you buy a security camera, consider how much of an area you want to be able to cover and how far the camera will be from the target. Chances are that you’ll find you need multiple CCTV cameras, with each covering a specific area.

Select the Focal Length for Your Security Camera

The quality of the video you capture will be dependent upon getting the right focal length for your surveillance camera. The best way to determine that is by using an online CCTV lens calculator.

Choose the Right Security Camera Type

There are dozens of styles of security cameras on the market today. They include bullet cameras, dome cameras and box cameras. The type you choose will depend upon whether you’re planning to use your camera indoors or outdoors, and how visible you want your camera to be, among other factors.

Choose the Best Camera Resolution

The higher the resolution of your camera, the more detail you’ll be able to see in your surveillance videos. For general use, choose 480 to 525 lines of resolution. You’ll get decent detail without using up too much valuable storage space for your security videos.

Choose Night Vision Cameras With Good IR Lighting for Night Time Surveillance

Infrared LEDs illuminate the area for good filming, but is invisible to the human eye. If you’re going to be doing nighttime surveillance, IR lighting is worth the extra investment.

Consider the Pros and Cons of Wired vs. Wireless CCTV System

A wireless security camera gives you flexibility in designing your security setup and is easier to install than wired systems. However, they are more  prone to outside interference, and require a transmitter and receiver, which add to the cost of the security camera system.

You Get What You Pay For

While you can find very cheap CCTV camera systems online, keep in mind that you get what you pay for. At the same time, the most expensive option isn’t always the best CCTV security setup for you. Find a vendor who is willing to answer your questions and work with you to design the best CCTV security system for your needs.

Types of CCTV Security Cameras for Your CCTV System

Among the most important components of CCTV systems are the camera or cameras you choose. There are hundreds of brands and models of security cameras on the market, but most fit into several different types. The cameras you prefer can dictate the other components of your surveillance system, or vice versa. Either way, it’s important to choose a CCTV camera and DVR or PC-based recorder that will be compatible with each other. Aside from issues of compatibility, you’ll have to consider how much detail you want to be able to view on surveillance tapes or live surveillance systems and a number of other factors. These are a few of the factors you may want to consider when deciding on the type of surveillance camera you want to buy for your CCTV security system.

Fake Security Camera

Technically, these aren’t security cameras at all. They’re a cheap option for those who think they can’t afford actual surveillance. They’re nothing more than a fake camera and won’t provide any security at all. Even their deterrent value is questionable. At today’s prices, you can get a real, working security camera for not much more than you’d pay for one of these. Don’t even bother.

Covert Surveillance Camera

The simplest of these are the wireless nanny cams that have become more and more popular in recent years. This type of security camera is designed to be hidden in a household object or may be made in the shape of a common household object. The aim of a hidden surveillance camera is to record things secretly. They don’t offer any deterrent value since they’re not visible, but they’re a good option if your intent is to watch what your employees do when they think no one is watching.

Wired Security Camera

Wired security cameras are ideal for use with analog CCTV security systems. Wired systems are more difficult to install than wireless systems, but they offer superior transmission, picture quality and reliability. They’re the best option if your security camera setup isn’t likely to change and you require high quality video output.

Wireless Security Camera

As one would expect, a wireless security camera doesn’t require cabling to connect it to the DVR, PC or base of the security system. It transmits images and audio wirelessly to a DVR or receiver located within range. The biggest advantages offered by a wireless security camera are portability and ease of installation. They’re a good option if you want to be able to reconfigure your CCTV system when necessary.

Those are the absolute basic options when you’re considering CCTV cameras as part of a security system. Other considerations include color or black and white, low light or night vision recording, video resolution and other capabilities. A knowledgeable CCTV professional can help you make decisions about the best options for your needs.

A Quick Guide to Home Wireless CCTV Systems

Not long ago, installing home CCTV surveillance systems was a complicated and time-consuming affair, only available to those with the money to lay out for expensive equipment and technicians to install it. CCTV camera options and recording devices were limited by the capabilities of the equipment, and few individual homeowners could afford the expense of installing the necessary security cameras and involved wiring. Today, CCTV systems for home security purposes are easy enough that many homeowners can easily install their own, and you can purchase an entire surveillance system with several security cameras for less than what you’d have paid for a VCR to record security tapes just ten years ago.

As the quality of CCTV systems improves and the price drops, more and more people are opting to protect their homes and families with a security camera and surveillance system. With the arrival of wireless IP security cameras, sensors and various recording options for surveillance footage, there are CCTV systems available that fit into nearly any homeowner’s budget.

What Kind of Security Cameras are Available?

Among the most popular options for surveillance cameras in the home are wireless security cameras and nanny cams. The advantages of wireless IP cameras are many, but the biggest of them all is their portability.  Because they don’t rely on wires to transmit images to a monitor or recording device, you can easily move wireless security cameras to anywhere they’re needed as long as they are within range of the device to which they’re transmitting. They’re priced between $100 and $500, and transmit a video signal to a local base station. You can view those images on a television, monitor, mobile phone, desktop or laptop computer.

These wireless security cameras can be mounted visibly on a wall, shelf or ceiling, or hidden in a clock, smoke detector or other device for secret surveillance. Their biggest drawback is that the low end wireless IP security cameras sometimes transmit on an unsecured frequency that can be picked up from outside the home. Higher end cameras tie into IP networks and transmit encrypted video that’s more secure.

Special Capabilities

While low end CCTV systems with wireless cameras are “always-on”, higher quality CCTV cameras offer many other options for recording surveillance videos. The most common of these are systems that switch to recording mode when the security camera senses movement. These infrared motion sensor cameras are quite affordable and no more difficult to set up than standard CCTV systems.

Today’s homeowner can choose from many different CCTV surveillance options to increase their feeling of security and help protect family and property. The price ranges on CCTV security systems are well within the range of most homeowners, offering an affordable, easy way to keep your family safer and protect your property when you’re not at home.