Different Uses for CCTV Systems

While most people think of CCTV systems as security camera systems or surveillance systems, there are certainly other uses for a good security camera, monitor and DVR. These are some of the more unusual – and delightful – uses we’ve seen made of CCTV systems, often with wireless access.

Coffee’s Ready!

While not technically a CCTV system, the first recorded use of a remote camera over a network was the Trojan room coffee pot, in the old Computer Laboratory at the University of Cambridge. Students working in the lab got tired of making the trip down to the coffee room only to find that there was no coffee in the pot. In 1991, Quentin Stafford-Fraser and Paul Jardetzky wrote server and client software, connected a CCTV camera to the network and turned on the world’s first webcam, whose sole purpose was to help to help people working in remote parts of the building avoid pointless trips to the coffee room.

Wildlife Camera

Thousands of people around the world get an up close and personal look at deer, squirrels and other wildlife on their property – and more exotic creatures in remote locations – thanks to CCTV systems with high-quality security camera systems mounted in wilderness, woods and other natural areas.  A night vision surveillance camera is ideal for observing and recording the wildlife that visits your garden at night, and allows you to view the natural behavior of animals that would flee if they knew you were watching.

Oven Cam

You may not have a need to watch what’s cooking inside your oven, but a large bakery that produced Danish pastries had exactly that need on a temporary basis. The pastries were fed through the oven on a conveyor belt and discharged onto wire racks to cool down and go to packing. On occasion, the pastries would jam at the transfer point, and within minutes, the bakery would have a full-fledged Danish disaster on its hands. It wasn’t bad enough that they’d lose an entire night’s production of pastries – they’d also lose several days’ production to cleanup. A surveillance camera set up inside the oven soon found the problem – one that required the congruence of several different factors that had a thousands-to-one chance of occurring just right. The bakery repaired the problem, but left the CCTV camera in place just to keep an eye on things.

Got a situation where an extra pair of unseen eyes would  be useful? Consider the benefits and flexibility of CCTV systems to help you solve your problem.

Random CCTV Systems Information for Non-Techies

From city condos to country estates, homeowners are turning to CCTV systems for security and safety in their homes and on their property. These tips can help non-techie people who are looking for information on CCTV systems, security cameras and surveillance cameras make choices about the equipment they need.

Need a Good Face Shot?

The best place to put a good, high resolution camera is at your entry areas. Those are the type of security camera you want to record good face shots of anyone entering your property. Mount the surveillance camera so that it is aimed directly at the face, making it harder for visitors to obscure their faces or hide from it. A good face shot can be extremely valuable if you need to use it for evidence in a court of law.

Use Wide Angle Cameras for Large Areas

Inside your building, choose a wide angle color security camera. The wide angle lens lets your camera capture a much wider range of area than a standard camera. You don’t need to worry so much about high resolution and focus on these cameras, since you’ll be able to identify people by the clothing they wear and their silhouettes.

Consider Dome and Bullet Security Cameras

A bullet security camera is a good choice if you want people to know that they’re under surveillance. A dome camera can be hidden in the ceiling or a wall, and makes it difficult to tell where the lens is pointed. There are many inexpensive surveillance camera options available starting as low as $80 for black and white and $150 for color.

Choose Black and White for Low Light Situations

Outdoors and in low light, choose a black and white security camera. B/W cameras often have higher resolution than similarly priced color cameras. They also can “see” in lower light, making them the ideal choice for areas where you’ll be doing most of your surveillance at night or in low light situations.

Choose a Camera with a Changeable Lens

Many cameras let you change the lens just as you would do with a traditional camera. You can choose from lens options ranging from 2.5mm up to 500mm, giving you many options for magnification. You can also find many cameras with varifocal lenses, which allow you to adjust the zoom and fucos on the camera.

PTZ Security Camera Advantages

Pan-tilt-zoon cameras allow you to look around the area you’re keeping under surveillance from a distance. The surveillance camera can pan the room, tilt up and down horizontally and zoom in on anything you choose.

Choosing the right security camera makes CCTV systems even more beneficial in protecting your property and your family. Ask for more information when you make your purchase to help you determine your needs exactly.

Tips for Installing CCTV Systems

Many people shy away from buying CCTV systems because they’re afraid of the installation process, which can be the most expensive part of the whole process. While it can be tricky to install CCTV systems, it’s not impossible. If you have decent do-it-yourself skills and know how to follow directions, it’s totally doable for the average homeowner. Here are some tips that can help you decide on the right CCTV camera configuration and install your own CCTV setup.

Before You Buy

Make sure that you’re buying the right security system for your property. If you’re going to spend money on a professional, this is the best place to spend it. Have a security professional do a survey of your property and suggest the best CCTV equipment for your needs, and point out potential problems so that you can solve them before you invest in a system that won’t meet your needs.

Check Your Outlets

One of the most common problems homeowners face when installing security camera systems is the lack of adequate power outlets, especially if you’ll be installing a surveillance camera outside. First, figure out where your power outlets are located. If they’re not accessible to the places you’d like to install your cameras, you have a few options. You can add outlets where you need them, which is not as expensive as you think if you can do the work yourself. You can reconfigure your ideas about the CCTV system, or you can ask for expert advice. Again, this is a problem that can be foreseen if you consult an expert installer before making your purchase. Professionals will often have suggestions you may not have considered.

Adequate Lighting

If you want to monitor an outdoor area at night, you may run into another problem – adequate light to deliver a good image. Again, you have several options if you don’t have adequate security lighting. You can install a security light near the camera, or you can choose a security camera that’s meant to record in low light situations – either one with a low lux rating or one with infrared capabilities to record in complete darkness. Another option you can consider is a motion sensor light that will turn on both the light and the camera when it senses motion in the area.

Weather Considerations

If you’re going to install a surveillance camera outside, you’ll need to choose one with a sturdy, weatherproof case. You should also consider the climate conditions in your area. If you live in an extremely hot or cold area, you may need to choose a CCTV camera that can withstand extremes of heat or cold.

Cabled CCTV Systems or Wireless Cameras

Finally, consider whether you want to run cables from your camera to your recording device or whether you can rely on wireless CCTV systems. Running wire can be the most difficult and time-consuming part of the installation process, but wired systems are the most secure. Wireless systems are easier to install, but are not as secure as wired systems.

Once you’ve planned your installation, you’ll find that actually carrying out the steps to install your system is quite easy. The pre-planning is the most important part of installing CCTV systems.

FAQs About CCTV Systems

Most people are used to seeing CCTV systems – or at least a CCTV camera – in retail spaces. Companies use CCTV to monitor customers and employees for many different reasons. The most common reason given by businesses that use CCTV is to prevent shoplifting and employee theft, but it’s only one reason. Other businesses use CCTV camera systems to provide safety and security for their employees and customers, and to provide a detailed record of particular events during the workday – for example, to detail the inspection of IDs at the door to a nightclub.

Over the past few years, it has also become more common to see CCTV systems in private homes, especially in homes that have young children. These facts can help you decide whether a CCTV security system is right for your home.

What is CCTV?

CCTV is an acronym for closed circuit television. A complete CCTV system includes at least one security camera, a monitor and/or a recording device. The recording device may be a DVR, a VCR or a PC hard drive. PC-based CCTV security systems are among the most popular and fastest growing segment of the security industry.

Why Do People Use CCTV?

One of the biggest reasons that retail businesses use CCTV systems is protection. A visible security camera is a deterrent against theft and vandalism – most vandals and thieves would prefer not to be recorded as they break into your premises. They serve the same purpose for home use, but they can also be used to keep an eye on a sleeping baby and allow homeowners to keep an eye on their property from a remote location, like their office.

What Are the Functions of a CCTV Surveillance System?

A complete CCTV surveillance system has three main functions: surveillance, recording and playback. Some systems only provide for real-time monitoring of places covered by a CCTV camera, but most record footage from the security camera to some sort of storage media so that it can be played back later for viewing.

How Do I Pick the Right Security System?

The CCTV system you choose depends on your needs and your budget. One of the best ways to determine the best CCTV systems for your needs is to consult a company that sells and installs CCTV cameras and security systems.

Tips for Using CCTV Systems In Your Entertainment Venue

An entertainment venue has particular security needs that can be addressed using CCTV systems. With proper deployment, you can keep a close watch for trouble hot spots, maintain a record of ID compliance and protect your staff from abuse and complaints. These tips can help you see different ways that your CCTV camera and DVR setup can help you improve security in your bar, club or other entertainment venue.

Provide Parking Lot Security

Entertainment venues, especially those that serve alcohol, are prone to problems like fights breaking out in the parking lot or vandals attacking employee and customer cars. Head that off with a very obviously mounted and very obviously functional CCTV surveillance camera trained on the parking lot. Even more importantly, the CCTV camera coverage will provide a layer of security for your staff when they leave the venue after hours.

Monitor ID Compliance

If you serve alcohol, you may be required by law to check the ID of every person who enters. Failure to comply with that regulation can result in serious fines and penalties. Place a security camera at the front door and position it to catch both the face of the customer who is entering and the face of the ID presented. The security footage can provide evidence in case your business is accused of allowing underage patrons to enter the premises.

Watch for Hot Spots

Higher quality PC-based CCTV systems give you a lot of options to configure your system, including some rudimentary pattern recognition. Configure your CCTV software to recognize patterns of congregation that signal trouble brewing so that your security staff will get a heads up and can head trouble off before it starts.

Analyze Efficiency

One of the most useful ways that CCTV systems can help your business in an entertainment venue is to record a typical night behind the bar and out on the floor. While television shows like “Bar Rescue” focus on catching employees being bad, it’s far more useful to analyze traffic patterns and work habits so that you can pinpoint places where you can make the work lives of your staff easier. You might notice, for example, that your bartenders have to walk the length of the bar twice to make a popular mixed drink. Eliminating those extra steps will cut down on the time it takes to make the drink and allow them to serve people more quickly.

CCTV systems offer you many tools to help you better manage your entertainment business, provide a more efficient workplace for your employees and a safer environment for your customers.

A Guide to Wireless Home CCTV Systems

Installing CCTV Systems used to be complicated and time-consuming, but advances in technology have made it far easier to install your own CCTV security and security cameras. CCTV systems, once confined to businesses that could afford the expense of installing the wiring for a security camera and DVR, are increasingly being used in homes. In fact, today you can easily purchase and install an entire CCTV system, complete with surveillance camera and recorder, for less than what you’d have paid to buy a DVR just ten years ago.

If you’re considering installing a wireless home security camera and recording system, this information can help you make informed choices.

What’s On the Market?
The most popular types of surveillance camera for homes are wireless nanny cams and security cameras. There are a lot of advantages to using a wireless IP camera and just a few drawbacks. Because you don’t need wires to send a signal to the DVR, you can easily move your security camera around to capture what you want to capture as long as you keep the camera in range of the base station. You’ll pay between $100 and $500 for decent security camera systems, though they can go much higher depending on the options you choose.

The biggest drawback to a wireless security camera is, ironically, security. Unless you tie your camera to an IP network and transmit video encrypted, the signals can be intercepted by just about anyone in range who knows what to look for.

Special Options
Low-end CCTV systems have wireless cameras that are always on, but when you get into the higher end systems, there are many other options. Among the most popular are security camera systems that turn on when they sense motion. Motion sensing cameras are fairly inexpensive and as easy to set up as standard CCTV systems.

Hidden Camera Surveillance
In most cases, you have the right to record anything that happens in your home as a property owner, but you should always check your local statutes to be sure. If you’re planning to record outside, it’s important to position your security camera so that it doesn’t accidentally capture footage from a neighbor’s home or private property.

Today’s homeowner can choose from many different types of CCTV systems and components. The price ranges on modern CCTV security equipment are easily affordable for most homeowners and can be offset by savings on insurance premiums. If your home is unprotected, consider the advantages and benefits of installing a CCTV camera system for your safety and security.

Buying Cameras for CCTV Systems

The security camera is one of the most important elements of most CCTV systems. Choosing the right security camera will make the difference in whether the footage you capture will meet your needs. These are among the things you should consider when choosing a surveillance camera for the CCTV system you own or are planning to buy.

What Is Your Intent?

One of the major factors in deciding which CCTV camera to buy is the reason that you’re setting up surveillance in the first place. The more detailed you need your security footage to be, the more important it is to choose the right camera. If your main purpose is to discourage shoplifters or intruders and to inform you when there might be a problem, for example, you can get by with a fairly basic security camera. If, on the other hand, you believe that your security footage may be needed to identify someone, you’ll need a security camera with much higher quality and resolution, as well as one that can be set for the right focal distance for recording.

In addition to the quality, your intention will also dictate the configuration or style of camera you choose. Bullet cameras are obvious, and are designed to be mounted in plain sight. They’re the best choice if you want to deter wrongdoers with an obvious security system. They also make it obvious who and what is being watched, though, since they are completely visible. Dome cameras are hidden behind a lens, making them much less obvious, as well as making it harder for people to tell when they’re being observed. Finally, there are small surveillance camera choices, like nanny cams, that are meant for hidden recording. If you decide to use one of those, be sure to check the laws about hidden surveillance in your jurisdiction.

What Kind of System Do You Have?

When you’re adding a CCTV camera to existing CCTV systems, you need to make sure that the new camera will be compatible with the existing system.

Where Will the Surveillance Camera Be Installed?

The location of the cameras you hook up to CCTV systems is another factor to consider. Outdoor cameras require protective housing, not only to protect them from the weather, but also to protect them from impact damage and from being damaged by vandals or stolen. Indoor cameras are frequently less expensive because they don’t need the same protection.

Choosing the right security camera to for CCTV systems isn’t always as straightforward as it seems. If you have questions about the best choices for your needs, a professional installer will be happy to answer your questions and help you make the best decisions.