Circumstances have changed. You are now contemplating a security camera system. Perhaps crime has been increasing in your neighborhood or in the vicinity of your place of work. You've just opened a new store, or theft is becoming out of control in your existing store. Your existing CCTV system can't provide you with the quality you need and a newer security camera system is warranted. Regardless of the reason you decided it's time to buy a video security system, you will have to make sure that they system can best meets your surveillance requirements. Take the following into consideration before you finalize your purchase:
Video Surveillance Solution For Your Residence or Business. Do you need security cameras for your residence or place of work? Seems like an obvious first question but most security camera solutions for the home require cameras that work outside, where a business will typically use cameras that work both indoors and outdoors. If you want security camera coverage inside your house, the lighting will probably be quite different from the lighting at your business.
Area To Be Monitored. The area to be monitored will determine what kind of video quality and camera lens type, and the light sensitivity and camera lens type. The questions you need to answer are: Are you monitoring an indoor area? Outdoor area? In the daylight? During the evening? Some or all of the above? Should the camera be placed on the ceiling? Would it be better located on a wall? Does your surveillance requirements need a camera to be installed on the roof of your residence or business? Would installing a camera on a pole be a part of the solution? Will the area you want to monitor require a wide angle lens? Or a telephoto lens be needed because the area to be monitored spans a large area? The best camera type and placement can be determined when you understand how narrow or wide the area to be monitored is.
Coverage. A fixed camera will work well if the area needs normal coverage. (A fixed camera or fixed focus camera is one where once focused, the lens of the camera remains fixed on the area. It does not zoom or change according to light conditions.) If the area requires a wider coverage, then a PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) camera is a good choice. Fully understand the lighting conditions of the areas that you want to monitor so you can determine whether you need cameras that will automatically adjust for lighting, or cameras that produce color images during the day, and black and white images at night.
Viewing Recorded Security Camera Footage. Do you want to locally view activity on a CCTV monitor? Would you rather the convenience of a solution that lets you view activity remotely over the Internet on your PC, smartphone, or tablet? Do you want to be notified by text message or email when certain activity is occurring? Answering these questions will help to identify the components that will make up the security camera system that you require: an analog security camera solution with a DVR (digital video recorder), an analog solution with an NVR (network video recorder), an IP video or a Hybrid solution, which is a combination of Analog and IP. Recording and storing video requires hardware specific to your needs. How often will you need to record? Will you need to record daily, 24/7, or only evenings Monday through Friday? Answering these questions will help to define how much storage you will need, what equipment you will record (a PC, a DVR, an NVR) and any security video software you need.
Your Security Camera System Installation. Installing a security camera system can be quite easy or very complex. Coax or Ethernet cables will need to be run above ceilings and through walls between your cameras and the viewing/recording device. If your solution is an outdoor solution, it could mean pulling Ethernet cable or coaxial cable through the ground. If you are securing school grounds, or a parking area, or an historic building, it can be quite an expensive undertaking. You could and should consider a wireless security camera solution to make installations like these easier and less costly but still have a quality video surveillance solution.
Video Surveillance Solution For Your Residence or Business. Do you need security cameras for your residence or place of work? Seems like an obvious first question but most security camera solutions for the home require cameras that work outside, where a business will typically use cameras that work both indoors and outdoors. If you want security camera coverage inside your house, the lighting will probably be quite different from the lighting at your business.
Area To Be Monitored. The area to be monitored will determine what kind of video quality and camera lens type, and the light sensitivity and camera lens type. The questions you need to answer are: Are you monitoring an indoor area? Outdoor area? In the daylight? During the evening? Some or all of the above? Should the camera be placed on the ceiling? Would it be better located on a wall? Does your surveillance requirements need a camera to be installed on the roof of your residence or business? Would installing a camera on a pole be a part of the solution? Will the area you want to monitor require a wide angle lens? Or a telephoto lens be needed because the area to be monitored spans a large area? The best camera type and placement can be determined when you understand how narrow or wide the area to be monitored is.
Coverage. A fixed camera will work well if the area needs normal coverage. (A fixed camera or fixed focus camera is one where once focused, the lens of the camera remains fixed on the area. It does not zoom or change according to light conditions.) If the area requires a wider coverage, then a PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) camera is a good choice. Fully understand the lighting conditions of the areas that you want to monitor so you can determine whether you need cameras that will automatically adjust for lighting, or cameras that produce color images during the day, and black and white images at night.
Viewing Recorded Security Camera Footage. Do you want to locally view activity on a CCTV monitor? Would you rather the convenience of a solution that lets you view activity remotely over the Internet on your PC, smartphone, or tablet? Do you want to be notified by text message or email when certain activity is occurring? Answering these questions will help to identify the components that will make up the security camera system that you require: an analog security camera solution with a DVR (digital video recorder), an analog solution with an NVR (network video recorder), an IP video or a Hybrid solution, which is a combination of Analog and IP. Recording and storing video requires hardware specific to your needs. How often will you need to record? Will you need to record daily, 24/7, or only evenings Monday through Friday? Answering these questions will help to define how much storage you will need, what equipment you will record (a PC, a DVR, an NVR) and any security video software you need.
Your Security Camera System Installation. Installing a security camera system can be quite easy or very complex. Coax or Ethernet cables will need to be run above ceilings and through walls between your cameras and the viewing/recording device. If your solution is an outdoor solution, it could mean pulling Ethernet cable or coaxial cable through the ground. If you are securing school grounds, or a parking area, or an historic building, it can be quite an expensive undertaking. You could and should consider a wireless security camera solution to make installations like these easier and less costly but still have a quality video surveillance solution.
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If you don't have the time or the skills to configure and install your security camera system, consider contacting a security camera systemsprovider in your region. Most offer free, no obligation consultations. They'll walk through all of the above with you and provide you with a quote on what it will cost for a video surveillance solution that meets your needs.