CCTV Installation Tips

The number of people installing CCTV cameras in homes and businesses has increased drastically. This is from a study done by a national online survey of local councils in Australia.According to FBI Crime In the United States data, by 2016, the US had reported 1.5 million burglaries cases and 1.7 million shoplifting thefts. From these figures, we can conclude that the criminal cases in the United Kingdom were also high at that time and have increased with time.

But recently, business owners have reported that CCTV cameras have protected their businesses from vandalism, break-ins, and thefts, among other crimes. Well, maybe those are the same reasons that make you desire to install CCTV cameras in your home or business.

As such, this article will inform you about the things you should know when installing CCTV cameras in your home or business. So, without further ado, let’s get moving.

THE POSITIONING OF YOUR CAMERAS.

You need to determine the best place to mount your first camera. However, the terrane of your business or home will determine this.

But interestingly, most people find it better to install their first camera close to their home’s or business’ entrance door. Then they mount the other CCTV cameras at weaker spots such as the back walls.

More importantly, you should place your cameras such that they cover the entire space of your business or home. Consequently, you will be able to get an early warning in case of anything suspicious within your premise.

Besides, the CCTV cameras should cover the most vulnerable areas of your home or your business. As such, you can monitor what’s happening in those areas. Additionally, you can choose a camera with a cover-case colour that matches your business’ or home’s colour scheme. As a result, your CCTV cameras will be hidden from invaders.

LIGHTING IS ESSENTIAL FOR YOUR CAMERA

Supply your camera (for your home or business) with sufficient lighting (that is if your camera needs extra light for it to pick up quality images at night). As a result, your camera will be able to pick details that may be handy to you. However, if you lack adequate lighting or you don’t want to provide extra lighting to your camera, a vision capable CCTV camera can save you the hustle.

CAMERA TYPE MATTERS

Pan tilt zoom (PTZ) CCTV cameras are great. But here is the catch. They work best with having someone present to watch the video feeds and manipulate these cameras. Besides, they have many moving parts and can cover only a small area of your home or business. As such, they may not suit your needs.

So, when it comes to camera types, fixed, wide-angle cameras can be your best bet. This is because you can set these cameras at strategic locations and you will be able to view a large area of your home or business.

Moreover, different camera types provide different types of solutions. Most importantly, there’re cameras that can work best for your home while others can work well in business premises. So, be sure to choose a camera that will suit your needs.

INDOOR CAMERAS SHOULD STAY INDOORS.

Sounds counter-intuitive, huh? But here is the thing. Don’t mount your indoor CCTV cameras outside. If you do so, the bugs, moisture, and other substances will damage your indoor CCTV cameras. And consequently, your camera may end up displaying low-quality images.

WEB-BASED CAMERAS AREN’T SECURE.

Hackers can launch DDOs attacks using your web-based camera. So, secure the camera by employing the security features that your camera system has. This is crucial especially if your CCTV camera system is IoT (internet of things) connected.

YOU NEED A BACKUP

Somewhere along the way, you need to retrieve data that your CCTV camera collected (in form, of video format). So, you should determine which type of data storage you will use. You may choose hard-drive storage or cloud storage.

Additionally, the CCTV video files will need large storage space. So, choose a storage space that will serve you best.

EXPERTS KNOW BETTER

Surely, you can install a CCTV system for your home on your own. But professional surveillance camera installers have experience in installing various types of CCTVs for homes and businesses.

More importantly, if you’re a business owner, you need more effective and efficient surveillance systems. So, consider expertise help for the installation of your CCTV cameras in your business or home.

THE NUMBER OF CAMERAS YOU NEED

We have no one-size-fits-all approach to this. Different factors will determine the quantity of CCTV cameras you may install in your business or home. These factors include your budget, nature of your business, the objectives for your CCTV cameras, among others.

Most importantly, install the many or all CCTVs you need during your first installation. Why this? You see, the cost per unit of adding CCTVs to your system will be higher than when you install them at once in the first installation instance.

MONITORING IS NOW COST-EFFECTIVE

In the past, it was necessary to employ staff to monitor your VDUs (visual display units). However, with the advancement of technology, you can monitor your CCTV system remotely. As such, if your CCTV has the remote-access capability, you can monitor the CCTV remotely using your smartphone, tablet, or personal laptop.

SOME SYSTEMS ARE EXPOSED TO DAMAGE

This is where special devices such as polycarbonate housings or domes can come in handy. Consider using such protection devices in your CCTV system to prevent damage to your cameras. Besides, you can install camouflaged cameras.

For this case, you may consider using cameras that are hidden in such devices as clocks, among others—you get the idea? And most importantly, protect your cameras from strong direct light. Why? This may decrease the image quality of your home or business camera.

SOME BASIC TECHNICAL DETAILS ARE ESSENTIAL

You need to acquaint yourself with knowledge of some basic technical stuff. And this section will help you do just that.

DAY/NIGHT CAMERAS CAN WORK BETTER.

You can use B/w, colour, and day/night cameras in the same installation thanks to the digital processing and recording systems. However, day/night CCTV cameras are the most popular. One of the reasons they are popular is that, with the use of additional IR illuminators, the day/night cameras provide colour images by day and B/w light by night.

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COLOR SYSTEMS AND B/W SYSTEMS

Unlike b/w systems, colour systems will provide you with a better observation of details. As such, you may find them being used to observing crowds in the street or customers in supermarkets. However, the colour cameras are less sensitive than B/W cameras. As a result, the colour cameras need better illumination for optimal operation. Additionally, B/W cameras allow you to observe the details vividly at night, although this is often possible with the addition of IR illuminators to the B/W cameras. Know a Thing or Two About Image QualityThe image quality of your business’ or home’s cameras depends on your camera recording parameters, visualization methods, parameters of transmission lines, processing methods, among others. So, for quality images, opt for a CCTV with the best of the settings discussed above. More importantly, for observation systems, standard resolution cameras such as colour-380 lines and monochromatic – 460 lines are a thing of the past. As cameras resolutions have increased dramatically to 1080p HD However if you need to identify car plate numbers, people, among other things, opt for high-resolution 5 to 8 meg 4K camera resolution is available in the market. So, there you have it. The essential things you should know when installing a CCTV in your home or business.

Put them into practice and install that powerful CCTV surveillance system you’ve always desired. And more importantly, if you haven’t yet purchased your CCTV cameras, remember to explore various camera types available for you at CCTV Camera Center. You may find one that suits your needs.