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How To Know Which Security Camera System Is Right For You
Your circumstances have changed and you are now considering the purchase of a security camera system. Maybe crime has been on the rise in your neighborhood or near your place of business. You want to protect your newly established retail store. Perhaps shrinkage in your existing business is increasing. The CCTV system you installed years ago is no longer providing you with acceptable quality and you want to upgrade to a more featured system. Whatever the reason you're considering to purchase a video surveillance solution, you will have to figure out which camera system will meet your requirements. Before you buy, take the following into consideration:
Residential or Commercial Security Camera Solutions. Are you looking for residential or commercial surveillance systems? Seems like a basic question to ask, but most residential camera systems involve outdoor cameras, whereas commercial systems use both indoor and outdoor cameras. Even if your residence does require an indoor security camera solution, lighting is typically quite different from that of a business.
Area That Needs To Be Monitored. The quality of the video, light sensitivity and lens type are determined based on the area that you want to monitor. Is the area indoors, outdoors, daytime, night, some or all of the above? Camera placement (ceiling, wall, roof, pole) and lens type (wide angle? telephoto?) are determined based on how far away the area is from the camera. The camera angle and the type of camera are determined based on how narrow or wide the area to be covered is.
How Much Coverage Is Needed? If the area needs normal coverage, then a fixed camera will do the job well. A fixed camera also called a fixed focus camera is where the lens of the camera is focused and remains fixed on the area. It will not change according to light conditions.) If you want to monitor an area that needs wider coverage, a pan-tilt-zoom, or PTZ, camera will be the better choice. Knowing the areas' lighting conditions of the areas that you want to monitor is critical so you can choose the right cameras. You may need cameras that automatically adjust for lighting, or cameras that produce black and white images at night, or produce color images during the day.
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.
Installing a Security Camera System. Security camera systems can involve pulling coaxial cable or Ethernet cable through walls or through the ground. These can be quite costly if your requirement is large enough, such as a parking lot, a school campus, a historic building. Wireless security camera systems are a flexible, and cost-efficient way to keep costs down, while still achieving the video surveillance quality you need.
Residential or Commercial Security Camera Solutions. Are you looking for residential or commercial surveillance systems? Seems like a basic question to ask, but most residential camera systems involve outdoor cameras, whereas commercial systems use both indoor and outdoor cameras. Even if your residence does require an indoor security camera solution, lighting is typically quite different from that of a business.
Area That Needs To Be Monitored. The quality of the video, light sensitivity and lens type are determined based on the area that you want to monitor. Is the area indoors, outdoors, daytime, night, some or all of the above? Camera placement (ceiling, wall, roof, pole) and lens type (wide angle? telephoto?) are determined based on how far away the area is from the camera. The camera angle and the type of camera are determined based on how narrow or wide the area to be covered is.
How Much Coverage Is Needed? If the area needs normal coverage, then a fixed camera will do the job well. A fixed camera also called a fixed focus camera is where the lens of the camera is focused and remains fixed on the area. It will not change according to light conditions.) If you want to monitor an area that needs wider coverage, a pan-tilt-zoom, or PTZ, camera will be the better choice. Knowing the areas' lighting conditions of the areas that you want to monitor is critical so you can choose the right cameras. You may need cameras that automatically adjust for lighting, or cameras that produce black and white images at night, or produce color images during the day.
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.
Installing a Security Camera System. Security camera systems can involve pulling coaxial cable or Ethernet cable through walls or through the ground. These can be quite costly if your requirement is large enough, such as a parking lot, a school campus, a historic building. Wireless security camera systems are a flexible, and cost-efficient way to keep costs down, while still achieving the video surveillance quality you need.
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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.
Home security