What to Know before You Choose Surveillance System

In this age of heightened awareness of security needs, video surveillance systems offer extra pairs of eyes to help you mange your business more carefully.

Before starting to compare surveillance systems or evaluating potential vendors, sit down and consider your closed circuit television (CCTV) needs. First, consider what you want to monitor with your surveillance system. General comings and goings? Vehicles? Do you want to see faces, merchandise, crowds? Once you decide what you want to see, choosing components will become easier.

Next, decide what picture quality you need in your surveillance systems. Quality can refer to both how detailed the image is and how fast the frame rate is. Frame rate is simply a measure of how many individual pictures make up the video. "Real-Time", what you see on television, is 30 frames per second. Most often, lower end surveillance systems record at slower rates, which result in more jerky-looking images but saves on recording space, choose a system which allows you to adjust the record / playback and streaming video rate

Think about how your surveillance system will be monitored. Will you simply record at all times, and only review the video when a problem occurs? Or will you have a dedicated employee watching for trouble? Also, with multiple surveillance system cameras, you have the option of connecting each to its own monitor, or combining multiple images onto one monitor.

You also should decide whether your priority with your surveillance system is to deter potential crimes or to catch perpetrators. If you are more interested in deterring certain activities, large, visible cameras are your best bet. Trying to catch criminals without them being aware of it requires hidden surveillance system cameras, which cost more for hardware and for installation.

With these questions answered, you will be able to speak with more knowledge as you explore the range of surveillance system options.

One of the newest trends in the surveillance system industry concerns digital recording. Only a few years ago, most closed-circuit TV systems were paired with the familiar VCR to record images. However, digital video recorders

For businesses that do not want to change tapes constantly, DVRs definitely are the way to go. While security VCRs usually offer a time-lapse mode that lets them record for long periods of time, the resulting images are not a good record of events - they record only one snapshot every eight seconds, and require very high maintenance and LOW ROI

With even a modest upfront investment, surveillance systems will shrink the long-term problem of theft.

Security Cameras are one of the best ways to monitor your home or office. First you must decide whether you need an indoor or an outdoor system and whether or not to use closed-circuit (CCTV) or wireless cameras, Please note: Most wireless cameras require a (CLOS) Clear Line Of Sight for proper transmission of video signals. Day or night use will also affect the type of camera you by, some have built in infra-red that allow them to 'see' in the dark, others are infrared sensitive.

Sketch out a Floor Plan: Put in all camera locations. Consider the distance to your surveillance zone: Are you 5 feet or 15 feet away from your surveillance target area? It is best to locate your camera as close to the surveillance area first, and then choose how much zoom you need. Do you need 4mm, 8mm or 12mm lens, or a PTZ camera

Field of view or area of surveillance: Take photos of areas you want to cover from the proposed camera locations. What lens you need depends what you want to see and how far away and how wide a viewing area. Wide angle and fisheye lenses are available.

Resolution: Do you want to capture a person face or a car license plate? Each camera location will determine which lenses would maximize your surveillance potential. Do you need 50mm lens or standard 8mm?, Vary-focal lens are also available and are mostly used when distances the camera is to view are unknown or "not sure" what the distance will be. This will allow you to adjust the (FOV) Filed of view as you see fit, and give you a wide variety of shots that may work out better then you thought in the first place!

Vandalism potential: Will your camera be subject to damage? Vandal proof cameras are available, and mainly come in a Dome. Lighting: Is the space well lit or dimly lit. Are the lights turned off at night? Do you want to monitor the area with the lights turned off? Do you need infrared CCTV cameras or low light cameras?

Budget: Just like any technology, the more you spend, the better the system you get. Keep in mind a low cost, low quality camera will provide you with unusable pictures, you can turn on the nightly news and see a perfect example of what we are talking about. A news brief will talk about a robbery and when they show you a picture of the thieves you will find the neighborhood kids probably do much better sidewalk chalk drawings than what the video of the low quality system produced!

Surveillance cameras are becoming more popular and, most importantly, more accessible to the average person. Huge store chains or gated communities area the only places than can afford the benefits of surveillance cameras anymore. They are available for your home and office needs, no matter how simple or how elaborate a setup you require.

Your home, your office, your store, your family -- these are just four reasons why you would want to purchase a surveillance camera. If you put your time, energy, and resources into these, why not take the extra step and insure what matters most to you? Video cameras designed specifically for surveillance give an extra measure of safety and security.

You have a broad range of video surveillance cameras available to you. Understanding the different kinds will make it easier to determine which one suit you best.

- Outdoor cameras need to be able to withstand extreme temperatures and humidifies and usually come in a weatherproof casing that also helps protect against vandalism.

These cameras have infrared LEDs installed around the lens of the camera. This provides light the camera can use to 'see in the dark' even when no outside light is available. In some low light installations, a day/night camera will work as well.

Day / Night Security Cameras - Day / Night cameras have a super sensitive imaging chip in them. This allows these cameras to work great in low light with no infrared lighting needed. Low light means that there is some light available but not a lot, for example from street lights or even moon light. If your application has absolutely no light then you'll need to use infrared instead.

- Mini cameras are some of the smallest available, but still offer extremely good resolution and are ideal for unobtrusive surveillance. The compact design of these coin cameras make them very easy to hide and difficult to see.

Bullet / Finger Cameras - Bullet / Finger cameras are small, compact and can be placed almost anywhere. These cameras are great for covert surveillance. The lens is built into the camera and cannot be switched. The main advantages to the bullet camera are their low cost and their small size.