CCTV Systems Are a Must for Small Business

Are you a small business owner who has been resisting the idea of installing a security camera in your place of work? CCTV systems are becoming ubiquitous, and there are some very good reasons for that. If you own a small business that engages with the public in any way, there are far more benefits than disadvantages to installing a CCTV camera system.
Security
The biggest reason to install a CCTV camera on your premises is increased security, especially if you choose a surveillance camera setup with real-time monitoring. Of course, few small business owners can afford a full-time security employee to provide real-time monitoring, but there are ways to get around that limitation. The most common way is to place the monitor in the line of sight of a cashier, service desk employee or hostess. By installing a CCTV system with this configuration, your place of business can keep an eye on the parking lot while customers enjoy their meals or monitor areas around the building that aren’t in plain sight from the street, adding a measure of safety to your customers’ experience.
Theft Prevention
In retail stores, CCTV systems serve the purpose of preventing and detecting theft, both by customers/the public and by employees. Stores that install a security camera to cover areas that aren’t easily seen from employee stations see a major reduction in shrinkage due to shoplifting and employee theft. This isn’t restricted to retail establishments, though. In cafes, bars and restaurants, a surveillance camera can keep an eye on employee interactions to ensure that they aren’t comping friends to meals or pouring the liquor too freely and wasting your money.
Access Control
The newest CCTV systems can work in conjunction with a security/access control system. If you own a small apartment building, for example, a security camera at the front door can allow residents to see visitors before they answer the door and possibly let in a burglar or other dangerous person. By tying your smartphone or tablet into a feed from your security camera, you can set up a system to send an alert to your phone if someone arrives at your home, and choose whether to remotely unlock the door for them. Even if you don’t have a remote access system, an alert from your security system can prompt you to view the feed from your security camera and decide whether the incident merits a call to the police.
CCTV systems are becoming more and more of a convenience and a necessity in today’s business world. Don’t fall behind the times. Protect your business with the latest affordable technology.

Should You Use CCTV Systems For Surveillance in the Workplace?

It’s one of the hottest premises on the TV reality show circuit. Business owners whose businesses are floundering contact a celebrity expert for help. The experts come into the business and install CCTV systems to observe the “typical” working day. It’s been used in beauty salons, restaurants, hotels and bars and the ratings prove that it’s a popular format. One of the experts, Bar Rescue’s Jon Taffer, is a great believer in CCTV camera use to keep employees on their toes and honest. But is it a good idea to set up CCTV systems to spy on your employees? There are two sides to the coin. These are the pros and cons you should consider when deciding whether to install a surveilance camera system in your place of business.
Legal Ramifications
Before you dig in and set up a surveilance camera system in your business, research the laws in your state about the installation of surveillance systems. Some states practically give you carte blanche because it is your property, while others have strict rules about where you can and can’t install a security camera. In general, most states don’t allow you to install a surveilance camera in areas where employees have a “reasonable expectation of privacy,” such as restrooms or locker rooms. Contact an experienced employment lawyer before investing in setting up a surveillance system.
The Benefits of CCTV Systems in the Workplace
If you’re considering installing a CCTV system in your business, chances are that you suspect a problem. There are a number of common problems that the presence of a surveillance system can address.
Theft and Shrinkage: No one wants to think that employees may be stealing from them, but the U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that U.S. businesses lose between $20 billion and $40 billion annually to employee theft. The ways that employees can steal from a business vary widely, and depend largely on the type of business. In many cases, employees may not even think of what they’re doing as “stealing.” A security camera can both deter employee theft and catch employees in the act, but they’re only one part of a solution to prevent employee shrinkage.
Harassment: As a business owner, you can, and usually will be, held responsible for allowing inappropriate employee behavior. It is your job to provide a safe working environment for your employees, and that includes doing all you can to prevent harassment, bullying and other inappropriate behaviors. The presence of a security camera can help reinforce the company’s determination to prevent those behaviors, as well as provide evidence if there is a charge of harassment made.
Adherence to Policies: Finally, CCTV systems are a great way to keep an eye on employees when you’re not around so that you can see how well they conform to the standards you’ve set for them.
Keep in mind that many employees are uncomfortable with the idea of CCTV systems monitoring their work. Think carefully about how to explain your decision to staff, but in the end, do what you think is best for your business.

Maintenance Tips for CCTV Systems

CCTV systems represent a significant investment in securing your business, so it makes sense to spend a little time maintaining your CCTV equipment. A little bit of care – taking just a few minutes at a time over the course of a month – can help prolong the life of your surveillance system. Some vendors offer a maintenance contract when you purchase their systems, but if you buy and install your own CCTV camera and system, that may not be an option. In most cases, these simple tasks are easy enough for you to perform them yourself on a monthly or quarterly schedule.
Check All the Connections
Check the connection where each security camera feeds into the DVR to make sure that they have not worked loose or become brittle. Loose connections are among the most common causes of image loss on the DVR.
Check the Power Supply Box on Your Security Camera
If your system is an older one, check the power supply on each CCTV camera. Older power supply boxes often have individual fuses on each surveillance camera. Modern systems carry a non-fused resettable power supply. If your cameras are the older type, this is a good time to go shopping for a new system. CCTV systems have never been more affordable – or easy to install.
Break Out the Duster
Dust gathers everywhere, including on the lens of your security camera. Dust on the camera lens can distort the image, or simply make it hazy and difficult to see. The solution? Break out the duster and gently wipe the lens clean periodically to keep dust from causing problems.
Check the Housing on Your Outdoor Cameras
If you have an outdoor security camera, give the weatherproof housing a good going over every few months. Check the seals and the bushings that make it weather-tight. If they seem dry or cracked, or if they don’t fit correctly, look into replacing the housing. Damaged seals can allow moisture and humidity to get into the camera, causing damage. Wipe the seal down with a dry cloth if it looks dirty.
Reboot Your System
Like any computer-based system, most CCTV systems benefit from a regular reboot to allow the system to cool down. Reboots also provide the opportunity for your system to install firmware updates and restart in order for those changes to take effect.
CCTV systems don’t require a great deal of routine maintenance. These few simple tasks can help prolong the life of your security system with very little effort on your part.

CCTV Systems – Working with Your Television Set

CCTV systems are among the best ways to provide video security and surveillance to your home, but top of the line equipment can be expensive. One way to save money on your system is to use your television as a CCTV monitor or playback device. There are a number of different ways to connect your CCTV camera to your television, each of them best in specific situations. The easiest way is to use a coaxial cable or RCA cable, both of which are easily available at any electronics store. It’s not a complicated process. Here’s how easy it can be to set up CCTV systems using your existing cable lines and televisions with a CCTV camera.
Single Camera On One Television
The easiest configuration for hooking up CCTV to your television is to connect a single camera to a single television set. Depending on the connections available on your television, you’ll need either an RCA cable or a coaxial cable, and the appropriate adapters to connect the cable to your security camera. Simply connect one end of the cable to the output jack on the surveillance camera and the other end to the input jack on the television set.  Again, depending on your television, you may have to select the right input through your onscreen menu in order to view the feed from the CCTV camera.
Connecting Your CCTV Camera through a DVR
If you also intend to record the surveillance videos as well as monitor them, you’ll want to connect your security camera to a DVR and a television. You’ll need two sets of RCA cables, the security camera, a DVR and a television set. Plug one end of one RCA cable into the output jacks on the CCTV camera, matching the colors between connectors and jacks. Plug the other end of that RCA cable into the input jacks on the DVR. Connect one end of the second RCA cable to the output jacks on the DVR, and the other end to the input jacks on the television. The DVR will now record your surveillance videos, and you will be able to monitor the feed via the television.
Add Security Cameras to Your DirecTV System
The DirecTV DVR has a built-in hard drive to capture video and audio signals (so do most other cable and satellite TV DVR boxes, for that matter). That means that you can add a security camera to your DirecTV setup and incorporate it into your CCTV system. All you need are coaxial cables for each camera and one to connect between the DirecTV system and the switch box, and a video switch box. Connect a coaxial cable to the RF output jack on the back of each security camera. Screw the other end of each coaxial cable into one of the RF inputs on the back of the video switch box. Connect the last coaxial cable to the RF output on the video switch box and the RF IN jack on your DirecTV DVR box. You can now cycles through the cameras by using the switches on the front of the switch box. The DVR will record whatever is being show on the television.
There are many ways to incorporate CCTV systems into your existing video and audio equipment. These are just a few suggestions. A professional consultant can help you figure out the best options for your home.

CCTV Systems Sometimes Catch People Being Good

We’re all used to hearing about how the CCTV systems installed by stores are good at catching people being bad – after all, isn’t that why most retail stores install a security camera system? Every once in a while, though, a surveillance camera setup accidentally catches someone going above and beyond to do good. Just last month, the CCTV camera system in one New Jersey discount store captured a feel-good CCTV security video that went viral, for a very good reason.
No doubt, the owners of the dollar store at the New Jersey mall installed the security system to “reduce shrinkage” – that is, to keep customers from shoplifting and employees from stealing from him. Instead, the surveillance cameras caught something quite different.
First, a little setup. The store closes at 8 PM, but is located inside a mall that closes later. It is protected by security locks and a surveillance system, but on the night in question, when the manager of the store shut up shop for the night, the front door lock malfunctioned. Also, for various reasons, store staff leave most of the store lights on during the night, so, for all intents and purposes, the little store appeared to be open for business when four young men opened the unlocked front door and walked into the store.
This is where the security camera footage get interesting. The boys walk in, look around and engage in a little conversation, apparently puzzled that no one is at the counter or in the aisles of the store. They proceed to head downstairs to the main selling area, round up a few items, batteries, headphones and a few other things obviously intended for their dorm rooms, and then head for the still-unmanned register. After calling for a clerk a few times, the four boys huddle for a moment, then reach into pockets, withdraw wallets and carefully count out dollars and change, even holding bills up toward the visible security camera in demonstration, before walking out the door with their purchases. For the record, the young men even included the right amount of New Jersey sales tax on their goods.
In today’s world, we don’t really expect CCTV systems to show us the good in people. Most store and property owners install surveillance systems to catch people stealing, vandalizing and otherwise being dishonest. It’s nice, for a change, to have the CCTV camera catch people being honest.

CCTV Systems on a Budget – 7 Tips for Saving Money

Building state-of-the-art CCTV systems can be extremely pricey, but you don’t have to sell your first-born in order to afford the security system to protect him from harm. In fact, it’s really not hard to put together budget CCTV systems that do everything you need, if not everything you imagine you want. These seven tips can help you save money on your security camera and other components of your CCTV system without compromising your goals.
Plan Before You Shop
The single most important question you need to answer before you start looking for CCTV components is this: why do you need a CCTV system? Your purpose will help you decide where to spend your money and which components you should buy. If you know what you want it to do, a good security and CCTV salesperson or consultant can tell you what you need to buy.
Know What You Can Spend
Budget is a liquid word. It simply means “how much you can spend.” Figure out how much you’re willing to spend on your system. That figure, combined with the functions you want, will determine the equipment to buy.
Decide on Your Base Functionality
Sure, you may want a surveillance camera that can read a license plate at 200 yards, but do you need it? Most homeowners don’t need more than the capability of seeing the front door with relative clarity. Likewise, you may think it’s pretty cool to have software that can predict trouble spots by analyzing movement in an area, but do you really need that for a 50-seat bar?
Don’t Buy a Separate Monitor
Unless there’s a reason to monitor your CCTV feed full-time, you probably don’t need a dedicated monitor for your cameras. If you do need a monitor, you might be able to save money by repurposing an old computer monitor, for example.
Choose a System that You Can Install
Installation can run up the cost of even bargain basement CCTV systems. If you have DIY skills and some experience with cabling, you can save money by installing it yourself. There are even CCTV systems that are simple enough for a novice to install, given good instructions.
Pick the Best DVR Option
Your DVR is an integral part of your CCTV system. You can choose from a standalone DVR or a PC-based one. A barebones stand-alone DVR will cost less, and will provide all the basic functionality you need. A more advanced one will give you access to features like alarm inputs, PTZ controls for your CCTV camera and the ability to use a hybrid surveillance camera. If you want state of the art capabilities, though, you’ll want a PC-based DVR.
Look for Other Savings
When you’re looking at your budget for CCTV systems, keep in mind that a good security camera system can save you money in a number of ways – reducing theft and shrinkage in a business, deterring crime in a residence, for example. In addition, you’ll often save money on your insurance based on having a good security system. When you add in the money you’ll save by installing a surveillance camera system, you’re likely to find you have a much better budget than you originally thought.

Traffic CCTV Systems: Is Big Brother Watching You?

Recent news events surrounding Edward Snowden and his leaking of documents from the NSA archives have focused more attention than ever on the many intrusions into the privacy of everyday citizens. One of the targets that has come under scrutiny in the wake of the NSA leaks are traffic CCTV systems, which most people equate with license plate cameras. In a recent filing, the ACLU noted that with the enormous amount of license plate images being stored by various law enforcement authorities, police could conceivably track the movements of a single car over the course of days, weeks or months. Which raises the question – should we fear government overreach through traffic CCTV systems? Are all those cameras mounted at traffic lights and along highways … watching you?
Not exactly. In fact, a traffic surveillance camera may serve any one – or more – of several different purposes. This information from CalTrans, the California Transportation Department, explains some of the ways that the state uses information from traffic CCTV systems.
Control Traffic Signal Timing
How often have you pulled up to a traffic signal and sat there – without a single other vehicle in sight – waiting for the light to turn green so you can continue on your way? New technology may make that experience a thing of the past. Many California intersections are equipped with a CCTV camera that sends images back to a central computer, where it is processed by the Video Image Processing System to determine the presence or absence of other vehicles. The technology is still in its infancy, but it has the potential to change the way that traffic signals are controlled throughout the country.
Monitor Freeway Conditions
California has several hundred CCTV camera installations along freeways that are used to monitor traffic conditions. These cameras have PTZ (pan tilt zoom) capability and can help save lives when traffic incidents happen. Information from these cameras is transmitted to the Transportation Management Center, where experts can quickly assess the situation and determine what kind of equipment and personnel needs to be dispatched to the scene.
In addition, the traffic monitoring cameras also provide information for traffic advisories released by CalTrans for motorists.
Law Enforcement
The state of California has only one law enforcement CCTV camera use: capturing license plates of vehicles that don’t pay the toll at toll bridges and toll roads. You have to admit, that’s a far less frightening scenario than CCTV systems across the country recording every movement on the roads.