Ten Things You Should Know About CCTV Systems

CCTV systems have become the most popular type of security camera system on the market. If you’re researching CCTV systems as a security solution for your home or business, here are ten facts you should know before you make your choice.

Wired CCTV systems are more secure than wireless security camera systems. While wireless systems are more affordable and offer more flexibility, the wireless signal can be hacked, giving unauthorized persons access to your CCTV camera feed.

Wireless CCTV cameras offer more flexibility than wired systems. Once you configure a wired system, you’re pretty much stuck with the camera placements. A wireless security camera, on the other hand, can be easily relocated if your security needs change.

You can easily set up a CCTV camera and recorder for less than $500. Prices have tumbled in the past five years or so, making CCTV systems among the most affordable security solutions available.

A PC-connected CCTV system can give you easy access to your security feed via the Internet, using any Internet-enabled device, including a smartphone, tablet or PC.

While most business owners think about CCTV systems as stationary security systems, you can install a CCTV camera in a vehicle. This is especially useful if you own a cab or delivery service.

CCTV systems can run continuously if needed, or you can set them on a timer to only monitor the premises within certain time periods.

You can also set up a motion-activated security camera to only start recording when there is activity in the monitored area. This is an excellent solution to save space on a hard drive or DVR disc.

CCTV security is one of the most popular and effective deterrents for shoplifting in a retail business. Most people expect to see a security camera in a store. A mix of visible security cameras and hidden surveillance cameras are the most effective choice for loss reduction.

A surveillance camera can reduce your insurance premiums. Most insurance companies will discount your home insurance or business insurance premiums if you install a qualified CCTV camera security system.

A CCTV camera system can protect your employees and their property. A security camera trained on the employee parking area can deter car thieves and vandals, while a camera at the POS can help resolve customer-employee disputes.

Choosing among the many CCTV systems on the market can be tricky, but with the wide selection available, you’re guaranteed to find exactly the CCTV system you need for your home or business.

CCTV systems provide security and surveillance in a wide range of situations. Retail stores use them for surveillance to prevent shoplifting and to keep an eye on employees at point of sale and other locations in the store. Homeowners use them with home security systems and to keep an eye on their premises from a remote location. Various industries use CCTV systems in different ways to suit a wide variety of purposes. Choosing the right CCTV camera is essential to ensuring that you’ll get the best use out of your enter CCTV system. These buying tips and considerations can help you choose the best CCTV surveillance camera for your needs.

Location

The location where you’re going to place your CCTV camera will have a lot to do with the camera you choose. Your first consideration will be whether your camera will be indoors or outdoors. You can choose most types of cameras for indoor use, but if you’re planning to place your surveillance camera outdoors, you’ll need to choose one that has a weather-resistant case. In addition, you should consider the location of power outlets, since even wireless cameras will need a power source in order to operate and broadcast. Battery-operated cameras are an option, of course, but may not be your best choice unless you want to be climbing a ladder to replace the batteries in your wall-mounted outside surveillance camera.

Available Light

Will your CCTV camera be filming in low light conditions or will there always be plenty of light for recording? You may pay a little more for a camera with infrared capabilities or one that can record in low light, but it will be worth it if you want good quality recordings outdoors or in low-light areas.

Fixed or Moving View

A fixed CCTV camera may be fine if you want to be able to see who is ringing your front doorbell, but if you want to be able to survey a larger area, it may not provide the capability you want. If you want to be able to sweep the area or zoom in on specific subjects, you’ll want to look at PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras, that have the capability to pan horizontally, tilt vertically and zoom in for a closer look.

Budget

No matter what capabilities you need, you’ll find security camera choices that are appropriate for a wide range of CCTV systems, and at price points to fit any budget. While budget has to figure into your criteria for choosing a CCTV camera, don’t let it be your only deciding point.

A CCTV System Helps Shrink Shrinkage in Retail

Does your retail store use a CCTV system for security? If you don’t, you might want to take a second look at the cost-benefit ratio of installing a CCTV cameraand CCTV security system to reduce your shrinkage and help head off other problems.

What’s your shrinkage ratio? If you run a small retail store, there’s a good chance that your shrinkage rate is unacceptable. On average, say most global retailing experts, the retail shrinkage rate is about 2 percent, but new numbers in October 2011 showed an alarming increase. In the United States, for example, the average shrinkage rate – the amount you lose to theft and fraud – is about 6 percent. The shrinkage rate varies widely among the various business sectors, though, with jewelry stores – who are more security conscious on the whole – at the low end of the list and children’s clothing store at the top.

Can you afford to lose 6 percent of your inventory to shoplifting and employee theft? If your answer is no – and it should be – then a CCTV system, properly deployed, can help reduce your shrinkage rate substantially. A study conducted in the UK found that shrinkage rates from shoplifting and employee theft dropped by an average of 26 percent within six months of installing a security camera and CCTV system in store.

Best Practices for Implementing CCTV Security

Security camera placement is crucial to your results when you implement a CCTV security solution. Keep in mind that a major reason for the reduction of theft is intimidation – both shoplifters and employees are less likely to risk stealing from you if they know they are being watched. Place your cameras in view to make it obvious that you are using a video surveillance camera.

Use CCTV Security at Point of Sale

Most employee theft happens at point of sale. If you focus all of your security on the sales floor, you’ll be missing the largest potential source of shrinkage – your employees. Placing a security camera at the point of sale allows you to record each sale and review them later for signs of employee theft. A surveillance camera may also serve your employees in disputes with customers, which is another selling point for installing a CCTV surveillance system in your business.

Shrinkage may be an inevitable part of doing retail business, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do everything in your power to reduce your losses. A CCTV system is one of the easiest and most effective ways to get a handle on loss and reduce the shrinkage ratio of your business.

CCTV Systems for Home Use

CCTV systems are popular with retail and business establishments, but until recently they weren’t often installed in private homes. As the technology for CCTV camera and recording systems has improved, though, the prices have come down considerably. Today, CCTV systems are often used for home security purposes even in homes that aren’t in the 7-figure price range. If you’re in the market for home security devices, consider the advantages offered by a CCTV system.

Affordability

CCTV systems are now very affordable, especially for home security use. The cost of the system depends on many factors, of course, including the number of security cameras, whether you choose a wireless or wired system and what type of recording system you choose. In general, though, you can you can outfit your home with a surveillance camera at the main entrance and driveway or indoor security camera in selected living areas for well under $500.

Flexibility

If you choose a wireless security system, you’ll have the option of arranging your surveillance cameras to cover the areas you want to cover. Wired systems are more secure and more complicated to install, but they too offer a good deal of flexibility over most fixed security systems. If you choose a CCTV system that will handle more cameras than you plan, you’ll also have the ability to upgrade as your needs change.

Flexible Surveillance Options

You can choose between always-on surveillance and motion-triggered surveillance camera options to make your security more relevant. This can be important if you’re using disc-based storage with limited space. Choosing a CCTV camera that only records when it senses motion is a good way to save space and capture only the data that’s important to you.

Multiple Camera Options

You have a wide choice of options for security camera and surveillance. The many types of cameras on the market include those for indoor and outdoor use, security cameras with infrared and low-light recording capabilities, fixed surveillance cameras and CCTV cameras that pan, tilt and zoom – called, appropriately, PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras.

Multiple Storage Options

As with cameras, CCTV systems offer several different types of transmission and storage. The simplest system includes a security camera or cameras and a monitor with no recording option. These are only appropriate if your intent is to only survey when a person is available to monitor the transmission. If you want to record as well as observe, you can choose from DVR CCTV systems or PC-based systems which record in digital format direct to a hard drive.

CCTV systems are an affordable way to provide security for your home. For more information on the best CCTV systems for your use, consult a security professional.