Why You Should Consider CCTV Systems

When it comes to high-tech security in retail, hospitality and home settings, CCTV systems are the way to go. Small CCTV systems, appropriate for small businesses, multi-family residences and homes, are more affordable than ever, and they’re simple enough that most property owners can install a security camera or two, hook them up to a DVR and have a running security system in just a few hours. While installation may be simple, choosing among the many CCTV systems and components available can be more complicated. These are a few of the things you can expect from CCTV systems and considerations when choosing the right camera and recorder for your needs.

What Do You Want from Your CCTV Systems?

Every choice you make will depend on one thing: what you expect from your CCTV security system. Generally, people choose to install a security system for one or more of these reasons:

Discourage Illegal Activity

A security camera can be useful in helping to deter illegal activity. Vandals are far less likely to attack if they know their activities are being recorded, and shoplifters will look for easier targets. A visible, obvious, CCTV camera is a good part of an overall plan to reduce shrinkage.

Record Illegal Activity

In addition to deterring would-be criminals, footage from CCTV systems can be instrumental in helping you catch and convict those who do shoplift, vandalize or otherwise damage your business or property. Keep in mind that your security camera will have to return fairly high quality video if you’re planning to use the recorded footage for identification purposes, especially in court.

Monitor Your Staff

The reality TV series “Restaurant Stakeout” shows the world how much shrinkage and loss can be attributed to employee theft, inefficiency and waste. Some business owners use CCTV systems to monitor employees when they’re not onsite. Monitoring equipment can also help employers spot places where he needs to improve training and operations.

Protection from Liability

Retail and hospitality businesses are often the targets of scam artists who want to make a quick buck with a lawsuit. CCTV systems can help prove that your business was not at fault in an incident in a legal issue, or help exonerate an employee accused by a customer of theft or another unsavory act.

Lower Insurance Costs

Whether in the home or in a business, CCTV systems can reduce your insurance premiums. Nearly all insurers will provide a rebate or discount to property owners who protect their premises with a CCTV security system. CCTV systems make it easier for insurance companies to investigate and recover losses.

Once you know why you want to install a security system, you’ll find it much easier to choose among the many CCTV systems and components available. Any good salesperson or consultant can point you in the right direction for your needs.

Top Tips for Installing CCTV Systems

Installing CCTV systems in your business or residential property offers a lot of benefits for security and more, but many people end up installing CCTV systems that don’t meet their needs. These top tips from one of the nation’s top CCTV installers gives an overview of what you need to know and do when you’re setting up a security camera system.

Plan Ahead

Before you start shopping for a single CCTV camera, sit down with a pad of paper and figure out your objectives. Is it your intent to conduct surveillance? Monitor problem areas on your property? Deter shoplifting? You’ll need different types of CCTV equipment for each of these aims, so knowing why you want CCTV will help you choose which pieces to buy.

Locate Your Cameras Correctly

A CCTV camera that doesn’t capture what you want is virtually useless and a complete waste of your money. The best surveillance camera in the world won’t do you much good if all it captures is the top of someone’s head. Walk through your property and figure out exactly where you want to watch. When you mount your cameras, remember this advice from professionals who install CCTV systems. Consider the focus and distance of the security camera range when deciding where to place it. If you’re installing a front door CCTV camera to identify callers, for example, the camera should be fairly close and at eye level.

Choose the Right Camera and Lens

The camera and lens determine how well you’ll be able to capture what you’re monitoring. Once again, knowing your purpose will help you choose the right security camera. Keep these points in mind when deciding on the focal length and quality for your cameras: the bigger the focal length, the farther away you can focus your camera. The most common focal length for security cameras is 3.6 mm, which will give you a 72 degree field of view. That’s sufficient for most residential and small office applications.

Choose the Right DVR

The two basic recording choices for CCTV systems are stand-alone DVR and PC-based DVR software. In general, stand-alone DVRs are more compact and less expensive, but provide fewer options for use. PC-based DVRs provide you lots and lots of options for image processing, surveillance, recording and storage, but are generally more expensive than stand-alone systems. Keep in mind the number of cameras you’ll be installing and, suggest most CCTV experts, opt for more connections than you’ll need.

Get Professional Help

While it’s certainly possible to install a simple CCTV setup yourself, if you’re installing anything more complex than a single camera and DVR or a put-in-place surveillance camera with wireless transmission, you should get help from a professional with experience installing CCTV systems.