ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW A SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS

Wait, do I need a surveillance system?

Every business and home has unique security requirements. Identify your requirement first.

Do you want to monitor your cash registers and employees?
Do you want to keep your property safe from thieves?
Do you want to keep your loved ones safe at all times?
Do you want to monitor visitors?
Do you want to know the shopping pattern and preferences of your customer?
Do you want to keep track of your inventory?
Do you want to prevent shoplifting and catch those who are doing it?
Do you want to ensure that restricted area security is being maintained?
Do you want to increase employee productivity and give them accurate feedback?
Do you want to keep vandalism at bay?
Do you want these bullet points to go on forever?

The simple truth of the matter is that security cameras have a lot of applications. Whether or not you need a system is dependent on a lot of things. A surveillance system can be designed for a small home just as well as it can for a corporation located in a giant skyscraper with armed guards and evil laughter in the halls. Like we said, cameras can go anywhere and for anyone. Again, a similarity to toasters…

Introduction to Surveillance Systems

As there’s such a large range of price brackets, we believe there is truly a security system available to everyone. However, consumers should be wary of bottom-bin prices, particularly those coming from box stores. What’s this, a camera seller taking a shot at the competition? Yeah, sure. Be as cynical about our approach as you want, but the simple fact is that these stores sell bunk systems that are so low in quality that, inadvertently, they still end up driving business directly through our doors. So many people come to us with the exact same story

So don’t take the long way around to get the system that’s right for you – we haven’t spent 6 years in the business just by being lucky. We provide the best products for the best prices. We take our customers’ trust seriously.

And what kind of systems are out there? What’s actually available? The most basic surveillance systems will be comprised of at least one camera, a monitor, and a couple of wires to link everything together. Yeah, that’s pretty much all it takes. It can also be comprised of hundreds of cameras, video recorders, dozens of monitors, security guards, and spy-sniffing attack dogs. (We do not sell dogs, of the attacking variety or otherwise.)

We have a come a long way from the very expensive and simplistic surveillance equipment of the last two decades. Before buying a video surveillance system, you need to fix a budget, you need to decide on the number of cameras you want, where you want it mounted, indoors or outdoors, and the preferred storage system.

You will also find options in terms of resolution, camera lens coverage, video surveillance storage, Analog and IP cameras, wired and wireless, color, and black and white images, cameras made for license plate capture, cameras for long range and for short, cameras with housings that can resist powerful weather elements or extreme temperatures, cameras you can pan-tilt-and-zoom, cameras which will show a large fish-bowl view and… well, there are a lot of different kinds of security surveillance equipment. If any of this is new to you, then keep on reading. We’ll try our best to go over the options available to you.

Indoor and Outdoor Cameras

The most basic of distinctions: is a camera indoor or outdoor. While many outdoor cameras can work just as well indoors, no indoor camera should be installed outdoors. When a camera is outside, it is at risk to damage from dust, rain, and other inclement weather conditions. While outdoor cameras are prepared to handle these difficulties, an indoor camera will be quickly overwhelme An indoor camera typically does not bother with either – it is rarely at risk, after all. An outdoor camera will have high ratings, comparatively speaking.

Should I ever use an outdoor camera indoors?

Yes. Although this isn’t often recommended, there are times when a camera with outdoor qualifications would see use indoors. A factory floor where condensation, chemicals, or similar elements are around, then an outdoor camera would be better suited. Indoor warehouses where large doors are often open will typically use outdoor cameras, as the outdoor weather slips in through the open gate. A subtler application of a camera using outdoor protection ratings indoors are places like prisons or schools (the pairing is coincidental…). A prison is very likely to have unruly individuals who might try and take a shot at a camera, and school are very likely to have unruly individuals who might try and take a shot at a camera.

Analog vs. IP

In our opinion, there is little debate about which is better – it’s IP all the way. But, that said, that doesn’t mean each doesn’t have some pros and cons to consider. Every surveillance situation is unique in its own ways and sometimes that uniqueness might depend more upon an older tech than something like a network setup.

Analog cameras are wired to recording device such as a DVR or VCR (if we’re going very old-school). They are constantly projecting the images on the TV screen. In a traditional surveillance system, a coaxial cable runs from the camera to the DVR. How far the cable is being run from camera to video recorder is important to note. 330ft is the sweet spot, after which boosters will be needed. If you try and push a feed too far down a coaxial cable line, the image will begin taking on color alternating artifacts or simply lose the feed altogether. One benefit of coaxial cables is that they’re very dependent – there isn’t much short of cutting the cable itself that will stop it from sending the data.

IP cameras send their feeds down Ethernet cables which is a much faster and lengthier solution. The available speed lets network cameras produce incredibly sharp and clear images that coaxial cables struggle to handle. End-to-end digital feed simply makes for more breathing room in quality which is why you will frequently see IP cameras carrying loads of powerful features. A feed can be accessed from anywhere so long as it gets to the central server. The only real drawback here for IP is that it’s possible for the network to go down, and if the network goes down it’s possible the IP cameras will go down with it.

Where Will You Place Your Camera?

Though they are differing categories, outdoor cameras can work fine as indoor cameras. But the reverse is not possible. When you want to place a camera outside, tick the following things.

Should be resistant to inclement weather conditions (IP rating)
Should often be resistant to high-energy kinetic impacts (IK rating)
Should often be survivable against extreme temperatures (hot or cold

STORAGE (HDD) CHART FOR HOME SECURITY CAMERA SYSTEMS

Most of our customers are wondering about how much storage they need for one or two weeks long high quality recording for indoor places such as homes. As A1 Security Cameras, we made this estimated calculation for you and simplified it as much as possible. Please check the chart below for home security camera systems needs. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us via phone (toll free - 1 866 441 2288) or chat window.

Resolution	# of Cameras	Frames Per Second (FPS)	Duration	# of Days	Quality	Storage- HDD (TB)	Bandwidth
1MP (1280X720)	2	15	24Hrs	7	High	0.09	1.18Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	4	15	24Hrs	7	High	0,17	2.36Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	6	15	24Hrs	7	High	0.26	3.54Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	8	15	24Hrs	7	High	0.35	4.72Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	2	15	24Hrs	7	High	0.2	2.75Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	4	15	24Hrs	7	High	0.41	5.51Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	6	15	24Hrs	7	High	0.61	8.26Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	8	15	24Hrs	7	High	0.81	11.01Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	2	30	24Hrs	7	High	0.17	2.36Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	4	30	24Hrs	7	High	0.35	4.72Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	6	30	24Hrs	7	High	0.52	7.08Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	8	30	24Hrs	7	High	0.7	9.44Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	2	30	24Hrs	7	High	0.41	5.51Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	4	30	24Hrs	7	High	0.81	11.01Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	6	30	24Hrs	7	High	1.22	16.52Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	8	30	24Hrs	7	High	1.63	22.02Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	2	15	24Hrs	14	High	0.17	1.18Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	4	15	24Hrs	14	High	0.35	2.36Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	6	15	24Hrs	14	High	0.52	3.54Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	8	15	24Hrs	14	High	0.7	4.72Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	2	15	24Hrs	14	High	0.41	2.75Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	4	15	24Hrs	14	High	0.81	5.51Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	6	15	24Hrs	14	High	1.22	8.26Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	8	15	24Hrs	14	High	1.63	11.01Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	2	30	24Hrs	14	High	0.35	2.36Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	4	30	24Hrs	14	High	0.7	4.72Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	6	30	24Hrs	14	High	1.04	7.08Mbps
1MP (1280X720)	8	30	24Hrs	14	High	1.4	9.44Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	2	30	24Hrs	14	High	0.81	5.51Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	4	30	24Hrs	14	High	1.63	11.01Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	6	30	24Hrs	14	High	2.44	16.52Mbps
2MP (1920X1080)	8	30	24Hrs	14	High	3.25	22.02Mbps