Whether you have a small business with a few employees or a company that operates internationally, security is one of the most important things. If you can’t protect your product, workers and everything else, how will you make a profit? With the great advancement of technology today, it has become easier than ever. Video surveillance systems have become intuitive, with many options, and you can watch what is happening at any time on any device. You can also connect your security systems by notifying the police as soon as something suspicious happens. And in case of any unforeseen event, you will have all the recordings in memory.
When the time comes that you want to install a CCTV system or want to upgrade an existing one, it seems like an easy choice. However, this is not the case. Many things have to be taken into consideration, in order to choose the one that suits you best. There are so many different models. You can check at spycamerasreviewed.com. Wireless, cloud-based, number of cameras, whether they can record HD images at night, whether they are weatherproof, whether they have motion sensors and so on indefinitely.
So we will give you tips today for choosing the best video surveillance system for your business.
1. Determine your needs
The first and most important thing is to be realistic about your needs. You may want to cover every millimeter of the space, but that’s usually not necessary, and it will cost you a lot. First, consider how many rooms or facilities you want to monitor. It will also affect where you want everything to be filmed. If you have a small number of cameras, a digital video recorder is more than enough. However, if it is a large video surveillance system, then a cloud-based or network video recorder is a better choice due to the much higher capacity.
2. Indoor or outdoor
Although most of today’s cameras can work both indoors and outdoors, you still need to check the specifications. It is not enough just to be waterproof. There are many more things that affect whether it can work outdoors or in harsh environments. If it is waterproof, it usually means that it is also dustproof, so it will be sufficiently protected for outdoor, in a normal environment. But there are various harsh environments. If it is exposed to extremely cold environments, say in cold storage, it must have built-in heaters to be able to work. Ordinary models would not withstand such low temperatures for even an hour. On the other hand, if it will be exposed to strong vibrations, it also requires special models, otherwise, the image will be very blurry.
In restaurants, it must be resistant to grease, tobacco smoke, etc. You need to make sure that the whole system is tailored to your needs. Otherwise, it may break down within a few days, and the warranty will not cover the costs, as it is not intended for such conditions.
3. How much image clarity and detail do you need?
As you might guess, the price difference between regular cameras and those that record HD or 4k resolution is huge. If you only need to generally oversee the space, there is no need to give too much money. Offices and similar rooms can be filmed with practically any model. However, if it is a retail, where thefts are more common or a business that deals with very expensive things, then you want to be able to see every detail. In case of theft, it will be easy to identify the perpetrator. A facial recognition system is also good to have in that case and make sure there are never dead angles. Professional thieves will always find a dead angle if you leave them one. So don’t install CCTV yourself, let the professionals do it, who knows how to solve every dead angle. Visit titusalarmandcctv.co.uk to find more about CCTV installation.
4. Do you also need sound recording?
First, let us emphasize that in many countries, sound recording is illegal if there is no court approval, which can only be obtained by the secret services and the police. So first, inquire about regulations in your state.
If this is legal, then you can also choose to have a sound recording option. You will hear what everyone is saying and you will be fully involved in all events. It is not complicated to install. And it can also serve as an additional method of protection, say that too loud a sound activates an alarm.
5. Lighting
If the rooms under video surveillance are constantly lit, then you don’t need a system that records in low light environments. However, if this is not the case, then you must choose the infrared option. They work by infrared LED lights illuminating the room with infrared rays and in this way, the image will be clearly visible. The more infrared LEDs there are on the camera, the clearer the image will be. We advise you to choose such models because it is rare that the light is always at the maximum level.
6. Think ahead about whether you will need a video surveillance extension
If you are planning to expand your business, then you will also need to expand the entire system. Traditional CCTV is a closed-circuit because everything is hard-wired, and thus, it is very difficult to expand. So choose wireless cameras, if you are planning to expand because it will be very easy to add new ones, whenever you need them. Adding new cameras to the system is very simple, like connecting a phone to a VOIP network. No wiring or update required.
7. Frame rate
You must have seen CCTV footage on TV after a theft or similar situation when they broadcast CCTV footage and thus inform people to report it to the police if they see a suspect. And there you have certainly noticed whether everything flows smoothly as if you are watching a movie or everything seems slow, almost as if you are looking at a photo one after the other. The reason for this is the different frame rates. The higher the frame rate, the better the footage looks. If you want everything to look like “real-time” you need at least 30 frames per second, and ideally 40 or more.
Conclusion:
Taking into account all these details, we are sure that you will choose the best option, exactly according to your needs.
