If you are looking for a CCTV package for your home or SME, you are definitely making the right choice. CCTV cameras offer security and peace of mind. When burglars or criminals attack homes or businesses, CCTV video footage can help identify crime and criminals instantly. Surveillance studies conducted in cities, especially in crime-prone regions, suggest that the installation of CCTV cameras acts as a deterrent to crime, and media reports suggest a marked decline in the number of crime cases reported in areas where CCTV cameras are operational.
Once you have made the decision to purchase and install CCTV cameras, the next step is to purchase the one that is best suited for you. With so many options available, how do you decide what works best for you? Price can be a deciding factor. Many websites offer new inexpensive CCTV camera packages, starting at $ 599 USD. With prices to suit all budgets, buying a CCTV package doesn’t have to be an expensive trial. A first-time buyer will be faced with countless options: What type of camera resolution or display resolution is the best? What are the best display frame rates? Do i need night vision? How much video recording capacity and video storage capacity will I need?
In this article, we break down these terms for you and help you decide the best CCTV package for your needs:
1. Resolution of CCTV camera
Most tech savvy users handle phone cameras and camcorders and discuss megapixels and camera resolutions like a pro. However, when looking for CCTV camera packages, you might come across the term TVL or TV lines. What are these? Well, most CCTV cameras work with analog cameras or analog television systems. Therefore, instead of pixels, we speak in terms of TV lines. We understand that the higher the number of pixels, the better the image quality we receive. Similarly, the more TV lines (depending on the size of the lens, light, etc.), the better image quality you will get from your CCTV camera. For most home and business security purposes, camera resolutions can range from 420 to 700 TVL. In fact, 700 TV lines is the maximum you can find. Once you enter the field of digital CCTV, you can find more expensive options with much higher resolution cameras.
2. Internet display resolution
Internet display resolution uses CIF (Common Intermediate Format) as the unit of measurement. Defines a video stream with a resolution such as 352 X 288 that can be converted for viewing in PAL or NTSC formats. Confused? Let’s try it again. Your camera captures an image at a certain rate called frames per second. CIF resolution refers to how your DVR records this image or image sequence. In a fledgling hard drive or hard drive industry, storage was expensive. Naturally, people preferred to compromise and capture low resolution images at the sacrifice of 4 CIF and the maximum frame rate. With increasingly cost-effective video storage, you can now capture images at 4 CIF and get the finest detail. As the name suggests, 4CIF offers almost 4 times the size of the image and is especially beneficial in places like counters, entrances, banking, etc., for facial recognition and image clarity. In other areas, where you prefer smooth, seamless action in capturing motion, you can turn to CIF while recording.
3. Internet display frame rate
We talk about frame rate (frames per second) in terms of captured video footage and its quality. The concept remains the same no matter what type of video capture device you use. The device actually captures snapshots and plays them back in rapid succession, making it look like fluid action or movement. Generally, in terms of CCTV camera packages, anything above 30fps would provide smooth, shake-free footage. Many venues now offer exceptional deals even on 120fps CCTV camera packages, making it as “real-time” as possible.
4. CCTV cameras for all types of weather
When purchasing a CCTV package, you may want to consider the location of the cameras. Depending on whether you want the cameras to be mounted outdoors or indoors, you can choose from a wide variety of waterproof cameras. Waterproof cameras are better able to resist damage from rain, snow, and moisture. Some weather resistant cameras may come with a sealed glass housing to protect them from environmental damage. Another advantage of weatherproof sealed chambers includes protection against dirt or dust, floating debris, and moisture, even in confined spaces like department stores, storage facilities, and inside factories, auto repair shops, etc. .
5. Day and night recording
Whether you are considering investing in CCTV cameras for your home or business, you may want to consider cameras that offer night vision and 24-hour day and night recording. Property break-ins, theft and vandalism often occur at night, and poor visibility is the number one reason criminals go free. Night vision and infrared cameras capture quality images despite dark environments. They provide a better definition of objects, people or animals and facilitate recognition and identification. Focus area, installation angle, lens size, and pan and tilt (PTZ) zoom functions can determine the efficiency of night vision CCTV cameras. Installing infrared cameras may also require a night setup with infrared illumination or simulating night conditions. If you are thinking of recording 24/7, it is also important to look at DVRs with maximum storage and backup accordingly.
6. Online viewing
Many security and surveillance companies offer customer-centric features that go beyond installation and maintenance. One of those features includes registering a domain name with your security company and having them set up a custom website to view your property anytime, anywhere via a web-enabled PC, tablet, or cell phone. Just type in your specific URL and you will be linked to your CCTV protected property, home or business instantly and in real time. This is especially good if you want to keep an eye on your business while traveling or keep an eye on your children, pets, or even the elderly while at work.
7. Tracking via smartphone
With smartphones advancing to meet the challenge of personal computers, it is not surprising that security companies are now offering wireless tracking through their web-enabled smartphones. By creating a domain name with a specific URL, you can customize the security display system on your smartphone. You do not have to download any external applications or software for this purpose. The security systems companies that sell you these CCTV packages can offer these features for a nominal price.
8. Video compression
An important aspect of the CCTV installation includes compressing large video data into a format that can be easily stored or transmitted. Compressed data must go through the reverse process for display. Standardizing this process allows several different devices to interact with each other efficiently. In the CCTV industry, the gold standard is H.264 compression used by a number of different HD and Blu-Ray disc players, video streaming formats, and other Internet applications. CCTV cameras using H.264 video compression guarantee the absolute best quality of video streaming.
9. Alert systems: message or email, motion detection.
CCTV cameras allow you to capture images as they occur or an additional feature called motion detection can be added or purchased with your CCTV cameras. In the latter case, only the movement in front of the camera requests the capture and recording of images. Motion detection is useful if you prefer to use less disk space for recording. In a designated quiet area, sudden movements can be recorded, making it easy to store minimal data and review it later. Many motion detection cameras may be pre-installed with an alarm or sound system that can be activated by motion. Some surveillance companies may also provide an email alert system that warns you of an intrusion or movement in a monitored area.
10. Recording and storage
Any CCTV package is incomplete without a reliable DVR system that can record and store your data for future reference. Online recording and viewing allows you to view your monitored area in a specially designated domain. Remote monitoring is possible on both your computer and your smartphone. Offline storage and recording require hard drive space, which can be purchased based on your needs. Some hard drives range from 500GB to 2TB and can allow you to store your video data for up to 12 months.