Despite their increasing popularity, people still desperately seek advice on how to properly install CCTV cameras. Even with the number of options available, it can still be confusing knowing which products are best suited for your needs. You should not let that put you off, though. There are still many great ways to ensure your CCTV installation is as efficient and effective as possible. After all, it’s never worth paying for cheap equipment if you don’t have to. Either way, you should definitely avoid a DIY project.
While it’s possible to install a security system using CCTV cameras alone but it’s quite time-consuming, certainly more so than an installation with a group of cameras. Plus, you’re going to make several mistakes during a CCTV installation, leading to poor coverage, poor storage and other issues. That said, there’s another option: cloud storage. Cloud storage allows you to store all your videos on a central server managed by a third-party company. Here are some tips on how you can choose the right service for your cctv installation:
Find a cloud-based service that offers a complete range of services, not just CCTV. You may think that buying a complete security camera package from one place means you’re getting all your needs covered but this isn’t necessarily true. Take the time to read up about the different services to find out exactly what they offer. Do they include CCTV? Do they include web-based admin tools such as consoles and remote access to your cameras and other hardware? Ideally, a good provider will offer all these services – but if they don’t, that’s probably not what you want anyway.
It’s probably best to choose a cctv installation service that uses high-quality CCTV camera equipment. You can use the internet to find some reviews on different companies. If you have a few spare cameras, you could even try a free trial to see how easy it is to install, then decide whether you want to sign up with them or not. If you’re not too fussy about the types of security camera wires and cables used, it’s likely that you can get a cctv installation quote online without any trouble. However, if you do want to buy your own wiring and cables, make sure you check that they come with the security camera wires you need; you don’t want to have to dig into a pile of dead ends to find enough wire to complete the job!
Many cctv installation services offer free installation and setup of cameras on site. Before agreeing to have one installed, ask to see the documentation they provide. Look particularly for an outline of the installation process to ensure you understand what will happen. Many surveillance cameras come with user manuals that are simple to read and understand. These user manuals will help you set up your surveillance cameras in an efficient and unobtrusive way, making installation and use of your new surveillance system simple and hassle-free.
A good CCTV installation service should be able to demonstrate their skills and demonstrate their equipment to you. This is very important; make sure you only choose a company that can show you their credentials and expertise, and ask for actual samples of their work to assess their capabilities. The best companies will always have a selection of CCTV cameras and CCTV system components on hand to give potential customers a quick demonstration. Ask your potential CCTV security cameras installation company to demonstrate the ease of installation of the CCTV security cameras they recommend, and ask if they have any recommendations for other cctv security cameras that might suit your needs better.
It is important that when you consider your options for cctv installation you carefully consider the installation process itself. Ensure that you understand how to arm and disarm your CCTV security cameras, whether by using a touch screen or manual operation. The installation process also includes ensuring that the cctv cameras you choose can receive and transmit signals and can maintain a clear line of sight to the operators themselves. The key to a successful and trouble free home cctv installation is a good communication process between you, your surveillance company and the people installing the cameras.
A good CCTV system needs to record its footage onto DVD’s or some other kind of digital media storage device. This should not be done however, unless the owners manual states that the cameras and recording systems can do this. Most cameras will not allow you to record onto them, so it is imperative that you ask your security cameras company which kind of recording media they recommend. If you fail to record the footage then it will not be recorded onto DVD’s or stored anywhere for future retrieval. Most modern security cameras also come with software that automatically starts recording footage when the cameras are triggered.
