Tips before Installing Security Cameras

With increasing cases of burglary, there has been an unprecedented rise in people buying security cameras. These cameras provide you with a metaphorical ‘extra pair of eyes’ which in turn gives assurance of safety for keeping your valuables intact.

One common question that leaves buyers confused is, ‘What are some points we need to consider before installing security cameras around the my home or business?’ And this is why in this article we’ll mention some tips and suggestions you should pay attention to, before installing cameras.

But first, let’s know the reasons why installing security cameras are a must in the present generation.

Why install security cameras?

• Simply stated, the world is getting dangerous. Lack of education, unemployment and rising poverty levels have given birth to many crimes. Your assets and hard-earned money are in danger as thieves and burglars are always looking for a chance to take objects from your home or business that you worked hard to accumulate. Appointing bodyguards and watchman is way too expensive. Hence, installing a security camera in your house or workplace is both economical and safe.
• Research says that around 34% burglars enter your house through the front door, which necessitates the presence of a security camera in that location. Many studies show that if a burglar sees security cameras, they will be far less likely to try to break into your property as the chance of capture is far greater than a home or business with no cameras. These security cameras can often be used by police to help identify culprits after something has occurred. When combined with a camera system such as our AVM (Advanced Video Management) platform, these cameras can even be used in many cases to send real-time text message alerts when someone approaches your business or home during off hours.
• Apart from preventing theft, they also help working parents keep an eye on their kids. Parents can watch their kids from their workplace by using remote monitoring feature of many camera systems. The quality and speed of remote access is affected by the NVR or DVR recorder employed. Basic budget systems often have lower-powered processors which cause "blocky" or "blurry" video quality due to low bit rates, while higher end systems like our AVM system have clearer, more real-time remote video due to the capabilities of the system.

Tips before installing security cameras

You'll see the full potential of security cameras once you have them in place. Many of our clients come to rely on their security cameras as a second set of eyes, due to the fast access to the cameras, and their ability to monitor them 24/7 from TVs, PCs, Macs, iPhones and Androids. Whether you install them on your own or have them professionally installed, there are certain points you should keep in mind before installing them. Let's look at some of the important points you need to consider:

1. Check if cameras are functioning properly:

• This is the most important point you need to consider, especially if you are installing the cameras yourself. It would be very inconvenient to find that a few of the cameras were not working after the hours or days of installation. This is why, regardless of if we are installing the cameras for you, or if you are purchasing them from us, each and every one of our cameras and NVR recorders are fully tested prior to sale.
• For a budget model system that allows expansion later to include our AVM software, we suggest our 4 Camera HD TVI DVR System for Home or Business. This budget-minded system includes remote access, 4 HD-TVI cameras and our HD-TVI DVR recorder to allow you a fast setup on a budget that competes even with the big box stores.

2. Ensure your selected cameras allow remote viewing:

• Most security cameras and security camera systems now support remote viewing of the cameras. This means that you can even view the cameras over the internet from a phone or PC. The DVR or NVR included in your camera system is what will decide the features and functionality of the remote access. The only way to change the features of remote access (speed, quality, functionality) is to change your recorder, which can be a costly proposition later. This is why it is important to select a system that has the remote functionality and features that you need. While all systems have some remote support these days, there are many great differences in the quality.
• While our AVM system offers the best remote access with instantaneous secure connection to your system and a plethora of features, even our budget minded HD-TVI systems with embedded recorders still offer good quality remote access. With our budget systems, we have also built-in future upgrade-ability to ensure that you can continue to expand on the functions of your system in the future.

• Remote access is arguably one of the most important features of your security camera system, as the features of remote access will determine how often you use your cameras.

3. Select Camera Positions:

• Before running cables and installing security cameras, you should take a walk around your home or office and determine what it is that you need to see. Look for entry-points like doors and windows, as well as high value items. A few minutes spent planning out locations will save you hours of time in the long run and help to ensure that you will be happy with your cameras. When we are performing installations, we will walk around the facility with our client to discuss what is important to them. Some clients are looking for better security of the facility while others are concerned more with seeing where children will be playing. Every installation is entirely different, because it relies on what the client really wants to see as well as the layout of the building and grounds. Professionals like our team are accustomed to the equipment, so at a glance, they will be able to know where to position a camera to give the best unobstructed view of the key areas of your home or business.
• If you are unsure of where to position a camera for the best view, it can be very helpful to get out a ladder and put your head up by where the camera will be eventually mounted. This can assist you in seeing the angle and any obstructions that might get in the way of the camera for beginners. If you are not familiar with how wide a camera views, then it might be helpful to plug in a camera and even run a temporary cable out the door and up to where the camera will be mounted, so that you can see it on the screen and determine if the positioning of the camera is best fo you. These are things that true professionals are able to determine in a split second by hearing about your needs and seeing the areas where cameras are proposed.
• It is also important to consider the lighting of the areas in front of the cameras. If a camera is looking directly at a light, then this will often cause a glare and may even prevent the camera from going into night vision mode. Most cameras have infrared night vision, but they use an optical sensor to determine when to switch over to infrared. If the camera faces a light, then depending on the camera, this could prevent the night vision from working properly. Each camera also has a certain night vision distance, this is the distance at which the IR light will no longer reflect back to the camera to produce an image. Knowing the IR distance of a camera will help plan out camera positioning to ensure that you will have the best coverage at night.
• If your facility needs more than 4 cameras due to obstructions or facility size, then our 8 Camera HD TVI DVR System for Home or Business might be the best budget option for you.
• Once you install this system, you’ll be provided HD quality video footage at 1080p resolution. Along with a very reasonable price, this system comes with infrared night vision up to 35' in complete darkness to allow you to see the area in front of each of the camera even if you are unable to see with the naked eye. Just like our 4 Camera HD-TVI kit, this system can later be upgraded to support our AVM software for even greater video searching and functionality.
• This system even features remote access from your iOS or Android cell phones to allow you to quickly and easily see what is happening around your home or business.

4. User-friendly:

• What’s the benefit of installing cameras if they aren't easily accessible to their owner? Make sure the cameras support easy installation. The software associated with them should be intuitive and contain the features that you desire. Unfortunately, this is the area where most systems fall flat: providing systems that are difficult to review and find the video that you want to see. Our higher-end systems like our AVM platform may be more expensive initially, but they last longer and produce higher customer reviews because of how easy it is to access and find the video that you need.

5. Warranty:

• There are many cheap camera systems on the market. But what is more important than price? The support and warranty that you receive of course. Many cheap security cameras come with no warranty because they are sold on Amazon as gray or black market models. These systems oft come with no technical support, no setup assistance and no warranty. This is why it is important to find a company that knows their systems inside and out, and provide technical support and stand behind their systems with a warranty. Platinum CCTV has always excelled at our technical support, both for our local clients as well as our clients throughout the country. When you call us, you get one of our skilled technicians in our Warrenville, IL location, not a far-off call center. These technicians really care about making sure you get everything you need to be able to install and use your system now and in the future. We've been doing this for nearly 18 years, there is certainly a reason we are still around.

Wired or Wireless security camera system, which one is better?

Many clients ask for, and purchase wireless security camera systems. This is because these systems are easier to install. Often you simply connect the camera to your WiFi and stick it up with a battery. However, they are rarely what the customer thought they were, providing underwhelming performance and eventually being replaced with a better system in the end.

• Wireless security cameras hands down come with the easiest installation. Even, you can install them on your own without the help of a professional. However, if the cameras are battery-operated, then you will need to take the camera down periodically to charge them, sometimes once a week. Cameras that claim longer battery life (some say up to a year) are either lying or simply grabbing 1 frame every few minutes. Cameras take a good amount of power, especially if you are going to try to view them remotely. These battery operated solutions also take time to connect to the WiFi when they power up (sometimes based on motion). This connection time often means you miss the video that is important (the motion) and only see the aftermath.
• Wired security cameras are the most reliable camera type. Wireless cameras might skip some crucial moments of footage while experiencing instability of Wi-Fi signal or the power-up cycle that we discussed above, making them far less reliable for security purposes.
• Wireless cameras require a great amount of maintenance if they are truly wireless, as you will have to get up and remove the camera to recharge it, also leaving you vulnerable if you forget to charge the battery and while it is in process of charging.h
• Wired cameras always send a signal back to the recorder, while wireless cameras can easily be disabled with cheap electronics that are readily available. This can even be perpetrated from outside of the range of the camera's view.

Parting Notes

We hope you find the tips helpful. If you’re interested in buying good quality security cameras for your house or business, you may contact us. Other than the products mentioned above, you’ll find many more security cameras serving different purposes at PlatinumCCTV.

Visit our website or contact our helpful agents at any time, we are happy assist you in the selection and implementation of a security camera system to suit your needs.