CCTV Cameras Guide
For anyone thinking about installing CCTV cameras the obvious question is: which type is best suited to my particular situation?
All are offered at affordable prices, are easy to install, and there is little maintenance, so you are left to concentrate on selecting the technology that will meet your requirements, for which you will, of course, need some information on which to base your eventual decision.
First of all, are you looking for the indoor or outdoor variety? The former are suitable in homes, offices, schools, hotels and suchlike and can be mounted at any suitable point inside the building, while the latter, which have hard-shell vandal-proof castings and a variety of lens options, are mainly used at entry and exit points where there is limited night lighting.
Perhaps a further word of explanation is necessary if you are unsure as to what constitutes ‘vandal-proof’. These cameras are encased within solid material and are additionally protected by break-proof glass which does not hinder the quality of the video camera. It really is difficult to break these cameras and they are therefore perfect for high security. You can mount them on walls or ceilings and they are also fog and rain resistant.
If you have a high-alert area which requires constant surveillance, both day and night, then the IR Day/Night Camera will probably do the job. During the day it works just like a normal camera, with standard colours, and then, at night, it switches to low-lux black-and-white mode. When visibility decreases infra-red LEDs are illuminated automatically to ensure continuing complete security. This type of camera is popular with the military and it is also common in other high security situations and parking lots.
Another type which provides illuminated viewing in darkness is the bullet camera, so-called because it is housed on a bullet-shaped casing. Weatherproof, compact, and with an integrated design, they are very effective both residentially and commercially.
However, a slight note of caution. IR is not always ideal for identification purposes, being a little too weak at a distance and a little too strong for close-ups, with a face often shown as a blur rather than the clear image that is required.
You may, therefore, want to check out DSS Night-Vision which, its supporters claim, gives clear colour images in situations where the human eye can hardly see hardly a thing. In some instances moonlight – or even starlight – can be sufficient to give a crisp night-time picture, but ideally the camera should be within 60-70 yards of a street lamp. If this is not possible, the installation of a low-light source would be helpful.
Bear in mind, however, that DSS CCTV cameras are not recommended for the surveillance of fast-moving objects – cars for example.
