Security Camera System Design

Security Camera’s. I can not tell you how many sales calls I have gone on for camera systems where the homeowner or business owner tells me, “I wish I had installed a security camera system before yesterday!”

Remember, there are two (2) types of security risk management:

• Preventative
• Reactive

Reactive security risk management means you have already had a loss and are trying to prevent another.  Although a camera system will not prevent a theft or break in, it can deter the event from happening.  How?  Well over 60% of burglars/trespassers will pass a property by if your cameras and security devices are visible.

Today’s camera systems are high resolution and can be equipped with night vision and motion sensitivity.  Anything over 700 TVL is considered good for facial identification within 20 feet.  You will need to go to at least a 3 mega pixel camera to get licence plates.

A well designed security camera system should have a combination of exterior and interior units with focus on catching faces at access points as well as in critical area’s where your most expensive items are secured or stored.

Also, a well designed security camera system needs to be integrated with a well designed alarm system, allowing your camera system to activate when motion is in “alarmed or masked” areas.

Examples could be motion at your front and back door areas after 10:00 PM until 6:00 AM.  These should create a “Pre-alarm” to alert you of activity outside your home or business.  These “pre-alarms” can activate lighting or an internal sounder activation not tied into the alarm system.  When the cameras go into alarm, this also means they will be recording more frames per second to capture events in “real-time” instead of time lapse where it might take on shot per second.

Camera System Equipment

A good camera system consists of good, high resolution cameras, Digital Video Recorders, power supplies, monitors and wiring.  Not only have the cameras improved on resolution and low light, the recorders have gone digital with hard drives capable of recording for months in high resolution.  No more tapes to change.  Many commercial systems actually have their video feed stored in the cloud so it can not be tampered with or removed from the facility.

Power supplies are also important.  Because the camera’s are low voltage, we recommend a UPS system to provide backup to the recorder and the cameras, in the event of power disruption.

Lighting can also be a consideration in a commercial application where large exterior areas are needing to be monitored.  We often recommend infrared flood lighting, allowing the cameras to see into the darkness.

Selecting the right Security Camera or Surveillance System

Although most of our CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) systems or security cameras are commercial and Industrial installations, the same equipment should be used for residential applications.

However, there is a big difference between the surveillance equipment you can buy at a discount electronics store or discount clubs and the equipment a professional Security Systems integrator specifies for applications. The biggest difference is in capability, quality, warranty length and function.

Please understand that MOST Security Companies WILL NOT install equipment a resident has purchased for a residential application. You get into all sorts of warranty issues, function and camera challenges.

Additionally, be careful because there are many “camera experts” who are not qualified to install cameras and have no liability/workmen’s comp insurance. Working in a residence has unique challenges and the last thing you want is a half installed system with a hole in your ceiling where a “Trunk Slammer” technician missed a ceiling joist, punched a hole in your ceiling and left the installation. Be sure the selected installation company has insurance and has been in business for at least a couple of years.

Now, before you make a camera system purchase, consider the following questions:

1. What type of security camera should you choose?
2. Should I get a weatherproof security camera even if the outside camera is not directly exposed to the elements?
3. What size monitor and Digital Video Recorder do I need to purchase?
4. What options are important in a Digital Video Recorder? Does it have motion activated Real-Time recording capabilities? Can I access it from the Internet or my smart phone?
5. Is a wireless video surveillance camera security system a good option for my application?
6. Where can I get a covert wireless security camera like a nanny cam or Teddy cam?
7. What is a CCD chip?
8. What are my surveillance requirements and how do I design my system around them?
9. What is the focal length of a security camera lens and what difference does it make?
10. How can I get the best resolution from my security systems? What is TVL?
11. Do I need to add exterior lighting or do I go with Infared Illumination?
12. What is the lux rating of the camera and what does it mean? What are the low light levels?
13. Do you need to allow for Back Light Compensation?
14. How high is the camera going to be mounted? ( You don’t want to be looking just at the tops of a burglar’s head)

Most “boxed” systems use a specific wiring type with pre-measured lengths of wire included in the “kit”.   This is unfortunate if the camera needs to be located further than the wiring permits.   Every splice you make results in degradation of the signal quality.

Additionally, most of the cameras included have a set lens focal length and this often times results in a camera not providing the best picture from the location you are forced to locate the camera in.  Ideally, purchase a camera with a vari-focal lens or digital zoom.  This means it is field adjustable to allow you to determine the range of view best for you.

So, how do you determine the best lens for the job?   Well, professionals use lens calculators to size the lens by measuring the distance from the camera to what or where you want to have on the monitor.  The height of the range of view is equal to .75 x width of view.  You need to know the distance to the object, the size of the camera’s CCD micro chip (Charge-Coupled Device) and the width of the view you need.

As you can see, sometimes it takes someone who knows what they are doing to assist.  This is not to say you can’t gain the knowledge to choose the right equipment and install the system yourself.  I hope this helps you down the road to ask the right questions.

Call us today at 713-378-7950 to set an appointment for a camera system review or quote.  Remember, we offer systems you can view anytime with your smart phone!