A Guide to Choosing the Right CCTV System for Your Business

CCTVs are now a critical part of the security system set-up, and it is necessary to understand and consider factors that will help choose the right set of CCTV systems for ensuring the security of your business premises. A good system of security cameras can help prevent chances of risks and thefts and also help further in claiming insurance when there is a need. 

In this blog, we try to discuss and bring in the factors that need to be considered while selecting the CCTV system to secure your business.

Factors to Consider When Selecting CCTV Systems

1. Camera Field of View

Before deciding on getting a CCTV for your business, you will need to have decided where you are planning to keep the CCTV, that is whether it is inside or outside. And the area you plan to cover in the field of CCTV. It will help decide the number of cameras that you need to fix in your CCTV system. Always pick cameras that cover horizontal view and wider angles, as it will help get a better field of view. 

2. Types of Cameras

Different types of cameras can be used in CCTV systems. The major types of cameras usually used in CCTV cameras are dome, bullet, IP, and PTZcameras get their name from their long, cylindrical shape. The shape is common and quite evident and will effectively keep preventing unwarranted attention from people. These cameras can work both indoors and outdoors.

Dome cameras: The following common type of camera is the dome camera. They aren’t as noticeable as cylindrical CCTV cameras. They have a wider view angle and are good CCTV cameras that can be placed indoors. Dome cameras are also known to have better resilience against vandalism.

IP cameras: These cameras are available in wired, wireless and wire-free forms. If the cameras are wired, then are connected to the internet router; wireless means that the CCTV system is connected using WiFi; wire-free cameras are completely cable-free and battery-powered. 

PTZ cameras: PTZ means pan, tilt and zoom cameras. These cameras can pan and tilt to a 360-degree angle and straight to 180 degrees. The requirement of one such camera can give good and exceptional results. 

Read More: Why Does Your Business Need CCTV Surveillance?

3. Motion Detection and Analytics

Motion detection is one of the prominent features that bring the effectiveness of the video surveillance system. Higher-end versions of the CCTV system can also bring in analytical capabilities. It can help distinguish between men, women, children, vehicles and other non-living things. The CCTV system can also help alert the police and also it sends alerts to the business owner’s phone. These facilities can be expensive to adapt to and you must consider the need before investing in them. 

4. Night Vision

A business is most subjected to thefts and other risks when people are not around; this usually happens at night. Therefore, it is necessary to bring in a CCTV system that will deliver clear night vision and help identify perpetrators at the time of the night and send immediate alerts in case there is a breach of business premises. 

5. Storage Capacity

Monitoring the business premises is one of the major functions of the CCTV surveillance system. There is another function that is equally relevant as monitoring which will be the storage capacity. It is fitting to find a CCTV system with credible backup storage so that you can go back and see if there is an issue. It is proper to invest in a CCTV system that has a good storage capacity; so that it can back up a good amount of data for months altogether. Access to cloud storage is another great attribute so that business owners can easily access backup data even from remote locations. 

6. Wired and Wireless

Wired systems usually ensure much better performance and agility and will be a good choice for business environments. Wireless systems can be used in indoor surveillance systems and commonly for residential purposes. The cons of using a wired system can be that the communication signals can be interrupted, and the batteries need to be recharged constantly.

7. Installation and Pricing

The extent to which you plan to place the CCTV system can directly affect the installation and the overall pricing. It will be ideal to make sure to calculate the number of devices and the area you plan to cover under the surveillance of the CCTV.

Learn More: How to Select the Right Network Cable for your Business?

8. Lens

The choice of lens can determine the area of visibility. The smaller the mm of the lens, the larger the site is visible. If you have a larger area to cover, like a parking lot, then choose a lens of 2.8mm. If you are installing CCTV to focus on a fixed area, you can go for a lens with the specification of say 8mm. The next set of choices that you might require to look into is the kind of lens you want to purchase, they come in bifurcations: fixed and varifocal lenses. The fixed lens can give you a close-up of a specific area and the varifocal can adjust the flexibility of the lens.

9. Sensors

Sensors come in different capabilities, and the two main kinds of sensors used in CCTV surveillance systems are CMOS and CCD. CMOS is the standard choice as it is much more affordable than CCD. But CCD can help create sensitive and clearer images—the larger the sensor, the better the quality of images produced. Larger sensors also cover a larger area.

10. Output Resolution

HD and megapixel are the two kinds of output resolution. HD can be said to be a subset of megapixels. HD comes in a specific aspect and frame ratio. When the resolution is more than a million pixels, it is called megapixels. CCTV systems are now adapting to accommodate cameras with higher applications and resolutions. HD has a standard resolution of 720p and 1080p. 

Why Electra Qatar?

Electra has been providing solid security solutions by delivering reliable CCTV services to businesses and office setups in Qatar. As Qatar is growing to be part of the business hub of the Middle East, it becomes necessary for businesses both small and big businesses and Electra Qatar provides solutions that cater to the exact needs of the business. Electra assures the maximum quality of services that meets the unique needs of the businesses and all the products delivered by Electra meets global standards and certifications.