Electronics

10 Great Tips for Choosing CCTV Camera

Security Camera or CCTV on digital backgroundCCTV cameras have moved from extra feature to a necessity within less than a decade. Nowadays, securing your real estate property has never been easier - all you have to do is select the best CCTV cameras for your needs, suitable recording device and setup everything, so that you can start monitoring your property. While the modern recording devices come with basic features, enabling you to create a simple, yet effective CCTV system in your property, the cameras are the devices that really make a difference. However, these come in so many shapes and sizes, bundled with tons of different features and it's quite confusing for property owners to make the choice fast. Fortunately, if you follow these 10 simple tips, next time you choose a CCTV camera for your property you are sure to make the best choice:

Budget is NOT the Main Factor

CCTV cameras, just like any other piece of technology, come with wide range of pricing options. Most of the times, property owners use their budget as a primary factor when making the decision. The thing is that even if you do manage to get a great bargain on CCTV cameras, chances are this investment will not be paying very well in the long run. While budget is definitely important, the decision to invest a bit more for better quality cameras is much better!

Warranty

Camera retailers often offer small 6-month warranty for their cheapest items and this is definitely a red flag to consider. Most of the time you are eligible for up to 3 years of warranty for your security cameras.

Camera Types

Cameras can be separated into 3 main categories - analogue, HD and IP. While the analogue camera is the most widely used and affordable type of all three, the other two are packed with additional features that will make monitoring your property a lot more effective. Keep on reading to find out how these 3 main categories of security cameras compare.

Range

Depending on the location of the camera, you will most likely want to monitor different aspects of your property. For example, a camera installed to monitor a driveway almost certainly must have registration plate recognition features, while to monitor different, smaller areas of your property can easily be done with analogue ones.

Features 101

As already mentioned, cameras come with tons of features and these often impact the purchasing decision you are about to make. The main ones to consider when making your choice are data storage memory, lens size and angle degree. Depending on the location of the particular camera, as well as the size of the area that needs to be monitored, you can consult with the retailer to choose the most suitable for your specific needs.

Analogue vs. HD vs. IP

While the analogue cameras are without doubt the most common option out there, HD and IP ones deliver better results, have considerably lower setup fees and also will serve you a lot better in the long run. The best way to make the right decision is to determine the specifics of each camera location in your property - Do you need advanced features, like zooming and/or license place recognition? Do you want to reduce the installation costs?

Lighting Support

Since the quality of camera picture, depends mostly on the lighting in the particular area, in some cases, especially for outdoor use, you should consider purchasing lighting support. A simple LED projector can dramatically improve the quality of your monitoring system!

Installation Costs

While purchasing CCTV cameras, the equipment is often around the 50% of all costs, the rest goes for installation. If you decide to for the rather cheaper analogue cameras, you do face a lot of installation expenses - cables, connectors and off course manual labour. The IP cameras on the other hand, need to be connected only to a power source, so you are looking at least at 80% reduction in installation expenses.

Camera Locations

The specifics of your property are pretty important to consider when planning your home CCTV system. For example, if you want to monitor specific rooms in your home, you should choose locations that allow the cameras to cover the entire area, such as a back wall.

Professional Advice

Installing CCTV cameras in your home may seem like an easy thing to do, but requires a lot of planning and prior experience in order to be done properly. It's always a great idea to seek advice from qualified professionals, as their tips will not only save you a lot of time, but money!

by http://www.alertwatch.ie/

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