How To Buy The Right Surveillance System For Your Business

Important Considerations

Dimensions

How large is the area you plan to monitor? Exactly what do you want to include in your angle of view? Do you want to be able to see the entire room or are you more interested in a specific area, such as the checkout counter or the front door. Knowing the exact dimensions will help you arrive at the number of cameras you’ll need as well as the type of lens.

Enclosures

When it comes to outdoor surveillance, climate plays a major role in determining not only the type of camera, but appropriate camera enclosure. If you will be mounting in a cold environment you will need an enclosure with a heater. If the area is subject to high temperatures, an enclosure equipped with a cooling fan is a necessity. There are also completely sealed enclosures to deal with dust storms.

Lighting Conditions

Ambient or changing light is a challenge for cameras, since light determines the video’s quality. The amount of light needed varies with the type of camera, but black and white cameras are best in darker areas since they can use infrared or near infrared lighting, whereas color cameras can only use visible light. If you will be monitoring parking lots, walkways or interiors after closing hours, black and white cameras fitted with infrared light illuminators are one choice. Another option is a day/night camera. When in day mode, an IR filter covers the lens so only visible light waves can fall on the image sensor and produce color video. In night mode, the filter is lifted, producing black and white video.

Contrasting Light

Locations that especially present a challenge are those where light conditions converge, such as hotel or theater lobby entrances that open to a brightly lit street; or parking garages where headlights provide a constant interplay of irregular beams of light. The problem with choosing a camera for such locales is that the camera will either focus on the light areas or the dark ones. In some instances, objects in the back will be sharp and detailed, but the foreground will be overexposed and washed out. In other cases, the opposite will occur. For such locations you will need a camera with wide dynamic range (WDR). WDR cameras focus on light and dark areas simultaneously, producing clear, sharp images in the entire frame.

Clarity/Detail for Forensic Use

Should you be robbed or vandalized, the police and prosecutor will want to see any video that captures the perpetrators. Successful forensic investigations depend on high-resolution images in order to use facial features for positively identifying a perpetrator.

Remote Access and Recording

Video management software (VMS) is necessary for a fully functioning surveillance system network. There are many types of VMS providing a wide variety of capabilities. Once installed on a dedicated Windows computer, you will be able to view multiple cameras, and record and retrieve video. There are many types of VMS solutions — each providing unique capabilities including motion detection and search tools for finding specific video segments. Others are compatible with smart mobile devices for remote viewing.

Once you have had a chance to digest all this information, it’s time to put together a surveillance solution that will best address all your needs. Remember, this is about designing a system of cameras — but also lenses, enclosures, video management software, a video recording system, mounting hardware, cables and switches — all working together to keep your business safe and secure.