Points to consider when planning a business CCTV camera system
Planning the design of your business's CCTV camera system is almost as crucial as the images it may capture. There's no one-size-fits-all solution for the security surveillance of your business. Each corner, light, cash register, desk, tree, and door is unique to your property which means you need a custom-designed camera system to ensure you've got every angle covered.
Take the time to consider a few basic points when planning your surveillance system. Discuss them with your CCTV installation company for expert advice about your business's particular needs.
What are you needing to capture or monitor?
- Will the cameras be required to identify people or vehicles?
- Will they be constantly monitored by security staff?
- Is it possible the vision may be used by the police?
Cameras which capture high-resolution images should be considered for clear identification.
How long should the camera footage be kept?
Video surveillance has come a long way since days of staff rotating stacks of VCR tapes. To think, once upon a time this was considered the best form of keeping an eye on the comings and goings of a business.
These days modern recording technology has an almost endless storage capacity, allowing footage to be stored almost indefinitely, with ease.
Often businesses will opt for the Australian Standard of 31 days for archiving security recordings. Many factors could affect how long your business needs to keep CCTV footage, discuss with your security company to decide on an appropriate time frame.
Reliable security camera footage recording
Establishing a reliable power supply for the CCTV system is essential to avoid losing footage during a power out or deliberate loss of electricity. A quality battery backup system ensures your cameras will keep recording, even without mains power.
Camera styles
The clarity of image, resolution, frame rate, and night or low light capabilities will vary depending on the style and quality of the camera you choose.
Additional options include fixed or PTZ cameras. A fixed camera is just that, it's physically positioned to record a single area. PTZ (or pan, tilt, zoom) cameras have the ability to move and collect vision from a varied area.
Camera positioning
Placing the cameras in the best possible position to record or monitor your businesses takes some forethought. Some businesses may require monitoring to cover a cash register and entry/exit points, while for other businesses loading bays and workshops could be a top priority.
Your security budget will influence many of these factors, however, cutting back on surveillance could cost your business in other ways. A good quality security camera system is a great investment.