Top Things to keep in mind when buying a CCTV Security System

After a break-in or vandalism at home or at work, you may be prompted to install a capable smart video CCTV system. Regardless of the reason, you are looking for one thing, and that is safety. With advancements in technology over the years, it is no longer safe to just rely on heavy doors and locked UPVC windows.

A complete CCTV system primarily comprises installation gear, camera and a storage device. Anyone looking to purchase a security video system tends to look for clear image quality within a particular price bracket.

However, here are the top things you must keep an eye out for while purchasing a CCTV security and monitoring system:

Know the purpose

It’s important to understand what you are purchasing a CCTV security system for. For example, a camera with 2 mega-pixel (MP) HD picture quality works the best in domestic CCTV security systems within a range of 20 to 25 metres. A higher range (5 MP and 8 MP) is essential for a CCTV system installed outdoors.

Understand the camera

There are basically two types of cameras: HD cameras are used for domestic purposes while IP (networking) cameras are mostly installed in factories and enterprise settings. These CCTV cameras are further categorised into Wired vs Wireless. Wired cameras are connected to the digital video recorder (DVR) through a cable, whereas, Wireless (or Wi-Fi) cameras are simply connected to consumer smartphone via an app and information is stored within the device on an SD card. Cameras with inbuilt audio-recording and night vision are also popular options as they can capture high-quality video even in pitch-dark conditions.

Do not neglect ‘storage’

Collecting video footage is the singular most crucial duty of a CCTV camera, it is also one of the most critical points of failure in many implementations. And reasons for that are many, but the most common ones are 1) inadequate storage capacity as a result your important old data can’t be retrieved because it is overwritten by the new data and 2) lost connection between your camera and the backend because you didn’t have storage on your camera. Both of these can be easily fixed. First of all you must buy a surveillance-grade storage device that is high capacity, high performance and high endurance such as WD Purple Surveillance Hard Disk Drive, which is build ground-up for CCTV or smart videos. Secondly, most cameras come with slot for microSD cards and a few with a slot for SD cards. There are various capacity options available up to 512GB from WD Purple Surveillance microSD and SD cards that one can choose from.

Always buy from certified CCTV camera providers

Before ordering an installation, be sure to reach out to reputable and certified CCTV camera providers. Reputed system providers offer after-sales services in addition to the company warranty. This is either included with the cost of installing the CCTV system or is charged separately. Shifting cameras for a better angle, relocation, wiring problems, or even forgetting the app password are some of the likely scenarios when you might have to reach out to your CCTV camera provider and not to forget cleaning of your CCTV camera.

Conclusion – Budget should not compromise purpose

CCTV systems have considerably evolved over the years. Image quality is a key consideration while buying a smart video system, however, the greater the resolution the higher the storage capacity required for recording the video. Hence, selecting the right type of storage without compromising on budget is critical for the best performance and reliability of a security video system.