What You Should Know Before Installing Surveillance Security Cameras...
It's easy to go into a big box store and get overwhelmed by all the surveillance options available. Almost all of the surveillance cameras and systems in big box stores are not commercial grade. Just for fun look up and see which surveillance camera's are being used in that big box and we bet you won't find any of the cameras or systems they are selling you. OUCH!
Commercial Grade vs. Consumer Grade Surveillance Cameras
There is a noticeably difference in price from consumer to commercial grade security cameras. Commercial grade cameras are built for high performance and work better when there isn't a bunch of natural light available. Commercial grade cameras should be used when you can't afford bad images due to lack of light, etc. Consumer grade cameras can be use in less critical ares like pet surveillance.
High Dynamic Range (HDR) Cameras
HDR is a special light-handling feature that uses both software and hardware. In a mixed light situation where there are different light levels in a room and in a doorway, HRD combines the two images together to create a properly-exposed composite image of the two areas. The result is that the room appears to be at the same brightness level and peoples faces will be properly exposed at the door AND in the room. HDR is usually a standard feature in commercial cameras.
Night Vision
Cameras need a light source to illuminate the area they are recording. Night Vision on consumer grade cameras have vision illuminators that are designed only for short ranges and have a fixed brightness. This results in over-exposing objects near the camera and not give those objects any real detail. Most commercial grade cameras, have Smart IR, which use more advanced night vision infrared (IR) illuminators that can adjust their brightness automatically to the scene. Smart IR helps objects to be exposed properly in full detail.
How Much Camera Resolution Do You Need?
For this post, the term “resolution” refers to the number of dots (pixels) that make up a video picture. The two most popular TV resolutions today are 1080p and 4K, where 4K resolution contains about four times as much picture information as 1080p. Sometimes with security cameras more isn't ALWAYS better. 4K cameras capture 4 times the information of 1080p so that can take up a lot of storage space when you think about capturing information 24/7/365. The cameras will cost more and the storage will cost more but if you every want to zoom in on faces or specific details later, an image captured by a 4K camera will give you more definition. You have to make a decision about what's most important to you when deciding on camera resolution. The 4K camera will also require a strong network to push that much data. Bottom line, in most cases, a camera with 1080p resolution provides enough detail for most applications and preserves network bandwidth and hard drive storage at the same time.
Smart Home Integration
You want your camera to be able to be integrated with other systems on your network. To have a truly “smart home” you want all your electronics to be able to communicate with each other so you can control your lighting, audio/video, door locks, alarm systems and more. For example, if you have a smart home and a security sensor is triggered due to an intrusion, you can have your alarm sound, cameras record, lights turned on, and certain doors locked. The sky is the limit for the ways you can program your smart home.
Remote Video Storage
You can store and access your video in the cloud. This can prevent a storage equipment failure or theft of the recording equipment that could prevent you from viewing the video. Some cautious people even opt for a cloud backup in addition to having the on-site recorder.
Hacking
No computer is 100% safe and this can unfortunately put your security system at risk also. One of the best ways to protect your security system is to use a VPN Router/Firewall which is a type of computer designed to keep out unwanted threats. Don't skimp on your network's security because it has become a necessary part of setting up and installing a security camera system.
Deep Learning Search
This allows you to search your video using specific queries. Example... say you wanted to look for an SUV entering your driveway. Search SUV and the system will show the parts of the recording where an SUV came into view from the camera setup to watch your driveway.
Thermal Cameras
Objects emit infrared energy (heat) as a function of their temperature and this is called their heat signature. Thermal camera includes a heat sensor that is capable of detecting tiny differences in temperature. Thermal cameras are a good options in areas that have an extreme lack of light.
360° & 720° Cameras
These are cameras with a fish eye or spherical camera lens to offer a far wider viewing area compared to a normal/standard camera. 360° cameras can see in all directions in only one hemisphere. 720° cameras can see in all directions at the same time, up to down and left to right. One take back is that they can have poor resolution when they zoom and images can feel a bit warped instead of flat but software can help it look better. These cameras can be used together with other normal cameras to provide coverage of an entire area with the 360/720 cameras and the normal cameras providing more detail.
SimpTech Solutions can design your security system based on what's important to you. You need a technology integrator who has a good track record of technical knowledge, proven customer service, and a reputation.
Contact us (513-257-2432) for a Free Consultation!
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About SimpTech Solutions
SimpTech Solutions operates as a residential and commercial electronics systems design and integration firm to deliver simple, flexible, and feature-rich technology solutions for customers across Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati.
Why Choose SimpTech Solutions? Because we listen to you! Once we fully understand what you want, we can put together a solution to fulfill all your needs and your greatest desires.
- Guidance – The knowledge to educate you on the latest technologies available and discuss how they might benefit your lifestyle.
- Personalization – The skill to create or upgrade an electronic system that is uniquely yours.
- Convenience – All work from design to installation to user training is done for you. We handle all the details to bring you a great end result.
- Integration – The expertise to unite several separate electronic components together so they function as an easy-to-use cohesive system.
