A Guide to Purchasing CCTV in Sheffield, Barnsley and Rotherham
,A guide to purchasing a home CCTV system (camera systems) and electronic security systems by www.sheffieldcctvengineers.com your friendly electronics experts. Call now to speak to an expert on 01143605355
If you are thinking of installing a CCTV system, or home alarm then you will find this guide very helpful. This guide has been written by Sheffield CCTV engineers using as few as possible photos, and as little jargon as possible. This is so you can copy and paste this page into an email or print it off direct and understand what we are explaining. We have given you the benefit of knowledge gained over 40 years as master CCTV and alarm experts with international experience. So lets get to know each other.
Our history.
We have been installing CCTV systems globally for over 40 years. We travel overseas and install CCTV and surveillance systems in some of the most hostile countries in the world as private security contractors. When we are not on overseas projects we are often installing CCTV home camera systems, and home alarms in Rotherham, Barnsley, Sheffield, Chesterfield, and Derby shire. We also install commercial CCTV and electronic security for well known clients and government agencies.
Some of the work we can talk about.
Over the last 40 years we have designed and installed systems globally into prisons, police stations, army compounds, navy compounds, air force compounds, and immigration detention centers .We have provided onsite security solutions for companies such as IBM Australia. Much of the government work we did as security contractors was covered by the official secrecy act and as such we cant mention a lot of the work we did, however much of our work involved protecting civilians against the terrorist threats that have emerged over the last 40 years. We have installed covert cameras into televisions that gathered evidence for law enforcement agencies. The televisions were gathering evidence even when they were turned off in stand by mode. We have hidden cameras into fire extinguishers, clocks, pictures, smoke detectors, even laptops. We will explain where to use covert, and overt cameras later in this guide and what the difference is.
We can talk about some of the projects for example. We have provided electronic protection for Malcom and Linda Young the founders of the Australian rock band AC-DC, we have provided electronic solutions for commercial clients in Sheffield such as Sheffield city council, SUFC club, Swann-Morton surgical instruments. And of course we have installed thousands of systems around the world into private homes just like yours. When it comes to electronic security you have a very experienced team available to help you.
We have the benefit of being a proud division of www.myelectronicstec.com an established South Yorkshire specialist electronics company with an expert team of electronics experts. The following guide will help you plan a CCTV installation with the benefit of advice from global experts in electronic surveillance. .
If you want to engage a team with this level of experience call us today on 01143605355 and talk with an expert about your needs, or read further to get a good understanding of home CCTV systems. Lets look at what is involved in planning a home CCTV system. Click here to see what our clients say.
The all important onsite survey.
If a company is professional in their approach they will always advise you to have an onsite survey done prior to doing a quotation. Professional companies will always come out and spend the time to view the site you want to protect. They will ask you what you want to achieve, why you want to engage CCTV, or a burglar alarm and they will use this chance to plan a professional installation based on facts rather than guesswork. Your initial phone call to the CCTV company should leave you feeling impressed. If you find that they do not want to come out to do a survey, or they quote you for a home camera system from behind a desk then you should move on and find another company. Your family's safety is far to important to have a job half done.
Any professional security supplier of CCTV should be willing to come out spend time with you, and see the site, meet you, advise you, listen to you, then armed with all the facts ultimately design you a system based facts.
If a company quotes you on a home CCTV system without seeing your home move on and find another CCTV expert. . Try to only deal with CCTV experts who specialize in electronic security, as opposed to trades people who seem to supply everything and dabble in electronic security. when needed. Jack of all trades master of non.. So lets start learning about home camera systems .
The brain of your CCTV system is called a DVR (Digital video recorder)
The heart of a good CCTV system or alarm is the brain of the system. In a CCTV system. This is called a DVR ( digital video recorder) The first thing to consider here is how many cameras your system is likely to have. Some people may only need 1 camera. If this is the case you can use a simple system that will connect to your smart phone without using a DVR. We have these available and we can install a Bodyguard system the same day from as little as £275 that is connected to your smart phone.
If however you are thinking of expanding the system you should plan on allowing at least 4 cameras to cover your home. You might start with just 1 camera, however most people soon want to add more once they see the benefits of electronic protection. When getting quotes it is important to find out where the system is made. Try where possible to stay away from systems that are made outside of the UK. Many are made in China. These systems often fail when they are just out of warranty.
Recently the US government banned all Chinese made systems as they were found to contain spyware. Typically they are purchased on Ebay by DIY installers. These products appear to be cheap, however most times they come into the country with no tech support, and often they fail within 18 months of installation.When they fail the companies selling them are often long gone so you will need to start again. If you are getting quotes on a CCTV system ask where the system is made.
We use a system called Bodyguard CCTV , it is made and developed in the UK and is a commercial system. As such it will live around 10 to 15 years and is well proven around the world. It is however not available to DIY installers, or home installers, and if you are not classified as a master installer you will not have access to this system.
The location of the DVR is very important. It should be located preferably in a secure locked cupboard, or be installed in a metal vault supplied by your installation company. This cupboard should be inside a room that can be locked while you are away from your home. The DVR records all the time, and if you have criminals that try to gain entry you need this evidence to be secure.
Never allow anyone to install the DVR into the roof space. This will soon damage the DVR from dust, and extreme temperatures and your system will last a very short time.
Viewing your system on your mobile phone or a tablet.
On multiple occasions we have been called to jobs that handymen have installed or home owners have installed. These systems were often purchased from Chinese companies selling them on Ebay. Once installed the owners have learnt the hard way that there is no such thing as a cheap CCTV system. Your home CCTV system can be viewed on Apple phones, Android phones and tablets. You should check and ensure that any app you use for viewing CCTV was made in the UK to British standards. Ask your installer does the app you are installing on my phone conform to British standards? Ask for proof.
How to protect your passwords being stolen by your smart phone being hacked.
We can not say it any clearer, stay away from cheap and nasty Chinese CCTV systems. The biggest failure in these systems is the phone apps either not working from day one or the constant frustration of an app that wont work, and cheap failed hard drives. The other major problem is the same reason the US government banned a major Chinese CCTV supplier. The Chinese CCTV apps where found to contain spyware. These Chinese companies make big money selling your passwords, and your private information on the dark web. The easiest way to capture your personal data and passwords is from a rogue app that was supplied with a cheap Chinese CCTV system.
Considering most people use their mobile phone for banking, and other sensitive uses it makes sense to ensure the security of your passwords and sensitive data. If you install an unknown app on your phone it is a security risk. You are risking banking details, passwords, pictures, and much more. Your information can be sold on the black web for a lot of money.
Our Bodyguard system can be hooked up to your phone and using an app developed by UK engineers that conforms to British standards. Once installed you can view your home anywhere you have access to the internet. Your phone can receive alerts the moment your system detects someone walking inside your home or passing through a area like your garden. The apps we use have been engineered in the UK by trusted UK partners. As such we know that your data and passwords are secure.
How many cameras should we employ?
In the beginning it is better to buy the best quality cameras that you can afford then add more as you can afford to expand the system. As opposed to buying many cheap Chinese cameras that fail with 18 months of installation. Often the part time installers will have long gone out of business as well as these systems start to fail. Lets start with your weakest link in your home security.
Often criminals will simply knock on your front door with excuses such as they are collecting scrap metal. If you have not already requested our free home security tips we suggest you do so now. It is packed with crime prevention tips that come from the real world of crime scenes we have visited over the last 40 years. Take a walk around your home and put your self in the shoes of a criminal trying to break into your home. Would you come through the front with an excuse? Do you have a back lane that runs along your rear garden? Once you have taken a look you might decide to protect the front first, or the rear garden if you have a weakness. Plan to protect the weakest link first. If you are unsure call us and book a free site survey and we will look at your property together then we can plan a system to suit your needs and budget that you can expand on as time and money permit. Your are far better to have between two to four top quality UK made cameras than eight cameras made in China that fail withing 18 months of installation. .
What type of cameras are suitable for my home CCTV system?
As professional installers we advise that firstly avoid using dome cameras outside of you home unless you live in a bungalow. We have noticed that some companies will try and steer you into using dome cameras on double story homes. They do this to make their job easier rather that enhance your security.
Put simply they get home earlier by using dome cameras under eaves as it takes less effort to install.
The reason we do not recommend this is that the camera will be looking down at a very steep angle. It will not capture details as well like faces, clothing ETC. You will have a great view of the tops of their heads but not much more. You are also far more limited in the final adjustment of what the camera sees. Dome cameras are best used on single level homes and indoor areas of your home. Outside your home especially on double level homes we suggest bullet cameras. They are about the size of a can of coke.They have infinite amounts of adjustment for the final picture.
Bodyguard bullet cameras are all metal construction, no plastic is used as in the Chinese systems.Chinese plastic brackets and lock nuts become brittle when exposed to the suns UV rays and they fail. Ask to see the cameras that are to be used outside and check they do not have plastic brackets or lock nuts
Our commercial Bodyguard CCTV cameras are rugged, all metal construction, however they are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. As we said they are about the size of a can of coke. To see a picture click on our tab on this web site titled CCTV.
Overt or covert?
For home protection we suggest that CCTV systems should be seen.This is called overt. We want your property to be seen to have security alarms, warning stickers, CCTV, automatic lighting systems, in general we want to let the bad guys know that you are no easy target. Put simply we want them to chose an easier target. So the use of overt security helps to keep you safe. 40 years ago when we started installing CCTV systems outside cameras were big and unattractive. These days they are compact and look good. Our Bodyguard cameras are about the same size of a can of coke. Covert cameras do have their use. Lets suppose you have an elderly parent who receives outside help or carers. We can install covert cameras that are as small as the dots on top of the letter ( i ) these can be hidden into every days objects. In the past we have installed covert cameras into televisions, fire extinguishers, clocks, cuddly toys, even light switches. Law enforcement agencies have used our expertise to gather evidence on drug dealers overseas. If you run a business, covert cameras can be a good way to watch what happens when you are not there.
Wireless cameras or hard wired?
Firstly we will look at the difference. No camera is totally wireless as the camera needs power to transmit its signal. As we move into the future our homes will be full of gadgets that create signals and electrical noise. These electrically noisy gadgets such as baby monitors and door bells all create a kind of static signal that can interfere with wireless CCTV. Where ever possible all cameras should be wired direct to the DVR. This ensures that the camera cant be hacked, or that the camera wont lose its signal or IP address during a storm or power surge. Wireless cameras are a last resort. Any professional CCTV expert will always try and use a wired system first. It costs a little more to have a professional hard wired system installed. However this investment will pay you many times over in savings from not having to pay engineers to constantly reset systems and provide specialist maintenance that covers wireless CCTV and alarms. To summarize always try to find an installation company that is willing to use a wired system regardless if its an security alarm, or CCTV system.
Should we install an alarm as well as CCTV?
We suggest that you employ both an alarm system, and a CCTV system. This will make your home much more secure should the bad guys ever try and break into your home. Our Bodyguard CCTV system can double as an alarm if you can not afford both. By installing an internal camera we can configure the system to send you an alert should the internal camera detect movement from an intruder inside your home. The Bodyguard CCTV system can detect an intruder so long as you have an internal camera watching the inside of your home. This is also a good idea regardless of a burglar alarm. If you were thousands of miles away from your home on holiday when you were alerted to the fact your home was under attack you can not only see the outside of your home on your smart phone, but you can see what is going on inside your home and verify if an intruder has gained access to your home.
Smart home CCTV systems and non smart home systems.
Anywhere you have a camera covering your home you should also have automatic motion activated sensor lights that assist the cameras by flooding light onto the targets that the cameras are looking at. Our Bodyguard cameras have night vision built in and once it gets dark in the absence of light they use infrared technology to record in black and white once it gets dark. However we suggest that a security lighting system covering all four walls of your home is the perfect partner for your cameras.
Our Bodyguard CCTV systems now come with a smart home option.
So to appreciate some of the features this system can bring imagine you have flown out to Australia on a 4 week holiday. two days into the holiday your alarm system activates and sends you an sms telling you that you your home is under attack. With our systems so far you can press the app and now turn on lights from 12,000 miles away all around your house.
With your house surrounded by high powered LED flood lights you can do a search around all of the outside cameras on your smart phone. Once you have checked the outside perimeter using the app and your outside cameras you can now check the inside of your home using the internal cameras. If you see that items have been stacked up next to the front door you can call the police and advise that your alarm and CCTV have detected intruders.
When the police arrive they are locked out because you have automatic security gates, but from Australia that is no problem because you pick up your smart phone and press another button on the Bodyguard CCTV app and it will open the gates from 12000 miles away for the police to enter your property. When the police ask you for details you can rewind the DVR recorder from Australia using your smart phone and describe what the intruders were wearing, what they looked like, and you can even email mug shots captured by the system from 12000 miles away. All of the above is possible with the Bodyguard CCTV commercial system.
We are confused should we have a 2MP, 5MP, 8MP system installed?
Lets cut through the hype, jargon, and sales talk. A 2 megapixel system records in high definition 1080P. That gives a crystal clear image of the property and a good image of an intruder is what most people need to protect their property and loved ones. Given the fact that 90 percent of people will use a smart phone to keep an eye on their property there is no point installing a 5 or 8 MP systems that your phone will not display any extra detail on your smart phone. Some installation firms will use a cheap Chinese system supposedly rated at a 5MP, or 8MP resolution and it will seam impressive on price until around 18 months when it stops working. It is now out of warranty and your installer has changed his mobile phone number. That is when we normally get a call and are asked to fix it all. Lets apply some common sense. Stick to a practical commercial system. Made in the UK. With crystal clear vision on your smart phone. A system that comes with a long warranty. Unless you are running a police surveillance operation and have access to a monitor that is 75 inches plus, and you can look at this monitor 24/7 then you will get no extra benefit from jumping to higher resolutions. Lastly the larger the MP rate of the camera the more your internet router will struggle to transmit your CCTV across the world to your smart phone. To see a video comparison of different megapixel cameras click here. Bodyguard CCTV megapixel comparison in the real world.
Will we save money buying our own kit and having an installer commission the system?
Lets look at this great question. Firstly if you can find one, you want a company who only install electronic security. The internet is full of companies that do CCTV as a side line. TV aerial companies, electricians, handymen, locksmiths, all dabble with CCTV however very few are CCTV specialist experts!. IF you can find a CCTV specialist it is worth while paying a little more for these master trades people. They will have a tremendous amount of skill. Would you go to your metal workers shop to get a custom hand made timber cabinet? If not do not buy a CCTV system from an electrician, aerial fitter, locksmith,handyman, or your local DIY shop, and especially never buy a CCTV system of face book, or Ebay. When you get technical problems you will not have any support.
Its when it all goes wrong you the customer pays. Often these same companies have vanished, gone out of business, or don't want to know. Now if you make the mistake of buying a kit to save money here is where it all goes horribly wrong.Good specialist CCTV engineers are very busy. They are not short of work. When you phone them and ask would you install my Chinese Ebay CCTV system they really want to say NO thank you! So when you contact Bark.com and you do not get a reply here is the reason why no one is interested in your job .
That is because they know that at the end of the installation when the system does not work we now need tech support. So we now look up the supplier only to find they have no phone number, no way of contacting them other than an Ebay message, and they don't want to know about your recent purchase, to boot they have a tech who has a problem with a cheap Chinese CCTV system that the app does not work on Friday afternoon. On Tuesday you fly out to Australia with a CCTV system that does not work. Your CCTV engineer wants paying for their work. Your CCTV system is still not working. If you buy a CCTV kit expect to pay more than if the professional supplied and fitted the system. The installation company will factor in the cost to sort out a problematic Chinese Ebay kit and it wont be a cheap solution. Never, ever, buy a CCTV kit to save money, it does not work!
.
If you are thinking of installing a CCTV system, or home alarm then you will find this guide very helpful. This guide has been written by Sheffield CCTV engineers using as few as possible photos, and as little jargon as possible. This is so you can copy and paste this page into an email or print it off direct and understand what we are explaining. We have given you the benefit of knowledge gained over 40 years as master CCTV and alarm experts with international experience. So lets get to know each other.
Our history.
We have been installing CCTV systems globally for over 40 years. We travel overseas and install CCTV and surveillance systems in some of the most hostile countries in the world as private security contractors. When we are not on overseas projects we are often installing CCTV home camera systems, and home alarms in Rotherham, Barnsley, Sheffield, Chesterfield, and Derby shire. We also install commercial CCTV and electronic security for well known clients and government agencies.
Some of the work we can talk about.
Over the last 40 years we have designed and installed systems globally into prisons, police stations, army compounds, navy compounds, air force compounds, and immigration detention centers .We have provided onsite security solutions for companies such as IBM Australia. Much of the government work we did as security contractors was covered by the official secrecy act and as such we cant mention a lot of the work we did, however much of our work involved protecting civilians against the terrorist threats that have emerged over the last 40 years. We have installed covert cameras into televisions that gathered evidence for law enforcement agencies. The televisions were gathering evidence even when they were turned off in stand by mode. We have hidden cameras into fire extinguishers, clocks, pictures, smoke detectors, even laptops. We will explain where to use covert, and overt cameras later in this guide and what the difference is.
We can talk about some of the projects for example. We have provided electronic protection for Malcom and Linda Young the founders of the Australian rock band AC-DC, we have provided electronic solutions for commercial clients in Sheffield such as Sheffield city council, SUFC club, Swann-Morton surgical instruments. And of course we have installed thousands of systems around the world into private homes just like yours. When it comes to electronic security you have a very experienced team available to help you.
We have the benefit of being a proud division of www.myelectronicstec.com an established South Yorkshire specialist electronics company with an expert team of electronics experts. The following guide will help you plan a CCTV installation with the benefit of advice from global experts in electronic surveillance. .
If you want to engage a team with this level of experience call us today on 01143605355 and talk with an expert about your needs, or read further to get a good understanding of home CCTV systems. Lets look at what is involved in planning a home CCTV system. Click here to see what our clients say.
The all important onsite survey.
If a company is professional in their approach they will always advise you to have an onsite survey done prior to doing a quotation. Professional companies will always come out and spend the time to view the site you want to protect. They will ask you what you want to achieve, why you want to engage CCTV, or a burglar alarm and they will use this chance to plan a professional installation based on facts rather than guesswork. Your initial phone call to the CCTV company should leave you feeling impressed. If you find that they do not want to come out to do a survey, or they quote you for a home camera system from behind a desk then you should move on and find another company. Your family's safety is far to important to have a job half done.
Any professional security supplier of CCTV should be willing to come out spend time with you, and see the site, meet you, advise you, listen to you, then armed with all the facts ultimately design you a system based facts.
If a company quotes you on a home CCTV system without seeing your home move on and find another CCTV expert. . Try to only deal with CCTV experts who specialize in electronic security, as opposed to trades people who seem to supply everything and dabble in electronic security. when needed. Jack of all trades master of non.. So lets start learning about home camera systems .
The brain of your CCTV system is called a DVR (Digital video recorder)
The heart of a good CCTV system or alarm is the brain of the system. In a CCTV system. This is called a DVR ( digital video recorder) The first thing to consider here is how many cameras your system is likely to have. Some people may only need 1 camera. If this is the case you can use a simple system that will connect to your smart phone without using a DVR. We have these available and we can install a Bodyguard system the same day from as little as £275 that is connected to your smart phone.
If however you are thinking of expanding the system you should plan on allowing at least 4 cameras to cover your home. You might start with just 1 camera, however most people soon want to add more once they see the benefits of electronic protection. When getting quotes it is important to find out where the system is made. Try where possible to stay away from systems that are made outside of the UK. Many are made in China. These systems often fail when they are just out of warranty.
Recently the US government banned all Chinese made systems as they were found to contain spyware. Typically they are purchased on Ebay by DIY installers. These products appear to be cheap, however most times they come into the country with no tech support, and often they fail within 18 months of installation.When they fail the companies selling them are often long gone so you will need to start again. If you are getting quotes on a CCTV system ask where the system is made.
We use a system called Bodyguard CCTV , it is made and developed in the UK and is a commercial system. As such it will live around 10 to 15 years and is well proven around the world. It is however not available to DIY installers, or home installers, and if you are not classified as a master installer you will not have access to this system.
The location of the DVR is very important. It should be located preferably in a secure locked cupboard, or be installed in a metal vault supplied by your installation company. This cupboard should be inside a room that can be locked while you are away from your home. The DVR records all the time, and if you have criminals that try to gain entry you need this evidence to be secure.
Never allow anyone to install the DVR into the roof space. This will soon damage the DVR from dust, and extreme temperatures and your system will last a very short time.
Viewing your system on your mobile phone or a tablet.
On multiple occasions we have been called to jobs that handymen have installed or home owners have installed. These systems were often purchased from Chinese companies selling them on Ebay. Once installed the owners have learnt the hard way that there is no such thing as a cheap CCTV system. Your home CCTV system can be viewed on Apple phones, Android phones and tablets. You should check and ensure that any app you use for viewing CCTV was made in the UK to British standards. Ask your installer does the app you are installing on my phone conform to British standards? Ask for proof.
How to protect your passwords being stolen by your smart phone being hacked.
We can not say it any clearer, stay away from cheap and nasty Chinese CCTV systems. The biggest failure in these systems is the phone apps either not working from day one or the constant frustration of an app that wont work, and cheap failed hard drives. The other major problem is the same reason the US government banned a major Chinese CCTV supplier. The Chinese CCTV apps where found to contain spyware. These Chinese companies make big money selling your passwords, and your private information on the dark web. The easiest way to capture your personal data and passwords is from a rogue app that was supplied with a cheap Chinese CCTV system.
Considering most people use their mobile phone for banking, and other sensitive uses it makes sense to ensure the security of your passwords and sensitive data. If you install an unknown app on your phone it is a security risk. You are risking banking details, passwords, pictures, and much more. Your information can be sold on the black web for a lot of money.
Our Bodyguard system can be hooked up to your phone and using an app developed by UK engineers that conforms to British standards. Once installed you can view your home anywhere you have access to the internet. Your phone can receive alerts the moment your system detects someone walking inside your home or passing through a area like your garden. The apps we use have been engineered in the UK by trusted UK partners. As such we know that your data and passwords are secure.
How many cameras should we employ?
In the beginning it is better to buy the best quality cameras that you can afford then add more as you can afford to expand the system. As opposed to buying many cheap Chinese cameras that fail with 18 months of installation. Often the part time installers will have long gone out of business as well as these systems start to fail. Lets start with your weakest link in your home security.
Often criminals will simply knock on your front door with excuses such as they are collecting scrap metal. If you have not already requested our free home security tips we suggest you do so now. It is packed with crime prevention tips that come from the real world of crime scenes we have visited over the last 40 years. Take a walk around your home and put your self in the shoes of a criminal trying to break into your home. Would you come through the front with an excuse? Do you have a back lane that runs along your rear garden? Once you have taken a look you might decide to protect the front first, or the rear garden if you have a weakness. Plan to protect the weakest link first. If you are unsure call us and book a free site survey and we will look at your property together then we can plan a system to suit your needs and budget that you can expand on as time and money permit. Your are far better to have between two to four top quality UK made cameras than eight cameras made in China that fail withing 18 months of installation. .
What type of cameras are suitable for my home CCTV system?
As professional installers we advise that firstly avoid using dome cameras outside of you home unless you live in a bungalow. We have noticed that some companies will try and steer you into using dome cameras on double story homes. They do this to make their job easier rather that enhance your security.
Put simply they get home earlier by using dome cameras under eaves as it takes less effort to install.
The reason we do not recommend this is that the camera will be looking down at a very steep angle. It will not capture details as well like faces, clothing ETC. You will have a great view of the tops of their heads but not much more. You are also far more limited in the final adjustment of what the camera sees. Dome cameras are best used on single level homes and indoor areas of your home. Outside your home especially on double level homes we suggest bullet cameras. They are about the size of a can of coke.They have infinite amounts of adjustment for the final picture.
Bodyguard bullet cameras are all metal construction, no plastic is used as in the Chinese systems.Chinese plastic brackets and lock nuts become brittle when exposed to the suns UV rays and they fail. Ask to see the cameras that are to be used outside and check they do not have plastic brackets or lock nuts
Our commercial Bodyguard CCTV cameras are rugged, all metal construction, however they are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. As we said they are about the size of a can of coke. To see a picture click on our tab on this web site titled CCTV.
Overt or covert?
For home protection we suggest that CCTV systems should be seen.This is called overt. We want your property to be seen to have security alarms, warning stickers, CCTV, automatic lighting systems, in general we want to let the bad guys know that you are no easy target. Put simply we want them to chose an easier target. So the use of overt security helps to keep you safe. 40 years ago when we started installing CCTV systems outside cameras were big and unattractive. These days they are compact and look good. Our Bodyguard cameras are about the same size of a can of coke. Covert cameras do have their use. Lets suppose you have an elderly parent who receives outside help or carers. We can install covert cameras that are as small as the dots on top of the letter ( i ) these can be hidden into every days objects. In the past we have installed covert cameras into televisions, fire extinguishers, clocks, cuddly toys, even light switches. Law enforcement agencies have used our expertise to gather evidence on drug dealers overseas. If you run a business, covert cameras can be a good way to watch what happens when you are not there.
Wireless cameras or hard wired?
Firstly we will look at the difference. No camera is totally wireless as the camera needs power to transmit its signal. As we move into the future our homes will be full of gadgets that create signals and electrical noise. These electrically noisy gadgets such as baby monitors and door bells all create a kind of static signal that can interfere with wireless CCTV. Where ever possible all cameras should be wired direct to the DVR. This ensures that the camera cant be hacked, or that the camera wont lose its signal or IP address during a storm or power surge. Wireless cameras are a last resort. Any professional CCTV expert will always try and use a wired system first. It costs a little more to have a professional hard wired system installed. However this investment will pay you many times over in savings from not having to pay engineers to constantly reset systems and provide specialist maintenance that covers wireless CCTV and alarms. To summarize always try to find an installation company that is willing to use a wired system regardless if its an security alarm, or CCTV system.
Should we install an alarm as well as CCTV?
We suggest that you employ both an alarm system, and a CCTV system. This will make your home much more secure should the bad guys ever try and break into your home. Our Bodyguard CCTV system can double as an alarm if you can not afford both. By installing an internal camera we can configure the system to send you an alert should the internal camera detect movement from an intruder inside your home. The Bodyguard CCTV system can detect an intruder so long as you have an internal camera watching the inside of your home. This is also a good idea regardless of a burglar alarm. If you were thousands of miles away from your home on holiday when you were alerted to the fact your home was under attack you can not only see the outside of your home on your smart phone, but you can see what is going on inside your home and verify if an intruder has gained access to your home.
Smart home CCTV systems and non smart home systems.
Anywhere you have a camera covering your home you should also have automatic motion activated sensor lights that assist the cameras by flooding light onto the targets that the cameras are looking at. Our Bodyguard cameras have night vision built in and once it gets dark in the absence of light they use infrared technology to record in black and white once it gets dark. However we suggest that a security lighting system covering all four walls of your home is the perfect partner for your cameras.
Our Bodyguard CCTV systems now come with a smart home option.
So to appreciate some of the features this system can bring imagine you have flown out to Australia on a 4 week holiday. two days into the holiday your alarm system activates and sends you an sms telling you that you your home is under attack. With our systems so far you can press the app and now turn on lights from 12,000 miles away all around your house.
With your house surrounded by high powered LED flood lights you can do a search around all of the outside cameras on your smart phone. Once you have checked the outside perimeter using the app and your outside cameras you can now check the inside of your home using the internal cameras. If you see that items have been stacked up next to the front door you can call the police and advise that your alarm and CCTV have detected intruders.
When the police arrive they are locked out because you have automatic security gates, but from Australia that is no problem because you pick up your smart phone and press another button on the Bodyguard CCTV app and it will open the gates from 12000 miles away for the police to enter your property. When the police ask you for details you can rewind the DVR recorder from Australia using your smart phone and describe what the intruders were wearing, what they looked like, and you can even email mug shots captured by the system from 12000 miles away. All of the above is possible with the Bodyguard CCTV commercial system.
We are confused should we have a 2MP, 5MP, 8MP system installed?
Lets cut through the hype, jargon, and sales talk. A 2 megapixel system records in high definition 1080P. That gives a crystal clear image of the property and a good image of an intruder is what most people need to protect their property and loved ones. Given the fact that 90 percent of people will use a smart phone to keep an eye on their property there is no point installing a 5 or 8 MP systems that your phone will not display any extra detail on your smart phone. Some installation firms will use a cheap Chinese system supposedly rated at a 5MP, or 8MP resolution and it will seam impressive on price until around 18 months when it stops working. It is now out of warranty and your installer has changed his mobile phone number. That is when we normally get a call and are asked to fix it all. Lets apply some common sense. Stick to a practical commercial system. Made in the UK. With crystal clear vision on your smart phone. A system that comes with a long warranty. Unless you are running a police surveillance operation and have access to a monitor that is 75 inches plus, and you can look at this monitor 24/7 then you will get no extra benefit from jumping to higher resolutions. Lastly the larger the MP rate of the camera the more your internet router will struggle to transmit your CCTV across the world to your smart phone. To see a video comparison of different megapixel cameras click here. Bodyguard CCTV megapixel comparison in the real world.
Will we save money buying our own kit and having an installer commission the system?
Lets look at this great question. Firstly if you can find one, you want a company who only install electronic security. The internet is full of companies that do CCTV as a side line. TV aerial companies, electricians, handymen, locksmiths, all dabble with CCTV however very few are CCTV specialist experts!. IF you can find a CCTV specialist it is worth while paying a little more for these master trades people. They will have a tremendous amount of skill. Would you go to your metal workers shop to get a custom hand made timber cabinet? If not do not buy a CCTV system from an electrician, aerial fitter, locksmith,handyman, or your local DIY shop, and especially never buy a CCTV system of face book, or Ebay. When you get technical problems you will not have any support.
Its when it all goes wrong you the customer pays. Often these same companies have vanished, gone out of business, or don't want to know. Now if you make the mistake of buying a kit to save money here is where it all goes horribly wrong.Good specialist CCTV engineers are very busy. They are not short of work. When you phone them and ask would you install my Chinese Ebay CCTV system they really want to say NO thank you! So when you contact Bark.com and you do not get a reply here is the reason why no one is interested in your job .
That is because they know that at the end of the installation when the system does not work we now need tech support. So we now look up the supplier only to find they have no phone number, no way of contacting them other than an Ebay message, and they don't want to know about your recent purchase, to boot they have a tech who has a problem with a cheap Chinese CCTV system that the app does not work on Friday afternoon. On Tuesday you fly out to Australia with a CCTV system that does not work. Your CCTV engineer wants paying for their work. Your CCTV system is still not working. If you buy a CCTV kit expect to pay more than if the professional supplied and fitted the system. The installation company will factor in the cost to sort out a problematic Chinese Ebay kit and it wont be a cheap solution. Never, ever, buy a CCTV kit to save money, it does not work!
.