Question 1

Where should you put CCTV cameras in your house?

Accepted Answer

Front door

This is the most obvious route for criminals to access your home, and the biggest proportion of break-ins occur via this entrance. To prevent any items from being launched at the delicate CCTV cameras, consider mounting the equipment at the second-floor level or fitting a wire cage around it.

Back and side doors.

Any entrance into your property is viewed as a potential channel for a criminal to access your private space. Have some cameras trained on all doors, as these are your most vulnerable spots? Take the same protective precautions as described in the previous point to prevent any tampering.

Patio and French doors are especially defenceless against break-ins, supporting their stability with thick glass and a well-placed CCTV camera.

Off-street windows

Windows that are not facing onto a busy street or road may be attractive to crooks as there are no prying eyes from the public. In addition to cameras, as extra safety enforcement, never neglect your windows and keep them closed and locked whenever you go out.

Garage

Some people may not monitor their garage, but this is often a common access route for burglars. Therefore, whether your garage contains valuable equipment or not, it’s important to keep it safeguarded.

A camera facing the driveway or garage area is great for picking up signs of suspicious activity. Alternatively, you may wish to place the camera inside the garage, pointing it at an angle where the light from the opening door can light up the dark interior.

Backyard

Whether it’s a shed bursting with expensive gardening machinery, or a garden full of play equipment for the kids, often our gardens house many expensive items that make them inviting to crooks. To keep this area safe and secure, have a few smartly placed cameras dotted around, along with some security lights.

All these elements can act as great deterrents to lawbreakers, making them think twice about accessing your garden.

Indoors

It is a common misconception that CCTV cameras are exclusively suited to the outdoors. Installing a camera inside your house, lens trained on the doors or windows can record a criminal entering your home, offering a full view of their face for easier identification.

The only disadvantage with the indoor placement of cameras is that they are not as visually deterring, and a criminal has first to enter your home to notice them.

For more advice on the best locations for home security cameras, simply ask a security specialist who will be able to offer some insight.

Question 2

What are the benefits of having CCTV?

Accepted Answer

Crime deterrent

Having a CCTV camera installed at your premises will act as a serious deterrent to criminals and anyone carrying out illegal activities. The sight of a CCTV camera infers an air of danger and the presence of the law, deterring anyone planning to carry out a crime from doing so.

Monitors activities

CCTV systems can keep track of what is happening at the premises where they are installed. By monitoring the activity of workers and visitors at your business’ site, you and your workforce can have total peace of mind about exactly what is going on under your roof.

Collect evidence

In the unfortunate event of a crime occurring at your premises, having a CCTV system does pay dividends as it provides a way of collecting evidence to help ‘suss out’ exactly what happened. In addition, crimes can be solved far more easily with additional evidence from a CCTV camera, allowing place times, locations and, most importantly, suspects.

Decision Making

When it comes to settling disputes, footage from security cameras can be incredibly important. This applies to both domestic and commercial scenarios. So whether it’s dealing with family disagreements, employee feuds or altercations between staff and customers, you’ll know the truth by referring to CCTV footage.

Keep records

It is always a good idea to keep records of when your staff are coming into and checking out of your site and when deliveries are made or visitors enter the building, so you can ensure everything’s running smoothly.

There are many further reasons why CCTV is an advantageous installation for any business premises, so why not consider getting cameras installed at your company’s site and give yourself and your staff total peace of mind in the safety of your operations?

Question 3

How do you choose the best CCTV installers?

Accepted Answer

When looking for a professional surveillance installation company to design and install a new security camera system for your home or business, it will be important to be thorough and do your research. For instance, several very important questions will need to be answered.

Some of the key questions regarding security camera system installation services include:

What type of security cameras should I use?
How should I connect my security cameras to the video management system?
What is the best type of video management system for me?
What type of storage should I use?

A reputable security camera installation company will take the time to answer each of your questions for you in a way you can understand. In addition, you will need to have a decent understanding of what you will be able to monitor and do with the video surveillance system and any limitations the system might have.

It’s important to remember that your system will most likely not need to be as highly advanced as more elaborate security camera systems. For instance, it will not be capable of zooming in on detail 100x with highly detailed, clear resolution. Remember to stay realistic and look for the key features you think you will need both now and as your security needs change over time.

Another key factor when considering security camera system installation services is how well the technician is able to explain the system’s technology to you. Again, having a good understanding of the system’s capabilities will be vital for you to get the most from your investment.

If you don’t feel like the technician is willing to take the time to educate and train you on how the system functions, it is probably best to consider finding a different option. Due to the innovative technological advancements of surveillance devices, knowing how to use and take advantage of their functionality is paramount to its overall success.

When we do not understand or know how to use our video surveillance equipment, it can become more of a hassle or lack of performance. An important part of great customer service is how well the user understands the system, thanks to the technician providing technical training during the installation process.

Another thing to consider is asking for a video monitoring assessment to survey your property adequately. This would include having a map of your property with the layout of the building, including property measurements for length, width, and height.

Having a comprehensive location map enables the contractor with choosing the best security camera placement. It also helps with making the most appropriate security camera lens selection.

You will also want to make sure that the lighting conditions around your property are taken into account and verified. Security camera placement, lens selection, and proper lighting conditions contribute to how well a security camera system can monitor and secure your home or business.

Last, ask the surveillance installation company if they provide additional services for ongoing maintenance. Security camera maintenance and repair will be important over time. Knowing that your security camera system is well-maintained by the people who designed and installed it can go a long way in boosting your confidence in its ability and maximising your investment.

Question 4

Is Cctv Good or Bad?

Accepted Answer

Pros

Heightened monitoring

The main purpose of a CCTV system is giving you the ability to see everything that happens in an area. With the push of a button, an officer can easily rewind the tape to aid in an investigation, have a secured doorway control program, or a mom could check the feed to check up on the family cat. Rather than just lessening crime, there are also other practical things that a monitoring system can let you do, both in the workplace and in the home.

Maintain records

If something interesting happened in your own backyard, you always have a record of it. Whether it’s a crime or simply something that you would like to be reminded of, such as the face of a new neighbor, you could easily consult your CCTV records. Since a CCTV can organize information systematically, you wouldn’t even have to worry too much about going through records and will be able to find your clip easily.

IP CCTV such as Singapore http://www.secureoffice.sg/cctv/ can even give you more access to your records. Since an IP camera is designed to be accessed over the internet, you can check your records even if you’re on the road, and view footage in real-time.

Lessen crime

In the UK, CCTV has been shown to reduce crime by up to 50%, closing half more cases than they would have without the use of a security camera. CCTVs can undoubtedly help reduce crime rates not just in public areas, but also in private spaces, such as homes and offices. While the UK often use more expensive IP CCTV, you may still lessen crime with a good analog camera.

An analog camera is still a good alternative especially if you’re tight on budget, or if you’re simply securing a small private space, like a home or office. While an IP camera has a few benefits over analog, such as heightened resolution and remote access, it may be a bit too much for the average homeowner.

Cons

Can make people uncomfortable and breach privacy

Here in Singapore, there are a lot of people who are not comfortable with a security camera, and it’s not hard to see why. Having your actions monitored 24/7 can make people feel anxious. It may raise issues of trust and privacy, especially in private spaces. In professional environments as well as within homes, it can stir controversy and be offensive to the people being monitored.

Vulnerable

Even the most expensive IP camera isn’t 100% safe. As with any piece of technology, there are still vulnerabilities in a CCTV system, which can be a huge deterrent to anyone planning to invest in a system. Criminals, with enough determination and know-how, can disable or access your CCTV system. However, it should be noted that there are still a lot of steps you can take to keep your system safe from tampering, such as getting your model from a trusted manufacturer or making sure that all connections are closed off and secure.

Unable to stop crime

While CCTV systems have been shown to lessen criminal activity and raise the probability of wrong-doers being caught, CCTV cameras are still just that: cameras. It can only record the crime as it happens. It will be unable to do anything about it, unlike an alarm system which can alert the proper authorities. Therefore, CCTV cameras aren’t very effective in stopping crime as it happens; you will need to pair it with other security systems, such as an alarm system, to make sure that you are fully protected from crime.

Question 5

Does Home Security Cameras a Good Idea?

Accepted Answer

A home security camera system is an excellent tool for home protection, and it can work both as a deterrent and a recovery tool. Burglars are wary of properties with visible security cameras. Plus, if a crime does occur, security cameras can help gather evidence. From property damage to potentially identifying criminals who break in, if you capture the action on camera, you're more likely to be able to remedy it.

If you want to be able to identify cars, people, and other moving objects, it’s worth investing in a camera with super or ultra-high definition video (2K or 4K, respectively). This technology uses more pixels in the image, meaning you can zoom in to see more detail on license plates and identify more physical characteristics. An HD or full HD camera won’t get you that type of clarity, especially at night.

Ultimately, home security cameras work best to protect your property when they're integrated with a home security system. To save their batteries, wireless security cameras only start to record when they detect motion, which means they may not record everything you'd want them to. With a home security system, cameras can be set to start recording as soon as any part of the security system is triggered, such as a contact sensor, a glass-break sensor, or a motion sensor. This makes it more likely the cameras will record everything that’s happening on your property and not just the few seconds of motion that occurred right in front of them.

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