Guide To Selecting A Security Camera Surveillance System
How do you know the right security camera surveillance system for your business? Here’s some information to help with your evaluation.
There are many products and vendors from which to choose a security camera surveillance system. With no standardized set of professional certifications or product specifications, just about anyone can claim to be an expert in security camera system surveillance.
How do you know if the products and vendor you are considering are any good? Unfortunately, there is no central spot allowing you to research a company or product’s qualifications or results history. This leaves you with both subjective and quantitative analysis to be done to arrive at your conclusion. Here are some key things to consider:
What are you trying to accomplish?
Brian Offenberger, a career veteran of the security industry, states that many companies have no specific, measurable objectives for their security camera surveillance systems.
The error with this approach is that it fails to align the businesses’ goals with the system, making practical design, application, ROI and objective analysis impossible.
It’s important that the security camera surveillance system accomplish specific business objectives (i.e. reduce internal loss by $68,000). This is possible through a clearly defined, measurable expectation of your outcomes from having a system.
What do you want to see and how well do you want to see it?
The purpose of a security camera surveillance system is to observe and/or record activity for a variety of purposes.
The first thing you should consider is how well you want to be able to see and identify things within the areas of your facility that require protection. The answers to this consideration determine how many cameras and the type of cameras that you need.
Do you want to be able to specifically identify individual people (like a close up in a movie) or is it OK to simply identify image movement in a defined area (like a distant shot in a movie)? Do you prefer color or black and white images?
Another prime consideration is lighting levels within the protected areas. Nighttime viewing and low lighting levels require special type lenses and/or cameras.
Are you getting the correct advice?
Is the advice you are getting specific to your situation, or is someone currently promoting the latest products and fads they recommend to everyone? What qualifications does the company have to make recommendations to help you? Do they design, install and maintain systems as well as simply sell equipment? What attempts has a company made to learn your business objectives and processes? What do they know about your other security measures and can they help your security camera surveillance system interface if necessary to other building systems?
The company you work with should be up-to-date on the latest technologies and their impacts on reducing theft, stopping crime, improving productivity and increasing profits. They should be actively involved in trade associations promoting best practices, ethical standards, and on-going education. Some of the professional associations promoting these ideals include the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, the Security Industry Association and ASIS.
What is this costing you?
For many of you reading this, the prime purpose of a security camera surveillance system is to stop theft, reduce liability and improve profits.
Cost effectiveness should be one of two prime criteria when selecting a system and a system provider. The other prime consideration should be the Lifetime System Cost.
Lifetime system cost is a huge factor. Here’s why:
1. There are literally thousands of different component manufacturers of camera surveillance equipment located throughout the world. Think of the wide range of capabilities, qualities and costs when you think of a 35mm camera you use for on vacation. They range from a throw-away version for around $15 to deluxe high speed, high digital resolution, etc for hundreds of dollars.
2. Low cost cameras and DVR components may have a useful lifetime value HALF that of other cameras, thereby negating any initial cost savings. Service and parts replacement costs can more than surpass any initial savings.
3. Your system will need periodic maintenance and repair, and these costs should be factored into your evaluations. Failure to consider maintenance and repair in your system selection is not in your best interests. ANY piece of equipment needs periodic maintenance and repair for optimal performance, and your camera surveillance system is no different.
What are the environmental factors where the cameras are to be installed?
Shields, housings, heaters, blowers, special lenses and other accessories are used to provide surveillance in special areas. These locations and their unique needs determine system price. Again, here is an area to watch. Initial low cost accessories and low cost lenses generally mean shorter life cycle, more system downtime and higher system repair costs later on down the road.
How do you want to observe and/or record activity?
You can observe activity in any combination of these methods:
1. On-site real time observation
2. Internet real time observation (watch via your computer or PDA phone)
3. Recording activity to a Digital Video Recorder (DVR)
4. Recording activity via your IP network
Almost all recording vehicles allow you to capture images and view them via the World Wide Web.
Here are 3 huge things you must pay attention to about recording and observing of camera surveillance system images:
1. What is the maximum FRAME RATE CAPACITY of the DVR (Display and Record)?
2. How does the RESOLUTION impact the frame rate capacity for RECORDING?
3. How is the IMAGE QUALITY for the RECORDING compared to the LIVE DISPLAY?
Key elements you should know about DVR’s:
Frames Per Second (FPS): Most DVR’s and cameras today allow you to configure each camera to record at a specified frame speed. This is your recording rate. The maximum for each camera is 30 FPS.
Each DVR has a maximum record rate, so if the DVR has a Max Record Rate of 120 FPS, then you need to divide that number by the number of cameras in your setup. This will give you your maximum record rate per camera.
In this example, if you have 4 cameras, they can each record at 30 fps. If you have 16 cameras, they will be limited to 7.5 fps.
Hard Drive (hard disk) is the part of the DVR that stores the recorded images as well as the software managing your administrative setup, the camera setup, and any other custom features that you have selected to use.
Storage: Your storage capacity is measured in gigabytes (gb), identical to a computer. If you have a 120 gb hard drive, then your storage is about 120 gb.
How much data can be stored on 120 gb hard drive?
That depends on:
• Number of cameras.
• Frames per second at which the cameras are capturing images.
• Amount of time each camera is recording.
• Resolution setting for each camera.
• Recorded image quality setting for each camera.
• Compression technology used in the DVR.
More expensive is not always better, but in most cases you don’t want to go too cheap on the DVR. This is going to be the bulk of your investment. Without the DVR you have NO Recording, and NO Remote Access.
The key factor when selecting a DVR is the quality of the recorded image.
DVR components have to process the video and then store it on the hard drive. That’s why the recorded image is more important in improving your effectiveness and in aiding in transaction verification or criminal prosecution when necessary.
The Compression codec is the primary factor here, although, the actual video capture card, and the processor have a lot to do with it as well.
Ask to see a sample of the recorded image from the DVR proposed. Make sure it’s a sample of a location similar to yours, a location at least with similar lighting conditions.
We mentioned compression codec earlier.
The primary compression codecs are; MPEG 4, JPEG2000, MJPEG, and H.264.
The differences between the first three are minimal. Essentially, one is compressed into smaller packets for faster download of live images over the internet, one compressed into larger packets for better image quality over the internet. The H.264 compressed the data with minimal loss, and you can get maximum frame rate at the maximum resolution of 640 x480.
You want to know what the frame-per-second rating on the DVR is for both Display, and Record. The key here is you want at least 20 FPS record for each camera. The reason we want 20 FPS for each camera is that will be your maximum at standard resolution (320 x 240). When you step up your resolution on your cameras to 640 x 240 the system will now limit you to 10 FPS per camera. When you step up to 640 x 480 your maximum will be 5 FPS. The exception to this situation is when the DVR card uses H.264 compression codec.
Are the company and its representatives putting your interests first?
Trust your instincts on this one. Is your consultant more interested in getting your money or in helping your business profit from their efforts? Are you working with someone who will “grab the money and run” or someone that appears genuinely interested in seeing your business thrive? Do you feel like the company really cares about your investment and what it will do for you?
Who will design, install and maintain the system?
We get calls all the time from people that bought cameras online or in a store and have no idea how to use them or how to install them.
They are really in trouble if there are technical difficulties with the system.
You should select a company that has design, installation and service capabilities, even if you think you do not need those services. It costs you no more to do business with that type of company and a full-service provider gives you assurances and accountability that others may not.
Do you need more than a security camera surveillance system?
Designing and implementing successful security camera surveillance system strategies and tactics may be all you need from a company, but most businesses require a broader array of security services, including access control systems, fire detection systems and intrusion detection protection. Are the companies you are considering capable of providing that?
Is the company you are considering capable of providing emergency service and loaner equipment 24 hours a day, 365 days a year?
A great company helps your business protect profits, people, and facilities. They help you lower risk, reduce costs and generate a return on the security investment. This often requires the company to offer you a variety of security products and services.
Make an assessment of your current and future online marketing needs and make sure your company has the professional expertise to assist in those areas.
How often do you hear from your security company?
Regular interactions with your security camera surveillance system company are crucial for long-term results from your system. The purpose of these interactions is to discuss results, inspect the system and to take corrective actions where needed.
The highly challenging and ever-changing nature of business security and technology demands more than just yearly attention to your security cameras. A semi-annual review should be the minimum requirement for most businesses.
Great companies also publish newsletters, write blogs and communicate in other ways, all with the intention of increasing your knowledge and effectiveness.
Finally, ask yourself how long it takes a company to respond to your inquiries. If the only time you hear from someone is when they want you to buy something, you may be talking with the wrong company.
Still unsure about what to do?
Ask for advice from professional trade organizations like those mentioned earlier within this section. Ask other businesses in your industry who they work with and why.
For those of you with multiple locations, consider hiring multiple companies. Let them dish it out while you evaluate who performs best. Results are important but also test them by asking their opinion on issues of importance to you. You’ll learn a lot by the answers you receive.
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