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A watchful eye: A beginners guide to video surveillance

A watchful eye: A beginners guide to video surveillance

Over the last decade commercial video surveillance systems have evolved and improved at an incredible pace. As higher quality IP video cameras become more affordable and mainstream, analog video cameras are becoming obsolete. With these emerging trends, we have noticed an increase in the video surveillance industry and businesses are realizing the values and benefits of a new surveillance system.

First Steps

There’s a lot to consider when installing video surveillance systems. For some, it can be hard to know where to begin. We know all businesses are different and they each have different needs. By asking a few initial questions, we can help you decide what kind of video surveillance technology is right for you, and come up with a unique video system tailored to your specific security needs.

What are you watching?

Before we get into specifics about video surveillance technology, it is important to understand the reason we use security cameras in the first place. Consider what kind of things you would like your security system to do for you—what is it you need to watch for?

Events:

An event could be anything from intrusion, to missing equipment, and a surveillance camera’s job is to record such an event to provide conclusive documentation in the case of an accident, liability claim, or even theft. There are different aspects that drive the need for surveillance cameras and understanding these aspects will help you decide where you should place a camera and what kind of camera you will need.

Employees:

Perhaps you want to use your cameras to keep a log of who is entering and exiting a building. In the case of an accident or theft that is beyond sight of the camera, you would be able to confirm who entered and exited the building at the time of the incident. Another great use of security cameras is to use them as remote access to check on employees. Cameras connected to remote applications allow you access to check in on employees remotely, any time of the day. You are now able to be two places at once!

Parking lots and gathering areas are also critical opportunities for video surveillance. They are often the most common areas for incidents as well. Workplace altercations, inventory movement or simply general traffic can be best reviewed with comprehensive vision of the space. Avoiding blind spots is a must. We offer cameras that can simply be fixed onto an area, tour from one side of the room to another, or zoom in on certain focal points to provide a clear image. Deciding what’s important will help our staff of engineers build the best solution for your needs!

Visitors:

Often, businesses utilize cameras to protect against visitor theft, or simply to maintain a record of exit and entry. In addition to this usage, new technology allows cameras to be even more efficient with analytic technology. Certain industries such as retailers, manufacturers, and financial providers can gain valuable statistics about where and how customers are moving within your facilities thus improving sales, preventing losses, and increasing profits.

Assets:

Of course, many surveillance cameras are used as a way to protect assets such as: expensive machinery, a large car lot, or cash registers. You may want a watchful eye on one specific area that needs a high level of security, or you may want a high resolution, wide angle camera surveying a large general area. In the case of theft, law enforcement or insurance providers, can gain valuable information from stored video evidence. Comprehensive video surveillance is one of the best loss prevention tactics a facility can use.

How am I watching?

In addition to who or what you are watching, you will want to ask yourself where you will need to place cameras in order to make the best use of your cameras. You will want to think about factors such as lighting, image resolution, viewing angle and storage capacity/length.

Indoor or outdoor:

  • There are a number of different technologies that can eliminate the problem of too much or too little light. Lightfinder is a technology from Axis Communications that has extreme light sensitivity. Lightfinder can deliver color images in areas, or during times that have very limited light! Wide dynamic range (WDR) is another technology that can help with capturing video from places like entrance doors with daylight outside and a darker environment inside. By taking multiple photos simultaneously and merging them together, the camera can adjust to see in different light circumstances.
  • If you are going to place a camera outside, you will want to be sure that it is weatherproof. We offer cameras that are rugged and weather resistant, so you know they will be safe against dust, rain, heat, sleet, or snow.

Scope & Frequency:

There are both fixed cameras, and cameras with some range of motion. Depending on what you are watching, you will want to consider whether you would like a wide range of sight, or a focused image on a specific door, or asset. Looking down a long hallway or around a corner? Specialized multi-sensor cameras may be able to fulfill the workload of multiple fixed cameras. The technological options are nearly endless.

Level of detail:

The level of detail refers to the resolution or more simply put: whether you want to identify or verify. You can choose between black and white cameras, or color cameras. Resolution quality allows our customers to specify how clear you want your images to be. While 1080p resolution has become the standard for most video cameras, many EPS customers are utilizing 4k resolution for specific high detail applications. Hand-to-hand money transactions? Inventory rooms? High traffic gateways? It all goes back to what you are using your cameras for.

What is my budget?

All cameras are not equal, and that includes price. However, we always want to work within the budget and limits of our customers to provide the best fitting cameras for your specific needs. Depending on the level of security you need, how much detail, and even some of your wants vs your needs, we can help you find the right solution within your budget!

While this information will help you get started thinking about security cameras and your needs, it is still important to consult a specialist. Want a free quote and video surveillance survey? Fill out a quote request form and our team will reach out and schedule a time that works for you!

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