Video surveillance cameras have become household appliances, and companies from different industries, regardless of size, will face the problem of how to choose a suitable video surveillance system. However, because the monitoring system is also constantly updated, the software is becoming more and more advanced. The video surveillance system can not only bring security to the business, but if the choice is correct, the video surveillance system can also bring some other benefits that have never been realized before, such as intelligent detection, big data analysis, traffic flow, behavior analysis and other benefits.
In this article, we list ten suggestions for choosing a video surveillance system to pay attention to.
1. Do cameras have to be installed covertly or be visible and act as a deterrent?
The location of the installation and the scope of monitoring will determine whether to use ordinary or covert surveillance cameras. Ordinary bullet cameras are usually relatively large in size and are the most conspicuous after installation. They can remind people that the area is under video surveillance and deter criminals, reducing the chance of theft. The dome camera is the best choice for concealed installation, because the dome camera is usually designed in a small size, so that it is only the size of a palm. Finally, the
PTZ Camera (PTZ) is suitable for large-scale monitoring, especially suitable for office buildings, shopping centers, parking lots, etc., and can easily track targets.
2. Is the camera used indoors or outdoors?
Most surveillance cameras are now suitable for indoor and outdoor installation, and some product features that require special consideration such as installation and waterproofing. If you are working in an extremely cold environment, you must choose a camera that supports a reliable design and has a built-in heater, which ensures that the camera can be turned on at low temperature and can work normally. If it is applied in the transportation field, it is necessary to consider using a reliable and feature-rich video surveillance solution that can work reliably in extreme environments, even if there may be vibration in the installation environment. Cameras that do not support outdoor installation should consider using a protective waterproof housing. In other industrial environments such as factories, cameras also need to be protected against dust. If it is installed in a hotel kitchen, it is necessary to ensure that the camera can prevent oil fume, which is also applicable in bars, KTV and other places.
3. How much area does the camera need to monitor?
How far a surveillance camera needs to cover determines what type of camera to use. It is best to find the floor plan of the monitoring area and draw a sketch of the camera installation, analyze what kind of cameras need to be used, and roughly how many cameras need to be used.
The PTZ dome camera is very suitable for large-scale surveillance, because the camera can rotate 360 degrees horizontally, 90 degrees up and down, and supports optical zooming in on details. Secondly, you can use a high-definition panoramic camera, which can realize 360-degree video surveillance without blind spots, and supports digital rotation and zooming in. One panoramic camera can replace up to four traditional surveillance cameras. This means that users can use fewer cameras to build a network video surveillance system, while effectively reducing costs.
In contrast, small-scale surveillance may only require the use of ordinary surveillance cameras. Of course, depending on the scope of monitoring, the network used is also different. While most video surveillance requires only a local area network (LAN), larger video surveillance systems will use a wide area network (WAN).
4. What image resolution is required or what level of detail is required?
The size of the surveillance area will determine how many resolution cameras are required. For example, large areas require the use of high-definition cameras to ensure that image magnification does not compromise image quality. Alternatively, smaller areas, such as offices or reception rooms, can only use low-resolution cameras. Not all high-resolution cameras are suitable for every situation. Instead, you'd better evaluate each monitoring point carefully and spend your money wisely.
5. What is the ambient lighting condition?
If possible, it's a good idea to test which camera works best in the existing lighting conditions. The light received indoors and outdoors is different at different times of the day, not to mention the changes in each season of the year. It is important to think about where the light will come from. For example, will light bounce off the floor?
Is there a strong background light source causing glare? For some environments, such as bars, discos, flashing lights will play a role in the monitoring effect.
Thankfully there are a variety of different technologies that ensure cameras capture sharp images even in varying lighting conditions. Light filtering technology such as infrared cut-off filter can filter useless infrared light during the day, so as to output a color image with true color reproduction. At night, relying on infrared light source, the camera can image clearly in the dark night.
6. Is voice monitoring required?
The integrated audio is collected into the video surveillance system, so that the security guards can have a voice intercom with the suspect and conduct sound monitoring. From the perspective of video surveillance, it can also realize a separate sound detection function, which can trigger video recording or alarm. To realize voice monitoring, the front-end camera must use a camera with a built-in microphone and speaker, or a camera with an audio input and output interface. Similarly, the back-end video recorder or client must be able to connect to microphones and speakers.
7. Does it support scalability? Over time, will more cameras be added to the video surveillance system?
It is very important for a video surveillance system to be flexible and scalable. The traditional closed-circuit monitoring system transmits in a closed circuit, which means that all equipment must be wired, and it is not easy to expand. This is the shortcoming of the analog closed-circuit monitoring system.
So it is best to choose a
Network Camera to add cameras and expand the system through a wireless network. Adding a webcam is as easy as adding a phone to a VOIP network, and requires no line changes or updates.
8. What are the benefits to business from effective video surveillance?
The benefits of video surveillance systems are not only used to monitor thieves, but also to protect the safety of employees and investigate incidents. Employees often feel safer and less slack at work knowing they are being video monitored.
The video footage provided by the surveillance system can be used to identify incidents such as theft, workplace violence, property loss and destruction. This information is essential when suing for damages or making a law enforcement report. However, having a good video surveillance system can bring more benefits than just security and surveillance, but also business operations and analytics.
In some industries, such as retail. The video surveillance system can provide useful data and customer information not only for the security department, but also for marketing, customer service, IT and other departments to provide valuable customer information, thereby greatly improving customer experience and profitability.
For example, the marketing department can rationally arrange products by sharing and analyzing the movement trajectories of customers in the store, and use the face recognition technology of video surveillance to classify customers by age and gender. These features can allow store owners not only to better understand the profiles of their customers, but also enable the implementation of targeted advertising to help showcase the most relevant products for their target market.
9. What are the difficulties in video surveillance that need to be overcome? Is VMS software analysis useful?
A useful video management system is very necessary because usually security guards watch the surveillance video for a maximum of 20 minutes. If you use the video management system or the built-in video analysis function, when suspicious events occur, you will be notified at the first time, which greatly improves the efficiency of video surveillance.
Built-in motion detection and a variety of intelligent algorithms can provide practical and actionable information, such as how many people walked into the store in total. Compared to turnover, retailers can evaluate sales conversion rates during weekdays and holiday promotions.
10. How to choose a suitable video management system?
First of all, you must know what requirements you have for the video surveillance management system, such as how you plan to use the video management system, and you must know it before buying. The reason that drives you to purchase a video management system must be that the system meets your requirements for all aspects of the video surveillance system.
If users are often on business trips or have multiple monitoring points to manage, then the VMS video management system must allow users to access it from anywhere. Each different video management system should provide specific customization functions for users or applications.
