sbarber
Just trying to get input from someone that has an antique mall of similar business. I want to purchase a camera system that I can set up in "EACH" booth or atleast every other booth. Some can be dummies but I would like for atleast half of them to be the real deal. I ahve heard of dealers using globes and dummy cameras to deter thieves; does this work?
What system would you recommend and please don't say a 10,000 one, I cant afford that at the moment.
Answer
Hello
Dummy cameras are the worst possible they don't provide security and if someone is injured or claims to be injured in your store they can sue for providing a false sense of security. No professional security installer uses dummy cameras.
Here is a DVR that will work perfectly for you.
http://www.ascendentgroup.com/x4s.htm
I would recommend a Standalone DVR as they are more reliable and since they are linux based they are virus ans spy ware free.
The X4S Series DVR is an intelligent and professional CCTV management solution, integrating the latest technology and the most advanced features while maintaining a simple, intuitive, and graphical interface. The X4S Series DVR is a 24/7 turn key solution that meets demanding security needs to suit industrial and commercial applications. The X4S DVR is compatible with the X4 platform, allowing it to act as an IP server, while still remaining a standalone solution and allows you to view your cameras instantly over the internet with a PC or cell phone like the I-phone.
also here is some information on DVR and cameras you may want to read before buying a CCTV system.
Not all DVRs and security equipment are created equal, in fact there are many options that offer varying performance much like the automobile industry. In the world of DVRs you can find the equivalent of a $10,000 Kia and a $350,000 Ferrari and everything in between. Both have 4 wheels and windshield but that where the similarities end, itâs under the hood that counts. Just like any other consumer electronic in the end you get what you pay for.
I suggest you buy a PC based DVR has they have more processing power and normally have a much smaller file size and offer more features then Standalone DVR's. I know many people buy a cheap standalone DVR, only to upgrade to a PC based in 6 months especially when they are using it to manage a store remotely. Also PC based allows you to record up to 64 cameras where a standalone will have a limit of 16.
Many people have the misconception that a PC-Based DVR is simply an off-the-shelf PC with video capture (encoder) cards, display (decoder) cards and some generic OEM software. A true DVR requires years of research and development to facilitate the seamless integration of both the hardware and software. DVRs are highly complex systems that must run 24/7, processing millions of images per day. This makes consumer-level hardware inadequate for DVRs which is why Ascendent uses custom-built PCs with performance-level hardware.
My personal favorite DVR is Ascendent X4 series: Ascendentâs Tri-Fusion Hybrid Platform allows for the creation of a true hybrid surveillance system by utilizing the advantages of Analog, Megapixel, and IP technologies for unparalleled customization and expandability.
The X4 also uses the latest H.264/SVC codec offer video substantially better quality,. While its file size sizes is 30% smaller than MPEG-4, 60% smaller than MPEG-2, and exponentially smaller than MJPEG.
File size is crucial to streaming because most DVRâs on the market record at real time performance (30FPS per channel) so on a 4CH is trying to send 120, 8CH 240, and a 16CH 480 images per second which requires way too much bandwidth even for the most extreme internet connections.
The smaller the files size the more images are able to be sent, and the faster they can be processed improving both FPS and speed. File size is the heart of any DVR and goes far beyond just its streaming capabilities, as it also determines the recording storage time, how much you can back up at once, how fast it renders and searches video. The file size of a DVR impacts the performance of the DVR in just about every aspect from speed to longevity and is often the most important spec of any DVR.
If you are buying a DVR and streaming is a high priority I suggest you ask for a demo and connect to the DVR to make sure it is able to stream fast enough for your needs. Most DVRs say they have remote viewing but it is often too slow and laggy to be of any use especially if it is a standalone. Some good DVR brands that I recommend are Bosch, Pelco, Honeywell and Ascendent. These brands are what security professionals use.
I recommend Ascendent as they are less expensive because they cameras for companies like Bosch and Pelco and offer better performance but any of these 3 brands will work well.
These brand manufacturers also have a complete line of CCTV cameras and DVR for any application from residential to military and stand behind there warranties. You want to get a good bran name otherwise you will likely buy a product that work and cant be returned.
http://www.ascendentgroup.com (Recommend)
http://www.honeywell.com
http://www.pleco.com/
http://www.bosch.com
Hope this Helps
Will
Where can I find a good camera security system?
Joey Tatum
I have been looking... I know i can get a system at SAM'S for 500 dollars but it only has 4 cameras... i haven't found one that is reasonable that may have 8+ cameras without paying thousands... I am visually impaired and we've been having some "snoopers" lately and want to beef up the security around the house (visual security with taping capabilities)... if you know of something good AND inexpensive, please tell me...
Answer
Good an inexpesive is a relative term. If you think 500 bucks for a DVR with 4 camera's is too expensive then forget about 8. - Personally, I would never buy the system you are looking at. My customers tend to expect quality and reliability as do I.
Typically speaking, retail camera's, like the type you are looking at, are fairly substandard when compared in quality to those on a professional level.
Your best bet is to go at it with some knowledge of the technology, I wrote an article on the subject awhile back but most of the info still applies. I have pasted some of it here. You can find more information on security related topics on my website at http://www.keepsafesystems.ca
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The starting point of any C.C.T.V. system is the camera. Simply stated, a camera is a light sensitive device that converts particles of light into electrical impulses, however, there is a vast difference in the quality of cameras available to the consumer. Factors that differentiate the various cameras include whether they are color, black and white, light sensitivity, image resolution and image transfer technology. The consumer must also consider the inherent advantages and disadvantages in each of these different camera technologies and decide which features best fit their individual needs and goals.
In the past, color cameras have been both very expensive and lack-luster in their image performance, when compared to black and white cameras. New technology is now bringing the innovative technologies closer together in both the price and performance scale. The current differences between the two technologies are almost entirely limited to light sensitivity and light reactivity.
Light sensitivity is measured in LUX. The lower the LUX rating, the higher the sensitivity to light. It is important to keep in mind that even the best-rated cameras are limited by the technology of the day, as well as the visibility conditions present at the time of the surveillance. Although great advancements in low light surveillance continue to be ongoing, the image quality in a low light situation will rarely be up to the standards of daylight surveillance.
Color cameras, although much more appealing on the outside when compared to their black and white counterparts, generally offer less low light sensitivity than a black and white camera. The other advantage of black and white cameras over color cameras is its ability to "see" infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye. You can test this by aiming a standard television remote at a black and white camera while watching the monitor, the flashes you see are bursts of infrared light. The advantage of this becomes apparent in the ability to light up a dark area with infrared light, thus making images visible in almost pure darkness. With the color camera the area will appear unlit, however, to a black and white camera, the area will appear almost like daylight.
The black and white cameraâs reactivity to the invisible light spectrum can also pose a disadvantage in certain applications. Infrared light, although not visible to the human eye, is found in abundance in many everyday situations. For example, when aiming a black and white camera at hot pavement, it will "confuse" the camera resulting in an unbalanced image. Professional grade black and white cameras often incorporate infrared cut-filters. These cut-filters inhibit the infrared light spectrum in turn decreasing the cameras low light sensitivity.
The C.C.T.V. Industry measures image resolution in horizontal lines. The higher the line rating, the clearer the image will appear. With this fact in mind, consider that all electronic components within a C.C.T.V. System, from the camera, to the VCR, to the monitor. These items are all rated in the same way. The actual resolution of the entire system will only be as high as the lowest rated item. For example, if you have a camera rated at 450 lines and a monitor rated at 300 lines, then the result will be 300 visible lines of resolution because the monitor is the lowest rated item in this example. Another point to keep in mind is that the line rating is "Total lines" not lines per inch. Therefore a 12" monitor with a 300 line rating has a far better clarity than a 17" monitor with the same line rating.
The most recent and predominant advances in the C.C.T.V. Industry are the changes in image transfer technology. This technology deals with how the camera takes light particles and converts them into electronic images. Without going into too much detail, image transfer technologies include the following:
Phosphorus Tube Cameras - This camera has low quality, old technology and is susceptible to "image burn". Image burn is when intense light sources will burn themselves into the cameraâs light receptor resulting in the image appearing "memorized". Although this is not a problem with modern day cameras, image burn can still occur on monitors. Tube cameras are also known for poor low light sensitivity.
C.C.D - Also known as "Chip cameras". This camera is the most standard of cameras in the professional realm. C.C.D. cameras do not suffer from the problem of image burn and can incorporate various methods of signal processing, which offers a high level of flexibility to the installer.
CMOS Transfer Cameras - These cameras are very small and continue to get smaller as the technology advances. Although very attractive in their size, CMOS cameras generally do not offer the signal processing, image quality or low light sensitivity of the higher priced C.C.D. camera models. However, the technologies are slowly growing closer together to the point where CMOS cameras may eventually take over the Surveillance Industry.
The Surveillance Industry has continued to move towards the implementation of color cameras that switch to black and white, or even infrared in low light conditions. Although there are some models currently available on the market, the technology is not at a point where it is affordable enough to be manufactured on a large scale.
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