Future-Proofing Your Surveillance System

When searching for the right surveillance system, it’s obvious to want to go the cost-effective route, no matter if the application is residential or business.  But what if you spent the money in the present in order to save the money in the future? Future-proofing your surveillance system is getting more and more popular in the security industry. Following are three helpful tips to preparing your system for the future.

• PC-Based DVRs – A PC-Based DVR provides you the ability to utilize both analog and IP cameras. They are used in larger installation projects that may require maximum performance and flexibility. They contain upgradeable DVR cards that allow you to utilize the necessary software to incorporate IP cameras to your system at any point. So the next time you think about using a standalone DVR, think about if you will want to have features like facial recognition or object detection as part of your surveillance system. If that’s the case, future-proof your system with a PC-Based DVR, and use both analog and IP cameras to enjoy the best of both worlds.

• Use Cat5 instead of coaxial cable – So here’s an idea for the cost-effective buyer who still decides to purchase a standalone DVR instead of a PC-Based DVR. Go ahead and run Cat5 (Category 5) wire instead of coaxial cable. This way, if it comes time to upgrade your system to a PC-Based DVR with IP cameras, at least you don’t have to rewire your location. This will also save you money on installation because Cat5e is cheaper to run. Installs are also made more manageable because you can run power to one central location, rather than having it in several different locations.  Cat5e is also about 10-20% cheaper than coax wire, with installs sometimes being over 50% more cost-effective as well.

• Video Balun technology- Most video baluns provide a solid solution to extending your cable runs by using Cat5e/ Cat6 cable. By using this type of cable, you can upgrade your security system in the future by utilizing IP cameras (pending you have a hybrid PC-Based DVR). Also, video signal is stronger when using Cat5e, and since the wire contains 4 pairs, you can use one for video transmission, while the extra pairs can be used for power (or even PTZ control function for cameras using RS422 or RS485 protocol).

Surveillance System Maintenance Tips

I’ve spent well over 10 years in the field, going out and performing installations and service calls for clients and their surveillance systems.  Based on my experiences, I have compiled a list of helpful tips to help you prolong the life of your security camera system and ensure your investment lasts as long as possible. These are simple tasks you can perform yourself, or they can be something you talk to your provider about and have them come out monthly, quarterly, or even annually to ensure you’re maintaining a clean and productive system.

1)    Check the connections that attach behind the DVR to ensure they are not loose or brittle, as this can cause an unexpected cameras loss on the DVR.

2)    If your camera system is more than 2-3 years old, look at your power supply box; if the box has individual fuses on each camera, it’s time to update.  Most systems should carry a non-fused resettable power supply, meaning your cameras will be protected in the event the power supply gets jolted.

3)    If you notice from time to time you have dust gathering on electrical devices in and around your office, keep in mind that it will gather on your cameras as well.  Get a duster and regularly wipe them down – dust forming on the lens can cause a distortion in the view.

4)    If you have an outdoor camera in a weatherproof enclosure you can open, look at the seals and bushings around the housing – if it looks dry, cracked, or doesn’t fit correctly, then replace it with a new enclosure.  Moisture and humidity can easily enter camera housings and damage the cameras within. If the seal looks dirty, wipe it down with a dry cloth.

5)    Whether you own a PC-based or a Linux-based standalone DVR, make sure to perform a reboot on a regular basis. This helps the system have a cool-down period, and also in the event it receives and new firmware, updates these can changes can take effect and allow your system to be more efficient.

Five Reasons Why A Security Camera System Will Benefit You

1. Theft deterrent: We’ll go with the most obvious reason first. Nobody ever wants to get caught in the act, so if they detect cameras in the area, chances are they’ll most likely exit the premises post-haste!
2. Gives peace of mind through remote viewing: Ever go on vacation and wonder how the house is doing? Well now you can with the latest wave of CCTV software. View your cameras through the ease of your smart phone or internet. Also, if you think someone is entering your home while you’re gone, click the app on your smartphone, and have your home’s security at the tip of your fingers! There’s no more need to ask the creep next door to keep on eye on your property.
3. Tax write-off: Many people may not be aware, but securing your home with surveillance is a tax write-off. Implementing security and saving money is a win/win situation that’s hard to pass up on!
4. Reduces shrinkage: Many business owners realize that the majority of theft is internal. It’s time to keep your employees honest, and stop those sticky fingers! It also comes in handy whenever an incident happens and you have the physical proof to back up your claims.
5. Promotes safety: In a sense, CCTV ties everything I said together to enhance a more enjoyable experience for everyone. Having peace of mind knowing that eyes/cameras are everywhere gives people a sense of comfort. Plus it will severely reduce any mischief that could occur in a home or business.

Smartphones and Surveillance

MPRMS Security App

One of the most asked question I hear daily in the CCTV industry is, “May I view my surveillance system from my smart phone?”  We can all recognize the crazy growth of smartphone usage over the past few years, and at the rate the CCTV industry is climbing, it makes since that the demand for viewing a surveillance system over a phone would increase.

The “phone application” feature is one that allows business owners, executives, and parents a peace of mind that allows them to focus on more important tasks other than the accountability of an employee, husband, or son.

Setting up an app is not always as straight forward as you might be told. All apps require a minimum of three things: IP address, password, and port numbers. The specifics might not always be known by the user, so having technical assistance could be crucial.

You do want to confirm with your CCTV supplier what apps are compatible with your DVR. However, please do not be intimidated by the ease of use these applications provide. Many new and exciting features are soon to hit the market in the way of smartphone viewing, and this promising growth is sure to please home and business users alike.

Some popular smartphone surveillance apps:

• GeoVision GV-iView for iPhone
• GeoVision GV-aView for Android
• MEye for Android
• MPRMS for iPhone
• MPRMS for Android

Choose HDMI on Standalone DVRs

There are many benefits to having a surveillance system featuring a standalone (analog) DVR. For one, it gives you the power to remotely view your cameras from anywhere in the world via PCs or smartphone devices. And with the ability to add more hard drives, longer viewing times are easily accomplished. Plus, the normal way of viewing cameras through a standalone DVR is ever-evolving as well.

In the past, viewing your cameras may have been accomplished by using a standard CRT television monitor. However, LCD screens have started to become more commonplace as a way of viewing CCTV camera footage, as they offer the benefit of achieving a high-resolution picture with a low-profile body. This has usually been accomplished through a VGA output. But with high definition televisions and high-def cameras becoming more and more popular, we’re beginning to see an increase in HDMI outputs on DVRs.

HDMI supports standard, enhanced, or HD video, plus multi-channel digital audio. Because HDMI was designed specifically for consumer electronics applications, it offers an array of additional enhancements. Standalone DVRs with HDMI will allow you to view your security cameras via a high-definition TV in true HD, so I’m sure you can just imagine the benefit of having a standalone DVR with HDMI output. With HDMI, it’s now completely possible to integrate your home security system into your home theatre system with the same crisp image as if you were watching high definition television.

If you are in the security market, and looking for a major enhancement amongst standalone DVRs, I highly recommend you try one with HDMI; you’ll see why it’s soon to be the future of video output.

Cloud Servers and CCTV

All of a sudden it seems like the clouds are everywhere – not the clouds in the sky, but cloud servers. But what exactly are those, and more importantly, what does that mean for you and your security camera system?

First of all, let’s define what a cloud is. In the past (or even with some companies right now) the way you hosted a website or stored a ton of information was to purchase a huge, high-efficiency computer (or several computers with several hard drives), then store everything in the closet (or server room), get a very fast internet connection, hire a bunch of Geeks (IT guys) to run and maintain it, and cross your fingers. Your business, accounting, and livelihood relied on the equipment to run perfectly, and it quickly became very costly.  A cloud is completely different, and it is completely internet based. All you really need is a regular desktop computer and everything else (servers, hard drives, IT Staff) is essentially stored in the clouds. In reality, it is stored in someone else’s closet, but it’s not yours and you do not have the costs (or clutter).

How does this pertain to cameras? One of the largest costs to a camera system is the NVR or server that runs the cameras. As it is right now, all IP cameras are attached to your building, a wire is run from your cameras to your switch (or router / modem), and another wire is run from your switch to your NVR server. Cloud computing makes this process different and more efficient. The cameras are still on the building, and a wire is still run to your switch, but where a cloud comes in handy is when takes out the NVR. The information is directed from your switch and into the cloud. What does this do for you? First of all, you do not have to Purchase the NVR, which could very easily save you thousands of dollars. You also don’t have to worry about the server going down, or all the hard drive space that you’ll need.  And you will not have to worry about possibly having too many visitors looking at your cameras and slowing down your entire bandwidth.

I think that just about every one of us has experienced some sort of failure when we lose all our data that was on the computer or server. With cloud computing, all your information (or in this case, video) is stored in the cloud, so in essence you lost nothing.

So what’s the price of this “Cloud”? Under normal circumstance the cloud company charges you by the hour. A real simple setup will cost you about .12 cents an hour. That’s $2.88 a day, that’s $20.16 a week, and that’s $50.16 a month. You don’t have to purchase the NVR, you don’t have to worry about the maintenance, and you don’t have to pay your IT staff to keep up with constant upkeep. Sounds like a deal to me!

Residential Security + the Smart Phone = A Growing CCTV Market

With the number of police departments having to respond daily to numerous false alarms, their response time is getting longer and upset homeowners are starting to get the real picture.  The real picture is now in the palm of their hand and it’s their home, property, family and peace of mind.  With access to the best quality CCTV products on the market, the residential community is waking up and finding out that their new security solutions are now just a click away.

The days of the traditional alarm system are far from over; however, the ability to send the information to the consumer over a central station is now available with most security systems and this gives the homeowner the ability to be their own central station and allow real time alarm verification by viewing their home and property anywhere and at any time.

What’s the Power Behind CCTV Cameras?

The power is offered in a plethora of choices for Digital Video Recorders. The DVRs are almost endless and the features are vast. Security camera surveillance software is used to operate Digital Video Recorders and surveillance systems and choosing the correct software is important.

Some questions that you need to ask before purchasing:

• How many frames per second does the DVR support and can you adjust per channel?
• Is the user interface simple and straight forward?
• Does the DVR support remote viewing via static or dynamic IP address?
• Will the DVR let me control a PTZ camera?
• Do you have multiple locations and would like the ability to view all at once?
• Are you a Mac Client and want a DVR that supports you?
• Does the DVR integrate with a 3G or 4G smartphone?
• Can you support various levels of administrative controls?

Have a question that you ask that isn’t above?  Comment below and let us know!

Turn the Holiday Frown Upside Down with Security Cameras

Well believe it or not the fall and winter Holidays are just around the corner and for most people, this reminds them of Family, Friends, Great Food and Gifts Galore. But for others this reminds them of the best opportunity to steal from those overcrowded stores. With some many Holiday Specials and traffic increasing tenfold, the opportunity for theft most certainly increases.

This especially within the retail business, has them ramping up holiday hires in hopes of maintaining the traffic and minimizing the lost inventory. But eyes on the ground can only do so much and many times with the amount of traffic that increase around these holidays it’s not even enough.

So it only makes sense to get ahead of the Black Fridays and Christmas Eve Savings and invest in a security system that will provide the eyes in the air and allow your associates to focus on all the Holiday Shoppers at hand. Many retail stores lose a ton of money on stolen merchandise especially during these holidays, so having Cameras can also work as deterrent and keep those pesky shop lifters at bay.

The Rising Stature of Mobile Surveillance

As a former manufacturer’s representative for mobiDEOS, I cannot tell you how important it is for both security integrators and end users to have reliable mobile access to their security systems.  Mobile video access for an integrator means that they can not only use this technology for system camera set up on the job site but assist end user clients more quickly.  For the end user, it gives them the ability to immediately see live video of their property – home or business.

Here at Virtual Surveillance, we are proud to offer this advanced technology in all of our DVR’s and NVR’s.  The good news is that you could spend as little as $499.00 for our entry-level Linux DVR with a 500GB hard drive and be up to date with the latest innovative technology.