Useful CCTV Advice

Helping our customers to achieve the security and peace of mind they are looking for, with a well designed and installed CCTV system.

When it comes to thinking about the kind of CCTV system you want for your home or business, there are lots of different options and you have a wide variety of equipment to choose from. At Smiths, we take the time to find out exactly what our customers want to achieve with their CCTV systems and design them accordingly. Here is some useful CCTV advice that you may find helpful.

Things to consider with a CCTV System

Some useful questions you should ask yourself when thinking about a CCTV system:

  • Do I need to monitor the vehicles parked at the front of the house or in the office car park?

  • Do I need to be able to capture a clear image of a vehicle’s registration plate?

  • Do I need to record activity along the side of my property?

  • Will I need to monitor activity in the garden and should these images be of the entire garden or only close approaches to the dwelling or both?

  • Do I need to monitor the garage or any other outbuildings?

  • How many cameras and of what type am I going to need, and do I need to install them all at the same time?

  • Is there a vulnerable flat roof which needs its own camera?

  • What other vulnerable places around my home or business are there that also need watching?

  • Do I want to monitor rooms inside of the dwelling?
  • What sort of images do you want your cameras to capture?
  • How will I record the images, and should these be recorded on-site, off-site or both?

  • Do I want to monitor images in real time via a portable device such as a phone or laptop?

  • How will I run the cables to the cameras? (if required as many cameras are now wire-free).

  • Should I use infra-red cameras at night or is the artificial light sufficient to use low light cameras?

Useful CCTV Advice for your Operational Requirement

What is your ‘Operational Requirement’?

An operational requirement (known as an OR) is basically a list of the problems that you want the CCTV to help with. It is used to design the installation, to work out the level of its performance and what its functionality should be and to determine if the final installation meets with the requirements of the OR. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it needs to be precise. Present your OR to us and use it to plan your system.

In practice it is the installer who will work out the precise locations for the cameras and what type to use and will decide on where to run the cables etc, all in liaison with you and with the intention of fulfilling your OR. Even if you’re going to install a DIY system, writing down an operational requirement will help focus the mind. Bear in mind too that the system you end up with will also be determined by the budget you have at your disposal.

A combination of poor planning and design of the CCTV system, uncertainty over the purpose of the CCTV system and a user’s unrealistic expectations has led to a considerable number of CCTV systems deemed not fit for purpose. That is why we recommend a survey is carried out, to eliminate any problems caused by bad design.

CCTV Advice for Shopkeepers

A common concern we often hear is from shopkeepers who are struggling to deal with frequent shoplifting. Serving genuine customers and other distractions can easily lead to thefts going unnoticed, particularly when working alone as it can be difficult for them to effectively and constantly view all areas of the shop.

We can help to identify the most vulnerable areas of the shop and advise on how they’ll be able to effectively monitor the captured images. We will also advise on signage and the fitting of a monitor to publicly display the images being recorded which can help to deter any shoplifting or potential robberies taking place.

At Smiths we work with business of all sizes, and are pleased to offer a free survey and a report for your business premises. If you’d like to have a chat with no obligation, get some more useful CCTV advice, and find out what we can do to help you, please get in touch.

Useful CCTV Advice to Prevent Shoplifting
Smiths Technical Systems

Request Your Free CCTV Survey

We are pleased to offer a free survey and a report for your property. Our report highlights security weaknesses and identifies places that need security improvements that should be carried out prior to your CCTV installation. Simply contact us for a chat about your requirements.
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