What Should I Look For In A Commercial Security Camera System?
What would happen if someone broke into your business?
It’s not a pleasant thought. But when you own a commercial building, it’s something you need to think about.
Without the right protection, your business is vulnerable to theft, vandalism, break-in, and loss or operation. Incidents like these could cost you thousands—not to mention, endanger the safety of your staff and customers.
You need a commercial security camera system that’s fully equipped to protect your building. One built with the features you need to cover any vulnerabilities.
An investment in commercial security cameras pays for itself; think of the money you’ll save not recovering from a break-in or increased insurance premiums.
But if you’ve never shopped for one before, you might not know where to start.
Planning to set up security cameras in Calgary or Edmonton? Here’s what you should look for:
Assessing Your Security Needs: Questions To Ask
First, you need to assess the security requirements of your location. By asking yourself these questions, you can get a clearer idea of which video surveillance system you’ll need.
Here’s a good place to start:
- How many areas do you need security cameras in?
- Will the CCTV cameras be indoors or outdoors?
- What are the lighting conditions in the areas you need cameras?
- Are there proper access routes for cabling of the security cameras?
- Do you have network switches to utilize modern IP cameras?
- Do you need pan, tilt or zoom capabilities? How about joystick controls?
- How high of resolution do you need 4MP, 6MP or 8MP?
- Do you need recorded security footage? If so, how long do you need?
As you can see, there’s a lot to consider before making your purchase. And given the importance of a security system, it’s a choice you need to make carefully. That’s where we can help!
Next up, we’re covering the kinds of features you can find in commercial security camera systems (and why you need them):
Features To Look For
You need a video surveillance system to meet your business’s unique security requirements. Look for systems with the following features:
Pan, tilt, & zoom capabilities
You notice something suspicious happening on your security cameras, but the action is just out of view. What should you do?
With your security system, you need to be able to change the camera angle remotely. That’s why you need to consider PTZ control. You can change the direction, rotation, and zoom of your camera to see everything that’s going on. Never miss a security breach with PTZ control.
Coverage & scene detection
When securing an exterior yard or warehouse, consider the coverage and be sure to look at overlapping camera views. It is critical to understand the focal depth and angles of coverage needed for each facility, and that’s where our experts can help you with camera positioning, scene detection, and coverage.
Low light features
Night vision is an essential feature in dark areas. After all, your cameras won’t be of much use if you can’t identify the person in the footage. In a dark parking lot, you need commercial-grade security cameras with day/night vision. IR illuminators then emit infra-red light to allow for enhanced scene detection in low light conditions. CCTV cameras with Dark Sense Technology can see images in near to zero light conditions. These cameras are impressive.
High quality/resolution
Not all business security cameras are created equally. Some will offer advanced features—like day/night detection, wide dynamic range, and contrast balancing—but may not provide the high-definition video quality you desire. Select a proper security camera with the camera resolution and features you need, and remember…not all cameras are created equally.
Motion detection
Want to save on storage costs? In some areas, continuous recording may not be necessary. Consider a camera platform with motion detection features. The camera system will only start recording if it detects movement within a given frame. A camera like this will work great in a low-activity area where any movement may be suspicious.
Vandal-resistant & weatherproof
Installing exterior cameras? You’ll need to consider the conditions they might face. When it comes to exterior cameras, you’ll need an extra layer of durability. Look for vandal-resistant cameras with weatherproof housings and connectors.
First of all, how tamper-proof are they? If someone plans to infiltrate your business, they might start by trying to damage your exterior security cameras.
Next, check the vandal rating of the device. Ideally, you want a camera with an IK10 vandal-proof rating (that means it’s protected against 20 joules of impact damage!)
Are the cameras waterproof? How will they hold up in harsh conditions, like extreme cold or strong winds? A solid weatherproof rating is crucial for any outdoor camera. Look for an IP66 rating on all exterior security camera housings.
Live streaming
You can’t always be at your business to monitor security footage. You want 24/7 access to your camera feed and network recorders when you’re away from the building. Look for a video surveillance system that can record locally, but also stream to your phone, tablet or laptop computer. Now you can see what’s going on in real time, while the system is also recording.
Storage capabilities
How long do you need to retain your security footage? Maybe you only need a week of recorded footage; perhaps you’d like to review recordings from a month ago. Whether you choose a network or digital recording system, select a storage size that will suit your needs. Hard drives can be added to the video recorder to custom tailor the length of storage required.
Hybrids units
Maybe you already have a few analog cameras around your business, but you’re ready to upgrade to IP cameras. If so, you might worry that you’ll have to make the change all at once; the upfront costs can be steep.
With a Hybrid NVR, you can integrate your existing analog cameras with new IP cameras. Upgrade at your own pace to gradually increase the security of your business.
Types of Business Security Cameras
A few of the most common security camera systems include:
- Digital & Network video recorders. The storage capabilities of these devices is impressive. At Union Alarm, we custom tailor network video recorders to handle up to 32TB of internal storage! With a digital network video recorder, your security footage is stored onto local hard drives. Cloud uploading is not required and this saves valuable network bandwidth while keeping recorded footage secure!
- Network cameras. These devices record, send and receive data over a secured IP network. We carry an assortment of network cameras with high-definition imaging, even in low-light conditions. We handle major brands like HIK Vision, Dahua, Bosch, and Pelco.
- Wireless video. Run your security cameras using a wireless bridge from Union Alarm. This allows you to setup remote yard cameras on an adjacent building while providing line of site wireless transmission of video signals. Footage is then recorded to your onsite video recorder via local network paths.
Set Up a Video Surveillance System With Union Alarm Today!
Looking for a company to setup, maintain and service your commercial video surveillance system? You’ve come to the right place.
At Union Alarm, we bring years of experience and a team of qualified technicians to the table. You can trust our installation services; we’re fully certified and guarantee satisfaction with every job we do. We offer continued support once your camera system is up and running.
Our technicians help you with each step of your video surveillance installation, from choosing the best places to mount a camera to configuring your system.
When you need professional-grade video surveillance systems for businesses or commercial alarm systems in Edmonton, we’re here to help.
