Helpful CCTV Tips

Metal Housings with protection from the
environment and electro-magnetic interference

• Use of existing IT infrastructure for remote monitoring and backup
• Maintenance by company's IT technician
• Upgradable Computer Hardware (HDD size, Processor
  Speed, Graphics etc)
• Upgradable DVR channels (additional DVR cards)
• Easy availability of spare parts
• Familiarity of Windows Software
• Stability of Win2K's NTFS file system

• Ideal for non-PC-literate users
• Fast Boot Time
• Similar in function to a VCR
• 12VDC or 220VAC Operation
• Can be used for mobile applications

• Faster retrieval times - No more plodding through hours and hours of videotape. Utilising digital CCTV, users can instantly retrieve video. Users can rapidly search events by time, date, location and camera.
• Less storage space required - Users may set the system to record
  when motion or other pre-defined events are detected - so there's no
  wasted "dead taping". Video is then compressed and efficiently stored
  to a PC's hard drive.
• Archiving - Important information can be archived to FDD, HDD, CD-R
  or DVD for later retrieval.
• Higher image quality - Digital CCTV provides unbeatable quality.
  Digital video can be easily enhanced and copied over and over without
  losing its original quality.
• Better quality - Digital Video Recording provides much sharper better quality images to aid in evidence and image recognition.
• No Tapes - with analog systems tapes need to be replaced regularly,
  but digital storage media has an almost unlimited lifetime.
• Immune to noise - Digital systems are less affected by noise than analog systems.
• Transmit and retrieve stored data - Across town or across the world,
  video images can be remotely viewed, easily saved, retrieved, displayed, copied, printed, faxed and e-mailed.
• Less Obsolescence - Most systems’ software is upgradeable which
  extends the systems’ lifetime.
• No Routine Maintenance Required - Other than DVR’s, VCR's are
  required to be serviced once a year for reliable operation.

• Covert
• Access Control
• Event Recording
• After Hours Monitoring
• Crime Prevention
• Industrial Monitoring
• Improved Security
• Industrial Safety
• Management Tool
• Vehicle or mobile
• Post-Event Evidence Tool
• Process Control

• B/W, Colour or Day/Night
• Covert or Visible
• Auto Iris (outdoors) or Manual Iris (stable lighting conditions)
• Areas to be covered (by cameras)
• Fixed or PTZ cameras
• Location & purpose of each camera
• Distance from the camera to the subject/scene
• Angle of view required
• Decide if camera housing needs to be used
• Type of mounting required i.e pole, wall, ceiling, corner etc.

• Availability during required times of operation
• Position in respect to camera position
• Localize or centralize power to cameras i.e. power each camera individually or altogether from centralised place such as control room
• Size of PSU is relevant to the number of cameras to be used off it
• 12VDC or 220VAC operated equipment (i.e mobile applications)
• Use of UPS?

• Via cable, i.e RG59U, Power-Ax, Twisted-Pair, Fiber-Optic or Wireless
• Distance of signal transmission
• Obstacles i.e sharp bends, high voltage equipment, roads/boundaries, different buildings
• Protection of cabling against environment

• Amount of lighting during day & night
• Direction of sun's position during day
• Avoid placing cameras directly into sunlight
• Constant or variable lighting conditions
• Use of Infra-Red Illuminators/Cameras
• Additional lighting needed?
• Type of light source i.e flourescent, sodium, incandescent,
  tungsten, sunlight, moonlight, starlight, halogen, mercury vapour etc.

• Indoor or Outdoor
• Marine/Coastal Area
• Vandal-Resistant
• Variation in temperature
• Need for Wiper/Washer Camera Housing
• Intrinsically Safe
• Highly Corrosive
• Industrial
• Hotel/Entertainment Industry

• A central location to cut down on long cable runs
• Sufficient clean power available with 24 hour operation
• Safely secured in event of robbery or tampering by internal staff
• Sufficient physical space available for equipment and the maintenance thereof
• Use of recessed or reflective lighting with dimming control to prevent monitor glare
• Monitor/s should be placed directly in line-of-sight of the operator in the seated position (no less than 1,5m away)
• No more than 5 monitors per operator
• Requirement for additional remote monitors in a seperate area?
  

• If analog system, availability of staff to change tapes
• PTZ cameras require an operator to be totally effective

• Availability of ISDN, PSTN, DSL or leased line circuits
• TCP/IP Routers
• Bandwidth requirements for amount of cameras and frame rates required
• Wireless or fixed network

• Integration with existing speed domes, matrix or keyboard controller
• Use of existing cabling?

1. Use only regulated power supplies, the tolerance should be within 5% of the required voltage.
2. Ensure at least 40% spare capacity per power supply to prevent overheating and voltage loss.
3. Use power cable of a suitable thickness
4. Beware of voltage drops over long distance runs
5. Beware of polarity when connecting the power supply to a camera
6. Ensure proper cooling or ventilation for power supplies
7. Avoid operation of CCTV equipment on the same power circuit as elevators, compressors, generators or any large motors.

1. Avoid running video cable parallel to AC power cables, especially those carrying high current.
2. RG59U Co-Ax runs should not exceed 200m for colour and 300m for B/W
3. Avoid sharp bends when cabling
4. Avoid cable joins and using BNC barrels
5. Avoid over-tightening cable-ties
6. Ensure use of proper co-ax wire-stripping and crimping tools
7. Ensure BNC Connectors are properly crimped
8. Use Rubber BNC Boots after crimping to protect crimped area and bend radius
9. Mark or label camera and data signal cables
10. Outdoor cable runs should be housed in UV-proof conduit
11. In lightning prone areas, install surge protection devices

1. Test all equipment before installation. Therefore equipment can be replaced before arrival on-site if needed.
2. Ensure the mounting brackets of outdoor speed domes are properly sealed to prevent condensation in the camera housing.
3. Use EIA rated RS232/422/485 or CAT-5 cabling for speed dome or PTZ communication.
4. Ensure sufficent space for camera, lens and connectors when choosing a camera housing.
5. Avoid direct sunlight on equipment as it raises the temperature of the equipment.
6. Position cameras out of reach of vandals or 'curious' people.
7. Mount good quality mounting brackets in a stable location to avoid unstable or vibrating images caused by vibration or wind.
8. CS Mount cameras placed inside, at industrial or dusty/damp installations should be placed into outdoor camera housings.
9. Avoid installing cameras too high above the subject thus preventing 'top-of-head' video images
10. Ensure camera mounting poles are mechanically secure to avoid vibration on camera images
11. Before connecting power, ensure the supply is 12VDC regulated.

1. Time Lapse VCR Considerations
2. Regular servicing of your VCR , will ensure continued operation and quality of recordings.
3. Use only high quality 'branded' tapes
4. Replace tapes after being used 12 times.
5. Ensure Time Lapse VCR is suitably hidden in event of a robbery
6. Before reviewing a video tape for evidence, make a copy and review the copy. This ensures the the quality of the original is preserved, especially when starting, stopping and pausing the tape.

1. For outdoor use, transmitter and receiver must be in line-of-sight.
2. Determine any possible sources of interference, i.e. overhead powerlines, wireless LAN networks, transformers, other transmitters or any other power generating system in close
   proximity to the transmitter or receiver.
3. Avoid trees in the transmission path, as brances can cause interference.
4. Ensure proper alignment between transmitter and receiver.
5. Beware of lightning. Transmitters are often placed on high masts/roofs, which make them prone to lightning.
6. Poor weather such as heavy fog and rain can affect transmission.

1. It is recommended to connect your DVR and cameras to an uninterruptable PSU (UPS)
2. Ensure 1Vp-p video input levels from cameras (not lower or higher)
3. Turn off camera AGC
4. Ensure DVR is suitably secure or hidden in event of a robbery
5. Avoid Win98/ME as an operating system, Win2K is the most stable for PC-based DVRs
6. For PC-based DVRs, regular HDD defragmentation is recommended if DVR is used for other user applications. (Not necessary if PC is dedicated to DVR.)
7. Ensure enough RAM so that the recording does not get interrupted.
8. Recording should be on different hard drive to that of the operating system and recording software.