The CCTV Security Blog

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - CCTV Security Equipment help & advice

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:12:43 GMT

The most common question I get asked when talking to friends & family about CCTV Security Equipment is how easy is it to install?

This is a very good question, and the answer is that once you have actually chosen what CCTV Security Equipment you require the hardest part about the installation is cabling. Now that said, the only reason I consider the cabling to be the hardest part of the installation is because you need to run the cable through walls, and I'm no DIY expert!

But for those of you who feel comfortable drilling holes through walls, then installing your own CCTV security installation is nothing to fear.

Choosing your CCTV Security Equipment

For those of you who are better at DIY than me, the first thing is to make sure you choose the right CCTV Security Equipment for YOUR application.

I have highlighted "your" in the above sentence because every CCTV application is different, and it is the purpose / requirements of what you want your CCTV system to do that will determine what actual CCTV security equipment you need to use.

When people are having CCTV professionally installed, the installation company will do what is called a "site survey" before the quotation. This is because they need to see the site and speak to you about what you want from your CCTV system so that they can choose the right CCTV security equipment for the job. Unfortunately you do not have the luxury of a site survey, so lets try to give you some advice about choosing the right equipment.

Lets start with narrowing down your choice of CCTV cameras, first you need to have a good look around your home or property and choose where you want to put cameras.Once you have chosen the locations of your cameras you then need to start asking your self a few questions about each individual camera.

is the camera going indoors or outdoors?

If the camera is going outdoors then you will need it to be weather proof. To check this simply look at the camera specifications and make sure it has a high IP rating, I suggest IP65 or above for outdoor use.

do you need to record images in darkness? (remember it gets dark at about 4pm during the winter season)

If you need images even in darkness then look at the specifications and choose a camera with a low "Lux" level. If the camera has Infrared (IR) LEDs then it will be able to see in complete darkness, but be sure to check the IR distance (IR distance is the maximum length that the IR beam can travel, therefore you can only see images in low light within this distance). IR distance varies depending on the amount and strength of the IR LEDs, so the specifications should state an IR distance.

What do you want the camera to see?

By this I mean, do you just want a general view of everything in front of the camera or are you focusing on a particular object. If its just a general view, you will probably just require a small lens (3.6mm should be fine) these give a wide angle view and will provide good images of general scenes. However if you are looking to focus on an object, say a car parked on the road, or a gate to see who comes in, then it might be wise to choose a camera with a larger lens fitted. The larger the lens the more zoomed in the image will be that the camera sees.

Another thing to consider when choosing your camera, is resolution. This is measured in TV Lines (TVL). The higher the resolution the better quality image you will get, anything over 450TVL is in the high resolution range. For general scenes you may not need a high resolution camera but for things like facial recognition then you will require high resolution cameras.

See our range of CCTV Cameras

Now that you know where you are putting you cameras, you will obviously know how many cameras you require so you can now look for a Digital Video recorder that is suitable. Bare in mind you may want to buy a larger Digital Video Recorder just in case you want to add more cameras in the future.

DVRs usually come in 4, 8 & 16 Channel sizes (the number of channels, simply means the number of cameras that you can connect).

Apart from the number of channels, there are many other features to consider when choosing you DVR. Most DVRs work on a very similar basis, so its really just a case of deciding things like do you want to view the footage over the internet?, do you want to be able to retrieve evidence via a DVD, CD, USB pen stick or a USB to PC link?

Obviously be sure to have a good look at the specifications, check the resolution the DVR is capable of recording at, as its no good having high resolution cameras if your DVR only records in low resolution.

If you are using PTZ cameras, make sure the DVR can control them, it should have RS-485 connectors to control PTZ cameras. If you don't have a purpose built CCTV monitor, check the video outputs on the DVR, if it has VGA output then you can connect a PC monitor to it (and these are much cheaper than CCTV Monitors).

See our range of CCTV Recorders

OK, now you have your cameras & the Digital video recorder you almost have all the CCTV Security Equipment you need to have your system up and running.

So what else do you need? Well you simply need to be able to connect the cameras to the DVR, get power to the cameras and obviously view the images on a monitor.

The easiest way to connect your cameras to the DVR is by using "plug & play" CCTV cable, these can carry both video signals & power, and as the name suggests are simple to connect. You will also need to power the cameras, you can do this by using individual power supplies for each camera by simply connecting a power supply at one end of the "plug & play" cable. Or you can add up the total ampage used to power all your cameras and use a suitable power supply with splitter cable to connect to each camera from one source.

And for you last piece of CCTV Equipment you need to connect a monitor to the DVR.

See our range of CCTV Accessories

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - CCTV Cameras

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:16:00 GMT

CCTV Cameras are becoming a familiar sight in today's society, more and more people are turning to CCTV cameras to protect their belongings and loved ones. Hand in hand with a rise in demand comes the increased choice of CCTV cameras, there are literally thousands of styles of cameras from hundreds of manufacturers.

No need to panic, help is at hand. Although there are thousands of different CCTV cameras available the basics are always the same. So below we will go through what to look for in a CCTV Camera and this should hopefully help you make the right choice for your security needs.

Different Types of CCTV Camera

Board CCTV Cameras
Box CCTV Cameras
Bracket CCTV Cameras(Sometimes called all-in-One cameras)
Bullet CCTV Cameras
Dome CCTV Cameras
Hidden CCTV Cameras
PTZ CCTV Cameras
Vandal Proof CCTV Cameras
Zoom CCTV Cameras

CCTV Camera Features

Once you have an idea of what type of CCTV Camera you want from the above list, its time to start looking at the main features to consider.

Is the CCTV camera going outdoors?

If the camera is going outdoors, you need to make sure that it is weather proof. Outdoor CCTV cameras should have what is called an "IP" rating. This is a two digit number, I would recommend a minimum IP rating of 55 but ideally choose a CCTV camera with an IP rating of 65 or above.

Check the specification sheet before buying, and make sure it states an IP rating, if not then you should presume it is not weather proof and only intended for internal use.

TVL Resolution

CCTV camera resolution is measured in TV lines (TVL), the higher the TVL the better quality image the camera will produce.

As a guide, below 350 TVL is considered as low resolution, Between 351 to 450 TVL is considered Medium resolution and 451 TVL and above is considered a high resolution camera.

We would advise a minimum of 420TVL in all circumstances.

Night Vision?

If your CCTV Camera needs to be able to see in low light conditions you will need to pay close attention to the "LUX" level. Every CCTV camera should list a Minimum Illumination level in its specifications, this is measured in LUX.

The lower the LUX level the better the CCTV camera will see in low light conditions.

Generally if a camera has IR (infrared) LEDs then it should be capable of seeing in complete darkness but only for a certain distance which varies depending on how many IR LEDs are fitted.

Approx LUX Levels :

0.00005 lux = Starlight
0.0001 lux = Moonless overcast night sky
0.001 lux = Moonless clear night sky
0.01 lux = Quarter Moon
0.25 lux = Full Moon on a clear night
1 lux = Moonlight at high altitude at tropical latitudes (we would advise choosing a CCTV Camera below 1 Lux)

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Installing a CCTV Camera

Unless otherwise stated when you purchase a CCTV camera all you get is the camera, no cables or power supplies. So bear this in mind when buying.

With that in mind most CCTV Cameras come fitted with two cables approximately 1 foot in length (this varies) with a BNC connection (for the video signal) and a Power Connection. (Box CCTV Cameras, PTZ Cameras & Zoom CCTV Cameras do not have this cable.)

You will then need to buy the appropriate CCTV cable and run it back to the recording unit or monitor. The easiest way is to buy "Plug & Play" cable which has both BNC & Power connectors and cables. You would then run this cable back to the recording unit and connect it via the BNC connector, also simply plug a power supply directly into the "plug & play" cable, with sufficient power to be able to run the camera.

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CCTV Board Camera

CCTV Board Cameras have a variety of uses. Mainly due to their obvious tiny size, they can be placed in tight spaces to get a good video feed of hidden areas. They are also often used when people want to build a camera on to an existing object.

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CCTV Box Camera

CCTV Box Cameras are more commonly used on commercial locations, this is mainly due to the cost. CCTV Box Cameras are of high quality but do not normally come with a lens and to be installed outdoors they need to be placed inside weather proof housing, hence the added costs.

Some CCTV Box Cameras can still be used in low light conditions, even thou they do not have any IR LEDs, due to some advanced features available with CCTV Box Cameras.

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CCTV Bracket Camera

(Sometimes called all-in-One cameras)

These CCTV Bracket Cameras are very popular as they are easy to install, they are enclosed in weather proof casing and come with a bracket so you can easily attach them to a wall and usually have IR (infrared) LEDs providing low light vision (The distance of low light vision available depends on the number of LEDs fitted on the camera).

Basic models will come equipped with a fixed lens, the smaller the lens the wider the field of view will be (so a small lens around 3.6mm would be suitable for general views on a house or shop, but if you wanted to focus the CCTV Bracket Cameras on objects further away you will need to use a larger lens).

However you can get CCTV Bracket Cameras with a Vari-focal lens fitted, these allow you to adjust the focal length of the camera so you can focus on objects further away from the camera. You would adjust the focal length, to the desired view, upon installing the camera.

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CCTV Bullet Camera

CCTV Bullet Cameras are similar to "Bracket Cameras" but even smaller, ideal for discreet CCTV applications. However due to there size not many come with IR LEDs so are not very good in low light situations.

Apart from traditional CCTV applications these CCTV Bullet Cameras are very popular for sporting enthusiasts who record there activities via these cameras. This is due to their small size yet good quality images.

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CCTV Dome Camera

CCTV Dome Cameras have become increasingly popular over the past few years, this is mainly due to the fact they are easy on the eye yet still come full of features found in the the more traditional box cameras.

They are relatively easy to install, and with most you can adjust the direction of the lens to almost any angle. Due to this adjustment many CCTV Dome Cameras can be mounted on both a wall or a ceiling. Usually the cables come out from the bottom of the Dome Camera so you can drill a hole in the wall where the Dome Camera is located and feed the cables directly through the wall, leaving no possibility for vandals to cut the cables.

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CCTV Hidden Camera

CCTV Hidden Cameras, like the name suggests are CCTV cameras that are hidden inside other objects, common CCTV Hidden Cameras come in the shape of the "Smoke Detector Camera" and the "PIR Sensor Camera". Which are ideal for internal covert surveillance, as it is almost impossible to tell they are cameras.

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CCTV PTZ Camera

CCTV PTZ Cameras are Pan Tilt & Zoom cameras (sometimes called Speed Dome Cameras), These can be controlled to zoom in and out to get better views of objects, but also to move up & down and 360 degrees around. Almost allowing you to see anything in the vicinity of the CCTV PTZ Cameras location.

They can be controlled manually by a person or it is possible to pre-set the camera to automatically focus on multiple areas one after the other.

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CCTV Anti Vandal Camera

Like the name suggests CCTV Anti Vandal Cameras can withstand high levels of force, making them ideal for locations where they are in reach and susceptible to vandalism.

Usually CCTV Anti Vandal Cameras are also dome shaped, in fact I have not personally come across a vandal proof camera in any other shape.

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CCTV Zoom Camera

CCTV Zoom Cameras are very similar to "Box Cameras" but come fitted with a large Vari-focal lens which can be manually controlled to zoom in & out of the scene it's pointed at. I suppose they could be considered a cheaper alternative to PTZ cameras, when the ability to pan & tilt is not required.

CCTV Zoom Cameras are useful for applications like car park entrances, where you could have a camera located far away from the entrance recording an overall view, but when someone is attempting to drive in, you could zoom in and catch the registration details.

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The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - The Truth about Real-time Recording

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:12:26 GMT

What is a Real-time DVR?

When we refer to a DVR as being real-time, we are pointing out the fact the DVR can record 25 images per second (often called frame rate) for each camera connected. When this is played back it will be a smooth video (much the same as watching TV) hence you can see what happened in real-time.

Many of you have probably seen CCTV footage on the news or programs like crime watch, where the images are staggered, and the perpetrators seem to move several yards with each image. Well these are extremely low frame rates and footage like this is what has caused such desire for real-time recorders.

Whats wrong with Real-time Recording?

Every CCTV Manufacturer, distributor and reseller are very quick to point out the DVR is real-time. We are even guilty of it ourselves, we clearly show in the product name of every DVR we sell, if it is capable of real-time recording.

The problem is, for most security applications real-time recording is completely unnecessary, and will simply fill the hard drive very quickly. But because of the fact it is pushed so much as a great feature, people believe it is required or the DVR is no good. That couldn't be further from the truth, most professional CCTV installers will rarely set up a CCTV system to record at real-time (unless instructed to by their customer).

Another thing to bear in mind is to have a closer look at the specification of any DVR that is real-time, in most cases you will see that if you set the DVR to record at real-time it will reduce the resolution of the image.

When you consider that CCTV images should be of the highest possible quality, why are we accepting lower quality, just so we get 25 images every second? Surely it makes far more sense, to increase the quality of the actual image as much as possible and only get 5 or 6 images each second. Think, in one second, what an intruder can do, that you can not clearly see with 6 high quality images taken during that second.

When is Real-time Recording required?

There are always circumstances that may require real-time recording, for example I have heard some pub land lords state that they have been advised they need real-time recording by the authorities (whether this is true or not is for another article!) and nowadays CCTV systems are being used for far more reasons than just security, so of course there is a requirement for real-time DVRs and we just advise these customers not to neglect the quality of the image for real-time recording. Simply look for a DVR that can record real-time CCTV images at D1 resolution. Bear in mind such a DVR will use a lot of hard drive space, so be sure to compensate for this with your choice of hard drive size.

But in most domestic and even commercial CCTV systems, you will not need real-time recording.

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - CCTV Lens Calculator

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:38:12 GMT

The Lens is a vital part in a CCTV system, it determines the view you will get from the camera.

In general the smaller the lens the wider the field of view and more suitable for general scenes. But if you are focusing your camera on a certain object i.e. car, garage, gate, person. Then you may need to choose a larger lens that gives a narrower field of view and there for providing a "zoomed" in image of the object in question.

To help you make sur eyou have the correct lens you need we have created an online CCTV Lens Calculator that will do the maths for you, simply click on the below link and enter some details, then click calculate.

CCTV Lens Calculator

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - CCTV Camera Product Finder

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:38:12 GMT

We understand its not easy to know what camera is best suited to your particular requirements, so we have created a CCTV Camera Product finder to guide you.

Simply click the below link and select from a few simple options, and then we can show you what cameras fit your needs.

Camera Finder Link

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - New Products

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:31:09 GMT

If you want to be able to see our latest Security products we have added to our website you can now do so by simply clicking on the below link:

http://www.jmcsecurity.co.uk/latestCCTVproducts.asp

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - Panasonic Security Solutions

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:33:37 GMT

We have added Panasonic Security Solutions to our range of IP network cameras and analogue CCTV Products. Panasonic manufacture a large range of high quality reliable products suitable for any Security application.

Panasonic manufactures a wide range of security solutions products including static and dome cameras, digital recording and matrix systems, iris recognition as well as a vast array of IP network equipment. The range extends to provide a full system or solution, which can be controlled by front end software.

IP networks have become a basic infrastructure in every aspect of personal and business life. Security is no exception. Network surveillance systems offer a remarkable advantage compared with conventional analog systems, lowering TCO. A lower TCO is not the only benefit from Panasonics i-Pro range. The i-Pro Series offers professional surveillance quality in every aspect; Mega pixel, Progressive scan, Super Dynamic III, Super sensitivity with advanced DNR and 30 ips real motion video. All these are made possibleusing Panasonics advanced technology and its market-proven surveillance camera engineering and manufacturing expertise, delivering far reaching Identification capability. i-Pro also offers Efficiency and Reliability with a number of sophisticated features such as MPEG-4 & JPEG Dual Streaming, Power over Ethernet (PoE), ABF (Auto Back Focus), SD Memory Backup, RAID1/5 and more.

By using Panasonic i-Pro you are offered both a lower TCO and a professional quality surveillance system.

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - CCTV Systems for the self-installer or Professional

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:30:01 GMT

We have added a large range of complete CCTV systems, unlike other CCTV websites, we have arranged it so you can select the cabling solution that is most suitable. So our CCTV Systems are ideal for everyone, self installers and Professional CCTV installers alike, you simply pick what cabling solution best suits your expertise.

There are 3 cabling solutions,

No cables
Plug & Play
Professional

No Cabling

As the name suggests, this solution means you are only ordering the DVR & cameras. The system comes with no cabling or camera power supplies.

This solution is mainly for people who are replacing an existing CCTV system, and can still use the cabling in place, or for CCTV professionals who have their own supply of cabling & accessories.

Plug & Play

This solutions provides 20metre's of pre built CCTV cable, with all connectors fitted, for each camera. It also comes with suitable power supplies to run the cameras and an IP 65 Weather Proof Junction box* for each camera in the system so you can weather proof the cable connections.

This solution is ideal for the "self installer" or novice, as it is the easiest to install.

*Junction box is not supplied if cameras have a cable managed bracket.

Professional

In this solution we provide 25metre's professional grade RG59 with power cable (aka shotgun cable) along with 2 BNC connectors and 1 DC power Jack for each camera. Also comes with a professional CCTV camera power distribution enclosure suitable for the cameras ordered with the system.

This solution is ideal for professional installers or anyone with cabling knowledge and is happy cutting cables to length, fitting connectors & working with electrical wiring.

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - View your DVR on your Mobile Phone

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:36:44 GMT

Hunt Electronics have a range of Digital video recorders that can be connected to the internet and viewed from any internet connected PC in the world. But on top of this, they can also be viewed directly on a 3G Mobile phone!

Hunt are constantly updating software to increase the number of compatible mobile phones, we will keep you updated as and when we receive new information.

WinCE:
HTC touch, Touch Diamond, Samsung i908, LG KS-20, etc.
Nokia:
6124	6120	6210	6220	8500
E65	E66	E70	E71
N73	N76	N77	N78	N79	N81	N82	N95	N96
Sony Ericsson:
K530	K608i	K610	K630	K660	K770	K800	K810	K850
W610	W660	W760	W810	W880	W890	W910	W910i	W960
C702	C902	C905
Blackberry:
Bold 9000

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - CCTV Clearance Corner...

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:33:15 GMT

From time to time manufacturers need to clear their stocks, and to do so they offer considerable discounts.

Here at JMC we have created a "clearance corner" and passed on these incredible CCTV deals direct to you.

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - Enlarged range of Samsung Techwin CCTV Products

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:28:54 GMT

We enlarged our range of samsung techwin's CCTV products, samsung produce a great range of both cameras and digital video recorders. Many of the cameras have very low lux levels which make them ideal for low light surveillance.

Samsung Techwin's world leading imaging technology plays an important role in protecting the safety and happiness of people by providing a comprehensive range of products and complete solutions ranging from city surveillance to the protection of streets, airports, ports, industrial facilities and military installations.

Samsung Techwin sets a new benchmark in the domestic and international security market by providing higher quality, cleaner images and cutting-edge network functions. Samsung Techwin aims to provide a one.stop security solution that meets the needs of users both now, and into the future, and is committed to becoming the world's leading provider of professional security solutions.

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - CCTV Help & Live Support Now available!

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:25:15 GMT

Today we added the ability for customers to contact us directly via our website, and chat live to a real person.

We understand its not always easy to know what CCTV equipment best suits your needs, so our trained CCTV advisors will be on hand to answer any of your questions. Simply look for the "Live Support" image, and click on it to open a new chat window with one of our CCTV advisors.

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - New Range of Hunt IP Network Cameras

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:18:42 GMT

We have added a range of Hunt Electronics network IP cameras to our site, these are professional IP cameras but surprisingly affordable.

All Hunt IP cameras also come with free 36 channel recording software. Making it simple to record the images from the cameras onto your PC.

The range covers most applications including simple indoor cameras, pan/tilt/zoom cameras, high resolution Megapixel cameras, vandal proof cameras and even Day & night cameras.

On top of this, all hunt cameras have the capability of backing up directly to SD card (not provided) and can also be connected to a mic & speakers for 2 way audio.

The recording software also boasts a lot of features you would not expect, including the ability to set up recording when motion is detected, and also being able to choose up to 3 area's of where motion detection is enabled. You can also choose the frame rate you want and the resolution.

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - JMC - official reseller for Hunt Electronics

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:35:10 GMT

JMC now offers a full range of Hunt Electronics UK Security products. These include Digital Video Recorders, CCTV Cameras and IP Network Cameras.

Established in 1988, Hunt Electronic Co., Ltd is one of top leading CCTV solution providers in Taiwan. Their well-trained, aggressive and creative staff design, manufacture and market the best video security systems as well as equipments helping protect people and property, around the world.

With the reputation of offering high-quality products and excellent customer service, Hunt Electronics has built up and implemented ISO 9001 National Quality Management Standard to ensure as well as continuously improve their product quality and satisfaction of customers.

The CCTV Security Blog - Security Articles - New Look JMC website

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:16:52 GMT

We have spent many months redesigning the JMC website, and have finally gone "live", we hope you find it a much better shopping experience.

As with all large projects, sometimes mistakes are made, if you spot any feel free to send us an email and we'll correct it straight away.