Vancouver is the most beautiful place to live in, however, lately, the crime rate for residents and commercial property owners is rising. Some owners wonder how they were victimized since they have security installed, but the truth lies in the product and the quality of the installation. Many people are not sure of their specific security needs and thus end up choosing the wrong security system. We have witnessed a few cases in which clients wanted a security camera system that was able to read license plates or capture human faces, however, they installed the wrong type of camera!
Our number one tip is to find a knowledgeable installer with extensive experience with security camera systems. We are able to scope out the site and provide you with the most secure Security system for your unique needs. It saves time, but in the long run, could save you money. A Security system, no matter the deal- installed wrong could prove null very quickly. Here are the common mistakes you must be aware of, and avoid while installing a security camera system.
1. Expecting every camera to read a license plate
When installing any new surveillance system for the first time, be it a CCTV installation, or an intercom system, people often expect it to do more than its capacity.
With security cameras, people often wonder “why is my camera accurately capturing images & video of license plates, and why can’t I recognize the faces of people and my security videos?”
The short answer is: you can’t expect every installed camera to accomplish every task. Some cameras work best when they are fine-tuned via the settings. You also need to consider your camera type because not all cameras are equal. Some cameras are better equipped for specific functions like capturing video in the dark.
It is important to determine which type of security camera you need to fulfill a particular purpose. For example, there are specialty-designed security cameras like the NSC LPR 832 bt1; which not only take excellent pictures of license plates but also pull them into a database for you to search through later. In Contrast, all the other 2-megapixel cameras will not be able to provide the same images.
2. Thinking Image Enhancement Software is worth considering
Some cameras didn’t capture great shots of those faces and license plates, but you can always enhance them later to see some finer detail. The current security systems providers have a digital zoom that can only blow up the pixels already existing in the image.
Remember, no imaging software in the world can magically produce new pixels.
Let me share an essential tip; Be prepared- once your footage is recorded, you can’t go back and give it a higher resolution. Thus, if you’re needing to capture more detail, then you will need to invest in higher-resolution cameras from the beginning.
3. Blocking your camera’s Infrared LED Lights!
Never make this major mistake! If you want your security camera to work in the dark or in situations where you don’t have enough or very little light, then get one with IR or infrared capabilities. Let’s suppose you’re alone in a dark room with a hidden IR security camera, so for you, it would be all black, but in reality, the room is bright with light that is invisible to you. When the light goes out, or evening starts, these cameras switch on their onboard IR LED to brighten up the surrounding environment.
When you turn off the light, the image is washed out because all infrared light gets bounced immediately off the wall and back to the camera before it reaches anything else in the room. This is known as IR flooding.
Another main issue you might experience with blocked IR LED lights is the IR glare. This occurs when your IR lights are reflected off of a nearby object back onto the lens, causing a very foggy image.
For this reason, you need to make sure to install the right security camera system in such a position that IR lights get free-range. If anything is blocking LED, then your camera would be useless at the accurate required time.
If you can’t find a place to install your camera where LED lights can efficiently emit infrared properly, get a wall mount or junction box. This will extend your camera, potentially allowing LED infrared lights to have plenty of room to shine.
4. Forgetting to Weatherproof Your Connections
If you want to install a security system outside, then it’s obvious that you’ll need a camera that is at least 4-megapixel PTZ complete with ip66 weatherproof rating. This will allow it to withstand extreme weather conditions.
The problem is that even if you install a top-notch ip66-rated weatherproof camera, the Ethernet cable you use to connect the camera to your network is not protected, and the system won’t work. The easiest way to weatherproof the connection is to use weatherproof sealing grommets. Once you twist the grommet into place on your camera’s connection, your security camera is ready to ensure the toughest of storms.
If you are looking for the best security system supplier and installer, or perhaps an intercom repair and CCTV installation in the Greater Vancouver area, BH Security is the right choice! We are experts in commercial and multi-residential security solutions.
Contact us today for a free consultation.