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The 7 deadly sins of CCTV you may be falling prey to…

 

1. Unclean Cameras
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Unclean CCTV cameras recently meant an unfortunate scenario for a Building Manager trying to provide footage of a perpetrator to the police. The thief allegedly got away with over $120,000 of stock. And unclear footage meant little to no chance of identifying them. Dirt and dust, overgrown trees, grime build-up, fingerprints, tampering and worksite mess are the main offenders in this all too common scenario. Servicing your CCTV cameras isn’t just about ensuring the cameras operate. It’s about making sure they’re unobstructed, clean and clear, future problems are identified and eliminated. Thus, protecting you and getting the most from your systems.

 

2. Errors in Playback
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You may believe your CCTV system is fully functioning. However, at a crucial moment you may find that there is an error with the playback ability. Don’t find yourself in a situation of losing access to footage that may be needed. Sometimes it can be as simple as a disconnected lead, other times it’s a failed hard drive or video output problem. This tends to be one of the most common challenges faced with CCTV systems. Unfortunately, it is often found out when it is just too late. Regular servicing by a reputable security company means thorough checks are made and advice given to maintain full functionality.

 

3. Channel Dropouts / CCTV Cameras Offline
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Sometimes a CCTV system loses video feeds on one or more cameras. Sometimes a camera gets a loose connection.  OR it goes black at night or gets no video with a camera showing a black screen. Sometimes the camera video flickers, shows a lined screen and monitor. Or the recorder gets no picture or signal from the camera. In general, the issue of “video loss” on CCTV security cameras, in many cases, comes down to several factors.  Such as insufficient power supply, an unstable network, wiring problems or damage. Also hardware (e.g cameras, monitor) failures, inefficient camera software and IP address conflicts. In any case, it is important to regularly check all the potential precursors to limit the ability for these failures to eventuate. A regular service and test is the only way to be sure.

 

4. Lack Of Recording Space
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The surveillance industry is one of the largest consumers of data storage media. This is because of the need for constant recording of information from cameras. Hard disk manufacturers were ignorant of the CCTV and surveillance industry until it switched to digital storage. They then realised the size of this new data storage market. Camera settings or motion recording. HD vs no HD. Improper lighting and many more. These can all be addressed before you even have to think about increasing your spend. We’re all about keeping you informed, so you can be sure to get the most bang for your buck.

 

5. No Remote Access
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Remote monitoring is a huge advancement on the standard CCTV systems, offering round-the-clock reliability and protection. While a guard would have to be present for many hours to be effective, a remote CCTV system.  This can keep tabs on your premises without the need for a physical presence. Some security systems may be slow to react to a break-in.  However, a remote monitoring system is a quick technique that can alert the emergency services within minutes of detecting suspicious movements or activities. Because the cameras of remote monitoring systems are able to be controlled by personnel at a remote monitoring centre, this increases the reliability of the images. In the event of a break-in, the staff are able to adjust the zoom and the cameras’ positions to get the best footage possible.

 

6. Wrong Time & Date Settings
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When using a security camera system to protect your premise and your stock, it is important to make sure that the correct time and date is set up. If these settings are not correct, any recorded footage will have a timestamp that is incorrect. This is generally inadmissible in a court of law, or may cause unnecessary issues with your insurance company. Simple challenges like daylight savings, wrong timezones, incorrect settings during install or the server updating incorrectly can cause a once correct date and time stamp to malfunction. Ensure yours is always being checked with your regular service.

 

7. Poor Visibility
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Knowing the most efficient places to position your cameras, including the best height and angles. Talk to a specialist about your camera.  This will determine the best placement, height, angles, spread, zoom. Thus, making them unaccessible to potential sabotage and more. Work with us and get the best advice. We know security, but at its heart what we really provide is service, support and peace of mind.