cctv4u Blog

A bullet camera is a type of surveillance camera that is shaped like a cylinder. ‘Bullet camera’ is simply this type of camera’s most frequently used nickname, with alternative names for them including ‘helmet’, ‘micro video’ and ‘lipstick’ cameras. Bullet cameras make plenty of sense as a CCTV solution. Not only are they generally cheaper than other types of CCTV cameras, but they are also very easy to install, are discreet in their appearance, tending to be of a length of only a few inches, and also have an superb image quality, being capable of showing both colour and black and white images. They are also capable of functioning both indoors and outdoors, as well as both at night and during the day.

We sell a wide range of CCTV bullet cameras in our online store right here at CCTV4U, including from Genie, a trusted name in CCTV systems. Indeed, another advantage of bullet cameras is that they are available at a variety of prices and specifications, with our own prices ranging from £66.01 to £278.60 for bullet cameras incorporating such features as wall and ceiling brackets, vandal proof hoods, high resolution, both day and night capabilities, different numbers of infrared LEDS, varifocal lens, privacy zone masking, motion detection, optical zooms, digital noise reduction (DNR) and selectable digital zooms.

CCTV4U is the only company you’ll need for the finest in CCTV equipment, as well as for the most comprehensive installation services and technical support.

Our online store sells a range of CCTV cameras, including many of a ‘bullet’ (also sometimes known as a ‘helmet’ or ‘lipstick’) design. There are many advantages to choosing a bullet camera. These include their general inexpensiveness, ease of installation, discreet appearance and often brilliant image quality.

Prices for our range of CCTV bullet cameras start at £66.01 for the HI Res IR Bullet 4.3mm, and go up to £278.60 for the Genie ZB5 451IR Hi Res DNR IR ZOOM. The former bullet camera is a 1/3″ Hi Res IR Camera with a built-in lens, while the latter model is a high resolution TRUE day/night DNR zoom bullet camera with features such as a 10x optical zoom, digital noise reduction (DNR) and selectable digital zoom.

Other available models include the Genie GS5324HIR – Super Hi-res Bullet, which is a super high resolution day and night IR bullet camera which has an integrated 3.6mm fixed lens, 24x infrared LEDs and a wall/ceiling bracket. Also available in our range of bullet cameras are the Genie GS53CNV, which is a black standard resolution day/night bullet CCTV camera boasting 12 x IR LEDs and a lens bracket and sunshield, and the Genie Gs5330, which is a silver high resolution day/night bullet camera with 30 x IR LEDs and a lens cable managed bracket and sunshield. We also sell various other Genie bullet cameras as well as the Super Hi-Res Day/Night camera with its in-built varifocal lens.

Come to CCTV4U for the best CCTV products, installation services and technical support.

We sell many CCTV products from our online store. These include the CCTV cameras themselves, which include box cameras, domes (internal and external), bullet cameras and covert cameras.

There are as many different types of box camera as there are needs, and our range includes such box cameras as the £61.60 Compact Hi-Res Colour CCTV Camera at one end of our price range, and the £389 Bosch Dinion LTC0495 on the other. The former is highly reliable, combining high performance with a compact size of a mere 4.6cm x 5cm x 5.5cm. It can be fitted to ceilings without the need for the centre extension bar of ‘three piece’ brackets, allowing for a discreet and professional appearance. The Bosch Dinion LTC0495, meanwhile, is a high performance colour 1/3″day/night camera boasting 15 bit DSP Technology, with its ability to produce Hi Res colour images even in very low light making it the perfect choice for pubs and night clubs.

Other box cameras amongst our range include offerings from two of the most trusted names in CCTV surveillance, Genie and LG. For £88.20, the Genie C5307 is a high resolution colour camera with 1/3″ Sony CCD, while our other box cameras include the LG LVC-SX811HP Hi Res and LVC-SX703PC day/night cameras, as well as the Genie c5351-12, which is another high resolution day/night bodied camera with digital noise reduction.

Contact CCTV4U first for all of your CCTV needs, including products, installation services and technical support. Buy CCTV box cameras only from CCTV4U.

If you are considering a new CCTV camera for your home or business and require it to be professionally installed, then come to us first. Here at CCTV4U, we are experts in not only the installation of all types of CCTV cameras, but also associated technical support.

One of the reasons why we are so highly rated is because we cater to the individual needs of every client, guiding them through the entire process of installing advanced CCTV systems. In doing so, we make use of our extensive experience of the retail, industrial and commercial sectors. Indeed, we also attract attention for our high level of customer service, having been finalists in the Customer Service Provider and innovative company of the Year categories at the Pembrokeshire Business Awards in 2006 and 2007.

Another thing that makes CCTV4U’s camera installation services different from the rest is that we install only the most advanced digital CCTV products as standard.

Right from the point at which a site is acquired, we can provide you with a range of services, including security through the use of SiteEye, a temporary and flexible CCTV arrangement that can protect large scale areas until the installation of the final security system.

You are welcome to drop in at any time to our fully equipped demo suite at Pembroke Dock to see the latest CCTV systems on the market, or alternatively, telephone us today on 0845 226 31 91.

Whilst all CCTV cameras have basically the same functionality, i.e. the transmitting of footage to a monitor or recorder, you may be surprised by the rich variety of types of security camera – from ultra modern “dome” cameras, to recognisable “box” cameras. So what kinds of security camera are there, and what are their distinct advantages for the user?

Domed Cameras

Domed cameras are fast becoming the industry standard and this is for a variety of reasons. For example, as the actual security camera system is housed inside a protective dome, it is impossible for the camera’s position to be changed externally, which has obvious implications in terms of security.

Box Cameras

Whilst box cameras might be more vulnerable to external damage and are more immediately recognisable as a security device (which may be a good thing if you’re using them for a deterrent), they are often the most affordable of the CCTV camera types and can come with a range of features, such as night vision.

Covert Cameras

Of course security cameras extend beyond static CCTV systems and there are a wide range of covert solutions. IP cameras, for example, can be as simple as a webcam, with the advantage of being able to upload footage of an intruder straight to the web.

But where can you buy CCTV in all its form to suit your requirements? Well, at CCTV4U we have a wide range of cameras and camera systems to suit any application, and any budget!

At CCTV4U we feel that it is inappropriate to put a premium on personal security, and that is why we offer a wide range of CCTV cameras and recorders at a variety of prices to suit any budget, whether you want state of the art intelligent CCTV, or just want a simple system for home security.

One of the biggest costs in regards to CCTV systems can be in relation to installation. If you require a complex system then it is advisable that you have the installation done professionally, however if your system consists of just a couple of cameras you could save on costs by installing them yourself.

One of the great things about CCTV technology is that it presents plenty of oppourtunities for DIY, and at CCTV4U we offer a wide range of DIY security camera systems, that not only give you a great excuse to tinker around with some electronics, but can also help you save on costs overall.

With your budget in mind you should ensure that the system that you install is right for its purpose. If, for example, you only need surveillance on an infrequent basis there’s no great need to invest in a top of the range DVR, and it might be a good idea to dig out that old VCR instead.

Of course like with anything you get what you pay for, and if your needs are demanding, or budget just isn’t an issue then you might benefit from some of the features offered by more expensive systems. Wireless security cameras, for example, are perfect for temporary installations.

CCTV has long been an effective security solution, and has become instrumental in the efficiency of policing in the UK, taking advantage of developments in technology such as wireless security cameras. This is just the tip of the ice-berg, however, and it is a testament to the medium of closed circuit television that its uses are profound.

Crime Prevention and Prosecution

As already alluded to, CCTV remains perhaps the single most effective and ubiquitous crime prevention and prosecution technology, in many circumstances leading to a tangible drop in crime. Its effectiveness isn’t just restricted to the street however, and its use as evidence in has seen a marked increase in guilty verdicts.

Safety Applications

Security does not just imply crime prevention, however, and CCTV has proven itself as a ideal tool for certain safety applications. It is perfect, for example, for monitoring petrol station forecourts or for ensuring that everyone is strapped in on roller coasters – the list is endless!

Traffic Monitoring

Closed circuit TV also comes into its own when monitoring a traffic situation. This obviously has implications in regards to crime and road safety, but it also has some other practical functions. For example, security camera systems can be used to monitor congestion, sending information wirelessly to a central location that can then divert or inform traffic.

Creative Uses

CCTV isn’t just a tool for the establishment, and its use in creative fields has been a revelation. For example, it has been the chosen medium for a whole raft of high profile works of art and it is perfect as a tool for wildlife documentary making and even movie making.

CCTV cameras remain a controversial use of government money, with many seeing them as an invasion of privacy. The statistic “the average UK citizen is likely to be caught by CCTV cameras 300 times a day” is often used as a negative point, and implies that the ubiquitous use of cameras represents a direct threat to our civil liberties. There is, however, on obvious contradiction at work here, What innocent person has ever been harmed by public CCTV products, and do we even notice CCTV cameras anymore? Isn’t it just the criminal that should be afraid of being caught on camera?

The fact remains that public CCTV equipment represents an ultra-modern crime prevention solution and to say that they affect our civil liberties represents a misconception of their usage. It is fair to say that their use is inevitable, and good technologies will always end up at the centre of our civilizations despite their negatives. The motor-car is a good example of this: a highly effective technology that also has its downsides. It is, however, a technology that we can’t help but embrace.

To say that closed circuit cameras are a good idea simply because they are a good technology is perhaps a little disingenuous, but we need only look at some crime statistics to appreciate their effectiveness. For example, the use of CCTV as evidence has led to a clear increase in guilty verdicts, and therefore you might say that our civil liberties in the end might well be saved by a camera.

For many years, CCTV equipment used VHS systems to record security camera video feed. Now, with the advancement of technology, Digital Video Recorders (DVR) systems are more widely used. Although initially more expensive to purchase than VHS, there are many advantages of having a DVR system. Installation is quick and easy; all you need to get started is one DVR unit, one to four CCTV security cameras (depending on your needs), and you are ready to go!

When using VHS, the video cassettes need to be changed every day – sometimes even twice a day, even when using a time lapse VCR which allows for longer recording. In addition to the inconvenience of constantly changing the cassettes, plenty of storage space will also be needed to retain them. The standard of the VHS video playback is initially fine, but when stored over time, the overall quality will decrease.

The most obvious advantage of DVR is that there are no longer any cassettes which need to be constantly changed. The average DVR system will retain video for up to 180 days, depending on how the security cameras are set-up to record; that is six months of retained video! This accessibility is very convenient when travelling, as the CCTV video will be recording whether you are there or not. Reviewing video footage is quick and easy as it is just a click away. For further convenience, DVR can be linked to an Internet connection and accessed remotely from anywhere in the world.

Wireless CCTV is a relatively recent innovation which has many benefits, including easy-to-fit cameras and remote viewing of camera feed over the internet. However, this kind of CCTV system is not just limited to security cameras, as the technology of wireless CCTV systems can be applied also to some of the functions of the traditional burglar alarm system. This is an exciting application and is worth considering when choosing CCTV equipment to protect your home or business.

Traditional alarm systems have always used sensors such as simple magnetic door contacts that create a change in circuit voltage when the sensor is “tripped”, i.e. when the door is opened and the contacts are separated. These sensors are wired to an alarm system control panel and the change in voltage causes the alarm to sound. The same sensors that are used in these alarm systems can be connected to the digital input ports of wireless CCTV cameras. The real innovation though, is that the camera is connected to a web application which can take more intelligent action than simply sounding an alarm.

For example, if a door or window sensor in your house was tripped in your absence, the security camera could send an instant SMS text message to your mobile phone. You could then log in to see the recording of that door or window being opened, and more importantly, who opened it, all just seconds after the incident happened; enabling you to decide whether the alarm needed to be raised or not.