cctv4u Blog

There’s been a lot of news press in recent years about the level of CCTV in place across the country, and whether or not it’s really necessary. Many would argue it infringes on our privacy, but is this really the case?

Well, it’s certainly true that there are far more CCTV security cameras in the UK than just about anywhere else in the world. We’re a nation that’s constantly under surveillance, with 2.5 million cameras catching the average person roughly 300 times per day. But does it mean that it’s infringing on our rights?

Not always. The cameras are there for security and to act as a deterrent to criminals, and they can also be used to help convictions come to fruition. If you’re an average person going about your daily business then there’s no reason to worry, as the cameras won’t even notice you’re there. And besides, most people wouldn’t feel half as safe if there weren’t the cameras around, so although some may feel our privacy is at stake the benefits far outweigh it.

There have even been talks in recent weeks about downgrading our reliance on security cameras, so anyone that is concerned is sure to be relieved. But really there’s no reason to worry, because as long as the cameras are in the hands of the professionals they’re not going to abuse their power.

So, while some people may feel that CCTV cameras infringe on privacy, for many there’s really not much to be concerned about. They can provide valuable security and peace of mind, and if you think you need a camera or two make sure to come to us here at CCTV 4U.

Infra Red or IR cameras boast a wealth of features not found on other CCTV security cameras. Having previously been most strongly associated with defence and other security areas, IR cameras have, down the years, become a more frequent fixture in the home as prices have gradually come down.

The predominant advantage of an IR security camera system is its performance in low light, in which it can produce consistently high quality images. So in the dark, this type of camera produces black and white footage in high resolution, as well as very good quality colour video images during the day. This makes it a perfect choice for such environments as night clubs, car parks or even the outside of your property. As IR CCTV cameras use LEDs to illuminate their view, they are also more energy efficient than normal cameras. They are even a great choice of CCTV cameras for outdoor use due to their ability to see through smoke or haze.

There are, however, also many misconceptions concerning Infra Red CCTV cameras. It is not necessarily true, for example, that they are the best choice for more covert surveillance, as the cameras emit a discernible glow that is not easily hidden. On sunnier days outside, they also have a tendency to attract bugs. Nor can they always practicably have Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) capabilities as is sometimes supposed.

Here at CCTV4U, we can provide you with all of the requisite information concerning the purchase and installation of Infra Red CCTV cameras.

Covert CCTV cameras are a perfect surveillance solution whenever you desire a more discreet way of keeping an eye on your investments. Although they do not serve the purpose of being a physical deterrent to any wrong-doing in your office or home, they are a highly effective and popular choice when it comes to catching more wily perpetrators off guard. Our online CCTV store offers a range of covert CCTV cameras from Genie, and we can also help you with every stage of your covert cameras’ installation process, taking a tailor made approach to customer service from start to finish.

Prices start at £89.60 for the Genie GC4JB and rise to £176.40 for the GC3HSMO/DA Smoke Detector DownView AUDIO. The Genie GC4JB is a standard resolution colour camera in a wall mount junction box 350TVL, with such features as 1/4″ Sharp CCD and a con. pinhole 3.6mm lens. Our range-topping GC3HSMO/DA, meanwhile, includes such features as digital noise reduction (DNR) and a 4mm lens with AUDIO. Our other covert CCTV cameras include the Genie GC3HPIRWA Covert, the GC3STAT Wall Thermostat Covert (which is a standard resolution colour camera obscured within a wall mount thermostat), the GC4SMO Side, the GC3HSMO Side, and the GC3HSMO/D Smoke Detector, which is a high resolution colour DNR camera hidden within a smoke detector case.

For more information on our range of covert CCTV cameras, as well as about other products in our online CCTV store, just telephone our order hotline today on 0845 226 31 91.

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.

Housings and brackets are not the most glamorous and exciting elements of most CCTV systems. Nonetheless, they play an obviously vital role in protecting the possession that protects all of your other possessions. The last outcome that you want from your camera is for it to end up being damaged in some way or left hanging by its cable as a result of not buying the correct housings or brackets or installing them properly. The area of your surveillance camera housings and brackets is therefore not one in which it is wise to take shortcuts in the name of saving money.

We sell a selection of CCTV housings and brackets of a wide variety of designs in our online CCTV store. Products in stock include everything from DOME and fixed camera housings to housing accessories and brackets. Our housings include outdoor, indoor, wireless, clear, pressurised and vandal proof dome housings, as well as the Sony Outdoor Fixed Camera Housing SNCA-HFIXED. Our camera housing accessories, meanwhile, include mini dome mounting kits, wall mounts for dome camera housings, and the Sony Pole Mount Adapter, Corner Mount Adapter and Mounting Adapter for Pendant applications, as well as the Sony Mounting Pipe for Pendant applications. We also have brackets suitable for every type of camera, including bodied CCTV cameras, mini cameras and finger cameras.

Our online store is the perfect place from which to buy CCTV camera housings and brackets. For more information, just telephone us today, on 0845 226 3191.

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.

You can buy a wide range of digital video CCTV recorders from our online CCTV store. These include 4, 8, 16 and 32 channel DVRs to suit every possible need and budget. We also sell a range of DVR accessories, including both SATA and IDE hard drives.

Our range of DVRs includes such products as the good value CnM D7724HT 4 channel DVR, which for £154 includes a host of features such as an intuitive menu interface and the ability to view remotely from a 3G mobile phone or internet browser. We also sell 8 channel DVRs from such trusted names in CCTV surveillance as CnM, J2000, Genie and Samsung, as well as 16 channel DVRs from J2000, Genie and Kodicom. Last but certainly not least, we also sell an extensive range of Avermedia DVRs. These include every product from the cost-effective £275.10 AVerDiGi EB 1304 NET SATA+ to the £2,560 AverMedia SA6032e, which is a 32 channel digital video recorder which combines the functions of a multiplexer and a surveillance recorder within one high quality and compact unit.

We also sell DVR accessories, including the IR remote extender as well as 250, 500, 750 and 1000 gig SATA Hard Drives and 160, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 gig IDE Hard Drives. Lastly, we also sell an Optical Mouse and PC USB keyboard.

Telephone our order hotline today to buy a CCTV recorder or to find out more about our associated CCTV cameras, installation services and technical support.

As well as being experts in all aspects of the installation process of advanced digital CCTV systems and associated technical support, we also sell a wide range of CCTV systems and accessories from our online store at prices to suit the budget and requirements of your business. These include a wide range of CCTV monitors.

Our prices range from £105 for our entry-level Xerox Glass Panel 15” TFT Monitor, going up to £474.60 for the Neovo SX-17AV. The former product, of a sleek design also available, for £10 more, as a 17” monitor and in both silver and black, has a resolution of 1024×768 and a one year warranty, while the latter is a TFT boasting a number of features, including NeoV Filter Hard Glass technology and inputs such as DVI, CVBS and S-Video.

Other products include the OEM 17” monitor, as well as the Genie LM 15 and 17 composite monitors. Then there is the LG L1742PP 17” Hard Glass LCD monitor, which, with its extra thick, hard glass screen, is one of the most durably designed CCTV monitors that LG has produced to date. This monitor is part of the company’s L42PP series, and is specifically designed for settings with high traffic, such as schools, public libraries, internet cafes and airports.

Visit the CCTV4U website to buy the perfect CCTV monitor and for all of your business’s other CCTV needs, or call us today on our order hotline of 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!