cctv4u Blog

The right CCTV equipment can be hugely beneficial to businesses and homes alike. It can provide safety, security and a great way to monitor surroundings, but if you really want the best results you need to know how to make the most out of your equipment.

To do this, it’s essential you find the right products. Quality is of paramount importance as you don’t want your system to let you down, so make sure you go for the best products possible from a reliable outlet so you can be confident in your choice. It’s also a good idea to let the professionals install your equipment for you if you want the best results, so always look for a company that can offer CCTV installation.

You also need to remember the positioning of your wireless security cameras, as it’s pointless having them there if they’re not going to pick up any activity. They should be angled just right to capture the movements of anyone going into and out of your home or business, and make sure to cover any high traffic or risk areas to make sure nothing can happen without being seen.

These are just a few ways you can get the most out of your CCTV equipment, and if you bear these points in mind you’ll have nothing to worry about. Make sure to come to us here at CCTV4U for the best equipment and trust us to install it perfectly to give you the security you need.

If you own a business, you’re sure to understand how important it is to have the right security in place. It’s essential you have everything covered and having security cameras really can help to improve your business, but here are a few more facts if you need help convincing.

The most obvious advantage to having cameras and other CCTV equipment is for the security of you and your employees. There will always be opportunist vandals or criminals out there looking for ways to make a quick profit, but if you’ve got cameras in all areas they’ll soon be deterred from trying anything. This can benefit your business in two ways – not only are the personnel safe, but your profits will increase thanks to the lack of theft or damage to stock.

CCTV can also be used as a great way to monitor your business and ensuring everything’s running smoothly. You can’t be everywhere at once but by having an appropriate security system in place your eyes can be everywhere even when you’re not, giving you peace of mind knowing your business is running smoothly.

As you can see, security cameras really can help your business to thrive. They can be used for the protection of staff, the prevention of theft, an increase in profits and even for effective monitoring, so consider investing in an effective system to give your business that boost it needs.

Check out the CCTV website for further information and equipment.

Quality should always be your top priority no matter what products you buy, but it’s even more important when you consider CCTV equipment. The whole point of having security equipment in the first place is to feel more secure, but if you don’t purchase quality cameras how can you be sure they’ll be doing their job?

Ultimately, that’s what makes the quality of CCTV so important. You want to feel safe and secure, and the only way of achieving that is to ensure you’ve got the proper security equipment in place that won’t suddenly break down when you least expect it.

Low quality equipment is liable to be faulty, buggy and generally not worth the money, and it certainly won’t give you the peace of mind you’re looking for. Once your security cameras are in place you don’t want to have to worry about fixing them every 5 minutes, and if you go for cheaper items then that’s probably what you’ll have to do.

Your equipment needs to be relatively maintenance free. You want to be able to simply install it and leave it, safe in the knowledge you’ve got nothing to worry about. But, you can only do that if you go for high quality and reliable pieces, so don’t skimp out in an attempt to save some cash.

As you can see, quality really does matter with CCTV equipment. But that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank to get the products you’re looking for, and if you come to us here at CCTV 4U we’ll be able to provide you with the top-quality equipment at the right prices to meet your needs perfectly.

If you’re in the market for some new CCTV equipment, you’re probably wondering where you can buy it. Because it’s such a specialised area it isn’t just something you can nip to the local high street for, and it pays to do your research to find the best appropriate stores.

It’s always best to buy CCTV equipment from the specialists, as they’ll be able to give you all the help and advice necessary to ensure you’ve got the perfect system for your needs. They’ll also have the best range of equipment and most will be able to offer installation as well, and because they’ll be experienced you’ll have nothing to worry about.

But where should you go? Often, heading online will be your best bet. These types of stores will be quite hard to find if you don’t do your research first, so always scour the internet for any that seem appropriate. Online CCTV stores will also be able to give you a fantastic selection of products at the best possible prices, and if you make sure they’re a reliable and top-quality company you can be sure you’ll get great service.

If you want to save yourself the hassle of searching, always make us here at CCTV 4U your first and only port of call. We have all the equipment you could ever need to feel safe and secure, so no matter what your CCTV security needs are make sure to come to us to see what we can offer.

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.

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.

CCTV security cameras are a proven deterrent and are a useful tool to combat crime. CCTV cameras ensure peace of mind as they are ever vigilant, and work equally well with, or without, human assistance. There are different types of surveillance cameras now available which can be confusing for potential buyers. Here is a brief overview of some of the options available:

Wireless CCTV equipment is easy to install and can be accessed remotely. However, some wireless systems have had their feed accessed by hackers with a laptop from as far away as 100 metres. If you plan on using a camera in the same place for more than a year, it may be better to install a wired one.

Fake security cameras are cheap and can act as a deterrent, but they cannot record anything and experienced burglars will probably ascertain their authenticity without too much difficulty.

Panning, zooming and tilting security cameras can be useful, although installing more static cameras that view the whole area continuously may be a better option. Thieves can work in pairs to beat PZT cameras; one thief gets the PZT cameras attention, leaving the other thief unobserved and free to go about his ‘business’.

Colour security cameras are more expensive but can make identification of criminals easier. Night vision cameras are highly recommended as property crimes normally happen at night. Even in complete darkness, night vision security cameras will provide a clear image.

From bus stops to school premises and even school buses, security cameras have become a part of the security measures taken by the school authorities to ensure the safety of the students that thousands of parents entrust them with. Now that activities of violence and crime are not restricted to any particular kind of surroundings alone, school authorities and parents are equally at peace when such security measures are taken.

Most school buses uses multi-channel DVRs that record various views from different security cameras installed inside and outside the bus entrances. These cameras are generally equipped with audio and GPS functions as well. However, recording audio is not usually permitted as it is illegal in most countries. There are instances where school authorities have been sued for recording audio, as it is a breach of privacy and can be mistaken as a wrong disciplinary measure taken by the school.

Also the security cameras in school buses are not meant to be kept covert and the students are to be aware that the cameras are in action. However, even though the cameras are not used as a measure to induce discipline, many school authorities claim the awareness about the security cameras has helped in bringing about discipline without making the students self-conscious or uncomfortable. If implemented in the right way, security cameras in school buses can be a very successful security measure for schools.

We at CCTV4U have a wide range of security cameras and equipment fit for all kinds of surveillance.