cctv4u Blog

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.

CCTV4U is one of Europe’s top specialist suppliers of advanced digital CCTV systems. No matter what the budget and needs of your home or business, we can provide you with valuable security solutions. But although we are experts in the entire installation process of CCTV systems, we also sell every related product that you could ever need, safely and securely from our online store, as well as providing all of the necessary technical support. We have a long list of satisfied past customers. We also install and sell only the cameras and accessories of top industry names such as Titan and Genie, so you can be certain that regardless of how little you spend, our products and services are ones that you can trust.

We understand just how daunting the process of installing a system of Closed Circuit Television for your business can really be. It is for this reason that our CCTV installers work to impeccable standards, no matter how small the operation. We offer additional security whilst the installation process is underway, with SiteEye, which is a flexible and temporary arrangement for protecting even large scale areas. For maximum security, we also advise the use of the DynaPel Closeview intelligent security camera system, which allows you to zoom in and identify more than one target. It triggers an alarm to instantly record from multiple installations.

To find out more about our affordable CCTV systems and installations, just visit the CCTV4U website today. Alternatively, phone us on 0845 226 31 91.

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.

CCTV systems have a controversial reputation, and have become iconic representations of the establishment at its most intrusive. In a way, however, it is wrong to project our political worries onto a blameless piece of technology, and surveillance is much more than a potential tool for oppression. Instead CCTV systems can actually have some ingenious and often even amusing applications.

Traffic Safety

On a serious note, CCTV has become an instrumental tool in a variety of safety applications. For example, it is used now to monitor accident black spots and even during Formula One events to monitor any potential safety risks.

Creative Industries

CCTV as a visual medium has also become the tool of choice for a variety of creative applications. For example, it can be used in an ironic way by artists such as Manu Luksch, or it can be used for its functionality, e.g. it is perfect for documentary making when your subjects happen to be elusive animals.

Solving Problems

In terms of its practicality, CCTV systems can also be used to solve a variety of logistical problems. In theatre productions cameras can be used to view occluded parts of the stage or can look inside hostile environments such as fridges or ovens.

Home Security

In regards to home security CCTV is perhaps at its most creative, and IP cameras, which can transmit video straight to a webpage, and can therefore be viewed from an iphone for example, have become an affordable and effective solution to the age old problem of household safety.

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.

The essential functionality of CCTV systems has remained practically the same since they were first invented, i.e. transmitting footage to wired recorders. In recent years however, there has been a definite sea change, and digital systems have begun the benchmark for effective security cameras, benefiting from wireless technology and digital CCTV recorders that can store reams of high clarity footage.

The linchpin of this evolution in CCTV systems is surely software, and with the development of intelligent systems, security cameras have become more versatile than ever, able to perform in a wide variety of contexts and with astounding efficiency; what then is intelligent CCTV – and what makes it so effective?

Briefly intelligent CCTV is a software based solution to surveillance that often usurps the need for a human interpreter of the images; i.e. an intelligent system will be able to identity any potential security issues, for example an abandoned package near a railway line, the implications of this kind of performance should be obvious, and needless to say an intelligent system could make the difference between life or death.

In fact the potential for intelligent sytems knows no bounds, and it is only a matter of time before highly attuned software based systems become the order of the day. Already we are seeing intelligent systems come into their own; in the home security market, for example, IP cameras have become a great alternative to traditional systems, able to transmit to a webpage and therefore avoiding the need for expensive CCTV recorders.

The use of CCTV in the modern world is so ubiquitous that it is possible that only today you were caught on camera a couple of hundred times. Don’t worry though, as there are stringent legal buffers in place ensuring that your privacy remains protected. Considering therefore that the use of CCTV is so widespread and touches all of our lives on a regular basis, isn’t it only right that we have idea of how security camera systems actually work?

Well it’s pretty simple actually, and it is in part due to the simplicity of the technology why CCTV has become so effective and so ubiquitous as a surveillance method. Basically the closed circuit TV, as its name suggests, works on the same principle as TV broadcasting, except rather than beaming the images into the homes of the British public, the security camera images are sent to a single location. This relatively simple technology has means that closed circuit TV is an affordable security solution.

Of course a closed circuit television system is useless without CCTV recorders, and this is where the modern security camera industry has really begun to evolve. For example, IP cameras have become a great home security solution, and are able to upload camera footage onto an off site website, or DVRs are able to store large amounts of high clarity digital video.

At CCTV4U we recognise that like all technology CCTV can be daunting for the uninitiated, and that is why whatever your concern we are always happy to help.

CCTV is a relatively simple idea, and is so effective because it fits perfectly into its specific niche. Like with all good technology, however, CCTV has undergone some significant advances in recent years and whilst its overall purpose remains the same as it was at its conception 1942, thanks to recent developments it is now able to perform with maximum efficiency.

It was way back in 1968 when CCTV began to be used for its most familiar purpose, i.e. crime prevention, and surprisingly the Olean New York security cameras where not a million miles from what we would recognise today. Only in recent years, however, has there begun to be a dramatic sea change in surveillance technologies, putting CCTV at the forefront of the modern world.

Wireless CCTV

The world is gradually becoming wireless, and in terms of security this is not different. In regards to security systems this has some obvious advantages, as CCTV security cameras can be quickly and easily set up – ideal for use on the move, or for temporary usage e.g. at art exhibitions or festivals.

IP Cameras

Perhaps the most ingenious development in security camera systems, since their conception, is the use of IP cameras. Basically, cameras can now be accessed via an off site website, which has some obvious advantages in terms of security. For example, as the camera footage is sent “off site” it is 100% safe and immune from theft.

CCTV represents the ultimate in a home security solution, acting not only as a deterrent for any potential burglar or vandal, but also as an important source of evidence should the worst happen. CCTV remains a controversial security measure, however, and its improper usage could do more than just annoy the neighbours, and could potentially put you on the wrong side of the law. So, what exactly are the legal requirements for CCTV systems?

In line with the Data Protection Act of 1998 if you’re using CCTV on behalf of an organisation, you will need to register with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner. If on the other hand you are using CCTV for home security then you will most likely be exempt from the registration process, specifically the Data Protection Act states “personal data processed by an individual only for the purposes of that individual’s personal, family or household affairs (including recreational purposes) are exempt from the data protection principles and the provisions of Parts II and III.”

This apparent leniency in the law for home CCTV users is should be taken with a pinch of salt however, and you should still be conscientious when positioning your CCTV systems. Basically, you should keep the field of view to within your property, as indirectly or directly filming your neighbours by be seen as an infringement of their human rights, ironically maybe even landing you in court.