Security camera system takes advantage of live streaming, continuous recording, and convenient playback to serve homes or businesses by offering effectiveness on property loss prevention and human safety guarantee. It has been used for decades and its technology has improved constantly, PoE IP camera system tends to be the most popular one that takes into practice because of its high quality image, easy connection, and flexible installation. Although the installation work is able to be handled more simply, especially for those who are not tech-savvy, there are a number of things that installers should keep in mind to make a correct installation and achieve a qualified and stable security camera system.
For starters, preparation work is important to make the installation to be smooth and fast. After knowing about the purchase list of required equipment and material and having picked up the desired ones, then installers may follow the basic installation guide to get the system installed and set up. However, there are some things on which a majority of installers have no idea or overlook. The installation plays an important role in getting qualified and stable video surveillance. An incorrect or rough installation generally accounts for reduced effectiveness of video surveillance and has a higher potential to result in frequent replacement and maintenance. So, the word does not say more, let’s go through some installation tips that suppose to make some use.
Placement
Needless to say, thinking about where to place the cameras is the initial action when starting the installation. It is the placement issue of the camera, which not only needs to know where to place, and actually should consider whether the placement can realize the maximum performance or not. In other words, adequate consideration of camera placement may lead to ineffective surveillance. Below listed some points that call for extra notice.
◉ A qualified or ideal security camera system should get all the entrances or other relatively vulnerable parts of your homes or businesses. These places generally are the first and the most convenient options for burglars or people with malicious intents who are inclined to choose to pave their ways to implement actual criminals.
◉ Cameras are recommended to mount at high points for better monitoring and security. Mounting cameras high enough is a useful way to cover a larger monitoring range with more complete needed information. Moreover, cameras installed at high points are a natural obstacle for bad guys to reach and damage the cameras, making the system out of action.
◉ Don’t make the light shine directly to the cameras avoiding overexposure. Too much light certainly will affect the image quality. In order to get a better image instead of a blank white image, indoor cameras should take care of lights, and outdoor cameras suppose to think of sunshine.
◉Try to avoid placing cameras close to windows. For cameras equipped with IR(infra-red) lights providing night vision that allows viewing clear images at low light conditions, windows probably are killers to good night vision due to reflection. Thus, if possible, make cameras away from windows as far as possible.
◉ Make the camera to be covered getting better protection. It is recommended to make camera be covered by something, such as under the eaves, otherwise, no matter how strong or rugged the cameras are, suffering from bad weathers, extreme temperature, dust or something damaged day and night, they definitely demand replacement and maintenance more frequently than those being covered. In addition, the cable for data transmitting, in essence, asking for the most attention to be protected, otherwise, if it is easy for evildoers to reach, just one cut then the cameras or the whole system won’t make sense anymore. Therefore, to get cables concealed inside or buried in walls or ground.
◉ Cameras should be placed at locations where comply with the individual privacy and local laws and regulations. Absolutely, it is unacceptable to install cameras at places that people are inclined to get privacy, such as bathrooms, bedrooms or neighbors’ properties. The last one is often neglected and underestimated, which is improper and illegal behavior. Actually, some cameras allow to active the function to mask the specific monitoring area that containing neighbor’s properties.
Connection
Connection is regarded as the most difficult part in the whole system installation, as it demands a manual operation based on knowing how to deal with power and network, and the effort to find out how to make multiple pieces of equipment and different types of material to be linked correctly to make the video surveillance start working normally and stably. To accomplish a quick and effective connection, the below presented some tips that may help.
If permissible by budget, try to adopt PoE power network solutions. PoE technology makes use of Ethernet cable to carry power over a single Ethernet cable simultaneously. In this way, installers have no need to consider power for the cameras separately, because power and network are solved over one cabling. And this makes the placement and installation easier and more flexibly. PoE power is low voltage technology with a reduced safety concern. PoE security cameras are widely available in the market.
Remember to utilize pure copper Ethernet cable, Cat5e, or Cat6 or higher categories. The cable quality determines how much power and bandwidth can be remained and be received by the camera over a long run inline. Pure copper cable is able to provide a better performance and safety to connection compared to the cheaper copper clad aluminum(CCA) cables. Especially when the distance of cabling is a little bit long, pure copper cables experience a weak power and data loss inline.
Testing all the equipment and cables before actual implement also shows its significance. For those already existing devices, you only need to judge and check if they still can meet the future growing needs or their use life whether can stand for a long time. For the new devices and material, especially for cameras and cables, which will cost more time and hassle to make adjustment or changes once they are installed and set. In this way, a smooth installation is easily obtained despite wasting time to get new equipment.
Have a walk along with the routes are ready to run the cables to check if they are feasible and rational or not. You know that cabling undoubtedly is hard work due to its heavyweight and long length, which is not so easy for installers to handle. So one-time success in cabling is the basic demand. And if you go along with the planned ways for cabling, obstructions and problems can be found out, and you have enough time to seek for solutions to tackle in advance, saving frustrations caused by useless work and delayed deployment period.
Adjustment and Settings
There is a misconception that mounts the cameras on desire places and finishes the connection with other network equipment, then the system is done and start protecting properties and human safety. But the fact is that there is still a far way to the end.
To fit different applications and requirements, and the mounting environment as well, the field of view or viewing angle of the cameras should be adjusted to get optimal performance and monitoring area. It is a useful way to get the unwanted or useless parts eliminated from the monitoring area, and the recording space provided by NVR is able to be made the best use.
Some cameras support remote access, that being said, the owners can use mobile devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, PCs to view the real-time cameras anytime anywhere. To get this function, the system relies on the router to access the internet network, and generally, corresponding applications or software need to be downloaded and connected. Moreover, motion detection or person detection function is granted for a more effective recording and playback. If planning to utilize it, remember to activate this function and configure settings in line with requirements.
Advanced Protection
Stability is the top priority expectation for the video surveillance system. There are some advanced protective measures for reference. Security cameras most situations are installed outdoor, cameras should be housed well to resist water ingress, dust or dirt. As to the cables, waterproof tubes or enclosures is a fair addition to getting high reliability. Surges happen constantly, it is more dangerous in lightning weather, if budget permitting, adding surge protectors at both the camera and network ends is effective to get rid of system failure account for power surges. Moreover, don’t forget to do regular checks and maintenance in case a situation like the camera system has been stopped working suddenly but the owners have no idea until unexpected things happen that required the recorded video material to confirm.
