How to Install a Surveillance System

Plan out your surveillance system. The most important options are what kind of equipment you will need. This is going to depend on how much surveillance you will need, where you are recording and what you plan to tape. If you are planning to use the cameras in a business, you will probably want a few cameras to record the doors, employees and the cash register. However, if you are taping in your home, depending on what you are looking for, you may only need one camera. Also, in some situations it will be beneficial to have cameras with special features in them, depending on where you are filming and if you will like to record sounds.

Choose your cameras. Whether it is only one camera or many, you will need to know what kind you will be looking for. There are many cameras in different shapes and sizes. Some cameras have the ability to record in darkness or low light, while others are meant for lighted areas only. There are also cameras that have built-in microphones to capture voices and sounds, while you will have no sound with other cameras. There are also hidden cameras, most commonly used in the home.

Choose your recording setup. You will also have to choose whether or not you will use DVR or VCR recording. DVR is digital recording, it includes a better image, and you can rewind and fast forward. You can also rewind and fast forward VCR recordings, but you will need to purchase tapes, and the video quality is not as great. You may also choose to have a closed-circuit television, or CCTV. A CCTV broadcasts the recording directly to a TV. Otherwise, without a television, you can setup the recording to be viewed at a later time in a television of your choice.

Set up your location. . Now that you have chosen the right system for you, and you know the specifics of the equipment, you can setup. Keep in mind the options you have chosen in your equipment when you think about placement. Whether your camera is hidden or not, of course, you will want your cameras to face the area you want to record. If your camera has a microphone, make sure that it is set up to the manufacturer's instructions. The different kinds of DVRs, VCRs, and TVs or CCTVs, are set up differently depending on the manufacturer. Use their instructions to set up your system. Make sure to test out your system before use.