A lot of Colorado Springs business owners ask us what small business security camera system is best for their company. Security cameras vary greatly in terms of features, and that can make choosing the best cameras for your business a difficult task. The reason for such a large variety of features is because modern surveillance systems for businesses are built to meet certain, specific needs.
In this post, we’ll briefly explain 5 things you need to consider to ensure you get the best small business security camera system for your Colorado Springs company or organization.
1. Indoor vs Outdoor Security Camera Systems
The primary distinction between an indoor and outdoor small business security camera system is the types of external factors each camera has to be able to withstand.
Indoor cameras can be smaller, more lightweight and are usually less intrusive than bulkier outdoor cameras. An indoor security camera cannot be used outside because it is not weatherproof.
An outdoor small business security camera system has to resist a wide range of outdoor weather conditions. The cameras and wiring are waterproof and tamper-resistant. Colorado is famous for brutal winter storms, so depending on your requirements, an outdoor surveillance camera may even need a heater.
2. High-Definition
As the name suggests, high-definition security cameras can record video in 720p, 1080p or better definition. High definition cameras worked best with wired camera systems and higher-capacity Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) or Network Video Recorders (NVRs).
Many business owners want high-definition cameras because they need to see the details of what is happening in the surveillance videos. For example, if you need to positively identify faces in your security videos then you need to look into higher quality cameras and recording devices.
Many small business security camera systems available at retail stores like Costco or Home Depot claim to offer high resolution but figuring out what clarity you are actually getting can be confusing. If you want surveillance videos with very high resolution and clarity then we recommend you speak with a security camera expert to match your needs with the right equipment.
Further Reading: Installing Costco Security Cameras – What You Need To Know
3. Bullet vs Dome Cameras
When researching small business security camera systems you will frequently come across the terms “bullet security camera” and “dome security camera.” Both are designed for surveillance but the design of each is specialized.
Bullet cameras are typically used for long-range surveillance where video is needed far away from the physical location of the camera, such as in long hallways and parking lots. Bullet cameras are tube-shaped and point in the direction of the surveillance requirement.
Dome cameras are used for short-range where video surveillance is needed close up. Dome cameras are often wide-angle to monitor a large area that is close to the physical placement of the camera and are commonly used in retail areas and indoor storage rooms.
4. Wired vs Wireless
Small business security camera systems need to communicate with a video recorder which is usually centrally located in a secure location. Wireless cameras connect over wi-fi to record your security camera video footage. Wired security camera systems connect using coax cables to the recording device. Wired vs wireless cameras is a large topic that we will cover in a future blog. For this post, here are the key features and benefits of each type of camera to recorder connection solutions.
Wireless Small Business Security Camera Systems
Simple and cheaper installation is the primary advantage of wireless security camera systems. You need to provide wifi but there is no need to purchase, install and protect wires. The second key benefit of wifi cameras is that placement of the camera is flexible and possible where a wire is just not feasible, for instance outside on a pole or in a tree. Wireless systems are also easy to take down if you need a temporary solution (such as a rental property).
Wired Security Camera Systems
Reliability and performance are the main reasons business owners choose wired security camera systems. Unlike wifi, wired connections are not susceptible to wifi signal interference or outages. Wired solutions can be larger with more cameras and more features than wifi. If you want high-definition video footage from multiple locations then wired is the way to go. Naturally, since wired systems require the purchase and installation of physical cables the cost of wired systems is higher than wireless solutions.
At System Links, we almost always recommend a wired small business security camera system for office, warehouse, apartment, retail and home surveillance systems.
5. Night Vision
What are the lighting conditions of your surveillance requirement? Do you have indoor rooms that need to be monitored even if the lights are off? Do you need to monitor outdoor areas at night? If so, then you will need to consider night vision cameras.
Night vision security cameras are equipped with infrared (IR) illuminators that light up the area to be surveilled with invisible IR light. This enables the IR cameras to literally see in the dark and capture the video you need.
Night vision surveillance equipment comes in many different levels of capability and quality. For example, if the area you need to monitor has varying levels of light and dark, you should consider systems with “Smart IR,” which is a technology that adjusts IR brightness to accommodate varying levels of light. This is just one example of many options to consider in night vision camera systems.
Conclusion
There are many things to consider when choosing a small business security camera system. In this post, we just explored 5 of the key considerations for choosing a security camera system for your company. There are all sorts of security camera elements that you may have never heard or thought about before. System Links recommends that you speak with our security camera experts to help you determine the best security camera for your business needs. We offer free consultations, site visits and quotes to Colorado Springs area businesses that are researching security camera solutions.
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