Remotely Monitored CCTV

Prevention is better than cure…….

When specifying security requirements it is valuable to look in terms of layers. Protecting the building with an alarm comes first. The second line of defence is the area between the perimeter and the building (e.g. the garden) and then the final area to protect is the perimeter itself.

At ESI we are finding that CCTV is being chosen by more and more private home-owners to provide an effective level of external security; protecting property before intruders reach the building.

The reason for this increase is, at least in part, down to massive leaps in technology over the last few years. For some time clients have been asking to look at the images from their CCTV cameras on their computer or smart phone. In fact the new technology gives even greater control, and the success of products such as the i-Pad mean the facilities available are better than ever. It is easy to take control of the cameras and look around the site and review footage of past events. Search facilities make this far easier than in the past with events time & date stamped in the log. We recommend the Smartdisc range of DVRs for sites connected to a monitoring station – the CamControl app is an excellent free tool to use with these DVR*s. If you just want to check your cameras yourself we recommend the Inspire range of DVRs. The vMEYE app is also free and very easy to use with these DVRs.
*Digital Video Recorder

Cameras are also seeing some great developments in technology which are becoming available to the general market. The Cmor dome made by Videoswitch has integrated IR* lighting, removing the need for separate lighting.
*Infrared

Many of our clients also choose to have their CCTV system monitored 24/7 by a professional monitoring station.When the system is armed motion detectors will send a signal to the monitoring station who will then log-in and view the CCTV. If intruders are spotted a live audio warning is usually all that is needed to scare them away. For example the monitoring station received an activation at 1am from a private home in Cheshire. They saw two men in the rear garden – an announcement of “this is private property, please can the two men leave the premises” resulted in a rapid sprint over the back fence!

When it comes to cameras mountings, what suits an industrial site isn’t appropriate for a domestic site! At Electronic Security Installations we work closely with the client to find a suitable solution.

Finally, what about Privacy? Rest assured if your system is unset then signals will not be sent to the monitoring station. We understand that your privacy is paramount.

Want to find out more? Please fill in the contact form or call us free on 0800 082 5500 for a chat about your requirements.