Video surveillance: useful tips and mistakes to avoid

by Get Stealth Chicago Stealth Security & Home Theatre Systems, Inc

Where to put the cameras for video surveillance

When planning the placement of video surveillance cameras, there are many factors to consider during installation. The purpose of surveillance determines not only the type of camera that is to be used, but also where it is to be placed.

For example, if facial recognition is part of one of the goals, placing cameras too angled can frustrate efforts. Or if you want to check the quality of some objects, the right lighting will be vital, and you will have to avoid backlight problems.

Most common issues

To obtain a useful image, it is not enough to point a camera in the desired direction. Angles, reflections, dead zones and the zoom factor, lighting, backlighting, excessive direct light, are all elements to consider; if you are using wireless PTZ cameras (i.e. with the ability to move horizontally, vertically and zoom), conditions may be optimal for some shots and useless for others.

If the exterior of a building needs to be monitored, the location can be more or less affected by direct sunlight. Place the camera where sunlight has the least impact. It must never be facing the sun, as this “blinds” the camera and could reduce the performance of the image sensor, and it must be considered that as the seasons change, the position of the sun also changes.

Even inside homes, sunlight can be a problem, and you must also be careful of any very strong reflections in the direction of the camera, which could make shooting useless.

Also avoid the backlight

This problem generally occurs when trying to shoot an object in front of a window. It is then necessary to position the camera again, sometimes a small movement is sufficient, or possibly intervene in order to partially block the light source. If proper camera placement is not really possible, add front lighting. Also consider the fact that backlit scenarios are better handled by cameras with support for Wide Dynamic Range.

Forbidden to touch

Camera placement is also an important factor against vandalism. Where possible, the camera should be out of range, on high walls or on the ceiling; in this way you will avoid many sudden attacks, especially impromptu ones. Obviously the viewing angle could be affected, so in some cases you will have to make a compromise: it is better to sacrifice the security of the camera itself than the success of the video surveillance.

Many of the rascals caught on the cameras later claimed that they hadn't noticed the video surveillance , and that they had known they would not have committed the crime. So putting the devices in plain sight works well as a deterrent, the bad guys may desist from taking action. So hidden cameras only if really necessary.

Bureaucracy is also very important

A very important phase of the video surveillance security camera systems in Chicago, even prior to the system design one, consists in the evaluation, together with the customer, of all the regulatory aspects related to video surveillance. This moment is fundamental, as any infringement of United State.