What do I want my security cameras to do?

ANSWER...

• Situational awareness: purchasing security cameras to stay in tune with your home or businesses surroundings
• Identifying people: at times this can be difficult to accomplish due to camera height, hoodies, ball caps and lighting
• Collecting license plates: a specific camera is used to identify license plates at entry and exits gates
• Collecting video analytics: a fast evolving part of the market currently, this works well in indoor controlled environments to count people and detect loiterers
• Alerts: different camera systems offer different alert systems; consider when and how do you want to be alerted to what is happening on your camera feed

Wired or wireless camera system?

ANSWER...
Wired solutions offer POE or “Power Over Ethernet” only one wire is required for your cameras to receive power and data.
Will record 24/7
The only downside of choosing wired solutions is that they can be more labour intensive to install.

Will my internet speed affect the quality?

ANSWER...
When asking yourself this question, consider your current internet upload speed. If you’re setting up remote viewing from your smartphone, having an internet upload speed of at least 0.5 Mbps per camera is recommended. If you’re considering Wi-Fi security cameras, you’ll need a strong signal where the camera is being installed. Wi-Fi boosters are available if required.

Do I want 24/7 recording?

ANSWER...
Most professional solutions will either provide 24/7 recording or recording based on any change in the scene being recorded. Choosing to only record clips of video and storing them online can be challenging because with outdoor cameras especially, the scene is changing often resulting in most storage being used due to wind or lighting factors. This makes video clips very difficult to review and often results in users adjusting the sensitivity to reduce the number of clips they are recording, this can result not capturing something valuable

Do I want Professionally Installed or DIY?

ANSWER...
There are definitely advantages to having your camera system professionally installed. Installing it yourself may save you money on labour costs but a professional can ensure proper placement and configuration while offering advice on how to get the most value out of your cameras!

What is my budget?

ANSWER...
Security cameras installation costs can vary widely depending on the type of camera you chose. Generally, wireless installation costs range in the low to mid-hundreds of dollars per camera. Installation prices for wired cameras vary depending on the building and cameras selected but range from the high hundreds to several thousands dollars per camera.