altworld

Hello everyone. I know almost nothing about the technical aspects of CCTV systems but I do know that I need one and am seeking to educate myself. I own a retail store (1800 sq ft 20 x 90). I would like to have 4-5 cameras with a split screen monitor. I don't need fancy bells and whistles but want a solid system (not junk). I will probably move in 3 years to a 3000 sq ft place so it needs to be not maxed out. I imagine that video tape is on the way out and digital imaging is the way to go. A local salesman has suggested a system from Canada called Secure One for $3500 installed and that seems a bit overpriced but I dont know. I was figuring to spend $1K-$2K. I need some general guidelines and a place to start because I'm not sure what questions I need to be asking. Can anyone offer some advice or a good website to educate myself on the basics, pros and cons of choosing a system? Thanks!

Thanks for the sites. I am eager to check them out. Our store is on the east coast, Baltimore. The system they proposed has 4 cameras and a 120GB hard disk, CD recorder, integrated AGP video, 10/100 adapter using motion detection and HM (MPEG-4 like proprietary to SecureOne)compression with 320 x 240 resolution.