Need help. Never bought a cctv system

[johnnylikes 0]

I am in the process of buying a liquor store, and I need a good 16 camera system that can be monitored at remote pc's and on my iPhone.

I believe I can install it myself, but have no idea of where to buy one online. I am looking for a good reputable company to deal with and there seem to be hundreds of people selling cctv systems on the internet.

 

Can anyone make suggestions on what specs I might need in the retail business? I would probably put 6 cameras outside, and 10 inside.

 

Thanks for any help you may provide.

[Ted 0]

I am in the process of buying a liquor store, and I need a good 16 camera system that can be monitored at remote pc's and on my iPhone.

I believe I can install it myself, but have no idea of where to buy one online. I am looking for a good reputable company to deal with and there seem to be hundreds of people selling cctv systems on the internet.

 

Can anyone make suggestions on what specs I might need in the retail business? I would probably put 6 cameras outside, and 10 inside.

 

Thanks for any help you may provide.

I suggest you look for a professional to do the job. I'm sure you have the ability to hook up some cameras and all but there are more parameters to have a good setup that will do a good job for you. It's a question of buying at the lowest price or lowest cost. A cheap system may get expensive in the long run as it may not function properly under certain circumstances which a professional would take into account. A system that doesn't do the job is wasted money.

[Soundy 1]

it is so strange that buyers can't find sellers , and manufacturers will not find their clients......

try this site http://great-elec.preview.alibaba.com/ , maybe it will not let you down.

Hahahah, spam fail:

Sorry, the preview page you requested cannot be displayed.

This supplier preview page is only available to the owner of this page.

 

Now then...

 

I heartily agree with Ted's suggestion... DIY is great for home setups, but in a retail situation where proper coverage and operation of your system could save you thousands of dollars, you should at least CONSULT with an experienced professional who can come *on-site* to help determine your requirements. Liquor stores especially are prime targets for shoplifting, robbery, break-ins, fraud, and yes, employee theft, so you really don't want to skimp on a security system.

 

That aside... a typical system we'd put in a liquor store would include at least two environmental domes inside the coolers (may more, depending on the layout), to watch for employee theft and accidental breakage. They need to be fully sealed, and ideally have internal heaters, to avoid fogging... having an open wire path from the camera interior out through the cooler wall is just inviting warm, moist air and thus condensation.

 

We'd have two on the paypoint from opposite angles, both to catch customers' faces and actions, and to watch transactions - these are often used in credit-card fraud cases. Megapixel cameras are particularly useful here.

 

You'll also want enough to cover all the liquor aisles and cooler doors, ideally feeding a monitor or two hanging in view of the paypoint, so counter staff can monitor activity throughout the store. Quality analog cameras with a wide view is usually sufficient for this - you want to see people slipping bottles into bags or coats, but you don't need to read the labels on the bottles. Domes are preferred because they can't be easily knocked out of whack by a clever shoplifter.

 

To get a clear facial shot of everyone entering, you want a WDR camera (or ideally, a Panasonic SuperDynamic, although those are pretty spendy) to deal with the usual harsh backlighting, with a tight shot watching customers entering the front door. We'll usually add a "customer awareness" monitor facing the front door, and displaying the front-door camera, so customers entering can see immediately that they're on camera and that the camera has a clear shot of their faces.

 

Alternately (or better, in addition) to the standard entry shot, you could put one on the exit to catch faces when people are leaving. The height-strip cameras are good for this (this is one example, there are many others out there) - for one, shady characters are usually well aware of entrance cameras and often wear a hat or hoodie and keep their heads down to hide from them... but the height-strip cameras are face-level and covert, so it gets a straight-on facial shot that they won't be trying to hide from. Most are angled or adjustable, so you can also angle the height strip for better viewing from the counter.

 

Most of our liquor stores also have a camera in the office - again, just in case of employee theft. We've also installed the odd covert camera directly over the paypoint drawer for employee skimming, and in one case, over the drop safe to catch an employee who was fishing moneybags out with a coat hanger.

 

Now here's the thing: depending on the size of the store, you PROBABLY don't need a full 16 cameras. Most of ours make do with 8-10 (we've even got combined liquor store/pub systems coming in at under 16 cameras, with full coverage). The key, again, is defining the proper locations, and spec'ing the proper cameras for each location, rather that just running out and buying a bunch of gear and tossing cameras willy-nilly all over the place. That's something a professional can help you with, and potentially save you money.

[johnnylikes 0]

Matt,

 

Man I wish you did work in Arkansas! Thanks for your detailed explanation. I know that took more than a few minutes, and I appreciate your suggestions.

 

That's the kind of advice I can't really get locally, as we don't have high quality installers in the area, as I live in a relatively small town. They could run the cameras, but the suggestions you made would be well above their level of expertise. Most people around here buy and install their own systems, and most of the cameras are the same. I knew that wasn't the best way to go.

 

I assume BC stands for British Columbia. I don't know if you ship down here, but I wouldn't mind talking with you if you think its feasable to be able to make suggestions from photos I could send you of the site and the layout for a system. I can always find someone to run cable, but this is the kind of info I need.

 

Thanks!

[AlwaysSecure 0]

Setting up a generic camera is one thing, but if you want to add bells and whistles, your best bet is to go to a professional. Now, if you're worried about the cost of purchase and set up, you can probably set up a payment plan seeing as you're a reputable business.

If your store is doing well, then you shouldn't have an issue replenishing your funds. How many cameras do you actually want to set up? I know that some liquor stores have about 2 or 3.

[Sawbones 0]

I'll endorse everything Soundy just said... and I'm a DIY guy.

 

Part of the expertise you're paying for in an experienced CCTV installer is anticipating lighting conditions, the proper level of detail, the right angle, the right lenses, the right form factor, the best way to run the cables...

 

That kind of expertise can't be taught easily... it comes from experience.

 

You're going to be a target for all sorts of theft, robbery, etc... so it's probably worth it to consult a professional.

[Campbell 0]

I have 2 suggestions. Dependent on your IT know how.

 

You could run with some IP megapixel cameras (this is my preferred option). You'll need less of them to cover the same area that you would compared with standard analogs and it will require less cabling. The resolution is much better for the megapixels. This would require you to invest in some software (Geovision, NUUO etc) but in my opinion is far better than using a bunch of crap analogs. You would also need to know some basic networking. Additionally, its more futureproof than a 16 camera dvr coax system. Let's face it, why shouldnt you get the same detail out of your surveillance cameras that you can get out of your mobile phone?

 

Alternatively, you can stick with the analog system. This may end up being a cheaper solution, again you'd still need to invest in some software but also a DVR card as well.

 

As someone said before me. You can have a much more effective surveillance set up with the cameras positioned in the right places. Things to look for are light sources (flood lights, sun etc) main passages of traffic. Remember that you don't need to see every inch of floor from every direction.

 

One thing I would make sure of in a retail environment is to have a camera directly above your register and in your store rooms. This will help deter some dishonest employees from helping themselves to your takings and stock.

 

If you need any further advice, feel free to PM mate.