Help with restaurant security

[chefstable 0]

Hey everyone, first time poster here.

 

I own and operate a restaurant in downtown Fairfield Connecticut called The Chef's Table. We have a smaller location on the Fairfield University Campus. Currently at our main location I have a decent 8 camera DVR security system setup. I can connect to it through my phone and watch from home, it's helped me catch thieves and bad employees numerous times.

 

I'm currently on a quest to install a camera in our smaller location at the University. It's quite small and located in the library. We don't have a computer set up there currently. Does anyone have a suggestions as to what type of system I should be looking for? I would like to be able to access the video feed from the main store which is 15 minutes away, however I would like to avoid installing a new DVR and network since there will only be one camera.

 

Maybe I'm looking for a solution that does not exist but I would love to hear some options/ideas you guys have. Thank you again!

 

-Dave

[GMaster1 0]

If you're looking at only one camera, I'd get an H.264 compatible IP camera and have it stream to the main restaurant. You mentioned you don't want a DVR--that's perfectly fine. However, you will need some type of network access in order to access the cams remotely.

[Kawboy12R 0]

You'll definitely need internet access there to be able to access the video from another location, but you could get by with no dvr by getting, say, an IP cam with SD card storage. Axis P33 cams (not the P3301 or P3304 models though) will do this. Stick an SD card (up to 64 gig) in the camera for storage, plug the cam into your router (with a PoE injector), and then you've got remote access and viewing (use low resolution if you don't have unlimited bandwidth internet accounts) plus higher quality local storage. You'll probably want network storage (a HD shared somehow on the network) for greater storage capacity though. Even a small NAS like the Synology DS112j will handle storage and camera duties for a single network camera for a low price. Just plug it into your router, set it and the camera up with a laptop, then take the laptop with you. The smallest setup would be a cam with SD card hooked to a router (with PoE injector to power the PoE camera) and cable modem stuck in a cabinet somewhere. Add a NAS to the cabinet for more storage. Skimp on storage partially or completely if you have enough bandwidth to stream everything to your remote location and will be recording there instead (no local NAS or onboard SD card). That'll allow the use of a much cheaper network camera.

 

If you just want to be able to see if your employees are goofing off or stealing from the till though, it'd probably be cheaper to just add a cheap DVR and one or two analog cameras. The DVR won't take up much more room than a NAS and analog cameras are much cheaper than higher-end network cameras with some of the features you'll probably want. You'll need at least SOME locked (and preferably vented) cabinet space to secure a cable modem and router whichever way you want to go. Analog will give you enough detail to tell if employees are stuffing their pockets or leaning instead of cleaning.

 

If you are REALLY stuck for space and can't/won't get a good highspeed internet account there, any old network camera with onboard storage would work for complaints or occasional video checking. The camera would simply have to be mounted with power going to it. Have some spare SD cards floating around and swap them when you go to visit. Pop the full one in your pocket and watch it later. Definitely not realtime evidence and it probably wouldn't be my first choice but it eliminates the need for a DVR, internet bill, router, modem, wiring, etc.

[blakem 0]

I also agree an SD card or NAS might be your best bet since you don't have internet. If you did stream to an offsite recorder, I would think you still need some local storage for when the connection is lost from time to time. Either way I know when I cooked at a restaurant that had cameras everywhere I was conscious of it and probably worked harder as a result. So even if you don't review the footage every day I think the presence of a camera goes a long way as a deterent.