Help, Selecting the Right Cameras for our Store?

[Noel 0]

I just recently found this wonderful forum and first of all want to thank all of you fine folks for sharing your knowledge, bravo!

 

I have been assigned the duty of researching our new security camera system. This is a retail store and we are moving into 30x100 foot building with 10 foot ceilings. We figure that we need at least 3 outside cameras and 6 indoor cameras. The cameras over the 2 cash registers are high priority. In these locations we want to capture any possible slight-of-hand. We want night vision inside and out, and would like to able to see the length of the 100 foot parking lot. At night we have limited lighting in the parking lot. The system will be PC based using GeoVision GV-1480.

 

I have been all over the Internet studying the various security cameras and I am a bit overwhelmed over which cameras to select. The following cameras are being considered, I'm I on the right track? Or should I be considering higher quality?

 

The descriptions and prices came from WorldEyeCam,com and

cctvspecialty.com.

 

AccuDome WACD-400IR Color Infrared Indoor Dome Security

Camera, 6mm fixed lens, 60 feet night, 480 Lines resolution. (vari-

focal and night lens not avalible in Dome, but 6mm lens should give

good view of register detail.)

 

or

 

This Sony CCD Day/Night Camera has over 480 Lines of High

Resolution Color- in the evening "flips" to black and white and

infrared providing allowing you to see your subject in complete

darkness. The 12 Infrared LEDs will allow you to see up to 30 feet in

complete darkness. High Resolution clear picture in day with Sony CCD

and excellent for dark indoor applications where night vision is

crucial. 3.6mm lens

 

For each cash-register camera we figured a higher quality Low Lux model with Vari-focal lens, such as the following.

 

Color Dome 1/3" CCD w/ Varifocal 4~8mm Auto Iris Lens

[edit by mod-link removed]

 

Bullet Camera - Outdoor

 

Video Analytics WISC-P600X Ex-View Color Security Camera

1/3" Sony EX-VIEW High Resolution Day/Night Filter 30 Infrared LEDs

This camera features a 1/3" Sony Ex-View CCD, 480 line Color, 520 line

B/W, True Day/Night switching with filter exchange, IP67 Waterproof

rating, 30 Infrared LED for up to 100 feet visibility in complete

darkness.

 

or

 

Color Sony Super HAD Camera, 520 Lines,

Mechanical Day/Night Varifocal Auto Iris Camera (KPC-N600)

The N600H has integrated the top grade High Resolution Sony 1/3â€

[VST_Man 1]

- look into POS for the cashregisters. basically takes the text output on overlays it onto the video showing every transaction on the register as it happens.....slight of hand is hand to catch on pros these days.

- consider seperating IR from camera's if your budget allows. combined IR and camera's are ok but after time they are harder and more expensive to operate. spiders love the IR and will keep you cleaning them and IR never outlives the camera and your LED's will one day die and then your camera night capability over.

- consider augementing camera's with lighting. less assel and easier in the long run. motion or constant.

- consider and install hidden camera's; set up your potiental "customers" as they will see the obvious camera's and go inbetween isles or place they can stuff the goods.........hide the camera's in those places and you'll be amazed at what you see.

[edit by mod - they appreciate the plug but please keep it on topic]

- if you decide to get seperate IR, make sure it is 12vdc as you can power over the siamese cable. and, if you need 100ft of IR buy twice that as IR specs are always 1/2 of what they sell.

- 10ft. ceiling will require varifocal lenses and/or lower installation of camera's.

- consider hiding the video storage of your system as the theif will take the DVR if he finds it. Setting up a "fake" DVR is as simple as hiding the real and getting a older junk DVR that you just connect cables to and push the power button.secure the cables from sight. put a junk monitor ontop of it.does not have to work as it will look good enough to steal when in a hurry. hidining the video storage can also be done via USB hard drives.if GEO is capable of this? Just extend the USB hard drive to the end of a 15ft. ACTIVE USB cable, in a desk drawer, wall, closet, ect.

 

and buy a gun, practice shooting it. have a nice day