When searching for a security system, many companies will give you a single option for your system. Sometimes this means you’ll end up with a relatively cheap system, but it won’t perform the way you had hoped. Other times, you’ll be proposed with a system that far exceeds your budget but promises high tech, high end execution. Neither of these are great solutions, which is why we pride ourselves on listening to each of our clients’ needs, budgets, and expectations, and providing them with a few options to choose from. But why is one system with 20 surveillance cameras twice as expensive as another system with the same amount of cameras?
The shortest answer to this question is processing power. If you’re looking for a camera system which will record twenty (20) 10-megapixel cameras for 90 days, its going to take a lot of hard drive space and processing power to keep those cameras stable and recording. So in order to house all of those high resolution cameras, we’ll need to provide you with a server that can handle them.
Analog Vs. Megapixel Surveillance Image
On the other hand, if you need a camera system but don’t necessarily need to be able to read the name tag of every person who walks through your front door, a 2 or 3 megapixel camera system would suffice. For these systems, the lower resolution (which is still about 20x higher than many aging analog video surveillance systems) requires less processing power and less hard drive space to record for 90 days simply because there is less data to be collected. (less pixels, less data, less processing power!)
Another factor taken into consideration is how often the cameras will be recording. 9 out of 10 clients only need to record on motion. By that we mean that the cameras will only record if motion is triggered in the scene. (i.e. if someone walks through a room, if a car pulls into a driveway, etc.) Some cameras will always see more motion than others. A camera installed at a 24 hour facility like an airport or a hospital will see movement almost constantly, but a camera installed in an office facility which is only open from 9 until 5 Monday through Friday will generally only see motion during those hours. This means that the cameras in offices and less-busy areas will take up less recording space than others, which means less processing power is needed.
Expandability is another important factor in deciding which type of security system is the right fit for your company. While some video recorders come with a set number of channels not to be exceeded, we also have the capability to build our own recording servers which can be easily expanded to hold a virtually unlimited number of cameras.
So, when you’re looking to get a camera system installed at your business (or home), keep in mind that all these factors play crucial parts in deciding which type of system would be the best fit for your needs, budget, and security standards. Not sure which type of system might fit your budget? Call us today to talk for free about options, and set up a meeting with one of our sales representatives. We’ll come out to your business, survey your site, talk about what you want in a security system, and provide you with a few options.