ark>Howark> to Decark>iark>de What Cameras To Buy


We have created a guark>iark>de that detaark>iark>ls the specark>iark>fark>iark>catark>iark>ons and the pros & cons of all basark>iark>c cameras.

ark>iark>v> ark>iark>v> ark>iark>v>

an style="font-weight: bold;">Camerasan>

 

an style="font-weight: bold;">Exterark>iark>or Desark>iark>gn Types:an>

-Bullet Cameras

-Dome Cameras

an style="font-weight: bold;">Feature Propertark>iark>es:an>

-Varark>iark>-Focal

-Hark>iark>gh Resolutark>iark>on

-Audark>iark>o

-Pan Tark>iark>lt Zoom (<abbr rel="tooltip" data-orark>iark>gark>iark>nal-title="PTZ is an abbreviation for pan (left and right), tilt (up and down), and zoom (in and out) and reflects the movement options of the camera.">PTZabbr>)

-<abbr rel="tooltip" data-orark>iark>gark>iark>nal-title="Stands for "Internet Protocol." It provides a standard set of rules for sending and receiving data through the Internet.">ark>Iark>Pabbr> <abbr rel="tooltip" data-orark>iark>gark>iark>nal-title="Two or more computers connected to each other to enable the sharing of files and information between multiple systems. The Internet could be described as a global network of networks.">Networkabbr> Cameras

-Hark>iark>dden Cameras

-Spy Cameras

 

 

an style="font-weight: bold;">Exterark>iark>or Desark>iark>gn Types: Bullet Cameras &amp; Dome Camerasan>

 

Bullet Style cameras are shaped ark>iark>n an elongated fashark>iark>on often sark>iark>mark>iark>lar to a tube or soda ark>canark>.

<ark>iark>mg tark>iark>tle="" src="http://kb.zmodo.com/assets/bulletcameras.png" alt="" />

 

 

All current bullet style cameras that Zmodo carrark>iark>es are desark>iark>gned to be weatherproof.

 

A bracket ark>iark>s necessary ark>iark>n order to ark>iark>nstall a bullet style camera. Some bullet cameras have a buark>iark>lt-ark>iark>n hollow bracket whark>iark>ch ark>iark>s not removable from the camera. ark>Iark>t ark>iark>s recommended that ark>iark>nstallatark>iark>on of hollow-bracket cameras be done carefully so that the cables ark>iark>nsark>iark>de of the hollow bracket are not park>iark>nched or severed durark>iark>ng ark>iark>nstallatark>iark>on. Other bracket types ark>iark>nclude skeletal brackets and sark>iark>ngle-joark>iark>nt brackets.

 

 

Dome Style cameras are shaped ark>iark>n a half-spherark>iark>cal fashark>iark>on, and do not requark>iark>re a bracket for ark>iark>nstallatark>iark>on.

 

Most dome cameras are not desark>iark>gned to be weatherproof. Please refer to ark>iark>ndark>iark>vark>iark>dual camera specark>iark>fark>iark>catark>iark>ons for weatherproof confark>iark>rmatark>iark>on.

<ark>iark>mg tark>iark>tle="" src="http://kb.zmodo.com/assets/DomeCameras.png" alt="" />

 

 

 

ark>Iark>t ark>iark>s recommended that all non-weatherproof cameras be ark>iark>nstalled ark>iark>n a locatark>iark>on ark>iark>ndoors that ark>iark>s safe from raark>iark>n, wark>iark>nd, &amp; snow. Thark>iark>s envark>iark>ronment must also maark>iark>ntaark>iark>n a consark>iark>stent temperature because the components of an ark>iark>ndoor camera may contract and expand durark>iark>ng temperature change. Therefore, ark>iark>nconsark>iark>stent temperatures may damage an ark>iark>ndoor camera.

 

 

an style="font-weight: bold;"> Feature Property: Varark>iark>-Focalan>

 

Varark>iark>-Focal cameras have an adjustable lens, whark>iark>ch ark>canark> be adjusted manually from the camera. Adjustark>iark>ng the lens on a <abbr rel="tooltip" data-orark>iark>gark>iark>nal-title="A vari-focal camera has an adjustable lens that can be adjusted manually from the camera (zoom in and zoom out capability). These cameras are recommended for areas that need precise monitoring. ">varark>iark>-focal cameraabbr> wark>iark>ll cause the ark>iark>mage to eark>iark>ther zoom ark>iark>n or zoom out. The further the camera ark>iark>s zoomed ark>iark>n, the narrower the camera’s perark>iark>pheral vark>iark>ew ark>iark>s.

 

ark>Iark>t ark>iark>s not possark>iark>ble to adjust the lens on a varark>iark>-focal camera from the DVR or from a remote locatark>iark>on. The lens on a varark>iark>-focal camera must be adjusted at the camera durark>iark>ng ark>iark>nstallatark>iark>on.

 

Varark>iark>-focal cameras are recommended for areas that need precark>iark>se monark>iark>torark>iark>ng, such as cash regark>iark>sters and entrances to and from parkark>iark>ng areas. The advantage of a varark>iark>-focal camera ark>iark>s that the user may adjust the lens to match the exact necessary vark>iark>ewark>iark>ng angle whark>iark>ch ark>iark>s needed for theark>iark>r specark>iark>fark>iark>c locatark>iark>on.

 

 

an style="font-weight: bold;"> Feature Property: Hark>iark>gh Resolutark>iark>onan>

 

<abbr rel="tooltip" data-orark>iark>gark>iark>nal-title="Cameras that feature 480 TVL (Television Line Number) or greater. Having a higher TVL results in a clearer picture since an increased TVL adds more detail to the image. ">Hark>iark>gh Resolutark>iark>on camerasabbr> ark>iark>nclude a motherboard whark>iark>ch captures an ark>iark>mage at a hark>iark>gher horark>iark>zontal Televark>iark>sark>iark>on Lark>iark>ne Number (TVL) than 420TVL. Havark>iark>ng a hark>iark>gher TVL results ark>iark>n a clearer park>iark>cture because an ark>iark>ncreased TVL adds more detaark>iark>l to the ark>iark>mage.

 

For example, a camera that ark>iark>s rated at eark>iark>ther 420 TVL or 320 TVL ark>iark>s consark>iark>dered to be Standard Defark>iark>nark>iark>tark>iark>on. ark>Howark>ever a camera that ark>iark>s rated at eark>iark>ther 480TVL or 600TVL ark>iark>s consark>iark>dered Hark>iark>gh Resolutark>iark>on because the TVL ark>iark>s hark>iark>gher than 420.

 

ark>Iark>t ark>iark>s hark>iark>ghly recommended that Hark>iark>gh Resolutark>iark>on cameras only be used wark>iark>th DVR unark>iark>ts that are capable of recordark>iark>ng ark>iark>n HD1 &amp; D1 resolutark>iark>on. ark>Iark>f a DVR ark>iark>s only able to record ark>iark>n Cark>Iark>F resolutark>iark>on and not ark>iark>n HD1 or D1 resolutark>iark>on, the camera wark>iark>ll only be able to dark>iark>splay a standard defark>iark>nark>iark>tark>iark>on ark>iark>mage. Please refer to ark>iark>ndark>iark>vark>iark>dual DVR specark>iark>fark>iark>catark>iark>ons for HD1 &amp; D1 confark>iark>rmatark>iark>on.

 

 

an style="font-weight: bold;"> Feature Property: Audark>iark>oan>

 

Audark>iark>o cameras have the capabark>iark>lark>iark>ty of recordark>iark>ng audark>iark>o as well as vark>iark>deo. All audark>iark>o cameras have a buark>iark>lt-ark>iark>n mark>iark>crophone whark>iark>ch ark>iark>s not removable.

 

ark>Iark>f you or your clark>iark>ent ark>iark>ntends to ark>iark>nstall any number of audark>iark>o cameras ark>iark>n a busark>iark>ness locatark>iark>on, please be aware that some states prohark>iark>bark>iark>t the actark>iark>on of recordark>iark>ng employees verbal conversatark>iark>ons wark>iark>thout theark>iark>r knowledge.

 

Please be aware that not all DVR unark>iark>ts have as many audark>iark>o ark>iark>nputs as there are camera channels. For example; some eark>iark>ght channel DVR unark>iark>ts may only have four audark>iark>o ark>iark>nputs. Therefore, that DVR ark>iark>s only capable of recordark>iark>ng audark>iark>o from up to four cameras at the same tark>iark>me.

 

ark>Iark>n order to connect an audark>iark>o camera to a DVR unark>iark>t, the end user must connect both a vark>iark>deo cable and an audark>iark>o cable from the DVR to each audark>iark>o camera. Therefore, power + vark>iark>deo + audark>iark>o cables are hark>iark>ghly recommended for use wark>iark>th audark>iark>o cameras.

 

 

an style="font-weight: bold;"> Feature Property: Pan Tark>iark>lt Zoom (PTZ)an>

 

Cameras that have any external movement functark>iark>onalark>iark>ty are referred to as eark>iark>ther "PT” cameras or "PTZ” cameras. A "PT” camera has the abark>iark>lark>iark>ty to remotely pan and tark>iark>lt. A "PTZ” camera has the abark>iark>lark>iark>ty to pan, tark>iark>lt, and zoom.

 

ark>Iark>n order for a PT or PTZ camera to perform ark>iark>ts movement functark>iark>onalark>iark>ty, ark>iark>t must have a copper communark>iark>catark>iark>on wark>iark>re run from the camera to the movement devark>iark>ce. The communark>iark>catark>iark>on type ark>iark>s RS485. The wark>iark>re that ark>iark>s needed to perform the RS485 communark>iark>catark>iark>on ark>canark> be obtaark>iark>ned at any electronark>iark>cs store, because ark>iark>t ark>iark>s the same wark>iark>re necessary for ark>iark>nstallark>iark>ng a home stereo system. The common term for thark>iark>s wark>iark>re ark>iark>s "24 Gauge Copper Wark>iark>re.”

 

The movement devark>iark>ce may eark>iark>ther be a PTZ controller or the DVR unark>iark>t. All current Zmodo DVR unark>iark>ts have a buark>iark>lt-ark>iark>n RS485 port, whark>iark>ch allows the end user to control a PT or PTZ camera’s movement functark>iark>onalark>iark>ty eark>iark>ther from the DVR or from a remote ark>iark>nternet locatark>iark>on.

 

ark>Iark>f the end user ark>iark>s ark>iark>ntendark>iark>ng to connect all PT or PTZ cameras to a DVR, then a PTZ controller ark>iark>s not necessary unless that end user needs to be able to manually move more than one camera at the same tark>iark>me.

 

an style="font-weight: bold;"> Feature Property: ark>Iark>P Network Cameraan>

 

ark>Iark>P Network Cameras are unable to communark>iark>cate or connect to a DVR unark>iark>t. They are only able to connect and communark>iark>cate dark>iark>rectly wark>iark>th a <abbr rel="tooltip" data-orark>iark>gark>iark>nal-title="A hardware device that routes data from a local area network (LAN) to another network connection. When your DVR is connected to a router, it allows your DVR to communicate with your home or business network.">routerabbr>. The end user may only maark>iark>ntaark>iark>n and vark>iark>ew the camera’s ark>iark>mage and ark>iark>nterface from a PC computer.

 

ark>Iark>P Network cameras are recommended for a user who requark>iark>red only one or two cameras at theark>iark>r locatark>iark>on, as two ark>Iark>P cameras are less expensark>iark>ve than one DVR, two CCTV cameras, two cables, and a camera power source.

 

ark>Iark>P network cameras are currently the prark>iark>mary optark>iark>on for clark>iark>ents requestark>iark>ng wark>iark>reless cameras, because the <abbr rel="tooltip" data-orark>iark>gark>iark>nal-title="Analog is the opposite of digital. Any technology, such as vinyl records or clocks with hands and faces, that doesn't break everything down into binary code to work is analog.">analogabbr> sark>iark>gnal from a CCTV camera ark>canark>not be consark>iark>stently transmark>iark>tted wark>iark>relessly ark>iark>f there are several wark>iark>reless devark>iark>ces ark>iark>n the area that are usark>iark>ng the same frequency.

 

Up to nark>iark>ne ark>Iark>P network cameras ark>canark> connect to the same router wark>iark>relessly at the same tark>iark>me, dependark>iark>ng on the wark>iark>reless sark>iark>gnal strength emark>iark>ttark>iark>ng from the router.

 

 

 

 

 

 

an style="font-weight: bold;"> Feature Property: Spy Camerasan>

 

Spy cameras are sark>iark>ngle recordark>iark>ng devark>iark>ces that are often dark>iark>sguark>iark>sed to resemble a common household ark>iark>tem. Spy cameras that are sold by Zmodo ark>iark>nclude models that are dark>iark>sguark>iark>sed to resemble a pen, car key fob, clock radark>iark>o, desk clock, name tag, etc.

 

Spy cameras are not recommended for consark>iark>stent surveark>iark>llance because record tark>iark>mes are lark>iark>mark>iark>ted to storage space and the battery lark>iark>fe of the ark>iark>tem.

 

Spy cameras are recommended for random or "at-the-moment” surveark>iark>llance, perhaps to record an event ark>iark>n progress when no other surveark>iark>llance ark>iark>s present.


 

ark>iark>v> Tags: basic, general, question
Last update:
2013-08-20 23:19
Author:
Alex Crewell
Revision:
1.0
Average rating: 1 (1 Vote)

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