A good CCTV system is not about buying the most cameras - it is about covering the right points. Here is how we plan installations for shops, offices and homes.
Step 1: Identify the key points
Walk around your property and mark:
- Every entry and exit (main door, back door, gate)
- The billing counter or cash area
- Stock room or store area
- Parking and outside approach
For most small shops this works out to 4 cameras. A typical home needs 2-4.
Step 2: Choose the camera type
| Type | Best for |
|---|---|
| Dome | Indoors - discreet, wide coverage |
| Bullet | Outdoors - long range, visible deterrent |
| IP camera | Higher detail, remote access, larger sites |
Step 3: Do not ignore night vision
Most incidents happen at night. Check the infrared range - a camera with 20m IR is far more useful than extra megapixels you will never notice.
Step 4: Plan your recording storage
This is where people under-spend. Storage decides how many days of footage you keep. As a rough guide, a 2TB surveillance hard disk holds roughly 20-30 days for a 4-camera setup at normal settings.
Use a surveillance-grade hard disk (such as WD Purple or Seagate SkyHawk). Normal desktop drives are not built to write 24/7 and fail much sooner.
Step 5: Mobile viewing
Make sure the installer sets up phone viewing and shows you how to use it. Being able to check your shop from anywhere is the feature customers value most.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Cameras pointed at bright light or windows - faces become silhouettes
- Mounting too high - you see the top of heads, not faces
- Cheap cables that fail within a year
- No storage plan - footage overwritten before you need it
- Nobody knows the password when footage is needed
Want it planned properly?
Sun G Computers does a free site survey in Vijayawada - we walk your property, recommend the right number of cameras honestly, and quote before any work. We also supply surveillance hard disks and repair existing CCTV systems.