Surveillance Video Equipment - additional options

Along with your surveillance camera, you’ll need several additional types of your surveillance video equipment to complete your security system.

Housings
Cameras need to be protected from vandalism and the elements, making the camera housing an essential piece of surveillance video equipment. Housings can range from simple coverings, to impact-resistant protection, to outdoor housings that include heaters and cooling blowers. A more specialized type of housing is the dome: tinted Plexiglas hemispheres that prevent subjects from seeing which direction a camera is pointing. Choose the right housing based on the placement of the camera and its expected usage.

Monitors
Selecting a monitor for your surveillance video equipment is a relatively minor decision, but there are a couple of important points to keep in mind.

First, make sure to purchase a monitor designed for security use. Televisions are not a good choice, since TVs are built to be on for a few hours per day, not the 8 to 24 hours per day required by surveillance video equipment. In some cases, computer monitors make acceptable substitutes. Flat-panel LCD screens make great CCTV monitors for larger systems because they take up little space, have excellent resolution, and generate less heat than standard monitors.

Also consider the size: a 9” monitor may be sufficient if the operator is sitting directly in front of it, but a 15” monitor is the smallest you should choose if you plan to combine images from all your surveillance video equipment onto a single monitor.

Pan, Tilt, Zoom
For advanced security applications, you may want surveillance video equipment with pan, tilt, zoom (PTZ) capabilities. With the right equipment, a camera operator can pan (scan left and right), tilt (look up and down), and zoom in and out. The significant catch is the cost: PTZ systems are considerably more expensive than fixed cameras. They also require a dedicated operator to monitor and run the system.

Selecting the right video surveillance equipment extras
For help choosing these and other surveillance video equipment options, try BuyerZone’s free request for CCTV quotes service. We’ll connect you with multiple vendors who will review your business needs and suggest the extras that will enhance your comprehensive security system. You simply compare price quotes and select the vendor you want to work with.

To learn more about surveillance video equipment and how to make the most informed purchasing decisions, read our detailed Video Surveillance Buyer’s Guide.