Introduction to Closed Circuit TV
 by: Jeremy Sacco

From a single camera and monitor to complex video surveillance systems with hundreds of cameras, multiple operators, and digital recorders, closed circuit television (CCTV) systems can provide security for a wide range of businesses.

A good closed circuit TV system can make your business safer, more efficient, and less prone to theft and accidents.

While the most basic closed circuit TV setup - a single camera connected directly to a monitor and recorder - could help security in some cases, it is unlikely to be enough for most businesses. Most situations call for multiple cameras. In some cases, you may even want a movable camera to cover a large area. Before starting to compare systems or choose potential vendors, sit down and consider your video surveillance needs carefully.

First, consider what you want to monitor. General comings and goings? Vehicles? Do you want to see faces, merchandise, crowds? Once you decide what you want to see, choosing components will become easier.

Next, decide what picture quality you need. Quality can refer to both how detailed the image is and how fast the frame rate is. Lower resolution and slower frame rates mean blockier, jerkier images, but let you record for much longer periods of time. Higher resolution closed circuit TV cameras and recorders are more expensive, but give you more detail.

One decision that's easier than it used to be is color or black and white: go with color. There's very little price difference any more, and color pictures can make identification much easier. Even the advantage that B

About The Author

Sacco is part of the team of business purchasing experts at BuyerZone.com, where you can get valuable purchasing advice and find qualified vendors for all your business purchases, from copiers and phone systems to forklifts and steel buildings. Get free quotes on closed circuit tv at http://www.buyerzone.com/security/video_surveillance/qz_questions_811a.jhtml

Visit http://www.buyerzone.com today to get free quotes from multiple providers in over 120 categories.

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