Cart
  • Home
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

CCTV

  1. Can You Explain How Infrared Day Night Cameras Work?

    How does infra red work on a CCTV camera The ability to film in low light conditions or even complete darkness is essential for many CCTV applications. Part of that ability is down to using the right electronics which are sensitive enough to work in low light, the other tool used is infrared or IR lighting. We have a guide to infrared in our camera buying guide. Infrared light isn't visible to the human eye but CCTV cameras switch to black and white as light levels fall and can film the IR light spectrum. This means that to the camera it's like shining a torch. IR has to bounce off something but providing there is a hard surface to reflect the infrared your camera is able to see in the dark. Previously cameras had separate infrared light lamps bolted onto the side of their housings. It made the whole unit very large and industrial looking. In more recent times cameras have been designed with IR lighting built into them. This greatly reduces their overall size and visual impact. It also reduces cost when compared to modular cameras using separate lighting units. Many people selling CCTV cameras describe them in terms of the infrared range. Do not confuse this with the optical range of the camera or the distance at which a camera can record detail. That is determined by the lens. Wider angle lenses will have a shorter optical range, more telephoto lenses a longer range. The IR range is a largely immaterial figure, often made up and is supposed to represent the distance at which the camera's infrared can be detected. In reality, the ability of a camera is a combination of the lens, how powerful the IR is and how sensitive the electronics are. Something you might see mentioned is an IR cut filter. This is a mechanical filter that moves in front of the camera lens during the daytime. The filter is designed to improve colour rendition during daylight filming. Electronic adjustments can also be made to the camera to improve colour representation.

  2. CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW MOTION DETECTED RECORDING WORKS?

    The motion-detected recording is a feature on all our DVR recorders. The DVR monitors camera images and decides when it thinks there is movement. To do this the DVR looks at individual image frames and compares them to the previous one. If it sees differences then motion is assumed to have taken place. It is the DVR, not the cameras which are looking for movement. A DVR isn't as intelligent as you or I and can't differentiate between background movement, changes in light and someone coming to break into your property. To help minimise false triggers it is possible to limit where on the screen the DVR looks for movement and limit this to a small area or a number of areas. You don't have to use the full screen. You can set the trigger area using the setup menu on the DVR, you can also set the trigger area remotely if the DVR is connected to your local network / the internet. Some people only record footage when motion is detected in an attempt to extend the time footage is stored. We are not big fans of doing this. We would rather see motion triggering being used to create bookmarks within 24/7 recording rather than the sole means of capturing footage. Use it to identify which sections might be important but still have constant footage on either side of the trigger. Systems that use motion triggering as the sole method of recording are usually trying to compensate for too little memory. We recommend allowing 250GB of hard drive space per camera on SD systems, and 500GB per camera on HD systems. See our guide to hard drives.

  3. What do I need for a complete CCTV system?

    A CCTV system will be based around a DVR or digital video recorder. CCTV cameras are connected to the DVR using cables and there will be some ancillary items such as a power supply for the cameras. DVR or digital video recorder The DVR is the heart of the CCTV system. It takes all the camera inputs, arranges them on screen for live viewing and also stores footage onto a hard drive for viewing at a later date. Our DVRs record all the cameras regardless of what you are viewing live on your monitor. It is possible to view 1 camera at a time or several cameras in various combinations depending on how many channels the DVR supports. We sell 4, 8 and 16 channel DVRs which are suitable for 4, 8 or 16 cameras respectively. They can be combined, so 2 16 channel DVRs could host a 32 camera CCTV system. Our DVR recorders also support remote access over the internet. You need to connect the DVR to your internet router. This can be done either with a cable, a power bridge adapter that uses your electrical wiring or a wireless network point. Then wherever you are in the world you can view live footage from your cameras, see previously recorded footage, make backups of important events and even make settings changes to the DVR. The cameras CCTV cameras are the most important thing to get right and we have devoted quite a bit of space on our website to help you make the right choice. We are always glad to offer help and advice if you are planning a CCTV system so pick up the phone and give us a call. We can have a look at your property using aerial images whilst talking through your specific requirements and select which cameras will best suit your requirements.

  4. ARE PTZ (PAN, TILT, ZOOM) CAMERAS BETTER THAN FIXED CAMERAS?

    PTZ camera advice What is a PTZ camera? PTZ stands for Pan, Tilt, Zoom. A PTZ camera can be remotely controlled allowing it to move up and down as well as zoom in on potentially important targets. You can also program a tour between pre-set points. In theory, PTZ cameras sound great, they can cover large areas and even zoom in when more detail is required. The downsides of using a PTZ camera PTZ cameras are expensive, certainly good ones are. There are a few low-quality products on the market aimed at the bottom end of the DIY market, these should be avoided. However, the biggest problem with PTZ cameras is that you need a full-time operator to control them. When pointing in one direction they can't see elsewhere. When the camera is moving the image will be blurred meaning you can't get any detail or identify people. So when you set the camera on a tour between preset points the image will be blurred for a large part of the recording. Infrared illumination is often not fitted to PTZ cameras meaning they are less effective at night. It is possible to find PTZ cameras with effective IR and our PTZ cameras feature zoom sensitive IR which increases brightness as you zoom in, the assumption being you are hoping to see further away. Latency when remote accessing the cameras. When remote accessing PTZ cameras there is a delay between you asking a camera to move and seeing the result of that movement on your remote monitor or computer. This is known as latency and it can make it difficult to accurately control PTZ cameras remotely over the internet.

  5. CAN YOU EXPLAIN ABOUT THE RANGE OF A CCTV CAMERA?

    PTZ camera advice What is a PTZ camera? PTZ stands for Pan, Tilt, Zoom. A PTZ camera can be remotely controlled allowing it to move up and down as well as zoom in on potentially important targets. You can also program a tour between pre-set points. In theory, PTZ cameras sound great, they can cover large areas and even zoom in when more detail is required. The downsides of using a PTZ camera PTZ cameras are expensive, certainly good ones are. There are a few low-quality products on the market aimed at the bottom end of the DIY market, these should be avoided. However, the biggest problem with PTZ cameras is that you need a full-time operator to control them. When pointing in one direction they can't see elsewhere. When the camera is moving the image will be blurred meaning you can't get any detail or identify people. So when you set the camera on a tour between preset points the image will be blurred for a large part of the recording. Infrared illumination is often not fitted to PTZ cameras meaning they are less effective at night. It is possible to find PTZ cameras with effective IR and our PTZ cameras feature zoom sensitive IR which increases brightness as you zoom in, the assumption being you are hoping to see further away. Latency when remote accessing the cameras. When remote accessing PTZ cameras there is a delay between you asking a camera to move and seeing the result of that movement on your remote monitor or computer. This is known as latency and it can make it difficult to accurately control PTZ cameras remotely over the internet.

  6. CAN YOU EXPLAIN ABOUT THE RANGE OF A CCTV CAMERA?

    Understanding the range of a CCTV camera We have recently added our camera buying guide which has a section specifically about the CCTV camera range. It's worth spending some time reading through the guides as they will answer most or all of the questions you might have. If you need help regarding a specific project please don't hesitate to get in touch, we are always happy to provide advice free of charge and without obligation. TVL and IR range People selling CCTV are often very misleading when it comes to CCTV camera range. They normally quote two figures, the number of TVL and the IR range. This might be called the nighttime range. IR range is a largely made-up number based on how far away from the camera Infrared light can be detected. It has nothing at all to do with the effective range at which detail can be filmed. Optical range The distance at which detail can be captured using a camera is its optical range. Unfortunately, no one ever quotes it, they only quote the IR range. The optical range has nothing to do with how many TVLs the camera has or how bright the IR is, it all depends on what lens is fitted. A DVR stores images as tiny dots or pixels. With D1 resolution you get around 400,000 pixels per image frame. With a wide-angle lens, the pixels spread apart very quickly as you move away from the camera and fewer pixels mean less detail is captured. Conversely, a telephoto lens concentrates the pixels and captures more detail further from the camera. Camera lenses are measured in mm, the smaller the number the wider the angle of view. 2.8mm or 3.6mm would be considered wide-angle. How do you quantify detail? There is no definitive answer, it will depend on your specific needs. With some systems the ability to identify people will determine detail, on other systems, it might be the ability to read a vehicle registration plate. When we quote optical ranges we base them on how far from the camera a vehicle registration plate can be read. We have a page that shows HD1080P CCTV camera images with different lens options Varifocal cameras A varifocal camera allows you to manually zoom in or out during installation. This means one camera is able to perform different jobs. It can be set to wide-angle or telephoto. This means you don't have to worry as much when buying the camera, you can balance the angle of view and detail captured once it is fitted. You just need to make sure you have the correct lens range, we can help you decide. With fixed-lens cameras, you only get one chance, if it's the wrong angle you have to replace the camera. For that reason, we would always advise buying varifocal rather than fixed-lens cameras. An approximate guide to the optical range of different lens cameras is the distance at which a number plate or a person can be identified using standard-definition CCTV. For HD1080P systems you can double these figures. 2.8mm lens 1.5 metres 3.6mm lens 3 metres 6mm lens 5 metres 9mm lens 6 metres 12mm lens 7 metres 22mm lens 12 metres 60mm lens 35 metres

  7. What is HTTP and what port does it use?

    HTTP is HyperText Transfer Protocol and it is responsible for web content. Many web pages are using HTTP to transmit the web content and allow the display and navigation of HyperText. It is the primary protocol and port used here is TCP port 80.

  1. How do I fix a slow computer?

    One of the most common problems users have with their computer is that it is "running slow." This can be caused by many different things. However, typically it is referring to the time it takes to turn on the PC, open programs, or do just about anything. In some extreme cases, this can even mean input lag from your keyboard to what appears on the screen. This issue can be incredibly frustrating, because it can affect multiple programs or areas on your computer and seriously reduce productivity. Nine times out of ten, the main reason for general PC slowdown is a lack of—or the improper distribution of—hardware resources. What this means is that specific programs or processes are using too much of your RAM, hard drive, or CPU. Just running your operating system takes a base amount of resources, so if you have a pesky program using too much of your computer, it can struggle to run the OS. This can cause common slowdown issues like input lag. An easy way to check to see what program is hogging your resources is by using Task Manager. To do this, right-click your taskbar and click Task Manager. On the top of the Task Manager window, you will see a tab that reads "Performance." You can click this tab to see how much of your computer resources are being used at one time. Suppose these values are at or near 100%. In that case, you can close excess programs as needed until your computer is running comfortably again. A good rule to remember is to only open programs you are actively using. This ensures your computer is running optimally at all times.

  2. How do I fix PC Will Not Turn On?

    PC Will Not Turn On Pressing the power button on your computer and having nothing happen can feel like the end of the world. Luckily, power issues do not necessarily mean the entire PC is broken or that data has been lost. Both desktops and laptops can refuse to turn on for a number of reasons. Sometimes it can even be just a peripheral such as an external monitor that is having problems and stopping the PC from turning on entirely. If you press the power button to start your PC and nothing happens, do not panic. Remember to give the computer a moment to fully power-on before pressing the power or reset button again. If you are still having issues, try some of the quick fixes below! Solution Laptops are more prone to power issues than desktops due to their external power supplies and internal batteries. If there is any damage to a laptop charger or internal battery, most modern laptops will prevent themselves from powering on to prevent the faulty equipment from causing any more damage. When possible to do safely, you can fully power-down and unplug the machine, then remove the battery before trying to turn off the PC again. If this solution solves the problem, then most likely, it is time to replace your battery. If this does not fix the issue, try using a different AC adapter with and without the battery to determine if either of those devices is causing the startup issue. With desktops, power issues are more straightforward but can be more complicated. 99% of desktop computers will have a power button on the front of the case and a power switch on the back of the case near where the power cord plugs in. Desktop computers will not power unless the power switch in the back is turned on, and the button in the front is pressed. This is always the first thing you should check when experiencing power issues on a desktop PC. If this does not solve your problem, you can carefully open your case when the computer is powered off to see if your power supply is connected properly to your other computer components. It is safe to reseat connections and remove any excess dust or debris in the case. However, it is not recommended for average users to remove or change internal power supply connections.

  3. How do I fix Peripherals Not Working?

    Peripherals Not Working Sometimes the most annoying problems are not with your computer itself but rather with the peripherals you are trying to use with the machine. Keyboards and mice see a tremendous amount of daily use, so it is not uncommon for them to fail on occasion. Other devices such as microphones or presentation-based remotes can have complicated setup processes that can create potential issues later down the road. When any of these devices fail to work properly, they can create costly and annoying downtime that is not ideal for any user. Solution The first thing to check when an external device is not working is its connection to the computer. Cables can easily break, or ports can be obstructed. Before getting into any more serious solutions, it is always best practice to try using different cables or connections on your machine to see if a device will begin working again. If the cable or hardware itself is not the issue, you can try reinstalling drivers to see if that fixes the problem. Drivers are the software your PC uses to communicate with and utilize hardware properly. All devices from keyboards to Wi-Fi cards have drivers. Sometimes, they can become corrupt or fail to update properly, and that can create problems when trying to use your devices. A quick way to see if you are having driver issues is to check Device Manager. This is an area of your settings you can get to by searching or right clicking your start menu. Once in Device Manager, you will see a list of all the hardware connected to your computer. If any piece of hardware has issues, there will be an exclamation point next to the device. This means the device is detected by your computer but not working as intended. There are two solutions you can try from here to get your device up and running again: First, you can right-click and update the drivers for the device. This will require a restart but can be a quick and easy way to implement this fix. If updating does not work, you can also try reinstalling the drivers. To do this, right-click the device again, but this time click "Uninstall Drivers" and then restart your PC. This removes the current drivers from your machine and then reinstalls the proper drivers once the computer restarts.

  4. How do I fix Blue Screens Issue?

    Blue Screens The most terrifying of computer problems is the dreaded blue screen of death. This term refers to the blue error screen that appears when your computer has a critical failure of some kind. Blue screens can result in data loss or worse and need to be addressed immediately. OS updates can sometimes result in blue screen errors, and if that's the case, you can usually fix the problem yourself. Commonly, there is an error code associated with a blue screen, so you should try to write that information down when possible. If it is a more severe issue, IT professionals can use those codes to help diagnose and repair your computer more efficiently. There are, however, a few things you can try carefully to fix blue screens and prevent a costly repair bill. Solution If you get a blue screen error that looks like it is the operating system or software related, you may be able to fix it yourself. If the error code you see has to do with hardware, you should not attempt to work on the computer yourself, because you could risk further damaging your PC. When software issues cause blue screens, the first thing you should do is let the system turn off and try to reboot on its own. Modern computers have functions and features that will automatically attempt to repair these issues. Sometimes a simple restart and wait could fix random blue screens. When automatic tools fail to work, there are other solutions you can attempt. You can use an operating system installation tool to try and roll back updates or run more advanced repair tools without the risk of further damaging hardware. The last thing you could try would be to reinstall the operating system on the PC. Just remember you need to be incredibly careful when doing this because you could lose all of your data without the proper backups in place.

  1. What is a Network?

    Network is defined as a set of devices connected to each other using a physical transmission medium.

  2. What is HTTP and what port does it use?

    HTTP is HyperText Transfer Protocol and it is responsible for web content. Many web pages are using HTTP to transmit the web content and allow the display and navigation of HyperText. It is the primary protocol and port used here is TCP port 80.

  3. What are Routers?

    The router is a network device that connects two or more network segments. It is used to transfer information from the source to the destination. Routers send the information in terms of data packets and when these data packets are forwarded from one router to another router then the router reads the network address in the packets and identifies the destination network.

  4. What is the difference between Hub, Switch, and Router?

    The router is a network device that connects two or more network segments. It is used to transfer information from the source to the destination. Routers send the information in terms of data packets and when these data packets are forwarded from one router to another router then the router reads the network address in the packets and identifies the destination network.

  5. What is HTTPs and what port does it use?

    HTTPs is a Secure HTTP. HTTPs is used for secure communication over a computer network. HTTPs provides authentication of websites that prevents unwanted attacks. In bi-directional communication, the HTTPs protocol encrypts the communication so that the tampering of the data gets avoided. With the help of an SSL certificate, it verifies if the requested server connection is a valid connection or not. HTTPs use TCP with port 443.

  6. What is a Firewall?

    Firewall is a network security system that is used to protect computer networks from unauthorized access. It prevents malicious access from outside to the computer network. A firewall can also be built to grant limited access to outside users.