Feature Surveillance Camera Procurement Read more online at www.securitymattersmagazine.com
Viewing the bigger picture
With more security camera solutions available than ever before and exciting new
technologies (such as Artificial Intelligence) beginning to exert a huge impact on the
market, making the right decisions in relation to surveillance systems now assumes an
even greater importance. It’s not all about the price tag, suggests Mike Burton, who
examines the critical factors that today’s solution buyers should be considering
WE ALL have a basic need to feel
safe and secure. The security cameras
that surround us as we go about our
everyday lives are specifically designed
to reassure us. If something bad was
about to happen, it could then be
spotted and, hopefully, prevented thanks
to advanced video analytics, or at the
very least the evidence can be recorded
for subsequent use in a Court of Law.
We’re all now well accustomed to
seeing security cameras in almost every
environment, from the CCTV lining our
streets through to the surveillance
models operating in offices and retail
outlets. As a result, the hardware seems
commonplace. That being so, sometimes
the natural temptation for those tasked
with system procurement could be to
spend as little as possible in order to
meet the host organisation’s needs.
Unfortunately, adopting such a
position can end up being an expensive
mistake. A system might be purchased
that doesn’t cover all of the necessary
requirements for the location. In
addition, what may appear to be initial
cost savings can lead to additional
expense and maintenance effort
throughout the lifetime of the solution.
When it comes to security camera
systems, it’s fair to state that not all
devices are built equal. Although the
specifications of many cameras may
look pretty similar upon first glance,
there are a number of important
considerations to be taken into account
when deliberating over any purchase.
Is cheaper really worth it?
If a cheaper system fails at a much faster
rate and, indeed, more frequently, is it
really going to be good value for money?
Surveillance cameras, and particularly so
those used in the outdoor setting, are
often installed in more remote places. It
takes a good deal of effort, co-ordination
and time to reach and repair them. As a
direct result, the first couple of criteria
to be observed when assessing CCTV
camera procurement should be
reliability closely followed by the Mean
Time Between Failure rates.
By their very nature, CCTV cameras
are often the targets of unwanted
vandalism. As stated, they’re regularly
deployed out in the open and also
exposed to the elements. This renders
the ruggedness of camera design, as well
as the potential for weather and dust
exposure endurance, to be very
important factors in the ultimate
reliability of the models involved.
To ensure that cameras can stand up
to predicted levels of wear and tear,
buyers should be looking closely at a
number of factors alongside regular
quality control measures. For example,
does the manufacturer carry out impact
testing on its vandal-proof models to
make sure external shocks can be
absorbed up to standards even higher
than IK10? Are vibration tests also
undertaken to ensure the cameras keep
their focus when attacked or when
installed in places where they could be
rattled (such as on bridges)?
Other important system tests that
buyers should ensure are being
conducted at the manufacturing facility
include water tests for outdoor cameras
to ensure they can withstand extreme
weather conditions. In addition, all
cameras should be thoroughly inspected
through X-ray checking such that any
hardware faults may be spotted prior to
the shipping process commencing.
If a cheaper system fails at a much
faster rate and, indeed, more
frequently, is it really going to be
good value for money?
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