CCTV Equipment Selection and Installation Guide.

Introduction.
Installing modern digital CCTV equipment is not rocket science. Any one capable of using common DIY tools can install their own low-voltage CCTV surveillance system quite quickly and cheaply. All of the components sold on this site at SimpleCCTV.co.uk can be installed by any competent DIYer. This guide is intended for those who need video security but can’t afford the installation services of a professional CCTV installer.

In this short guide we will just cover the most common CCTV equipment types, since it is virtually impossible to go into detail about all the different surveillance cameras and DVR equipment available on the market. We also assume anyone considering DIY installation of CCTV equipment has a basic knowledge and understanding of wiring techniques and safety practices. We cannot be held responsible or liable for damage to the equipment due to mishandling , misuse or bad installation pratice. When installing, always pay careful attention to safety instructions provided with your CCTV equipment or electrical components. Working at heights and using tools can be dangerous, so please follow all safety precautions. Only qualified electricians should install mains electrical equipment.

Planning your CCTV installation.
The first step in any camera installation is to plan camera and monitoring equipment locations. In the case of camera locations, take into consideration the light conditions. Never install cameras, in a room with low ambient light levels, pointing straight into the sun or an exposed light source, because this will cause excessive flare in the video image. Even if your camera has back light compensation it will not usually be sufficient to eradicate all traces of flare. Use infrared cameras for very dark conditions and/or B/W or Day/Night cameras with good sensitivity (with as low a LUX number as possible). Selecting the best possible camera locations is not easy but it does seriously affect how your system will perform, so it is better to get this aspect right from the start. If necessary, erect a trial camera and monitor the results in all light conditions before fixing it permanently.

Choice of Equipment.
SimpleCCTV.co.uk has a wide choice of camera types, DVRs and accessories for you to choose from. The range available can cope with practically every possible CCTV requirement, from a simple one or two-camera domestic situation, to a complex, professional installation involving hundreds of cameras and multiple local or remote monitoring and recording stations.

First let's look at cameras. These can be divided into three main categories:

Static cameras, with just one view, using a fixed focal length lens setting.
A static camera can be a dome, or a conventional box camera on a mounting bracket or in an external weather-proof housing, or a small bullet or board camera. Expect to pay from £35 for a very basic mono bullet camera up to £300 for a very sophisticated, high resolution box camera with high quality optics.

PTZ cameras allow the view to be changed using a remote control device by panning, tilting or zooming the camera mechanism electronically. Again this type of camera can take various forms - internal or external domes, zoom cameras mounted on separate pan/tilt heads, etc. You can further sub-divide this category into cameras that just have some of the PTZ functions ie. Zoom-only cameras or cameras with the full pan, tilt and zoom functionality.

Covert and Spy cameras, which are usually camera mechanisms hidden inside common household objects such as clocks, junction boxes, smoke alarms, burglar alarm PIRs, etc.

All three types are often available with or without built-in InfraRed light sources for operation in very low-light conditions or complete darkness. Also, bear in mind that the CCD matrix size, commonly 1/4in. or 1/3rd inch, has an impact on the image quality - which is expressed in TV lines per inch. A low resolution and hence cheaper camera would typically have a resolution of 320 TV lines, a medium to higher resolution camera between 380-480 TV lines, while the highest resolution models have resolutions in excess of 500 TV lines per inch.

Next you must decide how you are going to mount the camera. For external cameras or cameras for use in high humidity or combustible atmospheres, you must choose a camera or housing with an IP 65 or 66 weatherproof rating. Some bullet cameras are also described as submersible and will therefore operate underwater too. Most camera brackets will allow the camera to be mounted at any angle, on either a horizontal or vertical surface. Some dome cameras will allow both horizontal or vertical mounting and may also sometimes be recessed into a ceiling void for more discreet positioning.

If you are mounting a camera externally, make sure you don't mount it directly under a gutter that is prone to over-flowing or other occasional or weather-dependent hazard. Also allow a loop of cable between the camera and any junction box or building entry point, so that water draining off the camera will not run down the cable like a funnel into the cable entry-points.

When choosing a suitable dome camera, make sure that you select a vandal-proof design for any camera that will be mounted in a public access area. Use toughened glass in housings or impact-resistant , polycarbonate dome glasses. If the area is particularly prone to vandalism, you may need to mount cameras very high on the side of a building or enclose them in special wire-mess cages to protect against stone throwing.

Decide whether you wish to achieve a visual deterent by your choice of camera - in other words whether you want to make it very obvious you have installed CCTV, in which case you will choose a conventional static or speed dome design, or whether you want the whole thing to be very discreet and therefore choose a small bullet camera or covert design. Either way you are usually obliged to display a sign declaring the fact that you are monitoring the area by CCTV. The sign should also contain details of who the monitoring company is and how it can be contacted. Under UK and European data protection legislation, you are usually only permitted to retain recorded video footage for a certain period of time. Make sure you comply with the current legislation.

High-end Speed dome designs are intended for professional installations which require fast pan/tilt movement and high powered zoom capability to zoom in on very distant subject matter. Some DVR software allows so called 'intelligent' or 'tracking' functionality which allows a PTZ camera to zoom in and track an intruder. This type of functionality is achieved by using single or multiple static cameras, surveying an area in wide angle mode. The video frame from each of these static cameras is divided into a motion-detection matrix. When movement of an object or person is detected in a particular matrix segment, this triggers a preset in a corresponding PTZ dome, which directs the PTZ device to zoom in tightly on that particular area of the scene. Usually a Speed Dome is capable of storing up to 64 or 128 preset camera positions.

Choosing the right camera.
Besides positioning, the distance from the camera to the subject matter is equally important. The governing factor here is the Angle of View of the camera lens. There are many different types and focal lengths of lenses to take into account. Your selection will depend on the angle of view necessary to include all the subject area in your video frame. For small rooms or doorways a standard 3.6mm to 4mm lens should be OK. Keep in mind that most bullet and board cameras come with 3.6mm lens. As the distance between camera and subject matter increases, you will require a longer focal length of the lens. the idea being to fill the video frame with the essential subject matter - exactly like composing a picture with a conventional snapshot camera. Most camera/lens manufacturers provide simple Angle of View tables for their different lens focal length lenses. A good option as far as lens selection goes, is to use varifocal lens, which is very versatile approach and takes the guess-work out of the lens selection process. A varifocal lens is an adjustable focal length lens that will allow you to change the focal length within specified range, from a wide-angle setting of, say, 2.6mm – 8mm , 12mm or even 50mm.

To maximize coverage and get the most out of your CCTV system, minimize the number of cameras by just mounting them in strategic places. Avoid overlapping camera views and do not install a camera with a light source directly in front of it. Also do not position IR cameras pointing towards each other because that will cause flare and overexposure.

After the initial camera locations have been decided, you need to look at cable placement. Make sure that it is actually possible and practical to run cable to each camera location. If running the cable to any camera location is for some reason impossible, opt for an alternate camera location. In some casess it may be necessary to employ a wireless solution.

Wiring.
The most time consuming and important part of any camera installation is wiring.
Plan your installation carefully to minimize cable lengths and insure good quality video signal.
Never run cables alongside high power electrical lines, at least 12” spacing between video cable and power lines is recommended.
Keep the cable lengths below 400ft and use good quality cable, most people take the cable for granted, but it is actually very important aspect of any installation.

The CCTV system is only as good as its weakest component. For short cable runs, say, up to 150m, RG59 combined video and power cable, sometimes known as shotgun cable, is the most practicable option. It is combo cable and will transmit video and power, as an alternative it is sometimes possible to use less expensive RG6 standard coax cable with separate run of 18/2AWG for power. Running RG59 cable with a separate run for power is the likely solution if power outlets are available near each camera locations. In this case individual plug in power supplies are used to power the cameras, with power cable running as separate and independent line to the camera. Both types of cables are available from our simplecctv.co.uk store.

When running the cable it is good practice to leave couple of loops of extra cable at both camera and monitoring locations. This extra length of cable is needed if in the future monitoring or camera location will have to be moved slightly.
After the cable is in place, the labour-intensive part of installation is over. Now we can get to the interesting part of installation.

Mounting the cameras
Most cameras come with mounting bracket and screws included. Attach the bracket firmly to a flat horizontal or vertical surface and remember that in some cases different brackets than the ones supplied with the cameras may be needed. For example suspended ceiling installation may require T-Rail camera brackets.

Attach the camera to the bracket and adjust the camera position approximately at this time. We will set it up more precisely later. Typically, security cameras are powered by 12v DC or 24v AC and the power input type is either screw or push terminals or 2.1mm DIN plug. Power connection may differ slightly for each type of power supply and camera make. For all DC powered cameras it is important to observe polarity or you may damage the camera. The power cable has two conductors and in most cases it will be red or white and black cable. Use the red or white for positive and black for negative terminals. If your camera has screw or push terminals power input connect the cable directly observing polarity, if it is 2.1mm plug, a special 2.1MM Female DC Plug with Flying Leads have to be connected to the cable again keep attention to polarity. The 24v AC connection is very similar, with one major difference - polarity is not important.

Special tools and accessories.
If you decide to use RG59 coaxial cable, and have several cameras to instaall, it would probably be an idea to invest in a BNC cable crimping tool. To make your own coax cables, follow the steps below:

1. Remove about 1/2-inch of the outer plastic sheathing from the end of video cable exposing the screening braid.
2. Slide the crimping barrel onto the cable with the larger diameter facing end of the cable.
3. Pull the braid backwards exposing the inner conductor sheath material and remove 3/8-inch of it so you have now expose the wire conductor.
4. Push the small brass ferule over the conductor wire and crimp it in place, then push the main body of the plug onto the new cable end until you feel it is fully home and you feel a slight click. Normally the brass ferule, which forms the central conductor, will appear almost flush with the end of the BNC connector. If it is too recessed inside the plug, the connection will be unreliable. This normally happens when the ferule has not been pressed completely home in the plug body.
5. Push all the braid that you folded backwards in step 3, onto the BNC connector and spread the braid evenly around the knurled part of the connector.
6. Slide the crimping barrel back over the BNC connector body as far as it will go.
7. Crimp the barrel and outer screening to the plug body.

That's your first connection made.

Monitor and DVR connections.
Once the cameras are all connected, check over your cabling and the power cable polarity once more before turning the power on.

If you have decided to use a combined video and power cable, you will need to provide 12v DC power close to the DVR position. If you have more than 4 cameras to power, it is a good diea to use one of the multi-outlet psu's available through simplecctv.co.uk. These have separately fused outlets for each cameras and neon indicators to indicate load conditions.

For just a small number of cameras you can use the transformer plug psu's, attached to a 4-way power outlet.

Another good idea is to install an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) which is a battery backup unit. If the installation location experiences frequent power outages, the backup unit will protect the cameras, DVR and other control equipment from possible mains spikes. To extend the backup time only plug the DVR and camera power supplies into the backup unit and connect the monitor to a normal mains power outlet. This way if you do loose power, the DVR and cameras are still functioning as normal while monitor is off. Turning off the monitor will not affect DVR or the cameras in any way and it is actually better to turn the monitor off if it's not being used because it will extend its life and prevent tube or TFT panel 'burning'.

Power on and final adjustment:
When you have checked everything a final time, turn onn the power to the cameras and DVR.

Hopefully everything will power up first time and you can proceed with setting up the DVR. To set up your DVR, refer to the manual for proper settings.

Go over each camera view to determine if the camera view is actually what you want. It's rare to get everything right first time. To fine tune the camera views, it's probably best to employ a helper. Use a walkie-talkie or mobile phone to position the cameras optimally.

Installation Tips:
SimpleCCTV.co.uk
Hurst House
Common Road
Copthorne, West Sussex.
RH10 3LG, United Kingdom.

Tel: +44 (0)1342 715396
Fax: +44 (0)1342 714859
Skype: rgnetworks
Email: sales@simplecctv.co.uk

Our normal office hours are:
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