The ICO’s CCTV code of practice states that footage should not be retained longer than necessary. The police recommend 31 days with low-risk properties sometimes opting for 14 days. This gives plenty of time for the authorities to retrieve footage for evidence. You don’t have to worry about manually deleting the data yourself. Our systems will automatically override old footage to automatically keep you complaint.

If you record audio without good reason and people being notified, you’re at a very high risk of being prosecuted. There are some rare cases in the workplace where audio recording is permitted, such as where protection of public workers outweighs the risks to personal privacy. It is advised for you to contact the ICO to verify this. For the most domestic and commercial CCTV installations, recording audio is illegal and should be avoided.

You can point your CCTV cameras only within your private property boundaries. If this is unavoidable, privacy masks can be used. Our CCTV installers can advise when we survey your home.

Police can request your CCTV footage if they believe it contains evidence for a crime. If you refuse, they can get a warrant and seize it. If your cameras are pointing within your private property boundaries, the chances of them requesting footage are slim.

If your CCTV captures images of people outside of your private property (your house), you become a data controller. According to the law, you are responsible to comply with data protection laws. This involves displaying signs and processing people’s personal data properly and fairly. If your camera must capture this data, we’ll recommend appropriate actions to help you comply.

You do not need internet for CCTV cameras. We have a variety of options for those living in rural areas where internet is not option. Even for smart camera systems, they can operate on back-up batteries and record to SD cards when internet is cut. For those worried about criminals hacking and gaining control over internet connected CCTV, there are precautions and practices we can do to put your mind at ease.

If your CCTV points to outside your private property, then you must display signs that are visible by people who are affected. Having a large, visible CCTV sign also acts as a deterrent.

CCTV systems can be factored into the value of a property. Even so, any future owner wants to know their investment is properly protected and so a CCTV system adds appeal. Any homeowner should consider adding a state-of-the-art home security system not only to protect themselves, but as part of their long term investment.

There are a lot of CCTV Systems out there, with hundreds of different Makes, Models and Types which makes it very difficult to choose the right one for you? We have comprised a list of important factors when choosing a CCTV System:

Make and Model: (There are a lot of Cheap imported CCTV Systems on the market which you need to stay well clear of! If it sounds too cheap it probably is!! We can give you advise on systems that not only do the job but will last many years!)

Quality of Image: (Always choose at least a FULL HD Camera 2.07mp. The image is 1920 pixels wide and 1080 pixels high: a total of 2.07 megapixels. Full HD is also referred to as 1080p.), however there are now Cameras that go beyond Full HD and we would recommend a minimum of a 5.0mp Camera, also we are now fitting a lot of the latest 8.0mp (4K) Cameras which are defined as Ultra High Definition.

If you want to easily identify someone’s face and clearly read a sign or car number plate, then we would recommend a minimum of 5mp image quality

The most important thing when choosing a quality CCTV System is the Recorder. Make sure there is enough Hard Drive Storage so you can always check back on your footage for around a month at a time, this will cover you if your property is empty for a number of days, e.g. when you go on holiday! Also a good recorder will have some nice little analytic features e.g. facial recognition, trip wire, notifications to your smart phone etc..

Always make sure your CCTV System has a good quality on line App where you can view your Cameras from anywhere in the world via your Smartphone, Ipad, Laptop, PC etc

Last but not least, choose a qualified Installer, THE most important thing to consider when buying a great CCTV System is…..who is going to fit it?  

It is very important to have a quality installation, for example have cabling hidden out of site to potential unlawful individuals, just as important is the location of the Cameras which has proven imperative when providing evidence for the Police.

The Police cannot prosecute or do anything if the quality of the image is not good enough! or the Camera is too far away from the event to see anything clearly! So Please choose wisely!!!!

Wireless CCTV Systems are ideal in remote locations where cabling cannot be ran, however a wireless camera is limited to the quality, for example most wireless cameras definition are usually at a maximum of around 2.0mp.

This is no good when identifying number plates or signage on vehicles etc. Another thing to consider with wireless Cameras is that they are not so reliable as wired, as they rely on a Wifi or Radio Signal for the picture, but they still also need plugging in to a socket to give them power unless you go for the battery ones which we would not recommend! However there are Wireless Cameras that are Powered by a Solar Panel (Sunlight) and recording is done by a memory card that is installed in the Camera itself, they are usually quite large as they require a big Solar Panel and Back Up Battery so depending on how much sunlight we get is dependent on the reliability of the Camera?

Wired Cameras are definitely more reliable and can take a better image quality e.g. (8mp). In summary choose Wireless only if you cannot run cables around your property, otherwise a wired system is definitely better!!

CCTV Systems have advanced considerably over the years, they can do a lot more nowadays than just capture video footage.

Please see below for some of the most common systems we do:

A Traditional CCTV System (Will capture footage and record automatically onto a Hard Drive)

A Networked CCTV System (As above but will also link to your Network so you can view live pictures and recordings over the internet from a Smart Phone, Ipad, Laptop and PC from anywhere in the world)

Analytics

1. Facial Recognition (Automatically identify an individual’s face)
2. Motion Detection (Automatically pick up movement and start recording the event)
3. Notifications (Automatically send you events to your Smartphone and email)
4. Links (Automatically turns on your lighting and other security devices)
5. Security (Automatically identify crowds, weapons, person running and many more)

Nowadays there are a varied number of Cameras to choose from, below is a list of the most commonly used ones:

1. Static Dome (Dome cameras are named for its dome shape. A dome camera is usually mounted on the ceiling, under the eaves or the soffit, indoors and outdoors. A vandal proof dome security camera usually has a solid metal base and poly-carbonate plastic cover to protect it from vandalism or tampering.)
2. Bullet (A bullet camera is a type of video surveillance camera with the shape of a rifle bullet. Bullet security cameras are usually small (2 to 8 inches long) and the smaller ones are oftentimes referred to as lipstick cameras specially. Bullet IP cameras have a fixed or variable focal length lens with a strong point for specific spaces.)
3. PTZ (A PTZ camera (pan-tilt-zoom camera) is a speed dome camera that is capable of remote directional and zoom control. PTZ security cameras can pan left and right, tilt up and down, and zoom in and out. The PTZ dome cameras are usually larger in size for outdoor uses with super high resolution.)
4. ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition is a highly accurate system capable of reading vehicle number plates without human intervention through the use of high speed image capture. All images can be transferrable to an ANPR Software Database

All our Cameras come with Night Vision Technology built in.

We recommend the Cortex Platinum CCTV. It comes with facial recognition, number plate recognition and a mobile app for remote viewing and monitoring.

CCTV installations can take from 4 hours – 1.5 days depending on the system you need. It can take longer if you have an unusual building or special requirements.

Anyone can install a CCTV camera if they feel confident enough. However, it is recommended that a professional do it to ensure it is fitted and working correctly. Contact us today to arrange for one of our team to come to install a device for you.