Not too long ago, I got redeployed to the security department of a university in Florida and was assigned to maintain a system of cameras. Primarily, exactly what I should do is keep track of feeds from security cameras that are in place throughout the school stadium, as well as those located at the entrances and also hallways. Since I had never managed surveillance systems which cover such a significant extent, I decided to learn a lot more about them.

Surveillance systems are typically made up of a number of video cameras along with a multiple-channel DVR. This kind of DVR is capable of supporting from 4 to as many as 16 cameras. Considering that all the video recordings are saved into it, this DVR hooks up all the footage in one structure for better viewing.

A number of surveillance systems keep the video recordings on the hard disk drive of a standalone dvr. Other models can input the video footage at a built-in USB recording device.

There are those that have got motion detection-enabled recording, which signifies that the DVR simply captures movement to conserve disk space. This feature can even save me time in the future if ever there will be a need to watch a specific recording back.

I also discovered two kinds of surveillance systems, wired and wireless. According to the manual, the university uses a 16 channel wireless dvr system. This setup was less costly because it was bought as a set and it was easier to set up, as well.

An identical monitoring system is further employed in the university main hall and at the faculty building however I am not designated to those places.

Seemingly, these kinds of surveillance systems selected by the school management consist of wireless cameras that are easier to reposition and put up in different places. Wired cameras, that have nonstop power supply, are given too.

These color bullet cameras spread all over the university stadium are minute and barely noticeable. Since they are day/night cameras, they are suitable for 24/7 surveillance and can capture videos well even during nighttime.

There are many business owners who feel the need for hidden cameras in the work place to help deter employee theft, false accusations of sexual harassment, wasted time, etc.  However, they have concerns about the legality and ethics of placing hidden cameras in the workplace.    (more…)

One of the first surveillance systems I installed was for a friend of mine down here in sunny Florida. He has several restaurants and he was going to start his test of the equipment on this unit located near the beach. (more…)

Following is a quick story on how someone used a 4 camera surveillance system to find out who was responsible for the big mess she would sometimes come home to.   (more…)