Jump to content
andy jinks

How do you install CCTV

Recommended Posts

Can anyone tell me how to install a cctv system. There is a guide on here for alarms but i cant find one for cctv. Is there a site that i should be taking a look at.Any help would be greatly apreciated.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The hardest part is running the cable. If you can run the cable and keep it clean, then your good to go. Putting on a BNC to the coaxial cable is pretty easy. Everything else is just a matter of hooking up.

 

Where are you going to be installing this CCTV system? How many cameras?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What sort of CCTV system is it? Residential or Domestic? Fixed cameras or functional? Video Recorder or Digital? the list of variables is very long.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

anyone can run the cable, its alot more than that, at least for professional jobs. Such as choosing the right product to start with, the right camera for the application, then the recording device. Also have to know how to properly backlfocus and adjusting the cameras, there is alot more to it than meets the eye, its definatelty a specialty job but with some training anything can be accomplished. Compared to Alarm systems, Alarms are a walk in the park.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

oh ya I agree with rory. The whole process of designing and choosing the type of equipment for each specific area is 75% of the job that will make the job a do it yourself qualty and a professional quality designed system and effectiveness.

But that is a pretty general question about a very detailed oriented and rapidly changing industry. Are you looking to get into the installation business? or are you a do it yourself person?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

a simple answer for him would be, buy the equipment, run the cable or have someone else run it, mount the equipment, adjust, setup and program the equipment, test and demo the equipment, and be prepared to go back more than once before you get paid ..

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

buy some equipment and hook your house or something up just like you were going to do it on a real installation. Let it run for a week and see if you still are interested.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

yep thats the best way ... stay away from Ebay though or you will definately hate the experience ..

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well I'm new to this forum and was wondering how I could learn how to become an installer of CCTV security systems (for homes and small businesses for starters). If anyone could point to the right direction I would greatly appreciate it. Please reply to cienfugos@addressisp.com

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

There is a certain amount of art in installing cameras. The really good installers view an installation like a photographer. You need to understand how light will affect your view, how the light will change. How will humans walk through the picture. What do I want to see?

 

Any idiot can run cable. Even I can run cable. Understanding the basic rules of cable laying are pretty easy. Camera placement, how differant lights affect the picture, differant times of day and thier effects....those are the hard things.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

and residental installation and commerical installation are totally different, if you try and start with residential you will give up after your second job unless you like fishing wire threw drywall and patching up all your holes

 

drop ceilings are your friend start with a convience store or a liquor store with 4 cameras,etc

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

oh yes drop ceilings are a plus. But even better is un insulated drop ceilings. Even better???? Uninsulated drop ceilings and large open shafts between every floor. (some of the buildings for the air birds out here)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

better yet .. pay someone else to run the cable and dont worry about that part ..

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Andy, if I could offer any advice, it is to ensure and doubly ensure that the contractor who lays the cable had better be a trustworthy and dependable person who can do a good job. Believe me, there is nothing more critical than a well done cabling job because it would be a real headache when you encounter problems years later and discover that it might be due to cable or joints problems. It would be soooooo costly to recable.

Faulty cameras, at least, you can just change there and then but to change cable...huh, it's a nightmare!

 

How would I know? Well, I am currently the poor victim of poor workmanship.

 

Also, it might be good if all your cameras drew the power supply from a distribution box (or boxes, if the building is very big and the cameras are spread out wide). This helps alleviate the possible problem of the cameras going kaput due to the tripping of the power supply line from which they are tapped.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Andy,

Do your homework and take baby steps. I've been at this for 18 years and I learn something everyday. There are some really good training classes available. (I just happen to have one) I've learned that most installers don't know the basics of the technologies they are working with. There are dozens of type of coaxial cable but only solid copper center with a 95% copper braid is correct. Most installers don't know that they have to open the iris in order to focus a lens and then shut it back down in order to get the best depth of field. They don't know about the electrical codes that set standards for how cabling is to be done.

 

DO your homework and learn how to do it right. You'll never have to apologize.

 

Howard

www.videoguardit.com

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Cat5 (or for that matter any twisted pair with baluns) still has to be installed accouding to codes. The biggest problem I've noticed is with passive baluns and runs over 300-400 feet going into a digital video recorder. The color burst portion of the video signal drops below a usable level and the picture begins to lose color. Powered baluns eliminte the color loss problem but they are relatively expensive.

 

 

What's going to be really neat is the evolution into the IP world. Using Cat5 with network based (IP) cameras we will be limited to 100 meters between hubs but the picture quality will be great.

 

Good luck.

Howard

www.videoguardit.com

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×