Need for security
Have you been the victim of crime in the last 12 months? DIY or ‘plug and play’ CCTV (Closed-Circuit Television) lets users take control of home and business security. This gives a simple and affordable way for you to protect your family and assets.
Why ‘do it myself’?
Traditionally you have needed to rely on security companies to install and monitor systems for your home or business. For a fraction of the cost of professional surveillance, DIY CCTV security puts you in control with ease of use, convenience and a range of simple solutions.
What could I use CCTV security solutions for?
The most common uses of CCTV are to:
safeguard your family and monitor your property
protect valuable property, without the expense of professional monitoring
deter thieves, graffiti and unwanted behaviour
create a ‘smart home’, integrating cameras with your TV and PC.
Which solution is right for me?
Do you want to monitor your home, office, family, retail store, warehouse or building site?
Do you need day filming, night vision or both?
Do you want sound, high-resolution images, mono or colour, wired or wireless from your camera?
Do you want to view with one, two or more cameras?
Do you want to connect through a TV, monitor or handheld viewer?
Do you need to record through a digital video recorder (DVR) or VCR?
How do I connect a camera to my TV/monitor?
Wireless cameras
Wireless camera receivers come with an AV (audio and video) cable that plugs in to the video ‘in’ and audio ‘in’ connectors on a TV or VCR. These plugs are commonly referred to as phono plugs; similar to the connectors used by game consoles and DVD players. Plugging the receiver directly into a TV will allow you to view the images, but you will not be able to record them.
Wired cameras
Wired cameras use phono or BNC plugs to connect to the AV ‘in’ sockets. You simply connect this to your TV to start monitoring.

How do I record video from cameras?
New digital video recording (DVR) technology enables you to monitor and record numerous cameras at the same time with motion detection triggers. You save the video on to a hard drive and then can play it back on the DVR or transfer it to alternative media.
How can I monitor remotely?
Many DVRs now include software and an Ethernet port to enable viewing on remote PCs with broadband internet connections. Video is sent to the host PC via the DVR, PCI card or USB; the remote PC, with the appropriate software, is then able to access video streamed over the internet or network connection. More sophisticated systems email and SMS alerts in the event of the cameras detecting motion.
Can other devices interfere with wireless CCTV?

Yes, some common causes of interference are Wireless LAN equipment, cordless 2.4GHz telephones and microwave ovens (whilst they are actually cooking). Using a camera that has four switchable channels will allow you to change to a channel that is further away from the interference source. This will minimise the potential for interference.

Commonly used CCTV security terms