Security cameras

[ozankoys]

We are looking to fit these can anyone offer any advice/recommendations please?

[Keithcaley]

Erol wrote a very informative piece here which should tell you everything that you want to know.

[ozankoys]

Thanks Keith you are right it is very informative, are there any recommendations for suppliers please?

[sophie]

Haven't time to read through Erols piece, however I do know there is a shop that sells and installs them in Girne. From fake ones, to fantastic real time coloured images on a PC screen where we watched a factory in Lefkosa and the workers at sewing machines. We also watched static ones on a building site, plus sensor cameras outside someones house. If you come out of Magic Touch cross the road and walk down the shops past Henry Charles etc, there is a small outlet, don't know the name as everything is in Turkish, but its just before the garden shop. This is where it was 18months ago and it doesn't look any different. Good luck.

[ozankoys]

Thanks Sophie will have a look for the shop tomorrow.

[erol]

If you are serious about 'security' then you need to think about things like

What happens if the would be thief pulls my main fuse to the house or disables the electricity to it via some other means. Serious security would have the cameras on some sort of independent battery backed up supply.

What about external cabling for the cameras themselves and indeed for your internet connection if you are relying on off site uploading of camera images ? Serious security would have 'armoured ducting' for such cabling if it was at all exposed.

These are things that you may need to consider if you are talking 'serious security' imo.

[ozankoys]

Yes this really does need looking into which is why I asked for advice which is very much appreciated.

[Keithcaley]

All really good advice, however, just remember that you're not (I hope!!) trying to defeat James Bond - rather than the 'opportunistic' type who will move on to somewhere that looks less secure...

Security lights are also a great deterrent! (Although when he found out how much I'd spent on them, a Boss of mine complained that "They only let the Burglars see what they're doing!" ) - I disagree.

[ozankoys]

Thanks Keith we already have security lights but are going to get some more solar powered ones which can be positioned where the electricity is not easy to connect.
As you say I do not think that the burglars here are very sophisticated but there will be progress!

[sophie]

Crickey, I can't compete with the sort of advice from Erol.!!!

[SatelliteCyprus]

We only install commercial-type 'quality' security cameras which we import ourselves and supply and install direct to the customer. We do not buy 'kits' and use them for every situation/installation. We have a range of cameras from 2.8mm-12mm lenses and various night and low light options. Our systems have on-site storage and mobile access. We can install secure cupboards and armoured conduit/ hidden cabling and various other 'high' risk options. We also supply door bells which connect to your mobile devices and allow you to see and speak to anyone who visits your front door (no matter where you are in the World) - making you appear to be in the house, even when you are not.

We have just recently supplied and installed a camera system for Becky at the Cavern in Ozankoy and are about to install one at Bar 33 in Ozankoy. We have completed many other installations, mainly for businesses, but increasingly for private home owners who are beginning to take security seriously.

http://www.cyprussecuritycameras.com

[sophie]

I hope The Cavern and Bar 33 have given permission for you to tell the world that they have security surveillance now. Just a thought. As you are in the security business I'm sure you did?

[ozankoys]

You are right Sophie it worries me to use a company here really most of them come & go & probably do not do any checks on their staff whatsoever!

[SatelliteCyprus]

Sophie, firstly, it is 'common' knowledge that 'all' establishments such as this, 'have' to have security cameras installed in order to operate. Secondly, it doesn't take the brains of Lloyd George to see that they have them fitted - they're right above the front door and finally, knowing that they have security cameras fitted acts as a deterrent in itself. Please don't try and create a problem where there isn't one - life's too short !

Ozankoys, we have been established here as a business for 13 years and we do not employ any staff so, with us, this should not be a concern to you especially as I complete all the installations myself.

[erol]

Again the following are my personal views as someone who has set up and used various 'internet camera' systems and seen even more working in customer support for an ISP and not as someone who has any commercial interest in selling such things.

Manufacturer support.

Just as I would personally not buy a laptop where I could not easily identify who made it and go to that companies website and find a support section for that specific laptop, so to I would not buy a IP Camera or DVR for which the same was true. I would pay more for such 'support' vs devices that did not have it but for me that would be a worthwhile cost. I bought for example an Axis 206 IP camera over 9 years ago. Nine years is an inordinately long time for an IT product. However I can still go to the axis website and find the support section for this camera and whilst it is listed there as a discontinued product for which support ended on the 30-09-2012 , I can still find online versions of user manuals and such like and the final firmware versions for this camera and order things like an Axis branded replacement power supply.

Software support.

No matter how good your IP camera (or DVR) may be in terms of optics, aperture, low light sensitivity, resolution and the like if you can not get the software to work such that you can access that camera remotely from the range of devices you may wish to do that from (laptop pc, smartphone, tablet etc) then you are going to have problems. I have I am afraid seen 'unbranded' cameras (and dvr) that have been extremely challenging to get working access to from a single device. They typically use 'plugins' for internet browsers for such access and I have situations where the plugin itself has not documentation available for it (on the manufacturers website) and even cases where what 'onscreen prompts' you get from usch plugins is in a foreign language and cases where the plugin will only work in IE but not Chrome or only work in Chrome but not IE or will only work in certain version of IE and not others. When you then consider support for smartphone / tablet access , or access from Mac PC's or linux based machines it gets even messier. I have also seen cases where people have set up their cameras , have sorted out remote access from the devices they need such from and then a change from say Google in how or even if they will support such plugins in their browser any more means such access stops working as soon as Chrome is updated on the machine in question. In such scenarios having a manufacturers website where you can seek information about how such changes in browser support affects their products and what can be done about it can be a life saver. Third party suppliers can be a valid substitute for 'manufacturer support' in such cases but at the end of the day if the manufacturer does not keep producing and updating their plugin (or other software) software to keep up with the constantly changing environment that these devices operate over then even they will be limited in how much help and support they can offer.

[SatelliteCyprus]

Erol makes a good point about support. It is important that you deal with an established company with a good track record of providing quality customer support over a number of years.

Having lived here for 15 years, we have been supplying customer support in the TRNC for the last 13 years and although we are not perfect (I know that we have upset a few people during that period) and there may be someone along to tell you that shortly, we are a small company, focused on the needs of the British Community.

When we first started, our customers 'typically' were in their early mid-fifties to early sixties and we still retain many who have been with us for more than a decade. Now in their seventies, we understand that they are not quite as 'technically' aware as the younger generation and we are geared to meet their support requirements.

When we install our Security Camera systems, we configure them from start to finish - there is absolutely nothing for the customer left to do. Like our Satellite and IP Television Systems, we provide at least 30 minutes training in the use of the system and provide telephone numbers where we can be contacted seven days a week.

Our IP Television System is so 'simple' to use that apart from a small advert in the classified section of the Cyprus Today (which has been running for approximately 10 years) and our web site, we do not advertise it anywhere. Yet, every week, we receive sales through customer recommendation.

Our Security Camera System is simple too - why ? Well, the last thing that I want to be doing is to spend my time running up and down the coast road fixing problems with Cameras, that is why I spent more than a year researching and testing various systems before settling on a Chinese Manufacturer as our supplier.

One advantage of running a 'legitimate' business here, is that, we can 'properly' import the products that we sell and take advantage of all the benefits of dealing through the proper channels. We supply and install directly to the end user (not through a dealer network, adding extra cost in the form of their profit).

I apologize for having to correct Erol on one thing and only do so to illustrate that we do understand these systems, but when Erol mentioned IP Cameras and "DVR" (Digital Video Recorder), he should have said "NVR" (Network Video Recorder) - it's a small point and something that is easily overlooked by someone who is not 'involved' in the business.

As far as remote access is concerned - we set this up for our customers on as many devices as they want to use (iPhone, Android, Windows etc.) and make sure that they can access their Camera System from anywhere in the World. People with holiday homes here, absolutely love the fact that they can keep an eye on their Gardener and Pool Cleaner. Property Management Companies hate our systems because it means that they have to do the job that they are being paid to do and can no longer leave everything 'til the day before you arrive.

Erol 'seems' to have gained his experience of these systems a number of years ago when perhaps, the industry was in its infancy, but now that things have moved on, the vast majority of systems have sorted out their software issues and offer ease of access remotely. In fact, we even install 'smart' door bells that connect to your mobile device so that you can see and speak to anyone who visits your home, even when you are not in (or are in the UK) and which give you remote alerts when someone approaches or passes your front door.

I know that our systems have no problem providing remote access in fact, when I get round to installing my own system at home, I will be providing remote access (password protected) to potential customers, so that they can see what can be achieved with the correct placement of cameras.

Anyone reading Erol's message should however, take one thing from it. If you are contemplating have a Security Camera System installed and you have a 'limited' knowledge of these systems, it may be better to employ the services of someone with experience and with 13 years behind us, we think that we have earned the right to say that "we are that company !"

By the way, one last thing - "Ozankoys" thank you for telephoning us yesterday with your enquiry.

[erol]

As far as remote access is concerned - we set this up for our customers on as many devices as they want to use (iPhone, Android, Windows etc.) and make sure that they can access their Camera System from anywhere in the World.

Remote access to the cameras from a 'pre-configured' device is one thing. Another thing is access to the cameras from a device that is not already 'pre-configured' to work with their cameras system. Can it be done by easily from any machine with a web browser and internet access or does it require downloading of a 'plugin' or some equivalent ? If it needs a 'plugin' or similar, how comprehensive and straight forward is such installation. If there are problems is there a manufacturers web site where you can get guides and advice and support or can you only get such from a local 'installer'. These are questions I would be asking when looking at camera systems.

Also I would ask what happens if I leave the TRNC to go and live somewhere else? Will my Camera system be 'transportable' when I move and am no longer able to get support from my TRNC 'installer' ? Scenarios like this are again why I personally would be asking what support is there for the system I am thinking of buying from the makers of the equipment as well as from the installers of it.

Erol 'seems' to have gained his experience of these systems a number of years ago when perhaps, the industry was in its infancy, but now that things have moved on, the vast majority of systems have sorted out their software issues and offer ease of access remotely.

Things have indeed 'moved on' in the 20 odd years or so since I first got involved in setting up internet based cameras systems. They continue to move on and that is the point. The idea that things have reached a point where you can today set up a system as a 'snap shot' and be confident that it will continue to work indefinitely going forward is one that my experience tells me is false. The environment over which these things operates is constantly changing and if anything the pace of that change is quicker today than it was 20 years ago. It remains a fact that in the role of customer support for an ISP here I repeatedly come across scenarios where ISP customers contact us to say 'my remote camera that been working for ages fine no longer works'. Often the cause is a change in the 'environment' , something like this to give one example http://www.pcworld.com/article/2990991/ ... -lead.html. When some thing like this occurs, if your cameras will continue to work or not going forward will be down to the manufacturer of the equipment and how well and quickly and for how long they provide support for their devices in this ever and constantly changing environment. Which is why for me personally I am always wary of 'unbranded' equipment where no support for end users of that equipment is given or available by the makers of that equipment. With a camera system made by Axis, or Ubiquiti or Trendnet or Motorola etc etc etc I can search on the internet , I can find reviews and discussions about pros and cons actual users may have had with such systems as well as direct support for such from the makers themselves. I can see historically how well they have supported their products over time and make reasonable judgements about how this will be going into the future. With an 'unbranded' system I can not do this.

If you are contemplating have a Security Camera System installed and you have a 'limited' knowledge of these systems, it may be better to employ the services of someone with experience and with 13 years behind us, we think that we have earned the right to say that "we are that company !"

How many years have you been supplying and installing and supporting such internet based camera security systems ? 13 ? Or less than 13 ?

By the way you may want to update your 'sig', it looks like its missing a year.

[SatelliteCyprus]

Erol... I am not going to answer, or further comment on the content of your post(s), as in my opinion, it is a throwback to the days where you (and others) used to 'speculate' about our TV Systems on another Forum. Your tactics didn't work then and they won't work now. The vein of hostility running through your post 'negates' the content and I think that readers will see that as blatantly obvious.

You can carry on posting in this thread if you like, but I will not be replying. I have better things to do.