CCTV for new retail store

[jxm28788]

We will be opening a retail store shortly, and I'm looking at options for CCTV. It's a low budget store, and ideally what we want is:

• Obviously as high a resolution, frame rate as feasible, in colour
• Upload to the cloud, not to a DVR or other local hardware
• Wireless not wired
• Ability to monitor remotely, in realtime
• Supports multiple cameras
• Cheap!

Does anyone have any recommendations?

 

[intheTRADE]

Do you want cheap or do you want all those features? I think you will struggle to get both

CCTV is there to protect you, your staff, your customers and your stock. Sink some money into a decent set up that you know will do the job

 

[jxm28788]

Do you want cheap or do you want all those features? I think you will struggle to get both

CCTV is there to protect you, your staff, your customers and your stock. Sink some money into a decent set up that you know will do the job

ok, revise that to "not stupidly expensive".

 

[Mr D]

Write out exactly what you want then ask a half dozen places for a quote.
You'll likely get 6 quotes for 6 different setups anyway but can compare them to how close your idea and their expertise meet.

Just be aware, CCTV does not prevent things happening.

 

[jxm28788]

Write out exactly what you want then ask a half dozen places for a quote.
You'll likely get 6 quotes for 6 different setups anyway but can compare them to how close your idea and their expertise meet.

Just be aware, CCTV does not prevent things happening.

Thanks, but I don't want a cctv company to install them, I can do that myself.

What I'm more looking for is people that have experience of specific cameras similar to my requirements that they can say "yes, we use these and they're great" or "avoid these ones like the plague".

 

[Simon-TP]

I'm sure there is someone on here that deals in cctv / security - also runs ghost tours if I'm not mistaken. Just can't remember the name.

 

[KoalaBrain]

I'd be wary of mixing "cheap" and "wireless" - you could be opening up a security can of worms. Those cheap CCTV solutions most likely phone home for their remote viewing functionality, and then you're relying on a party that probably cut corners to cut costs to transmit and store all of the conversations and activities that happen in your store.

 

[KoalaBrain]

We will be opening a retail store shortly, and I'm looking at options for CCTV. It's a low budget store, and ideally what we want is:

• Obviously as high a resolution, frame rate as feasible, in colour
• Upload to the cloud, not to a DVR or other local hardware
• Wireless not wired
• Ability to monitor remotely, in realtime
• Supports multiple cameras
• Cheap!

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Out of curiosity - did you find anything that was suitable? Interested to know! I've deployed unifi video before for a few locations but looking at their current pricing they're definitely a hard sell for smaller businesses.

 

[jxm28788]

I originally saw the Arlo & Blink cctv and thought there were others like that, but it seems not. After further investigation we decided we'd just go with a wired system with NVR and remote viewing software.

 

[Root 66 Woodshop]

I'm sure there is someone on here that deals in cctv / security - also runs ghost tours if I'm not mistaken. Just can't remember the name.

Thanks most appreciated for the mention... even though you didn't remember the name... you knew what I do

To the OP.

Biggest mistake that you have said is Wireless... and cheap.

Yes, you can get some really really cheap wireless kits, however they're not going to give you what you want... 100% on that.

Problem that some people have with CCTV is that they want something for nothing... it's not going to be HI-RES images if it's going to be cheap... then you want to upload to the cloud, with no DVR or NVR and expect to keep costs down? really...

Not going to happen at all that way, sorry.

What you need to look at is Hickvision whether it be NVR or DVR for recording - depending on the amount of cameras you're going to install will depend on the TB hard drive... a maximum of 4 cameras... you're going to need at least 2-4TB hard drive - you can watch LIVE (REAL-TIME) recordings and LIVE footage... in full colour... for night time viewing, again, really depends on why you want colour... the cameras nightvision on a £40-£50 camera will be more than sufficient in mono (black and white) if you want it in colour... expect to pay more per camera.

Then, look at your camera positions... for some reason, folk tend to install the cameras at stupid heights externally... anything between 7ft and 8ft will give you an image that can be used in court... some people put the cameras high into the eaves... bloody daft... what you are going to get it the top of someone's head robbing your car/van whether it be baldy Magrew or GNR chap... that's all you'll see.

IMHO a Wireless camera kit... is completely useless for a business, keep the cheap and cheerful wireless camera kits for domestics... easier to install, less hassle picture and frame rate is not suitable for anything other than a domestic installation... so much so, we don't touch them.

One of the main things you need to think about is that it'll cost more getting the power to the camera location, than it is getting the camera cable to the power location... if that makes any sense to you...

 

[J Ali]

You will struggle to go wireless for a relative low cost

For wired in a retail environment id recommend milesight (think Avgilon on a budget), otherwise your usual Hiks and Dahua.

 

[Mr D]

Can also be useful to have a couple of hidden cameras, not as obvious as the cameras you want people to see - and at a level where a good look at the face can be had.

People keeping their face away from the camera - the one they see - but picked up by others.