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Understanding Hardware!

When we talk about CCTV hardware, what are we generally referring to is housings, pan/tilts and the brackets to support these.

Housings, in essence, are casings used to protect cameras from a variety of conditions, dependent on the environment in which they are mounted.

Pan/tilts are fixtures, to which housings and/or cameras are attached: allowing remote positioning of both direction and zoom lens functions. Brackets are available in a wide range of types to permit the mounting of cameras, housings and pan/tilts to a variety of building structures.

At first sight, most camera housings may seem similar. In practise, to ensure the optimum appearance and performance appropriate for a camera installation, a number of factors have to be taken into consideration:

Location.

Risk of vandalism.

The total load weight of the housing and constituent elements (including camera, lens and any other equipment encased within, the hanging bracket and fixing surface).

The housing chosen has sufficient physical space for the camera, lens (which may have to be changed at a later stage), electrical wiring and enough room to make the connections and allow for future maintenance.

Try to use aluminium or rust-proof products. Steel is more vulnerable to the elements and will rust in time!

Housings should only be mounted on to load bearing points.

It is recommended that the top 5 or 6 levels of brickwork on buildings is avoided when mounting a camera housing.

Environmental conditions are also a primary consideration in selecting an appropriate housing for a camera system, but often one which is not given the due attention. As a result, a housing may not give the level of protection required in its specific application – wasting time, money and effort. If a camera is to be mounted externally in a coastal location, for example, the housing will require a marine finish to protect against the damaging effects of salt which can induce premature corrosion.

Climatic effects also need to be considered. Rising and falling temperatures can dramatically effect the workings of electrical equipment and as a result requires pro-active consideration. In hot conditions, the severity of the sun may require the use of air blowers and sun shields to maintain the temperature of the camera at an optimum level and ensure clear viewing. Conversely, in cold conditions, it may be that a camera requires a heater and thermostat built into the housing. In rainy conditions, wipers may be required to keep the housing glass clear to maintain the cameras viewing quality.

The standard for the degree of protection that housings afford to its contents is defined by the IP system.

Broadly categorised into internal and external usage, pan/tilts are normally selected on the basis of the maximum load they can take. This of course will dramatically vary from application to application. Careful consideration is required to ensure the total weight of the housing, camera, lens, Infra Red lamps and any other equipment featured in the installation does not exceed the load rating.

A wide range of brackets is available to allow CCTV hardware to be mounted in a variety of situations. Brackets available include wall mount, corner mount, ceiling mount and pole mount. The main principle in selecting the most appropriate bracket for a camera installation is based upon load weight. It is vital to ensure that a bracket loading does not exceed the total weight of the equipment that is mounted upon it. Furthermore, if the system is mounted externally, it is important to account for additional weight and pressure excerpted from the elements such as snow and wind.

Infra red lamps (IR) essentially allow black and white cameras to ‘see in the dark’. This results from the infra red illumination provided by the lamps, which is difficult to be seen by the human eye. Broadly speaking, there 2 main types of IR lights: 715nM and 830nM. The 715nM filters pass the most amount of light and can be seen by most people as a red glow. 830nM filters pass less light and consequently provide a shorter viewing distance. However, as a result they are less visible to the human eye and thus more effective for covert usage.

Email: Info@Securasound.co.uk T 01948 667600