Pro's and Con's of Security Technologies

One thing that we get asked over and over again is why we recommend the hardware solutions we do and why we prefer it to other hardware solutions that are on the market. This blog post is going to be a little bit raw compared to our other posts and is based purely on the opinion and experiences of our team. You may agree.. You may disagree.. It's based on what we've found. There's an old adage about security dog handlers, "in a group of three dog handlers, the only thing two will agree on is the third one is doing it wrong" - we've found out over the years that this also applies to security installers, so the information below is as we see it - another company may have a different view, and it may be neither of us are wrong!

CCTV Technologies

IP Network Cameras over Coax Cameras

At K9 Protection, we only install IP cameras nowadays - that's not to say we can't maintain a system based on coaxial cameras, but in honesty, we'd rather come up with a plan with a client to phase them over to IP over time. Yes, we know there's a couple of technologies out there that can use coaxial cable as a pseudo-digital medium, but compared to network cameras, there's no comparison. The benefits of IP cameras over Coaxial cameras as we see them are:

• One cable - one industry standard cable type which can be ran up to 1000 feet (and then extended or split with network switch gear). The cable can carry signal, power, telemetry and allow administration. 
• IP cameras allow for on-camera processing of video analytics & alerts, saving on the processing power needed back at the recorder.
• It suits our skillset - Our engineering team come from a computing background, and IP network cameras are in essence small computers. IP technology is second nature to us.
• Information is sent as a digital signal which can be encrypted, meaning no "tapping in" or detection is possible

Why Hikvision, Why not Dahua?

This one is simple to answer. Personal experience. Hikvision and Dahua make very similar technologies and follow each other's innovation (I think that's the legally safe way of putting it!). In all the years we've been around cameras we've found both to be very capable cameras - the thing that made us choose between them when it came to which one to sell was the quality of the companion software.. We have a few client sites that use Dahua cameras at on occasion we've witnessed more drop-outs and crashes on the companion PC software than we've ever had with Hikvision - considering we have far more sites running Hikvision cameras, it is a noticeable phenomenon.

Why Serage, Why not Hikvision?

Another simple to answer question that we get asked a lot - "why are you so keen to sell me this Serage stuff?", and often one that is coupled with the feeling that because it's at a slightly lower price point compared to Hikvision that it must be sub-par - something people only feel until the time that they use a Serage system and realise that it's actually decent kit. For home & small business solutions that need "standard" cameras to do "standard" things, we'll often recommend Serage CCTV hardware for the simple reason that it saves you money - if it was inferior, we wouldn't be installing it (we don't want to be going up ladders doing warranty replacements for free!). Where Hikvision comes in to its own is when you need a camera that fulfils a more bespoke need, or when you need a camera that can connect to a remote monitoring station - Hikvision is probably the top brand worldwide for being remotely monitored. Where Serage comes in to its own is that I have their UK Support manager on speed dial and the guy knows the hardware inside & out rather than sit in a queue for 2 hours whilst wasting your time on site, then waiting a week for a response. At the end of the day, we supply both, we install both, and we wouldn't do that if we didn't like the hardware - sometimes it really is just about saving you a few quid on your budget.

Can you add a wireless camera to our system?

We can, but we'll probably advise against it - it's all about reliability of the signal and the security functionality needing to be solid. WiFi camera systems are great for occasional monitoring, logging in to see what your dogs are doing, or having a peek to see if that's the postman or TV Licensing knocking on the door. Where we've found wireless cameras fall down is when they're recording constantly. If you would like to add a WiFi camera to your CCTV system, it needs a bulletproof wireless connection on a very stable network - 99% of provider-supplied broadband routers can become unreliable with this type of signal, either dropping the signal on a regular basis or even causing the router to over-heat and crash in some circumstances. Even with a great router and reliable network, your WiFi security camera is likely to be directly affected more by atmospheric & terrain conditions than any wired camera would be, especially with the precipitation we suffer in the UK. So yes, we can, but if you need to get power to the camera anyway, lets see about getting you a data feed there too.

Why do we use Ubiquiti & Draytek network hardware?

As a business, our skillsets come from a strong IT background, and as such when we specify the network side of a larger installation, we'll specify enterprise grade IT hardware with options from companies we've known for many years rather than the options supplied by CCTV manufacturers. The primary reason being that we know is both reliable and easy to maintain. For this reason, whenever a system needs managed network infrastructure (typically above 16 cameras), fibre optic uplinks, or super high speed uplinks, we'll often specify options from companies that aren't as famous on the CCTV circuit. If you'd prefer we can of course, offer network hardware from your chosen CCTV brand.

Alarm Technologies

We only install systems from one alarm manufacturer, and there's a few reasons we've selected Ajax Systems over other providers in the marketplace. There are probably about 10 serious contenders out there for the type of alarm systems our customers need, and we've tried some of them, and our mobile response teams have had interactions with them in some form or another. We had already been using Ajax for a while as a temporary alarm system on the void property side of our business, and we liked it. The reasons we use Ajax can be split in to the following list:

• Nice App! - The Ajax Systems consumer app is simple and easy to use. Once we've configured your alarm system and handed it over to you, the system can be set, unset and part set from the app with the touch of a button. Alarm activations come through to the app very quickly and are loud enough to make you listen; giving a play by play indication as detectors in your premises are triggers and giving you photos if you've got compatible detectors installed.
• Battery life! - Lets face it, we don't want to be up ladders every year swapping out batteries in your devices and getting in the way of your day. The fact that Ajax devices can go up to 7 years on a single battery when there's big-brand systems that struggle to go 7 months was a massive plus for us.
• Wide Range! - Firstly, every device is available in black or white. Secondly, most of the detectors available have a core, and a plus variant with the plus variant giving you extra features you may not need. There are indoor & outdoor detectors available. There are motion sensors with and without image verification available. There are fire, smoke & carbon monoxide variants of the smoke detector available that readily integrate in to your system. If that's not enough, Ajax are always bringing out new devices that can be integrated on to the system to improve your home security.
• 200 Devices on one system - that's with no expander boards and no additional infrastructure.
• Alarm hub can be hidden away - The Ajax hub is a sleek and tiny box that only needs a mains supply & a way to communicate if you want to use it remotely. With alarms like the Pyronix Enforcer, it's extremely tempting for the installer to mount the "brain" right by the front door rather than use a secondary keypad.
• It looks good! When Ajax designed their alarms, they've worked hard to make them aesthetically pleasing and create devices that will look at home equally in a modern studio and a stately home.