Do-It-Yourself CCTV

When it comes to video surveillance it is not always necessary to hire an installer, that’s because quite often you can do-it-yourself.  In this article we are going to take a look at do-it-yourself CCTV.  It’s important to note that there are all kinds of CCTV systems.  There’s analog or digital and wired or wireless but ultimately the components are the same.  A camera, a lens, a monitor, and for wired systems, cables that carry a signal from one place to another.  Let’s take a look at connecting a wired camera to a DVR and then connecting the DVR to a monitor.

          Fist, figure out where to position the camera and how close or far it will be to the DVR, monitor, and power outlet.  When placing the camera consider the lighting condition.  For example, don’t point the camera into the sun as it will cause a glare.  Mount the camera in the desired location.  Remember, the longer the distance to the monitored area the longer focal length of the lens will be needed.  Most bullet cameras come with 3.6 mm lens, which with rooms around 500 sq. ft should be no problem.  For more information on your lens and focal length read on-line or seek the help of an expert.  Now it’s time for the wiring. 

          If you are going a short distance the wiring is no problem but if you are going a long distance it can be more of a challenge.  First, make sure what you are using are quality wires.  (Remember; never run cable alongside high powered electrical lines.)  Then, determine the route of wiring and if you are going to wire behind the wall or alongside the floor or ceiling.  When running the cable you should leave some extra cable at each end of the camera and DVR.  (Doing so will enable you to have extra cable when plugging it in to both camera and DVR.  It also is good to do in case you want to move the camera around.)  Run the cables until they reach the DVR.  Now it’s time to connect the cables.

          The cables you will be connecting are what’s called the BNC plug and play cable.  First, connect the BNC cable to the DVR by simply pushing and twisting.  Then grab the other end of the cable and connect it to the camera.  Next, attach the power side of the cable to the power input of the camera.  Then, attach the power supply plug of the security camera to the other end of the BNC cable.  Repeat this process for each camera.  Last, plug the power supply into a standard power outlet.

          To connect the DVR to the monitor simply connect the video/audio cable to both DVR and monitor.  Then plug in the monitor power supply into a standard power outlet.  Now you are ready to turn the power on.  It is recommended to start with turning on the camera, then the monitor, and then the DVR.  To setup the DVR follow the instructions provided in the manual.  Hopefully this article has helped to guide you through hooking up your first CCTV surveillance system.  There is much help on-line that you can find by simply goggling key words, as well as on-line tutorials posted on websites like You Tube.  Good luck!