Making the decision to install CCTV outside your home or business premises is a smart move. From the moment the installation is complete, you will have full access to the goings-on around your property, meaning if any crime or suspicious behaviour is detected, you’ll be able to act on it. Plus, CCTV means you can provide tangible evidence to the police which is more likely to lead to a conviction if any offence takes place on your property.
However, not all CCTV is created equal, as it is available either as a wired or wireless system. As to which is going to be better for your needs, this depends on your usage requirements, your budget along with your preference over how your CCTV is installed, and how the footage will be stored and accessed.
There’s a lot to cover, so here’s an overview of both wired CCTV and wireless CCTV systems so that you can make an informed purchase decision.
Wired CCTV
Wired CCTV systems are the most traditional type of CCTV, and involve the cameras being connected to a power source and the internet using cabling. Some cables provide the power and internet separately, whereas others (PoE) combine the two in a single cable.
The imaging is recorded directly to a hard drive, and some systems have the ability to record footage even if the internet is down. The resolution of the images at present tends to be higher with wired CCTV cameras, offering 4K resolution. This means that if you want to zoom in on the picture or freeze a particular frame, the image quality is less likely to be blurred or pixelated.
The setup of wired CCTV is one of the main differences that need to be considered since it will involve connecting the system from the outside of the property to the hard drive that’s located inside. The cable will need to be fed through the exterior of the brickwork in order to reach the hard drive. Though, installation isn’t as complex as it initially seems, especially if using a qualified CCTV installer.
Wired CCTV Pros
- Higher image quality
- Records footage straight to a hard drive
- Not reliant on an internet connection
- No chance of batteries running out
- More difficult to tamper with due to fixed installation
- Can connect to live stream quickly
Wired CCTV Considerations
- Will require a professional installation
- Footage is usually designed for desktop first rather than mobile use (depending on the manufacturer)
- Higher upfront cost, though no ongoing cloud fees as with wireless CCTV
Wireless CCTV
As the name suggested, wireless CCTV means your system does not require any cabling that connects your camera to a hard drive, because there isn’t one! Instead, the camera will remotely transmit the data it records to a cloud-based system or directly onto an SD card.
A great point to note here is that this means your CCTV cameras will be reliant on having enough cloud or SD storage, as well as a consistent WiFi connection. Steps will also need to be taken to protect your CCTV in the cloud so that it is not subject to unauthorised access or even accidental deletion.
One of the huge draws of wireless CCTV is that users can quite literally plug and go. However, without professional installation, the positioning of the camera may not offer maximum benefit.
In addition, wireless systems typically record and stream footage at a much lower quality, which can compromise their effectiveness. When wanting to connect to a live stream to identify any activity, there may be a slight delay depending on your WiFi speed.
Wireless CCTV Pros
- Great for on the go CCTV monitoring via apps
- Ideal for general smart home compatibility
- Extremely cheap wireless CCTV cameras available, albeit in exchange for lower quality imagery and a reliance on SD cards
Wireless CCTV Considerations
- Connecting to live stream can take longer when relying on WiFi
- Wireless CCTV is designed to be set up by the homeowner, who may not have specialist knowledge on the best location for the camera, nor how to maintain clear imagery
- Requires a continual cloud subscription which adds a higher long term cost
- Possibility for the wireless system to be hacked either due to a wider company hacking or personal targeting
CCTV Installation UK
Whichever CCTV you opt for, the bottom line is that any CCTV is better than none at all. Here at RE:SURE, our CCTV features remote monitoring, meaning if any unusual activity is detected on your premises, we can immediately communicate with the suspect and issue a verbal warning, as well as calling the police on your behalf.
Are you interested in remote CCTV monitoring, or do you need further help with anything we’ve mentioned above relating to picking the right CCTV cameras for your needs?
Get in touch on IRE 01 691 7100 | UK 028 8676 1183 and our friendly team will be more than happy to help.