Analogue or IP cameras?
For most homes either works; for shops and offices, IP usually pays off.
Where to place cameras at home
Entrances first, then the paths people use to reach them.
The most common mistake we see is a camera that records the tops of heads. A camera mounted too high above a door shows hair and caps, not faces.
Start with every entrance: the main gate, the front door and any back or side door. Mount door cameras at about 2.4 metres, angled slightly down, so faces fill the frame as people approach. At the gate, a camera with a wider view shows who stopped and which way they went.
Next, cover the paths. A camera over the parking or driveway records vehicles and their number plates if placed at the right angle. A camera on the staircase or terrace door covers a common route in independent houses.
Avoid pointing cameras into the sun, at bright street lights or directly into a neighbour’s windows. Strong backlight turns faces into silhouettes, and privacy matters as much as security.
Finally, keep the recorder out of sight and locked. A visible recorder can simply be carried away, taking the recording with it.
