Frequently Asked Questions
Home CCTV is a long established Authorised UK CCTV Supplier and distributor based in Abingdon Oxfordshire.
At Home CCTV part of Mycablebox Ltd we aim to provide a competitive, fast and reliable service.
Rest assured that all of our CCTV products (CCTV Cameras, CCTV Kits, CCTV Monitors, CCTV Cables & Accessories) are genuine and official UK stock, No grey market imports.
Home CCTV UK is a VAT registered business, so you will receive a VAT invoice with every order.
Please do contact us directly regarding any purchase, this is the quickest way to get any issue resolved. via the contact us link.
We get a number of calls from respected people facing problems with their CCTV cameras at night. They install a CCTV system during the day also at night find they’ve got issues. We’ve created this section to cover some of the most common night vision cctv issues and causes.
No image at night vision CCTV cameras
The most ultimate case is viewing nothing at all on the screen. Check all the same effects you would look at during the day. Make sure the camera has power, insure all the connections are secure and that the infrared is illuminating( this will mean power is getting through to the camera). If that’s all in order also stand in front of the camera relatively close to it. Infrared requires to bounce off a surface back into the camera. If you just point the camera into space it will not see anything.
Still, if you got long-range cctv cameras which got 20 or 30 metres plus range and you’re awaiting it to work at that distance do not calculate on quoted specs, If you have bought a camera with a long- range. IR range is mostly made up and should not be used as a go-to guide to effective range. You could be trying to retake too far down. Stand near to the camera and see if you can see an image.
Not able to do so ? Means, you may be suffering a voltage drop.
Voltage drop
One of the maximum not unusual issues experienced is voltage drop. Whilst the IR illuminates the power requirement of the camera will increase, if the cable run is simply too long or there isn’t always enough copper you will revel in a voltage drop. This will reason the camera to forestall working altogether. It could also purpose the digital camera to cycle on and stale. The IR illuminates which reasons the digital camera to replace off. The digital camera re-starts and works until the IR switches on again. You may also see photograph deterioration when a voltage drop takes place. In case you are the usage of cat5 cable to sign up for the cameras to the dvr and energy supply make certain you are the use of a pure copper cable as opposed to cca or copper-clad aluminium. Cord the cameras as in step with our guide to the use of cat5 cable in cctv. Specially, make sure you use 3 pairs of cord for the 12 volt supply.
White screen or white areas
This is another common problem. If you see a white screen at night or a white haze then the most likely cause is infrared light reflecting back into the camera lens. The wider the angle of view the more chance there is of this happening. Have you got the camera’s sun visor too far forward? We suggest having the rear of the visor in line with the back of the camera body. Is there something just out of shot but in front of the camera which can reflect IR back into the camera, guttering and soffits are common culprits? On vandal dome cameras check to make sure any sealing rings which fit between the lens and the inside of the clear plastic cover are securely in place.
Whilst you can’t see the infrared light in the camera it is extremely bright and any surface close to the front of the camera can reflect the light back into the lens. Even if the surface is out of screenshot it can still reflect the IR. If you can’t move the camera try zooming it in more so you narrow the field of view. Light pollution from other sources can also cause white areas to appear on the screen. Vandal dome cameras are particularly prone to corruption from external light sources.
CCTV camera hooked up inside a window delivers a white picture at night
Well, it will do. The glass is a reflective surface and is right in front of the camera. The infrared will jump off the glass immediately into the lens inflicting the camera to dazzle itself. It’s a bit like taking a flash picture in the front of a window at night.
Preferred photograph deterioration at night time
When the infrared switches at the digital camera draw extra cutting-edge. In case your energy deliver isn’t powerful enough this more modern-day draw should purpose problems. Additionally, make certain you haven’t exceeded the endorsed cable run duration and that the cable is tremendous enough. Voltage drops alongside the duration of the cable and the thinner the go-sectional vicinity of the cable the extra this happens.
General haziness of the photo at night time with some motion at the screen
Check the digital camera for spider webs. Throughout the day you don’t observe spider webs. The camera focuses past the internet and it appears invisible. At night the infrared bounces off the web and it shows very clearly. We do sell a spider spray to assist lessen this hassle.
Shifting spots in front of the camera at night
This is similar to the spider’s net hassle but in preference to an internet, the mild is reflecting off dust or debris in the air. That is mainly sizeable in fog wherein the water droplets suspended within the air reflect the infrared. Heat currents within the air can motive debris to upward thrust as well as fall.
This isn’t always an exclusive listing of troubles encountered at night but it covers the maximum not unusual ones.
CCTV (closed circuit television) security kits can include everything you will need to set up a video surveillance system in and around your property.
A basic CCTV kit includes at least one CCTV camera, a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) or NVR (Network video recorder) which simultaneously monitors and records video footage and occasionally audio too. Along with all of the video cables and power supplies for running and connecting everything together.
The DVR or NVR allows for recording of the camera images and dependant on the size of the hard drive (HDD) will allow you to record days, weeks or even months of footage to playback should the need arise.
Almost all DVR’s / NVR’s allow internet connection via a network port which gives you the option to keep an eye on things remotely from any location via a smartphone App or on a PC but this is optional and the CCTV system will
always run as a standalone security device independently.
Cameras and channels
The amount of DVR or NVR channels advertised indicates the amount of cameras you are able to connect to your recording device. For instance a kit could be supplied with 4 cameras but have an 8 channel DVR, meaning additional cameras can be purchased and installed with your current system up to a maximum of 8.
Image quality and playback
Camera image quality is generally referred to as MP (mega Pixels). The higher the number of MP the better quality of image that is displayed. A standard resolution for cameras these days is around 2 to 3 MP which gives a resolution of 1080P, this is the same as most HD television channels and perfectly good for most situations. Next step up in resolution is around the 5MP range which will give a clearer image at a greater distance than the standard 2mp cameras.
The higher end resolution is the 8MP range which can also be referred to as 4K resolution. These produce very sharp image but you will need a 4k monitor to be able to notice the difference from the lower resolutions.
One of the main benefits of having the higher megapixel cameras is that you can use a digital zoom feature when playing back any recorded footage and the image is less prone to blur and pixelate as it will with the lower resolutions.
This leads us on to the playback DVR/NVR resolution to consider which is also measured in MP as are the Cameras.
When selecting Recorders and cameras you need to ensure the Camera and recorder resolutions match so generally if selecting a range of 5mp cameras you should also check that you select a 5mp recorder to suit.
Having said that you can run 5mp cameras or 2MP cameras on a 4k DVR but a 2mp DVR/NVR wont run 5MP or 8MP cameras. So recorders are backwards compatible with lower resolution cameras.
Night Vision options
Infrared (IR) LED in the cameras giving night vison allows your CCTV camera to capture images in the dark.
The performance of this feature can vary between cameras due to the distance they are able to cover generally referred to as IR distance in meters.
The other choice for night vision is “Full Colour” which utilises white LED on the cameras instead of the IR which are bright enough to allow near normal light and colour up to a given range in meters.
These are effective but should be considered carefully due to light pollution and increased energy usage.