More cameras don’t always mean more security
Many small businesses in Costa Rica have cameras installed, but when something happens they discover the recording is useless: the entrance camera only shows people’s backs, the register camera doesn’t capture the counter, the disk filled up months ago or nobody remembers the recorder password. The problem is rarely the equipment brand; it is almost always that the system was installed without a design built for the location.
At SYSCOM we have served businesses since 2001, and we approach video surveillance like any other technology project: first understand what needs protecting, then choose and install the equipment. We work with Hikvision and Dahua, and design systems ranging from a single camera to installations of 128 cameras.
Designed around the location and what needs to be seen
Every area calls for something different. At an entrance, the goal is to recognize who comes in; at a register, to see the counter and hands; in a warehouse, to cover aisles and doors; in a parking lot, to cover a wide area and work at night. That is why CCTV installation starts with an on-site walk-through, where we define with you the placement, angle and type of each camera.
Recording is sized with the same care. The recorder (NVR for IP cameras, DVR for analog cameras) stores video on a disk, and the number of days kept depends on how many cameras there are, the configured quality and whether recording is continuous or motion-based. We agree with you on how many days you need and calculate storage from that figure, instead of finding out once the recording you were looking for has already been erased.
Cameras are part of the network too
IP cameras are devices connected to the network, and like any other device they can become an entry point if left with default passwords or mixed in with computers. That is why we install them on their own VLAN, a separate network that runs over the same cables, and replace the default credentials. If you want to learn more about how we organize a company’s network, see our business networks and WiFi service.
The physical layer is just as important: a camera with a poor connection or a badly run cable produces intermittent video and failures that are hard to trace. Cabling is done to the same standards as our structured cabling service, so the system is tidy and easy to expand.
What changes for your business
With a well-designed system, you can check from your phone what’s happening at your store or warehouse, search for a recording by date and time and export the video whenever you need it. It is important to be clear: remote monitoring means you view your cameras over the Internet; we do not offer surveillance from a monitoring center or alarm response.
Our job is to keep the system working. According to your contract, we check that the cameras are recording, that the disk is healthy and that remote access responds, and we handle failures through the Soporte Digital portal, with on-site visits in the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM).
