Tips For Buying The Right CCTV Monitor

The monitor is just one of the components of a standard surveillance camera system. For many buyers, it's a minor buying decision, preferring instead to look for quality in cameras and recorders instead. Regardless, the monitor is still a vital part of a security system and if your needs require detailed surveillance, you should extend quality concerns to monitors as well. Here's how to buy the right CCTV monitor for your for your security system:

Consider monitor size. The size of your CCTV monitor will depend on your needs. If you have a single camera, for example, a small monitor will do. Small to medium CCTV monitors with sizes ranging from 9" to 12", for example, will also work with multiple cameras, provided there is someone who directly observes the monitor.

Color or black and white monitor? Usually, a black and white monitor will do well for general surveillance and should work well if identification is not a major concern. However, a color monitor can provide better descriptive capabilities. How else can you inform authorities about a person in a red coat committing a crime if your monitor can only transmit black and white images?

Is the monitor there to catch or simply to provide an observation point? Some users don’t really need high end monitors because their use for a surveillance system is limited to recording events and simply going back on the tapes to review events, which means quality is better focused on cameras and recorders. If this is the case, a standard monitor will usually do.

However, if you will be watching the monitor constantly, a CCTV monitor with a good resolution will help you observe activities more effectively. High-resolution monitors, when combined with a good camera and recorder, will provide images that are easily identifiable.

Consider compatibility. Remember that the higher the resolution of your CCTV monitor, the more expensive it is. But if you're tempted to upgrade your monitor, you might want to consider how well your camera and recorder receives images.

If your camera records 500 lines of resolution, for example, and you have a CCTV monitor that can transmit 600 lines, the investment on the monitor is a waste. On the other hand, if you buy a camera with 500 lines of resolution and a CCTV monitor with a 400 line resolution, the camera's capabilities will also be wasted. Consider getting a monitor that is compatible with both the camera and the recorder in order to maximize its use.

When buying a CCTV monitor, don’t worry too much about pixels. For a security system, it's better and more practical to go for the horizontal TVL (TV lines). Usually, a CCTV monitor that can provide from 350 – 400 TVL will work well.

Decide on the power source. Monitors can run either on battery or electric power. Battery powered monitors offer you more flexibility in choice of location since you can place them anywhere. CCTV monitors that need an electrical power source will have to be placed in locations where an outlet is available.

Prices The cheaper CCTV monitors are often CRTs (cathode ray tubes). Although a bit bulky and subject to heat generation, CRTs are quite reliable. They usually cost from $125 to abut $500, depending on the size of the screen. Flat panel monitors, which often offer better resolution and do not generate as much heat as CRTs, usually cost from $300 to about $4000. Again, the price depends on how big the screen is.

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