Planning Home CCTV: A Practical Guide

What do you want your cameras to achieve?

Before choosing equipment, think about what you want your CCTV system to do. Common goals for Eastern Suburbs homes include:

• Deterrence — visible cameras discourage opportunistic break-ins
• Identification — clear enough footage to identify a person or vehicle
• Monitoring — check on your property, deliveries or tradespeople remotely
• Evidence — recorded footage to provide to police or insurance if an incident occurs
• Peace of mind — knowing you can check your home from anywhere

Your goals determine the number of cameras, the resolution you need, where they are placed and how long footage is stored. A system designed for deterrence looks different to one designed for evidence.

Coverage: which entry points need cameras?

The most useful cameras cover the points where someone would enter your property. For a typical Eastern Suburbs home, these include:

• Front door — the main entry point, also useful for package deliveries
• Side gate or access — a common entry point for intruders bypassing the front
• Rear garden or back door — the most private access point, often the target
• Driveway or garage — covers vehicles and garage access
• Street-facing overview — a wide-angle camera covering the front of the property

Not every home needs all of these. A unit or townhouse may need only two or three. AVsion assesses your property and recommends coverage based on entry points and blind spots.

Image quality: what resolution do you need?

Camera resolution determines how clear the footage is, especially when you zoom in on recorded video. The main options:

• 1080p (Full HD) — adequate for general monitoring, may not give clear identification at distance
• 4MP (2K) — a good balance of detail and storage, suitable for most homes
• 4MP to 8MP (4K) — best detail for identification, needs more storage

Higher resolution means more detail but also more storage and bandwidth. For identification footage (faces, number plates), 4MP or higher is recommended. For general monitoring, 1080p may be enough.

Night conditions

Most incidents happen at night, so night vision is critical. Two approaches:

• Infrared (IR) night vision — IR LEDs illuminate the area in invisible light, producing clear black-and-white footage. Most cameras have IR. Check the IR range — 20 to 30 metres is typical for residential cameras.
• Colour night vision with spotlight — some cameras include an LED spotlight that turns on with motion, recording colour footage. This can also act as a deterrent.

Placement matters for night vision. If a camera is pointed at a wall or hedge that reflects IR light, the image can wash out. AVsion positions cameras to avoid IR bounce and ensure useful night footage.

Storage: how long is footage kept?

Two storage options:

• NVR (local storage) — a Network Video Recorder with a hard drive stores footage on-site. Storage depends on hard drive size, camera count and recording mode. Most residential systems store 7 to 30 days.
• Cloud storage — footage is uploaded to a cloud service, usually for a monthly subscription. No local hardware, but ongoing cost and dependent on internet speed.

Recording modes:

• Continuous recording — records 24/7, uses the most storage
• Motion-triggered recording — records only when motion is detected, extends storage significantly
• Scheduled recording — records during set hours only

For most homes, motion-triggered recording with a 2 to 4 week retention is a practical choice. AVsion configures the NVR to suit your needs.

Remote access

Remote viewing lets you check your cameras from your phone or tablet, anywhere you have internet. This requires:

• A stable internet connection at the camera location
• The NVR or cameras connected to your network
• A mobile app configured for secure access

In double-brick homes, WiFi coverage at camera locations can be a problem. If the WiFi doesn't reach the back garden, cameras there will drop offline. This is where having an installer who handles both WiFi and CCTV helps — the network is designed to support the cameras. See the WiFi installation page for more.

Privacy considerations

In NSW, you should position cameras to cover your own property. If a camera captures a neighbour's yard, windows or a public footpath, consider:

• Adjusting the camera angle to exclude neighbouring properties
• Using privacy masking (a feature on many cameras that blacks out areas of the image)
• Discussing camera placement with neighbours if coverage overlaps

A professional installer places cameras with privacy in mind and can advise on best practice for residential surveillance in NSW.

Why professional installation matters

A CCTV system is only as good as its installation. Professional installation ensures:

• Cameras are positioned for useful footage, not just coverage
• Cabling is run neatly, not draped across walls
• The NVR is positioned securely and connected correctly
• Remote viewing is configured securely
• The system is licensed and compliant with NSW regulations
• WiFi coverage supports the cameras where they are mounted

AVsion is a licensed security installer (Security Master Licence No 000103421, Security Operator Licence No 000233371) based in Maroubra. Call 0411 158 171 or visit the AVsion enquiry page to arrange a consultation. See the CCTV services page for more detail.