Help Needed Im New To This!

[Guest anguscanplay]

I almost feel from what im reading here there seems to be a disliking to IT stuff and ppl??? Is that unfair or is there merit????

Fla

hi fla in your case probably not deserved but it tends to stem from the posters asking for defaulting info , which the site cannot give out then ending with them shouting " im not a diy-er i work in IT ".

hats off to you for wanting to enter the trade and trying to do thinga the right way - my advise the other night still stands - try and get the experiance working with others ( even if its free labour your supplying ) - switch it round if you knew of a guy whose first couple of IT jobs were a hospital and five story office and all he knew was learnt fom the internet .............. ?

have you looked at the systemq short courses ?

[Doktor Jon]

hey dok,

I can imagine the picture watching people could be difficult alright, as you say with networks even the IT guys who configure after dont give a **** what when or where once you've tput in enough sockets and done all the dirty work.!! Im probably stuck doing these two contracts but i dont think there too complex, basically a dvr, outdoor cam and 7 dome cams..

When you say toys what exactly do you mean???? Im visiting the supplier next week to immerse myself in product and im spending night after night online reading! And i do get where your coming from with the supllier bull, its very similar in the computing game. From what im reading i see a lot o dvr's offer very similar things just some have smoother gears and back end software..??

Thanks guys

Fla

BTW, I think its important to note i like to specialise so i hope to do this in cctv too, i see a lot of guys do fire/burgular alarms as well, im hoping to find a niche where i operate. Ive already developed my own DVR's in the past for drain cctv companies, they have one of the only fully digital DVD formatted systems in the country, I may introduce this technology into my work, hard to explain sorry i know this prob doesnt make sense!!!

The thing that perhaps jumps out at you, is an understandable perception that the IT industry (i.e. using IP Video) is pushing to take over the CCTV market, and many established CCTV practitioners somewhat resent being labelled as dinosaurs, when they frequently see IP Video being used incorrectly, where it may not necessarily have been the ideal solution in the first place. We are still a few years off IP replacing conventional analogue, but the IP Video Industry would have us believe otherwise. Rant over

The reason that video surveillance, whether it be CCTV or IP Video is so different from configuring computer technology, is that it isn't simply about making the equipment ( toys ) work, but rather making them work well in terms of the operational requirements.

Enthusiasm is brilliant, but it won't take the place of experience, and as well as learning about the basics, I couldn't actually do my job properly unless I had a reasonable grasp of engineering principles, physics, mathematics, psychology, criminilogy, and probably a few other ologies I can't even remember.

If you start off gently and spend a bit of time playing around with some simple equipment, you can actually learn an awful lot very quickly.

I'd agree with Dave the alarm man that if you stick to quality branded equipment, you may be a bit squeezed on margins to start with, but the performance and back up will be well worth the investment.

Good luck with your projects

[relaykid]

Totally agree with your last sentence jon,

regards,

Relaykid

[eoghanfla]

hi fla in your case probably not deserved but it tends to stem from the posters asking for defaulting info , which the site cannot give out then ending with them shouting " im not a diy-er i work in IT ".

Hi Again Angus,

Thanks again for the good advice, I totally see where your coming from and agree.. Ive been doing a lot of research on this stuff and the business does excite me. Like every business you have different levels of professionals. For example in IT you have big companies installing km of fibre or terminatting all the networks in dublin airport and then you have the guy like me doing my bit and doing it right, much much smaller but no less determined. I think its similar here, Im hearing from people hear that are pro's and seen every kind of job/customer and situation. With the best will in the world I could never match that but what I def have over my competitors here is my IT knowledge, it might just give me the edge on certain jobs. I still want to do smaller work for as long as I can, do you think an 8 cam DVR system is too much to start off on? One of the clients is a good friend so Ill get to play with the gear as long as I like before install..

Oh and also as a lot of ye know there are a lot of IT guys that if they picked up a drill they'd put it in their eye, I def aint one of those haha

Fla

[eoghanfla]

The thing that perhaps jumps out at you, is an understandable perception that the IT industry (i.e. using IP Video) is pushing to take over the CCTV market,

Hi Dok,

Ya I see a lot of IP this and IP that but dont get me wrong Im an old schooler at heart. I love new technology but sometimes I get sick of them bringing out new stuff for the sake of it. Granted bnc can not run a computer system anymore and maybe its solo run in cctv is over as cat5e and bnc solutions seem to help out a lot. Im loking forward to integrating both and solving problems. Im sure Ill be onto ye a lot in the future but maybe ye'll have questions for me too.

The other thing that might give me the edge here is on this job I got, I was able to fix, re-progamme all his tills (never used em before) re-wire his network, all his phones, pull the cctv cables and even fix their bottle holder on the wall.. So for this small client I was able to solve a lot of his headaches instead of going to four or five different people..

I am really looking forward to this install, as I said to Angus I get to play with the gear before hand which will be handy, plus working for a tv/sat company for a couple years does help too

I hear a lot of ye mention good quailty equipment and to make sure if i can to use it... What would be good brands of cameras and dvr's to use. I dont mind tight margins to start cause my IT stuff can soften the blow for the first while?! For these two jobs Comin up Ive a mix of Ganz/computa DVR and cameras with some Genie cameras too but I havent gotten a great response from people hear on those brands, think their american.. Oh no team america are makin my gear Im fecked..!!!

Thanks again guys for all ye're sound advice, keep it coming, ill buy the next round...!!

Fla

[ian.cant]

Ganz or Computar is ok kit middle of the road generally and usually a copy of branded kit.

As i said Genie is cheap Korean stuff (as is most of kit these days) which does what it says on the box, you can buy the same kit elswhere usually in a similar box cheaper though.

Avoid COP, avoid LJD get in touch with Norbain.

[Neutech]

Norbain are the worst company i've ever had the misfortune to try deal with.

If your running a million plus operation they'll be all over you, i tried to speak to them at ifsec every year with promises of someone getting in touch with me to set up account etc............i'm still waiting.

In my personal experience of the last 16 years i been in security is i have had far better service from the smaller companys out there, but as i say thats my personal experience.

running down "cheaper" branded DVR's is the wrong thing to do, there is some of the cheaper kit out there now that blows the big names out of the water in quality etc.

Speak to suppliers, get demos, try kit on return basis and do your homework. Have a look at buying form UK, i buy 99% from there as the guys over here are bunch jokers who think they deserve higher prices.

My 2p's worth..........

Good Luck with you new venture