Adding a security camera system to your home or business provides unmatched protection and peace of mind. Your system will likely need storage, and several factors go into determining what size is needed. Before you invest, know what you want from your cameras so you can pair them with an existing or new computer storage system.

How to Determine Your Storage Needs

1. Image Quality

Resolution and frame rate are important considerations. The better the quality and the higher the frame rate, the more accurate and reliable the video. However, this won’t do you much good without a storage system in place. There are many high-resolution security camera systems on the market. As a rule of thumb, the higher quality image or video, the larger the file size. A low-resolution 176 x 120 video running 24/7 store nearly 700 days’ worth of content on 1 terabyte (TB), but a high-res 1280 x 1024 will only store just over 20 days on 1 TB. High-resolution video that records 30 frames per second (fps) will need 1 TB for just eight days of footage, but if it takes only 10 fps, it can store 26 days. 

2. Camera System Size

Once you’ve determined size based on image quality, you’ll need to multiply it to accommodate multiple cameras. If you have several entry points and areas inside your building, such as a room with a safe, that need a dedicated camera, you’ll require additional storage. Take the TB storage based on one camera and multiply it by the total number in your system. 

3. Archival Periods

If a security camera can’t prevent a crime, it can at least help you capture the thief after thanks to archived footage. The police or your insurance company may also need this footage. Again, the higher the video quality and the longer you want to keep it, the more storage you’ll need. If you want to store all video captured by a single 1280 x 1024 camera in the past year, for example, you’ll need over 12 TBs of storage.

If you’re interested in adding a security camera system to your property, the professionals at SysQuick have all the products you need. They’re proud to keep residents of Parkville, MD, and surrounding areas safe and offer a number of industry-leading solutions. They’ll also assist with all your computer and laptop repairs and game system repairs. Explore their services on their website. Call (443) 231-5627 to speak with a representative and connect on Facebook for news and updates.