After installing your CCTV, you may be wondering how long your CCTV footage could be kept. This looks like a simple, straightforward question and should answer quickly.
But this isn’t a question that you can answer with one answer. It depends on what you want to record, where you want to record, and the most important is what you want to do with the CCTV footage.
Different businesses keep it on a different period of time. Normal business will keep it within 30-90 days. Banks will keep it longer. At the same time, other may be required to keep it up to 1 year due to some regulations.
Here are some tips for deciding how long you could keep your footage.
1. Local Rules & Regulation For CCTV Footage
You may want to take a look at your local authority’s instruction on CCTV footage. Different countries have different rules on the Data Protection Act. This is to protect the data of the party that is being recorded.
There may be different views on installing it on a private premise or on a business premise. Understandably, CCTV is installed for safety purposes on business premises. But installing in private premises, CCTV can be used for security purposes and other purposes that you wouldn’t know.
It is also crucial that they be recorded but not shared with the public, even on business premises.
2. Storage Space
For full video surveillance systems, CCTV footage is stored on an external recorder. In IP systems, these recorders are called NVRs, or network video recorders. In analog systems, they’re called DVRs which stands for digital video recorders.
The CCTV footage is usually recorded on a hard disk. How long the CCTV footage can be recorded depends on the size of the hard disk. The old footage will be removed and replaced with the most recent footage when the hard disk is full.
Cloud-based storage is another option for storing, and it is becoming trendy due to the ease of access and flexibility that they provide the users. It can be accessed anywhere to find a reliable internet connection, but it will need subscription fees.
3. Purpose of Keeping CCTV Fotage
When it comes to how long to keep the CCTV footage, you may want to define the purpose of why do you need to keep the CCTV footage.
For example, banks keep the CCTV footage for a longer time of period depending on their policy. This is because people may take some time to realize that things happen, and with the number of people and transactions in the bank, they may need some time to clarify things.
So when you are defining the purpose of installing the CCTV, you may consider if it is for business use or personal use. You may want to have a longer period of CCTV footage when it comes to business as you may take some time to realize there may be stolen things etc. But if for personal use like monitoring your kids or babysitter, you may not need that much footage.
4. Video Quality
Another reason that will affect the time of footage recorded will be the quality of CCTV. There is a massive difference between 720p and 1080p CCTV, which could affect how much video footage you can store and how long you can store it for.
Higher image quality uses more bandwidth, which shortens the time the camera will record information. To put it simply, the higher quality video you have, the shorter period of time you will probably be able to keep it.
The quality of the CCTV image also affects whatever you recorded. The better the quality is the better chances of recording a higher image quality which can help you identify whatever is happening in the premise.
5. CCTV Types
You will also want to consider the actual type of CCTV camera that you choose to install. While it is filming, it will significantly impact the overall quality, storage, and length of recordings taken.
Some cameras may take a series of photos a few seconds apart, while others only film in black and white. Newer models are able just to record when they are triggered by proximity.
This gives us a lot of variance in the number of recordings, their length, and how long they can be kept. You will need to know all these details, or it is nearly impossible to answer how long the footage is able to be saved.
Some cameras can also record when there are only people walking by it. It will be able to record lesser. Shorter CCTV clips will be able to keep longer. Make sure you know the features of the CCTV you are getting.
Will all the ideas above, consider it while you are getting a CCTV. You may check with the professional to get the CCTV that suits your need.
Over the years, we have embarked to be the best provider of security and surveillance systems for many homeowners and retailers here in Malaysia. All businesses, regardless of size, warrant our full attention and service. We know our clients definitely need to pay extra attention to such intricate security details at their workplace.
We are one of the leading home security providers in Johor Bahru, Malaysia empowers us to have the experience and true understanding of how security, particularly remote surveillance and access control security, is of uttermost value to any business.
