Need Recommendation On High Quality 16 Camera System For A Gas Station

Kam,

Where are you located?  The best gas station install/use case I have seen is Green Light Detroit.  

Green Light Detroit

There may be an initiative in your area from Genetec, Milestone etc that is similar.  You should reach out to your local Law Enforcement Liaison and ask.  

I am in California. I was hoping someone would give me advice on what specific model of camera  system to choose that would work well in a gas station environment. I am not looking for prices or freebies.  It's hard to decipher and pick one model when there are so many to choose from. 

Yes I would love to. I have one from SCW Inc., which I am not sure if I can share publicly or not so I will omit that one. I am sure how to upload a pdf.

I am in Simi Valley Ca. I am not sure how to upload a pdf file.

My starting point was with SCW Inc (their web site is informative and they are very helpful.) 

While I don't think there honestly is a for sure perfect camera brand specifically for CS stores, I think that you will find a great choice by choosing one of these brands;

1) Hikvision is usually the lower cost option, but still offers a wide product line and reasonably good product support. The downside is they are partially owned and controlled by the Chinese gov and that is a non-starter for some in the industry. If that bothers you, then cross them off your list. If you don't care about the politics involved and just want a good value, then I would start here. Their product line up runs the gamut, from budget to top of the line.

2) Hanwha (previously Samsung) is a very strong mid level brand of cameras. They don't have as wide of a portfolio of models as Hikvision and they generally will cost a little more, but they don't have the political baggage of Chinese gov ownership. They are South Korean based, which is a big bonus if you are looking to avoid China, but also need to keep your budget as low as possible. They have very good  quality cameras and now have their new Wave VMS that we really love. This is a very strong end to end solution.

3) Axis is the industry leader in cameras due to their reliability, innovation, and wide portfolio of models. While they aren't always the most expensive units you can find, they aren't really a budget brand either. They are very easy to purchase and support is good. You can't really go wrong buying Axis as long as you can afford it.

4) Avigilon would be what I consider to be the best end to end manufacturer. They don't necessarily make the best cameras, and they have a limited selection of models, but their VMS software is some of the best available. Buying Avigilon cameras and their recorder will likely be more expensive than any of the above, but it will be the best end to end solution IMO.

One thing that I would strongly caution you to do is ask your integrator/supplier for a demo of what ever recording solution you are going to choose. Don't over value sales hype like AI or deep learning. They generally aren't very accurate today, with the exception of Avigilon. Make sure that you will be comfortable using the system to play back events. Make sure that you can find these events quickly and simply. If the system is too difficult to use, you won't ever get your ROI. It needs to be simple to use in order for you to maximize the value of the investment.

Good luck!

Paul.

I am not sure what ,"This is another Uniview OEM" means. Please excuse my ignorance  I am an end user. 

John,

Thank you for your feedback. I will start will Avigilon Hikvision and then Hanwa. Are 4K overkill. You have given me a lot of useful information. 

My budget is $7000-$10,000.

Jon,

I mentioned before that my gas station is under construction. I have an electricians that where going to help me install the cameras. From what I saw on SCW website it did not look terribly difficult.

Not to be rude, but I feel like this guy is looking to just under-cut what local integrators have told him. The quotes given are within expectant pricing for the equipment listed. I feel though that some of that is overkill considering the location. Storage requirements seem high to me unless they are recording all cameras continuously.

Kam,

You do not seem to be doing anything unethical or suspect in my opinion.  As a former integrator I would not want one of my quotes with part numbers and pricing released for public consumption.  Any dealer/integrator in your area now has an idea of where the competition stands and how they are proposing security systems.  That being said I do not believe you have shown any ill intent at all.  It looks like you are asking for information to get the best security for your site which is what any responsible person would do.  

My main concern with the proposals is the lack of detail in the scope (really not much of a scope at all) and the lack of specific inclusions and exclusions.  Maybe those pages were not uploaded however I would want specific warranty info, what is excluded such as core drilling, 120VAC, lifts etc.....

I included the specific inclusions and exclusions because it gave me an opportunity to go through them with the client and make sure we were not assuming things only to have a tough conversation later.  I also found that when my sales staff wrote up a complete scope of work first then get the pieces and parts together it was a better end result for the client.  If you do not have a detailed written scope with inclusions and exclusions I would not sign.  

My other concern is the division between electrician and integrator.  That can be a headache when something fails and you need to call back the installer to fix it.  You might propose that one contractor subcontracts the other one or some sort of agreement of who will be responsible for a warranty and complete and operational system.  

Feedback on Quotes:

Quote 1 is Exacq (which is one of the favorite VMSes) and OVISS cameras which is a no-name relabel, which is concerning.

Quote 2 is LTS end-to-end. LTS is relabeled Hikvision, so its one of the top used offering and favorite cameras. Given LTS sells incredibly cheap, this might be priced high:

Quote 3 is Visualint, from SnapAV, which I believe is relabelled Hikvision as well, so same as above but pricing seems even higher:

Anyone with comments, please share.

So if you want Hikvision, buy Hikvision. Otherwise, consider comparable models from other manufacturers mentioned.

It was not my idea to share this information. I just wanted unbiased advice from pros. 

I agree with John.  

This is the new world we live in and there are many ways to make decisions. 

I’m glad you didn’t list the actual installers, but frankly bids get passed along regardless to friends and associates as well as to the winning bidder quite often. 

I’m also not one of the manufacturers suggested and won’t ask to be listed since I was providing generic background information.

If you are a social driven person I would say to reach out to several associates in the business and see what they like. 

If you are a data/research person, then check the specs. 

Anyone wanting to sell you a system should be capable and willing to set up a recorder and camera for you to see, touch, try. 

Any SI or Manufacturer not willing to do an on site test/trial either lacks confidence in what they are offering or is simply lazy. We often take test shots on site which are later reviewed with the end user or leave kit on site for several days for the same purpose. Leaving kit for more than 24 hours is recommended as it will give you a good impression as to what you can expect from sun up to sun down and even night time.

I'm sure you, like most other end users, can spend your money only once so spend it wisely. What might seem a cost effective choice at first could work out expensive in the long run if it doesn't deliver what you as end user require which means it's not fit for purpose.

For Retail and Forecourt systems ease of use is key and fast retrieval of good quality footage is a must. Features such as instant replay are key for drive offs. Even better if you can play a camera back whilst others are still showing you live footage.

Why would anybody ever simply buy kit of a shiny brochure or because the Sales guy says it's great kit? 

Disclaimer: We are a Uniview Distributor

I would use Uniview. 

But I think there are many brands that would work for your situation. Whoever is installing and maintaining the system should have some experience with the equipment in my opinion.

Kam -

glad you reached out to ask questions and ask for suggestions. This industry is cluttered with a lot of companies (from one person companies to national companies), acronyms and confusing products (3mp cameras starting at 29.95 up to $1,295)

If I were you - here is where I would start.

1. you need WDR (wide dynamic range) cameras - eliminate the glare. learn more: https://ipvm.com/reports/wdr-2017

2. you need light compensation  

3. You need a VMS that is easy to use and can quickly provide (or export) information or video in case of an incident. Test drive it (if you can).

How often does the server and/or software need maintenance or upgrades or patches? Have this included in your quote - NOT after you already purchased the system. If you provide the server - have them include software updates - but who does the windows updates?

4. You need to a locking rack for your equipment (wall mount is popular) in a location that is private. No tampering by a bad person or an employee. Put your other switches and servers in the cabinet too.  AND a UPS for all systems and switches.

5.  have the system monitored (is the system recording, are all cameras online, switch working, etc.) Why pay all this money and not know when something is not working correctly. FYI - you should also set this up to monitor your other network items.

6. Pick reasonably priced name brand cameras. Have used Axis, Avigilon, Samsung, and Panasonic. All work great if the correct camera is chosen for the application.

7. If you want to view the cameras from home or mobile device, Get a good firewall service to protect your TOTAL business (not just your camera system). 

8. Verify outdoor cameras are rated for outdoor. 

good luck

share your decision with everyone. Also, if you are ok with it, share a screen shot of how your new cameras look.

I really appreciate you taking the time to write all of this for me.

Kam,

I know this is an old post and you may no longer be a member. If you are receiving this I am curious. What equipment did you get? Are you happy with it? Did you use an integrator?