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CCTV guides
Buying, sizing and setup guides grouped by topic — written from stock we actually sell, with free calculators for the sizing sums.
Cabling & Connectors
- CCTV Cable Trunking & Wire Management 2026Get the trunking cross-section wrong and you'll spend every callback fighting a lid that won't shut or cable clips snapping under load.
- Wire Connectors for CCTV UK 2026: IP68 Gel & Push-InGet the splice wrong and it's rarely the camera that fails first — it's the joint, months later, once damp and thermal cycling have done their work.
- Cat6 Ethernet Cable for CCTV: 2026 Spec GuideChoosing the wrong Cat6 cable is how installers end up chasing intermittent PoE dropouts on a job that looked simple on paper — and with 64 different ethernet…
- Belden Cable Equivalent: UK Part Cross-Reference 2026Matching a Belden part number shouldn't mean paying a Belden premium: what matters on a tender or a call-out is whether the gauge, pair count, screen type and…
PoE & Power
- 12V CCTV Power Supply: Sizing & Amps 2026Size a 12V CCTV power supply by adding up each camera's real current draw (not just its "typical" figure), adding roughly 20-25% headroom for inrush and IR-LED…
- Best Hikvision PoE Cameras UK 2026Hikvision's PoE camera range spans dozens of models, but most UK buyers only need to answer three questions: bullet or turret, how many megapixels, and does…
- PoE Switch for CCTV: Sizing & Mistakes 2026Most installers pick a PoE switch by counting ports, then wonder why four cameras starve of power on an 8-port unit—the real killer is total wattage budget…
- PoE Cameras Explained: UK Buyer's Guide 2026A PoE camera runs video and power down a single Ethernet cable — no separate power supply, no second cable run, and no electrician needed just to add a camera.
Cameras
- Digital Cameras vs CCTV: Why Not SecurityA digital camera — compact, mirrorless or DSLR — is built to take great photos on demand, not to watch a property unattended for weeks on end.
- Canon G7X Cameras for CCTV: Why Dedicated Security WinsA Canon G7X is a superb pocket camera for stills and vlogging, but it was never built to watch your front door.
- Best CCTV Outdoor Security Cameras 2026For UK buyers, an outdoor CCTV camera is only as good as its weakest specification — and that's rarely the resolution.
- CCTV vs Security Camera: What's the Difference and Which Do You Actually Need? (UK Buyer's Guide 2026)Most people shopping for "CCTV and camera" systems are searching for the same thing — the terms are interchangeable in the UK market, but the distinction bites…
Kits & Systems
- Business CCTV Systems UK 2026: How Many Cameras You NeedSizing a business CCTV system starts with counting your actual coverage points, not your budget.
- Zxtech 4K CCTV vs Dahua & Hikvision 2026Zxtech's 4K PoE kits will look identical to a Dahua or Hikvision system on a spec sheet, but the gap shows up the moment footage needs to be pulled, zoomed, or…
- 4K CCTV Cameras for UK Homes | Best Security Systems4K CCTV cameras genuinely change what you can do with surveillance footage — but only when the right lens, sensor size, and storage infrastructure back them up.
- Best Home CCTV Systems in the UK (2026): What to Buy and WhyMost UK homeowners shopping for a home CCTV system focus on camera resolution and price — and miss the two things that will actually determine whether their…
Installation
- CCTV Camera Bracket Fitting Guide 2026Get the bracket wrong and you'll be back up a ladder within a year — chasing water ingress, camera droop or a thread that never fitted the housing in the first…
- DIY vs Professional CCTV Installation 2026If two CCTV quotes for the same building arrive far apart, the usual explanation is simple: the installers have priced two different jobs — and that gap is…
- CCTV Camera Installation Cost UK 2026Professional home CCTV installation in the UK typically runs from around £250 for a basic single-camera install up to £800 or more (plus VAT) for a wired…
PTZ & Zoom Cameras
- Dahua PTZ Cameras UK 2026: Which Model?Dahua's PTZ range spans everything from compact mini-domes to heavy-duty TiOC combo units with 25x optical zoom and 8MP sensors, and the right choice hinges on…
- PTZ Camera Meaning: Pan, Tilt & Zoom 2026PTZ stands for Pan, Tilt, Zoom — three motorised movements built into a single camera head that allow it to rotate horizontally, pivot vertically, and magnify…
- Best PTZ Cameras UK 2026: Buyer's GuideA PTZ camera is one of the most capable tools in a CCTV installer's kit — and one of the most frequently misapplied.
Guides
- CCTV Cabinet Buying Guide UK 2026Choosing the right cabinet or enclosure comes down to three decisions, in this order: match the IP rating to where it's going (indoors, outdoors, exposed to…
- Hikvision DS-2CE72UF3T-E vs DS-2CE78U1T-IT3F 2026Both cost roughly the same, carry the same 8MP/4K sensor spec, and share an IP67 turret housing — yet they're built to solve opposite problems after dark.
Recorders & Storage
- CCTV Hard Drive Guide 2026: Size & CapacityGuessing your CCTV storage and hoping for the best is how UK installers end up with systems that silently stop recording three weeks before someone actually…
- NVR Explained: What It Is & How to ChooseAn NVR is the central intelligence of any modern IP camera system—it receives video streams from your cameras over the network, compresses them intelligently…
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Trade & Wholesale
ANPR & Number Plate
Something not covered? Ask us — real answers from people who work with this kit daily.