We deliver products across Kenya · dispatched once payment is confirmed · delivered within 24 hoursCCTV InstallationAccess ControlBiometrics & AttendanceElectric FencingAutomatic GatesFire Alarm SystemsSecurity Guards & K9Solar InstallationSolar & Power BackupElectrical InstallationSmart Home AutomationBuilding Management (BMS)Networking & Wi-FiIT SupportCyber SecuritySystem IntegrationIntercom SystemsPA SystemsPOS SystemsQueue ManagementBusiness Supply (B2B)Maintenance & Repairs

CCTV Guides: How It Works, What to Choose, How to Fix It

Everything about CCTV systems: how cameras, recorders and networks fit together, what to choose for your site, and what to check when something stops working.

CCTV Installation service →

67 guides

CCTV · Technology Explained
CCTV Explained: How a Complete CCTV System Works
Camera, cable, recorder, storage, network and phone: how each part of a CCTV system works, and why the weakest link decides how good the whole system is.
4 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Technology Explained
CCTV Lens Sizes: 2.8mm vs 4mm vs 6mm, Fixed vs Varifocal
Smaller millimetres mean a wider view with less detail; larger means a narrower, more detailed view. How to choose the right lens for each position.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Technology Explained
Does CCTV Work Without Internet? What Still Works When It's Down
Recording and local viewing keep going; phone viewing and alerts stop. What happens when the internet drops, and how to design for sites without internet.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Technology Explained
Does Hikvision Record Audio?
Which Hikvision cameras capture sound, how to switch audio recording on, and the privacy points to think about first.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Technology Explained
Hikvision AcuSense: Human & Vehicle Detection Explained
Why basic motion detection floods your phone with alerts, and how AcuSense's human and vehicle classification keeps only the alerts that matter.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Technology Explained
Solar CCTV Camera With a SIM Card: How 4G Solar Cameras Work
Cameras that need no power line and no Wi-Fi: how they work, data use, and their limits.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
CCTV Camera Positioning: Heights, Angles & Blind Spots
Where cameras go matters more than how expensive they are. Heights, angles, glare and overlap, and how to find the blind spots on your site.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
Can CCTV Help Protect My Farm and Livestock?
Cover the gate, the pens and the store, and use solar and 4G where there is no power or Wi-Fi.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
Does a Church or Mosque Need CCTV?
Equipment, offerings and vehicles are the usual targets. Cover the entrance, the store room and the car park.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
Hidden Cameras and CCTV Privacy in Kenya: What the Law Allows
Where cameras can't go, why secret recording is risky, and how to run CCTV lawfully.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
Hik-Connect: How to View Hikvision CCTV on Your Phone
What Hik-Connect needs to work, how live view, playback and alerts work, how much data it uses, and what to check when it stops connecting.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
Hikvision Recording Time: How Many Days Will Your DVR Keep?
Work out how many days your Hikvision recorder will keep, and how to make it keep longer.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
How CCTV Cameras Are Installed, Step by Step
From the site survey to phone viewing: what a proper CCTV installation involves.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
How Do I Make My M-Pesa Shop Safer From Robbery?
Robbers often walk in as customers and strike at quiet times. Cameras, an alarm and cash habits make you a harder target.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
How Do I Stop Employees Stealing From My Shop?
Most shop owners lose more to people inside than to shoplifters. Cameras, counts and clear rules fix most of it.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
How Do Shoplifters Work in Kenya and How Do You Stop Them?
Know the usual tricks, train the floor staff and use layout and cameras so theft is hard.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
How Does CCTV for a Mall or Shopping Centre Work?
A mall needs an IP network, central recording and clear ownership of footage, not a pile of separate kits.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
How Long Does CCTV Keep Footage? Recording Days & Hard Drives
How to work out how many days your recorder keeps, why surveillance-rated drives matter, and when motion recording makes sense.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
How Long Should I Keep CCTV Footage in Kenya?
Keep footage long enough to catch a loss you only notice later, and no longer than you can justify.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
How Should a Clinic or Hospital Use CCTV in Kenya?
Cover entrances, reception, corridors and the drug store. Keep cameras out of consulting and treatment rooms.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
How to Connect a CCTV Camera to Your Phone
The right app for each brand, what the recorder needs, and how to fix it when viewing fails.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
V380 Camera Setup: Connect to Wi-Fi and Your Phone
Add a V380 camera to the V380 Pro app, fix the usual pairing problems and secure it.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
What CCTV Do I Need in a Salon or Barbershop?
Cover the till, the door and the waiting area, and keep cameras away from treatment and changing spaces.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
What CCTV Does a Butchery Need in Kenya?
Butcheries lose stock at the cold room and the till. Use cameras built for damp, cool spaces and cover both.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
What CCTV Does a Hotel or Lodge Need in Kenya?
Cover reception, corridors, back of house and the perimeter, and never guest rooms or bathrooms.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
What CCTV Does a Mini-Market Need in Kenya?
Mini-markets mix till theft, aisle theft and stockroom loss. Use an 8 or 16-channel system.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
What CCTV Does a Petrol Station Need in Kenya?
Cover pumps, the forecourt, the shop, the cash office and the tank area, and record plates at the entrance.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
What CCTV Does a Restaurant Need in Kenya?
Cover the till, the kitchen door, the stock and the entrance, not the guests' tables up close.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
What Is the Best CCTV System for a Supermarket in Kenya?
Cover the tills, the aisles, the entrance and the stockroom, and record long enough to review a theft days later.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
What Is the Best CCTV for a Boutique in Kenya?
Small shops lose stock to quick, practised theft. Cameras at the door, the till and the rails catch the pattern.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
What Is the Best CCTV for a Hardware Shop in Kenya?
Hardware shops hold high-value, easy-to-carry stock and often a yard. Cover the counter, the aisles and the loading area.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
What Is the Best CCTV for a Pharmacy in Kenya?
The counter, the medicine cabinet and the stock door are the three views that matter most.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
What Is the Best CCTV for a Small Shop in Kenya?
Four cameras on the door, the till, the stock and the back usually cover a small shop.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
What Should a Shop Security Checklist Include in Kenya?
Most shop losses come from a few gaps: weak doors, no alarm, blind corners and unwatched stock.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
Wired or Wireless CCTV: Which Is Better for a Shop?
Wired is the reliable choice for a permanent shop; wireless suits short-term or hard-to-cable spaces.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Comparison
CCTV Camera Types: Dome vs Bullet vs Turret vs PTZ
Dome, bullet, turret, PTZ or fisheye? Where each camera shape works best, and why most sites use a mix.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Comparison
CCTV Night Vision: IR vs Full-Colour (ColorVu) vs Smart Hybrid Light
Black-and-white infrared, full-colour night imaging, or a hybrid that switches on white light when it detects a person: how each works and where it fits.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Comparison
CCTV Resolution Explained: 2MP vs 4MP vs 5MP vs 8MP
What megapixels really buy you, why 8MP isn't always the right answer, and how pixel density decides whether you can identify a face.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Comparison
Dahua NVR vs XVR: Which Recorder Do You Need?
NVRs record IP cameras; XVRs record analogue HD cameras plus a few IP ones. Here's how to choose.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Comparison
H.264 vs H.265 vs H.265+: CCTV Compression Explained
Compression decides how much storage and bandwidth your cameras eat. What H.265 saves over H.264, and what the '+' versions add.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Comparison
Is Dahua Good? Dahua vs Hikvision for Kenyan Homes and Businesses
Both are major CCTV brands. Here's how they compare on cameras, apps, price and support in Kenya.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Buying Guide
CCTV Bulb Cameras: Are They Any Good?
How light-bulb cameras work, what they're good for, and their real limits.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Buying Guide
Dahua NVR Models and Features Explained
Decode Dahua model names and match the recorder features to your site.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
CCTV Camera Shows No Picture / Black Screen
One camera or the whole screen is black. How to tell a camera fault from a cable, power, recorder or monitor problem.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
CCTV Footage Already Overwritten? How to Keep Recordings Longer
Why footage disappears and how to keep 30+ days.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
CCTV Image Blurry, Foggy or Washed Out? Causes and Fixes
Dirt, webs, condensation, IR glare and focus: get a sharp picture again.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
CCTV Showing 'Video Loss' or 'No Signal'? Fix It Channel by Channel
Power, connectors, cable, camera: find the broken link for each channel.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
CCTV Showing the Wrong Date and Time? Why It Matters and How to Fix It
Wrong timestamps weaken evidence. Set automatic time sync and fix resets.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
DVR 'HDD Error' or 'No Hard Drive'? Your CCTV May Not Be Recording
What HDD errors mean for your footage, and how to get recording back.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
Dahua DVR or NVR Forgot Password: How to Reset It
The official ways to reset a Dahua recorder password and what to do if none of them work.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
Dahua NVR Not Showing a Camera? Fixes for Dahua Recorders
Why a camera won't appear on a Dahua NVR or XVR, and how to bring it back.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
Hikvision DVR Not Recording? Causes and Fixes
No playback, gaps in recordings or a DVR that won't start: the checks that find the cause, in order.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
Hikvision DVR or NVR Forgot Password: How to Reset It
The official ways to reset a Hikvision recorder password, which one applies to your device, and how to get it done for you.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
NVR Not Detecting an IP Camera
A new or existing IP camera won't show up on the NVR. Power, cable, IP address, password and compatibility checks, in order.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
How CCTV Storage Works (with Calculator)
The formula behind CCTV storage and a calculator to size your recorder's hard drives.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Guide
How to Verify Genuine Hikvision Products
How to tell genuine Hikvision equipment from grey-market or counterfeit stock.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Comparison
DVR vs NVR
What each recorder does, which cameras it takes and how to choose.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Comparison
HD CCTV vs IP CCTV
A visual side-by-side of both CCTV architectures, and when each one fits.
4 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Buying Guide
Best CCTV Cameras in Kenya
Real camera options from the catalogue, compared.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Buying Guide
Business CCTV Buying Guide
What actually matters on a CCTV spec sheet when buying for a business.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Buying Guide
How Much Does CCTV Cost in Kenya?
What drives the price of a CCTV system: cameras, recorder, storage, cabling and installation.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Product Guide
Hikvision ColorVu Camera
Full-colour night vision camera: features, specifications and where it fits.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
CCTV Camera Not Recording
Live view works but there's no footage: the usual causes, from hard drives to recording schedules.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
CCTV Camera Offline
Why a camera drops off the recorder or app, and the safe checks to do before calling a technician.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
CCTV Night Vision Problems
Dark, washed-out or foggy night images: what causes them and how they're fixed.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Troubleshooting
CCTV Not Showing on Phone
Remote viewing stopped working? Checks for the app, the internet connection and the recorder.
2 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
CCTV · Checklist
CCTV Installation Checklist
What a proper CCTV installation should include, from coverage to handover.
3 min readREAD FULL ARTICLE →
Other topicsAccess ControlBiometrics & AttendanceAutomatic GatesElectric FenceFire AlarmNetworking & ITSolar & ElectricalMaintenanceEstates & IntegrationVehicle SecurityPA & Sound SystemsAlarm SystemsGuards & EscortsPersonal SafetyShopping Guides
Chat with us — 30 min response