Video surveillance that actually catches the thing you need to see.

What we sell — and when each fits

Digital Watchdog

Our default video platform. Strong analytics built in (motion zones, license plate recognition, person vs. vehicle detection), reasonable licensing, and a made-in-USA option that matters for some government and regulated customers.

• DW Spectrum IPVMS — the video management software. Multi-site, scales from a single camera to thousands. Browser, desktop, and mobile clients.
• Star and MEGApix camera lines — entry-level through high-resolution, indoor and outdoor.
• NDAA-compliant options for federal-adjacent customers (federal contractors, defense suppliers, certain state and municipal accounts).
• Real licensing model — perpetual licenses, optional cloud features, no surprise per-camera SaaS fees baked in.

Best fit for: businesses 10+ cameras, multi-site deployments, customers with analytics requirements, government and regulated customers.

Ubiquiti UniFi Protect

Lower-cost option for customers already on Ubiquiti UniFi networks. No recurring licensing fees, one pane of glass for network and cameras, solid camera quality at a price point that's hard to beat for small business.

• No per-camera license fees — buy the camera, it works, no SaaS bill.
• Native UniFi integration — network, Wi-Fi, doors, and cameras all in one admin interface.
• Strong for SMB — perfect for a 5–20 camera office or retail location.
• Cloud-optional — local storage works fine; cloud is available if you want it.

Best fit for: small to mid-size businesses without strict regulatory requirements, customers already on UniFi infrastructure.

What we look at during a site walkthrough

1. What you actually need cameras for. Liability evidence is different from theft deterrence is different from employee safety. Different cameras, different positions, different retention.
2. Coverage areas. Entries, exits, parking lots, points of sale, loading docks, server rooms, areas with cash handling, restricted-access rooms.
3. What you don't want covered. Restrooms, break rooms in some contexts, areas with reasonable privacy expectations. We respect these — it's the law in many cases.
4. Lighting conditions. Day-only? 24/7? IR or color-at-night? Where do harsh sun glare and shadows fall?
5. Cable paths. Where will Cat6 actually run? Conduits, plenum, drop ceilings, exterior runs.
6. Existing infrastructure. Network closet space, available PoE budget on existing switches, server-room rack space for the NVR.
7. Retention requirements. 30 days is standard; some industries require 90+. This drives storage sizing.
8. Who needs access. Owners only? Managers? HR for incident review? Off-site monitoring service?

Camera positioning — the part most installers get wrong

A camera in the wrong place is worse than no camera, because it gives you false confidence. We position cameras to:

• Capture identifiable faces at choke points (entries, register areas) — not just "someone was here" but "this specific person was here."
• Cover license plates at vehicle entries with lenses designed for the distance and speed.
• Avoid backlighting — facing a sunny doorway means everyone walking in is a silhouette. Cameras get angled.
• Provide overlap on critical areas — if one camera fails or someone blocks it, the area is still covered.
• Resist tampering — mounted out of reach, in tamper-resistant housings where vandalism is a risk.

Storage and retention

Footage retention is a planning decision, not an afterthought. Drives the NVR sizing, the camera resolution, and the bandwidth.

• Standard: 30 days at full quality, motion-only recording during off-hours.
• Regulated industries: 60–90 days, sometimes longer for HIPAA-adjacent or evidence-bearing contexts.
• High-resolution use cases: 4K cameras for license plates and parking lots fill drives fast — we size for that.
• Off-site backup: optional cloud archive for high-value incidents so footage isn't lost if the NVR is stolen or burned.

Analytics that actually work

Modern cameras can do meaningful analytics — but the marketing oversells what's reliable today. What we actually deploy:

• Person vs. vehicle detection. Stops triggering motion alerts every time a leaf blows past the lens.
• License plate recognition (LPR) at vehicle entries and parking lots. Useful for known-vehicle lists and incident investigation.
• Line-crossing alerts for after-hours perimeter monitoring.
• Loitering detection for sensitive areas (cash, pharmaceuticals, controlled-access doors).

What we're cautious about: facial recognition (legally complex, often unreliable in real conditions), "AI-powered everything" marketing claims (mostly hype). We deploy what works.

Insurance and compliance angle

Installed video surveillance often qualifies for insurance premium discounts and may be required for certain coverage types. We can provide attestation letters for underwriters documenting your camera coverage, retention, and access controls.