Installing a CCTV Camera: English Vocabulary, Phrases and Dialogue

Key words and phrases

CCTV cameraa closed-circuit television camera used for surveillanceHe had a CCTV camera fitted above the main gate.

blind spotan area not covered by a camera's viewThe technician checked for any blind spot near the side wall.

night visionthe ability of a camera to record clearly in low light or darknessHe chose a camera with good night vision.

live feeda real-time video stream from a cameraHe checked the live feed on his phone before leaving for work.

motion detectiona feature that triggers an alert or recording when movement is sensedMotion detection sent an alert whenever someone approached the gate.

cloud storageonline storage where recorded footage can be saved and accessed remotelyHe paid a small monthly fee for cloud storage of the recordings.

wiringthe electrical cables connecting a deviceThe technician hid the wiring neatly along the wall.

mobile appa software application used on a smartphoneHe downloaded the mobile app to view the footage remotely.

field of viewthe area a camera can see and recordHe adjusted the angle to widen the field of view.

spate of theftsa sudden series of robbery incidents happening close togetherA spate of thefts in the area worried everyone.

peace of minda feeling of calm and freedom from worryThe camera gave him real peace of mind while travelling.

installation chargesthe fee paid for setting up equipmentThe installation charges were separate from the camera's price.

recorded footagevideo that has been saved for later viewingHe reviewed the recorded footage after hearing a noise at night.

weatherproofdesigned to withstand rain, heat, and other outdoor conditionsHe needed a weatherproof camera since it faced the open street.

push notificationan alert sent directly to a phone from an appHe got a push notification every time the camera detected motion.

Useful sentences

Ask Why did you decide to install a CCTV camera now?
Answer There's been a spate of thefts in the neighbourhood lately.
Ask Does the camera have night vision?
Answer Yes, it records clearly even in complete darkness.
Ask Did the technician check for any blind spot?
Answer Yes, he adjusted the angle to cover the whole gate.
Ask Can you view the live feed from your phone?
Answer Yes, through a mobile app connected to the camera.
Ask Do you get an alert when someone approaches the gate?
Answer Yes, the motion detection sends a push notification instantly.
Ask Where is the recorded footage stored?
Answer On cloud storage, so I can access it even when I'm away.
Ask Was the wiring difficult to hide?
Answer Not really, he ran it neatly along the wall.
Ask Does the camera survive the monsoon rains outside?
Answer Yes, it's fully weatherproof, so it's built for that.

Dialogue

technicianI'll install the camera right above the gate for the widest field of view.

RahulGood. Can you make sure there's no blind spot near the parking area?

technicianSure, I'll adjust the angle to cover it too. This model also has night vision.

RahulPerfect, given the spate of thefts recently, that matters a lot.

technicianI'll hide the wiring along this wall so it looks neat.

RahulThanks. Does the mobile app show a live feed?

technicianYes, and you'll get a push notification whenever motion detection triggers.

RahulWhere does the recorded footage get saved?

technicianOn cloud storage. You'll need a small monthly plan for that.

RahulWorth it. This will finally give us some peace of mind.

Common mistakes

Saying "install CCTV camera" without an article, better as "install a CCTV camera."
Saying "blind spots" for a single missed area in casual speech, better as "a blind spot."
Saying "see live" instead of "view the live feed."
Saying "motion detect" instead of "motion detection."
Saying "weatherproofed" instead of "weatherproof" as the adjective.
Saying "mind of peace" instead of "peace of mind."

Quick quiz

1. What does "blind spot" mean in this context?

2. What is "motion detection"?

3. What is "cloud storage" used for here?

4. What does "weatherproof" mean?

5. What is a "spate of thefts"?

6. What does "peace of mind" mean?

Practise speaking and listening

The free Day to Day English app turns every lesson into practice with audio, a story you follow and more than 1680 words to learn.

Free for AndroidPractise in the app

menu_book Key words and phrases

forum Useful sentences

chat Dialogue

error Common mistakes

quiz Quick quiz