Testing the best Surveillance camera Systems
Smart CCTV….. Because of the high incidence of antisocial behaviours and suburban crimes increasing at never before levels, systems have been developed within the IT Industry to detect or predict human movements and behaviours. Recorded actions of previous misdemeanors have been gathered by computers and a set of algorithms have been applied to enable us to produce Smart CCTV camera systems that are available today...
What is the purpose of CCTV?
CCTV (closed-circuit television) is a TV system in which signals are not publicly distributed but are monitored, primarily for surveillance and security purposes.CCTV relies on strategic placement of cameras, and observation of the camera's input on monitors somewhere.
Definition of: CCTV. CCTV. (Closed Circuit TV) A self-contained surveillance system comprising cameras, recorders and displays for monitoring activities in a Retail Store or Commercial company premises or Residential domestic property.
CCTV have system have come a long way since VHS or Beta tape systems. Back in the days they had a VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) for each Camera installed. Some had A Quad VCR recording 4 low resolution images some had a time lapse recorder that could accommodate multiple cameras. As DVD and DVR came into play with multiple analog inputs the VHS tape system was superseded
Analog to Digital was inevitable
Increasingly, digital network cameras were used that transmit over Ethernet or Wi-Fi and offered greater camera installation flexibility. Analog CCTV recorders have a fixed number of camera ports, whereas Wi-Fi cameras are easily added, and Ethernet ports can be expanded at minimal cost.
Save money or get the results you need?
We look at the common mistake of asking too much of one camera
When selecting a camera, it's important to consider where the scene the camera will be looking at and what the end user expects from their CCTV camera. Many times we hear people ask for a very wide angle shot so that they can see as much as possible from one camera to save on cost. That's fine, but in the same breath they also want to read license plates and identify a person from 30 metres, usually at night! Unfortunately, Hollywood is responsible for much of the misunderstanding of what a CCTV surveillance system is really capable of. Check out what NCSI has done to our thinking HERE
Take a look at a real CCTV scene below. This is a shot from a 4 megapixel IP camera. The native resolution is 2592x1520.
If we use DIGITAL zoom to enlarge the number plate on the white SUV this is what we get.
Notice that there are now 4233 pixels (83x51) defining the license plate area - a significant increase as you can see below.
Again, we have enlarged the image for easy viewing, but you can clearly see that having the license plate larger in the scene by zooming the LENS (optical) there can be no misinterpreting the results. It's evident that pixel resolution alone is not the only factor in camera performance.
So what's the solution if you need to see a wide view AND get important details of specific areas of the scene? Multiple cameras. Yes, it costs a bit more, but isn't a CCTV system that doesn't do what you want even more expensive?
Want to know more about CCTV??
Contact DNA Queensland Electrical today on
P (07) 5437 7433 M 0428 625 320 (Gold Coast, Brisbane North & Sunshine Coast)
