Many have decided to no longer wait until after a security incident has occurred before ensuring the appropriate prevention tools are in place. It is extremely important to educate the market that security is not just about installing cameras but through the use of technology and integration, we are able to protect even more.
From a single camera and monitor to complex video surveillance systems with hundreds of cameras, multiple operators, and digital recorders, closed circuit television (CCTV) systems can provide security for a wide range of application. A good video surveillance system can make your property safer, more ef cient, and less prone to theft and accidents.
There are many details to consider when specifying the correct CCTV Camera System. Professional Video Surveillance is not a cheap endeavor and a budget should be outlined and the best possible system for the buck should be considered. This guide will help the novice CCTV buyer in reviewing camera and recording system for their CCTV and Video surveillance requirements. Before starting to compare systems or choose potential vendors, sit down and consider your CCTV requirements carefully.
- Evaluating your CCTV requirements
- Selecting the cameras
- About the camera technology
- Camera location
- Selecting the digital video recorder
- Video compression
- Network access and remote viewing
- Latest technology – high de nition video
- Choosing your CCTV service provider
- Pricing & Warranty
- Tips
There are speci c cameras that need to be selected based on the Field of View (FoV), lighting conditions, and the mounting location of the camera. There is no such thing as a one-size ts all in the successful CCTV project. It is important to note each camera location and select the camera best suited for that location.
- Indoor or outdoor?
- Lighting conditions (during day and night)?
- Mounting locations?
The indoor cameras are generally in dome casing type which comes in a variety of con gurations including standard color, Day/Night, and Infrared versions. It can be mounted on a horizontal or vertical surface but is typically ceiling mounted. Lens options on dome camera may restrict their use in certain applications such as requiring more than a 20mm video lens. Dome cameras are a primary choice in indoor camera locations.
The indoor cameras are generally in dome casing type which comes in a variety of con gurations including standard color, Day/Night, and Infrared versions. It can be mounted on a horizontal or vertical surface but is typically ceiling mounted. Lens options on dome camera may restrict their use in certain applications such as requiring more than a 20mm video lens. Dome cameras are a primary choice in indoor camera locations.
The day/night camera is the best choice for low-light conditions. The cameras produces standard color video image during daylight conditions and it switches either digitally or mechanically to a low-lux Black & White mode.
During no-light or total darkness conditions, infrared cameras provide infrared illumination of the eld of view (FoV) allowing
monitoring of areas with no light available. The IR LEDs are automatically illuminated and the camera switched to the B/W low-lux mode offering camera views in total darkness.
Pan-Tilt-Zoom camera offer the ability to view in all directions and optically zoom in as required. PTZ cameras also include standard color, Day/Night modes, and a few Infra Red PTZ cameras have been introduced recently. The CCTV operator can set the PTZ cameras to automatically rotate to different Field of View (FoV).
Sony CCDs are the predominate video element in security cameras today. Sony makes few cameras, but they own the CCD image device market. Do not think that Sony makes the camera touted as “Sony 1/3” Super HAD Camera” as many vendors advertise their cameras. The camera has a Sony CCD image device; however the camera is not from Sony and could be almost any brand camera out there. Important factors of lens quality, vari-focal and auto-iris ability, quality of camera housing or enclosure, and lens optics are the difference in a professional CCTV camera.
- If you buy an Rm100 camera, you’ll get an Rm100 viewing quality
- Resolution is an important factor to be considered
- Location of the camera and the correct lens are keys to quality video capture
- Cameras love light and criminals hate the light! Add lighting wherever possible
camera mounting location is critical to the success of the CCTV project. Cameras should be mounted as close possible to the eld of view required, and the closer the camera to the subject the better the identi cation of the subject will be. Proper lens selection relative to the camera location and the Field of View (FoV) required is essential to a quality picture.
DVRs are an important part of any successful CCTV project. Video resolution is getting larger, recording speeds are getting faster, and video data compression is reducing the video data le size. TeraByte storage capacity is becoming common in many CCTV applications. Network or remote monitoring of CCTV video is standard in all professional DVRs on the market and video distribution across LANs, WANs, and the Web have given the DVR a new market outside of video security known as Business Systems Monitoring that allows management to monitor speci ed key business areas 24 hours a day. No longer just a security video recorder, the DVR has become a business tool for management with remote monitoring applications.
- How many channels (cameras)?
- What speed of recording is required?
- How long to retain video files (Hard Disk Drive Size)?
- What features are important to the application?
- Where will DVR system be located?
- Remote monitoring requirements?
- Mobile phone viewing?
In choosing the right DVR for your CCTV application, ensure that you are determining the quantity of cameras needed now and in the next 24 months. DVRs come in 4, 8, and 16 channel increments and this selection is critical because adding cameras above the DVR channels available will require an additional DVR, not just additional channels. DVR systems in large installations are segmented into 16 channels units and are monitored and managed through a Central Management System (CMS)
The speed of recording is critical to many CCTV applications. 25 fps (frames per second) is considered real-time video, therefore to obtain 25 fps for the application, 400 fps for 16 channels and 200fps for 8 channels is required. Many CCTV applications will provide real-time (25 fps) live viewing of video channels and 6-12.5 fps for recorded les. It is acceptable to have 6-12.5 fps for recorded les in many applications, but technology in DVR systems has pushed real-time video for the masses and 25 fps recording will soon be the standard recording rates across all channels as available today.
Retention of video les is much easier and cost effective in 2007 than ever before. DVR storage at the TeraByte level is common and drives have become faster and more reliable. Retention of video data les can be managed by corporate IT departments as any business critical data and network drive archiving is common.
A critical component of any DVR system is the ability to access the video les. The software provided by DVR manufacturers is proprietary to the DVR unit and the ability to retrieve les chronologically or based on certain security events is vital to the DVR product.
MPEG4 and H.264 are the video compression of choice in 2007. In summary, MPEG4 is good and H.264 is better. The key to video compression is the resolution and the size of the video. High resolution video les are monster size les and video compression for storage and streaming is critical to any video application. Major advancements in video compression will be seen in 2007 and H.264 will be the codec of choice for DVR manufacturers.
H.264 uses the latest innovations in video compression technology to provide high resolution video quality from the smallest amount of video data required. Smaller les will save bandwidth and storage costs over previous generations of video codec’s. H.264 delivers the same quality as MPEG-2 at a third to half the data rate and up to four times the frame size of MPEG-4 Part 2 at the same data rate.
Network access is the ability to remotely monitor a video server across the LAN, WAN, or internet. A very important application for any DVR system is the ability to monitor live and access to recordings through remote access via workstation or mobile phone.
The most important aspect of a CCTV system layout is the location of the DVR. It is the lifeline of the CCTV system, so must be kept in a secure location, preferably in a lockbox.
High De nition aka Megapixel cameras take video surveillance to the next level by providing much higher resolution than traditional security cameras. The improved resolution not only results in clearer video images, it also signi cantly increases the camera’s eld of view without any loss in image detail. In fact, a single high de nition camera can monitor areas that would ordinarily require multiple surveillance cameras. Consider how many cameras it takes to monitor locations such as casinos, parking lots, construction sites, and retail stores. In a parking lot, for instance, it’s now possible for a single high de nition camera to cover the entire area. And because of the high resolution and greater image detail, surveillance operators can zoom in on speci c portions of the recorded scene to identify individuals and license plate numbers. It’s all about enhancing the quality of the recorded images, as well as providing high-de nition live video streams.
High De nition IP cameras are especially useful for surveillance applications where details are critical for identi cation purposes. Banks, airports, and other high-security areas are good examples, as are retail locations requiring point-of-sale monitoring. But with camera prices dropping as the technology becomes more readily available, the use of high de nition cameras for all types of surveillance applications is sure to increase steadily in the coming years.
The overall success of your CCTV system can hinge on the expertise of the installers who set it up. There are many important factors to take into consideration that require an expert understanding of lighting, optics, wiring, security, and more. In other words, your experience connecting your home TV to the DVD player does not mean you should set up your business security system! In the CCTV industry, businesses typically buy from integrators or dealers. These vendors usually work with multiple brands to offer a range of products, as well as installation and support. As with most business purchases, there are several key factors to look for when choosing a CCTV vendor.
A vendor’s experience in the industry is a signi cant indicator of the rm’s reliability and long-term stability. You will want to be able to work with your chosen vendor on an ongoing basis as you expand or upgrade your system, so choosing someone who will be around next year is important. Speci c experience with businesses of your size and in your industry is also desirable: large warehouses may present problems that a vendor who specializes in small retail shops may not be prepared to address.
The quality of a CCTV installation can have lasting effects on your business. Quali ed installers will not take a standardized approach to installation: they will analyze your needs and make sure you get a system that is customized to your location and business needs. They will also provide enough training and documentation to make sure your staff fully understands the operation and maintenance of your system.
Visiting vendors’ facilities can be a great way to get a sense of their operations. You will be able to check out their repair shop and get a sense of how busy they are. You may want to ask for an organizational chart or a tour of their help desk. Depending on your support needs, proximity may or may not be important to you – if you plan to rely on telephone support and shipping components back for repair, it will not matter, but if you expect eld technicians to come to you, distance from the vendor can be a factor.
Nothing will give you a better sense of how well a CCTV system achieves your goals than seeing it in action. Some vendors conduct on-site demos, which gives you the added advantage of being able to see how the hardware looks in your location. Others will invite you to try the system in their of ce, which gives you that facilities tour we discussed, or will set up an online demo, which is helpful if you plan to view images remotely.
- How has the CCTV system accomplished the goals you set for it?
- Are you happy with the overall quality of the images, both live and recorded?
- Was the initial installation sufficient for your needs? Or did you have to add components or upgrade?
- What do you wish you had done differently?
- Have you needed any support or repairs? How did the vendor respond?
- Do you know of anyone else who uses this system? (This can get you additional references to speak to, some of whom might be more candid)
- If you had to say one negative thing about the system/dealer, what would it be
There are many components to video security systems: cameras, monitors, recorders, and cabling to connect the system. Add in the need for a quality installation, and it should be apparent that shopping by price alone is not a good approach. Some dealers will put together low-end packages to try to lure price-conscious shoppers – these systems suffer from lower quality, shaky reliability, and will not last for years and years the way higher quality systems will.
On the Internet or yers, you can nd complete video security systems of 4 to 16 cameras packages, including a monitor and DVR. Often they look like great deals – and most of the time, they are too good to be true. Low-quality components and a lack of support combine to create an offer that can do more harm than good to your business.
As with most modern electronics, CCTV components are generally very reliable, especially if you are purchasing industry-recognized brand names. If they are going to fail, they will almost always do so within the rst 90 days, while covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
Knowing exactly what you want to see in the monitor and on recordings – both the scene and the quality – is the single best way you can prepare for a purchase.
While they may deter some problems, they also can create a legal liability by creating an expectationof safety when none exists
Highly visible signage that lets customers and employees know that they are being lmed can greatly increase the deterrent effect.
Using a high-tech solution to solve a low-tech problem can result in wasted money and effort. If you have vandalism problems in a parking lot, adding lights can be a far cheaper and more effective solution than installing cameras.
