Types of Cctv Cameras

CCTV cameras are being installed everywhere for crime prevention and detection. They are now available at quite affordable price, are easy to install, and require low-maintenance. There are many types of technologically advanced CCTV cameras that offer fitting surveillance solutions. Depending upon your requirement, you can select one. This article discusses types of CCTV cameras and their features and uses.

Indoor Camera: Indoor camera as the name suggests are used for indoor security mechanism. Depending upon your security needs, you can mount it at any suitable location inside the building. These are suitable for security in homes, schools, offices, hotels, etc.

Outdoor Camera: Outdoor CCTV Camera is used for outdoor places. They are mostly used for entry and exit points with limited night lighting. Outdoor cameras typically have hard shell vandal-proof casings and a variety of lens options.

IR Day/Night Camera: IR Day/ Night Camera are used for high alert security areas where surveillance needs to happen throughout day and night. In the daytime the camera functions like a normal camera with standard colors and at night it switches to low-lux black and white mode. When visibility decreases due to no-light at night, Infrared LEDs are automatically illuminated providing full security. These cameras are used by military personals, in parking lots, and high security zones.

Dome Camera: Dome cameras are installed inside a dark dome and are designed in a way that they go unnoticed by visitors. They come in compact design for a discreet appearance. The thief does not know if the camera is recording. These cameras can also be rotated and tilted manually. Dome type cameras are used in public places like railway station, bus terminals, and other areas where there is huge gathering of people.

Bullet Camera: Bullet cameras are placed inside a bullet shaped housing, and they are used in residential places as well as commercial places. They are small in size, have an integrated design, and are really effective. They offer illuminate viewing even in darkness and are weatherproof as well.

Vandal Proof Camera: Vandal proof cameras are used as outdoor security cameras. These cameras are sheltered within solid material and are covered by a “hub” of break-proof glass which doesn’t hinder the quality of the video camera streams. It is difficult to break these cameras and this makes them perfect for high security. They are suitable for wall or ceiling mounting and are rain and fog resistant.

Hidden Camera: Hidden cameras are compact in size and are used for secret monitoring. They are usually installed in public places like department stores, theatres, clubs, etc. Hidden cameras have a built-in recorder that records and broadcasts simultaneously. By using a large number of security cameras and networking them various strategic views of the place can be obtained.

Pan Tilt Zoom Camera: Pan-tilt-zoom camera offers the ability to view and zoom in all directions. You can even set the camera to automatically rotate to different fields of vision. To gather more information on CCTV cameras, cables, monitors, and connectors, visit www.closeoutcctv.com.

IP CCTV

If you are considering a network-based IP CCTV solution, we are able to offer the following three levels of service through our specialist IP CCTV Partner company:

1. Simply sales and supply of selected 'Best of Breed' IP CCTV hardware and software. You will be able to see the equipment and software solutions on the web, check the specifications, read the reviews and buy online. Our Partner offers Free Delivery, a Price Match Promise, and a 14-day 'Buy & Try' Scheme, so you can rest assured with these rock solid offers that you can select and prove your new IP CCTV solution in total confidence.
2. Expert professional advice and guidance; based upon years of CCTV design & application experience, our specialist IP CCTV Partner will discuss your application with you by phone or email and develop the optimum IP CCTV solution to meet your Operational Requirement. You can then revert to option 1 above and progress to build your solution in-house by purchasing IP CCTV components and software online OR you may opt to choose option 3 below and progress to have us manage a fully turnkey solution (including installation) for you.
3. Complete design service. Our Partner company will take a full brief from you, visit your site to fully understand your Operational Requirements and produce a professional specification which will be submited to three proven installation companies. Each company will then submit a tender directly to you. In the majority of cases this service is free of charge.
   

A Brief Introduction to IP CCTV

Network cameras have been around for a little over five years now. Initially network cameras found a niche as a form of web camera. They became very popular for monitoring landmark sights and tourist attractions. Their ability to connect to a network and use ftp technology to transfer images to websites made them ideal for such applications.

As time passed recording software was developed by a number of manufacturers which enabled these network cameras to be attached to a local area network and to have their video recorded by a PC at some other point on that network.

In order to minimise the hard disc capacity required for continuous recording sophisticated Video Motion Detection algorithms were developed. By this method these cameras were continuously monitored but only actually recorded to disc when activity was detected.

The early cameras had some limitations when compared with traditional analogue CCTV cameras; low-light performance was not as good, frame rates were often slower than the 25 fps standard from CCTV cameras, they were not all suitable for outdoor duties, and those cameras which could truly compete with CCTV cameras were comparatively expensive.

Despite these limitations of the early camera devices network cameras were still well suited to certain applications. Early adopters included educational establishments. Schools, colleges and universities tended to already have in place extensive Local Area Networks (LANs), existing rack rooms where they could simply add extra discs for video recording, and the majority of their areas of interest were indoors and well-lit e.g. school corridors, IT classrooms, refectories, sixth form common rooms, and the front desk reception area.

Where the cameras suited the application, and there was already a network in place, these cameras proved to be an extremely cost-effective surveillance solution.

After several years of progressive development the current crop of network cameras delivers image performance above that of traditional CCTV cameras. Megapixel cameras have become common place from many manufacturers; some have even produced 2, 3, 5, 11, 16, and even 21 megapixel cameras! These cameras are capable of fulfilling the duties of several traditional cameras, due to the sheer amount of pixel resolution within the images produced.

It is now possible to zoom-in, after the event, within recorded video, and actually see enlarged clear detail. This capability makes them an ideal option for facial recognition, reading number plates within a scene, and other high-definition requirements.

Source : http://www.cctv-information.co.uk/

2.75 million security cameras installed in China

China is planning to boost their use of Security Cameras.
On Monday an article came out about security cameras in China. China’s police say they have installed 2.75 million surveillance cameras since 2003 and plan to expand the system into the countryside, which is home to about 800 million of the country’s 1.3 billion people.
The cameras are the most visible components of police surveillance, mainly in urban areas, according to a news release posted Monday on the Chinese Public Security Ministry’s Web site.
These camera security systems have proved controversial in other countries, like Britain, which reportedly has 4.2 million surveillance cameras installed – which is about one per 14 people. The ratio of cameras to people stands at only one to 472,000. The camera-to-person ratio is believed to be much higher in China’s cities, with the capital Beijing having 265,000 cameras.
No dialog or privacy rights has arisen in China, where tight communist political control and broad and intrusive police powers have been the norm for half a century. However, China’s plans to combine surveillance cameras with face recognition software has raised concerns about how the equipment will be used.
The Associated Press reported “Thefts, burglaries and purse snatching have all more than doubled since the 1990s amid rising wealth inequalities and relaxed social controls, with about 4.75 million cases reported in 2007, the last year for which statistics were available. However, police say violent crime has declined in recent years with better enforcement of rules governing weapons and explosives.” The Chinese police believe that the expansion of camera security to the countryside should “put the safety of the broad masses of the people first and foremost.”