CCTV stands for closed circuit television. By definition, it is a television system in which the signal (video and audio) is not publicly broadcast but limited to a specific area or network. CCTV is most often used for surveillance purposes. It consists of a CCTV camera or a series of cameras which are interlinked and all send their signal to a central receiver.
The earliest known instance of its use was in 1942 in Germany. It was used to monitor rocket launch tests. This was because it was detrimental to the health of humans to be too close to the launch sites. It also provided a means of monitoring and studying the launches carefully so as to make improvements on the rocket design an launch sequence. It didn’t hit the American coasts until 1949 where a company called Vericon started marketing it commercially.
From its beginnings where it was used only in special locations like military bases and the like where there was an extremely high level of security required, CCTV has grown in use where it is now found in different applications such as home security, public surveillance such as in countries like the UK where it’s estimated that there is one camera for every 32 people, to convenience stores, banks, shopping malls, schools, stadiums, prisons, you name it. It has become a common feature of modern day society. It’s application is also used in the education field where it used for distant education.
Its use is also common in situations where it is not suitable for humans to operate. As stated earlier, the average CCTV Camera network consists of a camera or cameras that are connected to a central receiver, which in some cases is a monitor or a set of monitors. For those on the market for a CCTV Camera system, There are CCTV Camera systems which come as a package which contains a Camera or Cameras, a Digital Video Recorder (DVR), Central Monitor Software, remote view software, remote control and the basic accessories like power supplies and cabling plus more accessories. Your complete CCTV Camera system in a box, if you will. We are now going to look at some of these accessories one by one.
Firstly we will look at:
SECURITY CAMERA FOR CCTV
There are different cameras available to choose from for your CCTV network. We are not going to cover them all here but will go through the basic categories of cameras that are found on a CCTV Camera network. The first category of CCTV camera is the fixed type. The fixed type of camera is one that faces a fixed direction. The other category of cameras is known as the pan, tilt and zoom or PTZ cameras. This is a category of cameras that allows you to control the direction that the camera is facing and also allows you to zoom in for detailed monitoring of an area. This allows for less cameras to cover a wider area in comparison to fixed cameras.
CCTV DVR
A Closed Circuit Television Digital Video Recorder or CCTV DVR is a device that records analogue video and audio footage from a single camera or a network of cameras and turns it into a digital signal and then compresses it. This compressed video is then stored on a hard drive. In the case where a single camera is used, the DVR is built into the camera and there is no need to have a separate recorder to capture footage.
In situations where cameras are networked, the DVR is usually a stand alone device with an internal hard drive where video and audio footage is captured to. DVR units come in a range of different sizes namely 4, 8, 9 or 16 channels and sometimes more. These channels indicate the number of cameras which can be attached to the particular DVR unit.
The DVR revolutionized the CCTV industry in that there was no longer any need for numerous tapes and disks which needed to be replaced. Older systems involved the periodic changing of tapes or disks. The average DVR has storage space equivalent to 30 or more disks or tapes so they really offered a lot of convinience. Over and above this, it also has an array of other impressive features, chief among which is crisp, clear video quality. Because the signal is digital and not analogue, you are able to get very clear video and audio quality from your CCTV Camera.
CENTRAL MONITOR SOFTWARE
The CCTV network running a DVR also needs what is known as central monitor software. This software is what is used to control different aspects of surveillance such as panning and zooming e.t.c. Newer versions of CCTV camera are now self contained units that have everything, including the software, contained in the camera.
They record directly to a central capturing unit (CCU). PC based versions of the central monitor software are loaded directly onto a computer and all the monitoring is done centrally from a monitor of set of monitors. Some versions of central monitor software like i-catcher console can connect up to 3 monitors on a single PC allowing for images from 18 or more different cameras to be centrally viewed. Most of these software programmes can also allow for a different mix of cameras to be connected on a single network therefore offering greater flexibility.
REMOTE VIEW SOFTWARE
The advancement in technology and the wider use of the internet has not escaped the security camera industry. Faster internet speeds have allowed for remote access to your CCTV camera and camera networks from a remote PC or smart phone. This technology makes it possible to log in and view your home or business security cameras from anywhere in the world.
All the user needs to do to access their security camera is log in to their security camera network using remote view software loaded onto their smart phone or PC. This kind of setup uses what is known as an IP camera, IP being short for internet protocol. The IP camera can operate as a standalone camera or as part of an organization’s existing internet network, thereby eliminating the need for extensive (and expensive) cabling.




