Closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems provide private video feeds for security or monitoring of areas where theft or crime are a potential problem. There are a number of things to consider when selecting your system, like whether to use wireless or wired cameras or whether your cameras will be used in low-light conditions that may require infrared cameras. Proper selection of the monitoring system ensures that the proper areas are monitored and visible as needed, including at night.
Wired or Wireless Cameras
Many different types of CCTV cameras are available. At the highest level, cameras are available as a wired camera or camera that transmits images or data via wireless radio signals. Standard CCTV cameras transmit a video signal over a video cable or, in a few cases, via radio waves to a receiver that forwards the video signal along standard video cabling. In some cases, wireless or wired Internet Protocol cameras may be appropriate. IP cameras convert a video signal to packets that can be transmitted over standard networks. IP cameras use standard networking infrastructure instead of dedicated video cables. Some IP cameras have a built-in server and can be monitored from any computer on the network. This can be useful for installations that need the ability to monitor a security camera from multiple locations. Other IP cameras require a separate server that captures the data for monitoring. Some of those servers also offer networked remote monitoring capabilities.
Visible Light or Infrared
All CCTV cameras work well in areas with adequate light. However, at night or in the case of lighting failure, many cameras are equipped with infrared LEDs that can illuminate an area using light not visible to the human eye. The sensors in these cameras can detect reflected infrared light and create an image based on that reflected light. In effect, these cameras can see in the dark. In addition, infrared cameras also capture visible light, so they are good for daytime use. In most cases, cameras with built-in infrared illumination are more expensive than cameras without infrared.
Monitoring and Recording
The final thing to decide is whether recording facilities are necessary. In some cases, simple monitored video may be enough. However, in some installations the ability to record the video may be an advantage. Recording video allows security personnel the option of reviewing recent or past events. A number of options are available for recording, including recorders that only activate when they detect motion and recorders that only record a series of still snapshots of an area. The use of recorders or a simple monitored system will be defined by your security requirements.
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