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See below for:
A guide to buying a CCTV system
A glossary of terms relating to CCTV products
A list of trade associations covering the security sector
A list of relevant events
Key points for business buyers to consider before purchasing a CCTV system or additional CCTV equipment
By a SupplierStorm writer
If you are considering installing a new closed circuit TV (CCTV) system or upgrading existing CCTV equipment to help your business secure its buildings, sites and offices then you need to bear in mind the following key points.
Be clear about your business objectives for CCTV
For any CCTV system to be effective in making your business more secure then it has to be fit for purpose. You need to be very clear about the business needs driving the proposed purchase of new CCTV equipment and to specify these requirements accurately to your potential suppliers. If the CCTV video is to control access then picture quality must be clear enough to recognise faces, if the CCTV cameras are to deter intruders or if the CCTV cameras need to be discrete or concealed then the physical manifestation of the cameras is important, if the CCTV surveillance system is to monitor premises, detect intruders or investigate crime then the recording, storage and playback facilities must be appropriate, and if it is to secure large areas then multiple cameras will be required. Also remember that CCTV is probably just one element within the overall security strategy for your business so you will need to ensure that your CCTV system dovetails with the rest of your security infrastructure. Click here to get more information from leading CCTV suppliers and installers or to request quotes.
In general there are six other key factors to bear in mind:
Image quality for CCTV cameras and CCTV displays
CCTV camera and screen image quality must be sufficient to meet the purpose. If viewers need to identify and recognise faces or read car registration plates then adequate camera and screen resolution are vital. Remember that zoom functions do not necessarilly increase resolution just because they make the picture bigger. If the system is to be used at night or in poor light then external lighting and IR CCTV cameras need to be considered
Storage of CCTV camera imagery
CCTV image storage must be appropriate for the application. Digital recording technology is becoming industry standard with modern digital video recorders (DVRs) using computer hard-drive technology to store many hours of images from many different cameras. Network video recorders (NVRs) are even more sophistoicated and can form the hub of complex CCTV systems. Furthermore image storage security must be adequate both in terms of the physical security of the storage system (ie. is it kept under lock and key?) and online or electronic security. Editing and deletion rights need to be strictly controlled and monitored. You need to think about how you can control and authorise access to the system and how you can record and log that access.
Playback of CCTV pictures
CCTV image playback facilities must be simple and effective. Can an operator access and playback an image from any camera recorderd at any time? In what formats can images be viewed, downloaded or printed?
Transmission of CCTV pictures
CCTV image transmission technology is important. Will your CCTV system be using cables, wireless links or will it be an IP system linked together over internet? Compression technology should be avoided if it is important to maintain image quality.
Scope of your CCTV system
CCTV system scope and sophistication. This is more than just the size of the system and how many cameras and recorders will be required - although those are important considerations. It includes issues such as the embedded intelligence and software tools that will be used with the system. Will you require automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) of the type used in many petrol stations? Will you require biometric analysis software for face recogntion? Again, this comes back to the need to be very clear about why your business is making this purchase.
Operation of the CCTV system
CCTV system operation, control and maintenance. It is vital that someone within your organisation has explicit management responsibility for the CCTV system. Others will need to be trained in how to use and operate the system. You will probably need external maintenance contractors. You may wish to use a third-party CCTV monitoring service.
Finally, get some advice. Click here if you want to get in touch with leading suppliers and installers.
Glossary of key terms relating to CCTV products
AGC (automatic gain control)
This is the name given to the way of boosting the signal strength from an analogue CCTV camera when light levels are low. The signal is amplified automatically. The trade off is that "noise" (or unwanted signals) within the system is also amplified and that the so called signal-to-noise ratio drops and this ultimately means that image resolution and picture definition suffer so that the picture may appear blurred or snowy.
Analogue cameras
Until recently all CCTV systems were based on analogue cameras. These use CCDs to collect light and turn them into analogue electrical signals which can be amplified and transmitted along conventional copper cables. Cheap digital signal processing technology which enables pictures to be processed in sophistoicated ways has led to the appearance of digital cameras as a rival technology.
ANPR (automatic number plate recognition)
A software application that can be used in conjunction with digital CCTV camera technology to automatically identify and record vehicle number plates from video images. This removes the need for humans to perform this task providing for cost effective monitoring of key areas such as petrol station forecourts or enabling high volume recording of vehicle number plates which can be used, for example, in congestion charging and road pricing applications.
Backlight compensation (BLC)
Software used to enhance an object in the foreground of an image which appears to be dark and shadowy and silhouetted against bright light in the background; this is a common problem for cameras that face doorways. The software brings out the detail of the foreground image while darkening the background light. This technology usually requires digital cameras.
Bandwidth
This is the capacity of the electrical circuitry within the CCTV camera and the other components of the CCTV system to handle the volume of electronic information produced by the camera. Bandwidth can limit resolution.
Coaxial cable (co-ax)
The traditional hard-wired transmission technology for connecting cameras with recorders and monitors. It is based on increasingly expensive copper wire. Alternatives include fibre optic cable, twisted pair cables and wireless.
CCTV (closed-circuit television)
The generic term commonly used to describe the use of video surveillance, video recording and image monitoring technology that is usually found as part of a security system and can be installed anywhere from private dwellings, to business offices, retail premises, public buildings and government institutions.
CCD (charge coupled device)
The "electronic retina" of a CCTV camera that turns the light coming through the lens into an electronic video signal. CCDs are essentially silicon chips covered in an array of photo-diode devices that each produce a different voltage in response to the intensity of light they receive. For technical reasons CCDs can only deal with a limited range of light levels which can have important implications in the design of CCTV systems and the positioning of cameras. The maximium definition of a CCD chip is essentially determined by the number of photo-diodes it carries - the number of pixels it produces. However, this should not be confused with screen resolution of the video images that you will view which is determined by the monitor.
Digital cameras
The alternative to analogue cameras. These have been made possible by the emergnce of cheap digital signal processing (DSP) technology and DSP chips. Both a digital camera and an analogue camera rely on CCDs to collect the image. Analogue cameras transmit the picture as an analogue signal with only a limited capability to process the image; by, fgor example, using AGC (automatic gain control). Digital cameras convert the electrical signal from each pixel into a digital code (a binary number). This enables them to transmit the whole image as a digitalised signal that can easily be input through DSP chips and PCs so that software applications such as backlight compensation, number plate regonition and even face recognition can all be performed on the image.
Digital storage
The ability to store video information digitally, increasingly using hard-drive based recoders, has made it possible to store much more video from many cameras for a greater length of time. It is important to differentiate the storage technology (digital versus analogue) from the storage media (tape, CD-ROM, DVD and hard-drive). Digital and analogue images can both be stored on tape, for example. Hard-drive technology makes it possible to access any image from any camera instantly which is more problematic with a tape system and can be easily accessed online.
Dome cameras and minidomes
Dome cameras are completely self-contained. As their name suggests, the camera and all its related electronics is installed within a transparent or tinted dome. This makes them easy to install and they are often seen embedded into the ceiling of shops and hotels. They are particularly suited to applications where the aesthetic appearance of a camera is a concern and where it is not necessary to completely conceal a camera or where it is necessary to make the presence of cameras obvious for deterence. However, tinted dome cameras may be less sensitive to IR light and therefore may not work so well at night even with IR illumination. Domes can incorporate either fixed camera or PTZ (pan and tilt and zoom) cameras. They can also incorporate IP (internet protocol) technology to enable them to transmit pictures and to be controlled over the internet or across a company intranet.
DVR (digital video recorder)
Hard-drive based video recording device. The capacity is limited by the size of the hard disk within the system but hard disk capacity has been growing rapidly and will continue to grow for the forseeable future while prices have fallen dramatically. These systems can record images from multiple cameras simultaneously, do not suffer from image degradation found with conventional video tape while any image can be accessed instantly and online.
Fibre optic
A high bandwidth data transmission technology for digitised signals. CCTV systems can make use of established fibre optic networks within buildings.
Fixed cameras
These are CCTV cameras that are required to observe one well defined scene and where movement is unnecessary. Fixed cameras are unsuitable for applications where a CCTV camera needs to move which would require a PTZ (pan and tilt and zoom) camera.
Focal length
This is an optical term that has implications for CCTV applications and the choice of cameras. Essentially, if the CCTV camera is to view a fixed scene and is itself fixed then a camera with a fixed focal length system can be used. If the camera is to pan and tilt and survey different scenes then it will need a motorised zoom mechanism to vary the focal length and ensure the picture remains in focus at all times.
IP (internet protocol) cameras.
Cameras that can transmit their images and can be controlled over the internet. This is ideal if the CCTV system is to make use of an existing computer network within a building or on a site or in the case where remote viewing and monitoring may be required.
IR illumination
IR illumination is also called black light - because our eyes can not see it. But many monochrome CCTV cameras are sensitive to infra red light. This means that an area can effectively be illuminated for a CCTV camera at night without the need for bright lights. IR lamps just like visible light lamps cover a range of wavelengths. Some IR lapmps include the red portion of the visible light spectrum which can if necessary be filtered out. So the IR illumination can be made so that it is just visible as a dull red glow or completely invisible to the human eye depending on the choice of lamp and filters and on the requirements of the system.
Minidomes
Miniature dome cameras.
Motion detection
This is a digital image processing application that requires digital imagery, usually from a digital CCTV camera, to detect motion within a image. It is most useful in situations where little or no movement is expected. For example, within shops, offices and warehouses at night. This means that it is typically used in conjunction with IR illumination.
Monitors
These are the "television screens" used to watch real-time or recorded CCTV images. They can be colour or black and white and they can come in high resolution versions and in various sizes. The choice of monitor is important. A small monitor mounted too far from the viewer can reduce the effective resolution and sensitivity of the system.
Multiplexer
This is a device for squeezing signals from multiple cameras on to one recording device or onto one screen or for taking multiple camera images from a recording device onto a screen.
NVR (network video recorder)
A digital video recorder (DVR) that sits on a computer network and handles images from multiple cameras that are transmitting their pictures over the internet or over a business intranet using internet protocols. It uses hard-drive technology to store and retreive imagery.
Pixels.
The maximum resolution of a CCTV camera is determined by the number of pixels in the images that it produces and this is in turn equal to the number of photo-diodes on the CCD chip that actually collects the image in the camera. However, a high-resolution CCD chip does not necessarilly mean a high-resolution image. Other factors including the bandwidth of the system and the choice of moniitors will limit effective resolution.
PTZ (pan and tilt and zoom) cameras
These are cameras that are used to survey large areas where objects of interest may be at different distances requiring differeing focal lengths or of different sizes. PTZ cameras can anable a whole car park or a whole street to be watched with the zoom providing the capability to focus on elements of interest within the scene such as individual faces or number plates.
Remote monitoring
This is the ability to view real-time or recorded CCTV images remotely. Remote monitoring technology is the key to the growth of the third-party CCTV remote monitoring and alarm response centre (ARC) industry.
Resolution.
This is the ability of a system to pick out and differentiate detail within an image. It is determined by the CCD chip within the camera and the number of pixels that it produces, its sensitivity to low light levels as well as by the bandwidth of the system. In CCTV terminology the resolution is defined by the number of TV-lines that a camera can produce which can range from 350 to 500. For comparison standard broadcast television pictures in the UK have 625 lines. Effective resolution by viewers can be constrained by poor quality monitors.
Sensitivity
This is the minimum level of light that is necessary to trigger a video signal within a CCTV system. It is measured in lux. Given the limited range of light levels that CCDs can operate across, a high sensitivity may be counter-productive if the camera is also to be used at times of high illumination.
Twisted pair and UTP (unshielded twisted pair)
An alternative to using coaxial cables and fibre optic cables for CCTV image transmission
Video compression
A technique for compressing the amount of data needed to carry a CCTV video image. It is particularly important when images have to be transmitted over the internet or wirelessly. It will require digital video signals which may require the use of digital CCTV cameras. The trade-off with any compression technology is that there will be some loss of resolution.
Wireless cameras.
CCTV cameras that can transmit their images using radio waves including mobile phone and wireless internet technology. Not particularly common in business applications except in the case of remote sites or perhaps where concealed cameras may be required.
Trade Associations
The British Security Industry Association
The BSIA is the trade association for the professional security industry in the UK. Its members provide over 70% of UK security products and services and adhere to strict quality standards.
Website: http://www.bsia.co.uk/
The Association of Security Consultants (ASC)
The ASC says its full members are independent security consultants, having no allegiance to specific suppliers of goods or services. They either head their own companies, or else are senior partners in other consultancy practices. It claims that they are all leading experts in their fields, whether skilled in a detailed specialisation or able to handle a broad range of strategic issues. Collectively their expertise and experience covers every facet of corporate security and all sectors of commerce and industry, says the ASC.
Website: http://www.securityconsultants.org.uk/
The Fire and Security Association (FSA)
The FSA has more than 250 members across the United Kingdom. It claims to be the fastest growing representative body for companies that design, install, commission, maintain and monitor electronic fire and security systems.
Website: http://www.fireandsecurityassociation.co.uk/
Fire Industry Association (FIA)
FIA is a new trade association formed by the merger of two leading associations within the fire protection industry - FETA (Fire Extinguishing Trades Association established in 1916), the trade association of companies responsible for the manufacture and maintenance of portable fire-fighting equipment and BFPSA (British Fire Protection Systems Association established in 1966), the coordinating body for the UK fire systems industry.
Website: http://www.fia.uk.com/
Fire Protection Association (FPA)
Established in 1946 the FPA is the UK’s national fire safety organization.
Website: http://wwwthefpa.co.uk/
Events For Your Diary
Fire and Rescue 2008
27 August - 29 August 2008
ACC Liverpool
Organiser: CMPi
Website: http://www.fireandrescueexpo.com/
Fire Protection & Prevention - FIREX NORTH 2008
21 October - 22 October 2008
Harrogate, UK
Organiser: CMPi
Website: http://www.fire-safety-security.com/Exhibitions.html#D
Courier and Parcel Logistic Expo
30 September - 2 October 2008
London , Excel
Organiser: UKIP Media & Events
Website: http://www.cpl-expo.com
Total Workplace Management 2008
8 October - 9 October 2008
London Olympia
Organiser: CMPi
Total Workplace Management is the official exhibition of the BIFM and focuses on the efficient maintenance and running of a building's infrastructure. It brings together product & service providers with FM and estates professionals and will take place from 8-9 October as part of Working Buildings 2008.
Website: http://www.twmexpo.com/
Information Security Europe 2009
28 April – 30 April 2009
Earls Court, London
Organiser:Reed Exhibitions
Infosecurity Europe is Europe's number one, Information Security event. Addressing today's strategic and technical issues in an unrivalled education programme and showcasing the most diverse range of new and innovative products and services from over 300 of the top suppliers on the floor of the show.
IFSEC 2009
May 2009
National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Birmingham
Organiser: CMPi
Key product areas: smartcards, counter terror, access control and security solutions, CCTV, IP and networks, intruder alarms and physical security, security guarding and support services, fire solutions
Website: http://www.ifsec.co.uk/