CCTV - camera surveillance

For decades, CCTV (eg. camera surveillance) was considered an expensive form of surveillance. In fact, CCTV was first only used in industrial process surveillance, where the environment prohibited human presence. Not until CCTV equipment prices began to fall in the 1970s did the technique become more common in traditional security surveillance.

In the last few years, with the advent of smart, computer-enabled surveillance technologies like network video management software, use of surveillance systems for security reasons has exploded. Nowadays, CCTV surveillance is within economic and technological reach of even the smallest company.

IP Cameras vs. Analog Cameras

With an analog surveillance camera, the analog video signal is sent through a coaxial cable to a video recorder or monitor. One cable can transport only one video signal from one camera at a time. If you have two cameras, you have to have two cables.

With an IP-based network camera, the network camera immediately digitizes the images and the video stream is ready to be sent over any computer network available. One network cable can easily handle signals from two network cameras simultaneously. In fact, one standard UTP network cable can forward images from more than 220 network cameras simultaneously, without becoming overloaded.

Bridging the technological gap

IP-Surveillance technology offers more cost-efficient, future-proof solutions that bridge the technological gap between the analog and digital worlds. Video servers, for example, can be integrated into an analog CCTV system to digitize analog video sources and distribute digital video over an IP network -- essentially turning analog cameras into network cameras. 

A major advantage of using a video server in an analog system is the ability to access real-time video remotely, via an IP network. Live video can be accessed by authorized personnel at any defined workstation on the network, or over the Internet. Additionally, video servers can, using built-in serial ports, control equipment such as Pan/Tilt/Zoom cameras, or special cameras such as super sensitive black/white cameras, miniature cameras and microscope cameras. Furthermore, inputs, such as alarm events, can be used to trigger the server to start transmitting images. Servers equipped with image buffers can also send pre-alarm images.

Camera video server solutions are ideal for sharing high-quality video streams over existing computer networks. Superior to analog video solutions, IP-Surveillance means reliable and distributed access or recording of high-quality digital images, and improved functionality and cost:

• Reduced cabling and installation costs
  
• Digitization and compression within the network camera/video server
  
• Embedded Web server for remote access over the LAN/Internet
  
• Integration with existing analog CCTV systems
  
• Remote storage, reliable and secure