CCTV Camera Selection Guide

• Bullet CCTV Cameras
  These CCTV cameras are popularly used indoors as well as outdoor. They come equipped with all of the required mounting hardware accessories. Most bullet cctv cameras have a fixed 6mm lens that allows you to see facial features out to about 30 feet away and provides a 56° angle of view.
• Infrared CCTV Cameras
  These cctv camera types have infrared LED lighting around the outer edge of their lens which allows the security camera to see even in absolute darkness.
• C-Mount CCTV Cameras
  The main advantage of these CCTV cameras is that the lens in them can be changed in requirements to have different view range or distance or to zoom into any particular area. This is mainly good for indoor use only, but can be used outdoor with special housing.
• Dome CCTV Cameras
  These CCTV cameras come with good resolution even in the basic range models. The main benefit of dome CCTV camera is that it is difficult to tell exactly where the camera is aiming to record unless you see it up close. These CCTV cameras can be used for indoor as well as outdoor cctv surveillance requirements .
• PTZ Cameras
  PTZ or Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras are innovative CCTV cameras with abilities of remote directional and zoom control movements. These professional CCTV cameras contain high-resolution camera lenses that digitally zoom and pan into portions of the image, with no physical camera movement. Ultra-low bandwidth surveillance streaming technologies use VPTZ to stream user-defined areas in higher quality with no increase in the overall bandwidth usage. CCTV Surveillance cameras of this type are connected to a digital video recorder (DVR) which records & stores the full field of view in high resolution quality.
• PTZ cameras with auto tracking
  Another useful innovation to the PTZ camera is an auto-tracking feature achieved with a built-in firmware program that monitors the change of pixels generated by the video clip in the camera. When the pixels vary due to movement within the cameras & view area, the camera focuses on this pixel variation and moves the CCTV camera automatically towards the center of pixel fluctuation on the video chip. The camera adjusts its optical lens in an attempt to stabilize the size of pixel fluctuation to achieve perfect recording with active following of related movement.
• IP Cameras
  These wide functionality CCTV cameras transmit video across data networks in digital form. These cameras are usually installed in LAN network. Videos can optionally be transmitted across the public internet, allowing users to view their cameras through any internet connection available through a computer or a 3G phone. Recording can be within a private network or VPN or even onto a remote server.
• Wireless security cameras
  These very quick & easy to install cameras do not require a video cable for video/audio transmission. Only cable used is for supplying power for its operation. These cctv cameras deliver crisper audio, sharper video, and a secure and interference-free signal. They are useful for effective home surveillance needs where installers may not be preferred by the owner.  

Optimum recording & storage in DVR & NVR Systems are dependent on several add-on CCTV accessories. We have listed a carefully chosen selection of accessories as below

• DC Power Supply
• HD-SDI Converter
• HD-SDI Repeater
• Outdoor Camera Housing
• PTZ Housing
• Dome Camera Housing
• PTZ Mount
• Dome Mount
• Plenum rated In-ceiling Flush Mount
• In-ceiling flush mount
• Heavy Duty Corner Mount
• Indoor Flush Mounting
• Compact Size Corner Mount
• PTZ Housing Accessory
• PTZ In-Ceiling Flush Mount
• Medium Size Triangle Corner Mount
• Indoor/Outdoor Mount Bracket
• Fixed Camera Mount Bracket
• PoE Injector
• UTP Power Supply
• UTP Receiver
• UTP Transceiver
• Monitor Stand

CCTV (closed-circuit television) is a TV system in which the video signals are not publicly distributed but are monitored, primarily for surveillance and security purposes. Effective CCTV surveillance relies on strategic placement of CCTV cameras, and observation of the camera's recordings. Previous generation CCTV systems were non-interactive and used small, low-resolution black and white monitors. However, latest & modern CCTV cameras are usually color, high-resolution with several amazing technological advances, some of them listed below.

Computerized control, video analytics and identification

Objects in the range of surveillance can be identified, tracked and categorized, thanks to such technological advancements.

Video Content Analysis – VCA

This is the capability of automatically analyzing video to detect and determine temporal events. VCA recognizes variations in the environment. VCA can even identify and compare objects in the database. The camera’s actions are usually programmed based on what it is "seeing". For example; an alarm can be trigged if an object has moved or missing from a certain area, , or if a smoke, fire is detected, or if running people are detected, or if someone has spray painted the lens, as well as video loss, lens cover, defocus, other illegal camera tampering events. VCA analytics can also be used to detect unusual patterns in an environment, example, to detect anomalies in a crowd, for instance a person moving in the opposite direction in airports where passengers are only supposed to walk in one direction out of a plane or in a train subway where people are not supposed to exit through the entrances.

VCA can track people on a predefined map. Once people are tracked on a map, it becomes possible to link many cameras and track any person through an entire building or map. This simplifies this person to be followed without having to analyze many hours of video footage. If the cameras are connected to a key-card system, person identities can be established and displayed as a tag over their heads on the video.

Facial recognition CCTV Camera

Facial recognition in CCTV camera is a form of mass surveillance that is accomplished on digital CCTV systems by comparing selected facial features from the image over facial database(s) using enhanced face recognition computer applications. This type of system is useful to compare faces at airports and other entry ports with those of suspected criminals or other undesirable entrants

Wide range integration

Integrated systems allow different security systems such as CCTV, intruder alarms, access control devices etc. to operate centrally. For example, if an intruder alarm is activated, CCTV cameras covering the intrusion perimeter are recorded at a higher frame rate and transmitted to an Alarm Receiving Centre. Integration of such systems plays a very adaptive role in Crime prevention, Traffic monitoring & safety, retail operation, banking, schools etc.

Two-Way Control & Communication

Latest talk enabled CCTV systems allow overseers to speak to people within range of the camera's associated speakers. Mic enabled CCTV systems are used to get responses from the people in range as well as to record conversations onto the DVRs.

Advanced Storage and retention

CCTV systems usually record and store digital video and images to a digital video recorder (DVR) or, in the case of IP cameras, directly to a server or to NVR, either on-site or remotely. The amount and quality of data stored on storage media is subject to compression ratios, video/image sizes. Storage is affected by the retention period of the videos/images. Storage devices (DVR / NVR) store images in a variety of patented file formats.

A Digital Video Recorder (DVR) is an electronic recording device or application software that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card, SSD or other local or networked mass storage device that can be viewed or retrieved whenever required. DVR is one of the most vital components in achieving effective CCTV surveillance & security. DVR Selection Guide:

DVR/NVR Channel Selection

At a requisite rate of 1 channel per camera, the DVR/NVR channel count should be decided based on the current as well as anticipated future camera counts. 4-Channel, 8-Channel, 16-Channel, 32-Channel & 64-Channel DVR types exists and up to 128-Channel NVR types are available

High Definition - HD DVR

HD CCTV DVR types are most recommended in high security environments such as Jewellery outlets, Banks, Cash & Payment counters, Vehicle license plate identification requirements etc. HD DVR models must be connected to HD CCTV Cameras to achieve optimum performance.

Network video recorder – NVR

Network video recorders are different from digital video recorders (DVR) as their input is from a network rather than a direct connection to a camera. Also, the video must be processed at the camera level and sent to the NVR, unlike DVR models that process the video at the DVR level. NVR setup can be achieved at a software platform & it doesn’t require a separate hardware to function. However, to obtain optimum security levels, such software is run on a dedicated device, usually with its own embedded operating system

In a very successful attempt to reduce the crime rate, Olean, New York was the first city in the United States to install video cameras along its main business street in September 1968. Since then CCTV surveillance systems have become an integral part of instigating security and safety scrutiny across the world with millions of cameras watching like an eye in the sky. Important Applications of CCTV Surveillance Systems:

Crime prevention:

There is strong subjective proof that CCTV aids in detection and conviction of offenders. Police always look at available CCTV footage whenever there is a crime reported. This fact always deters offenders and criminals and drastically reduces crime rates. Analysis shows that there is a resulted in a 51% decline in crime at surveillance enabled parking lots, 23% decline in public transportation and several such decline in crime rates in surveillance enabled zones.

Traffic monitoring

Many cities and motorway networks install extensive traffic-monitoring systems, using CCTV to detect congestion and get accident information. CCTV for traffic monitoring aids in smooth traffic flow with efficient recording of footage for evidence requirements in any incidents.

Banking & Retail

CCTV systems play a very vital role in cash handling & anti-theft in public locations like banks, retail outlets etc. Usual installation areas include ATM Surveillance, teller counters, payment counters, Jewellery showcase areas, entry and exit points etc. School CCTV Surveillance

Schools effectively monitor visitors, track unacceptable student behavior and maintain a record of evidence in the event of a crime. There are some restrictions on installation, with cameras not being installed in areas with a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as bathrooms, gym locker areas and private offices. Cameras installation are conventional in hallways, parking lots, front offices where students, employees, and parents come and go, gymnasiums, cafeterias, supply rooms and classrooms.

Home Security

CCTV has an important role with efficient home surveillance & security. Surveillance equipment at homes can be efficiently programmed to record and relay unusual movements during absence due to vacation or general absence, with interface to home alarm systems that can be linked to owner’s mobile or even to the local police.

Office & Industrial Surveillance CCTV

Industrial processes & manufacturing that are under conditions dangerous for humans are today often supervised by CCTV. Office & other work environments also achieve increase in productivity with installation of CCTV solutions.