CCTV
The core uses of CCTV are:
- - Recording and retention of images
- - License Plate Recognition (ANPR) such as for car parks
- - Video Analytics; intelligent information which can be used to track movements of people and provide greater sensitivity to potential threats such as break-ins and vandalism
- - Thermal Imagery; unlike optics this uses heat which can detect people, vehicles or fires from miles away
- - Integrated Systems; CCTV can be used as part of a marketing or Business Intelligence system and provide visual images to help make cost-related decisions
CCTV Recording
At its core, a CCTV system is made up of cameras and a recorder. Systems can be as small as a single camera or they can span thousands of cameras in a worldwide deployment. The camera provides the visual image of an area and the recorder (Digital Video Recorder or Network Video Recorder) records these images and stores them for a given number of days. Typically these systems have moved into the HD realms and camera and recorder connectivity happens of network cabling; storage retention is usually 31 days which gives a client enough time to investigate an incident internally and if necessary, extract a copy of the footage and give it to the Police.
License Plate Recognition - ANPR
This is a specific deployment of CCTV where cameras are pointed to detect and record license plates of cards, HGVs and motorbikes. These license plates can be recorded in casea vehicle does anything illegal, or crashes or can be used alongside access control to restrict access to areas such as staff or visitor car parks. These systems are common in car parks, hotels and similar environments; license plates can be integrated with ticket-issuing systems or the plates themselves can be given to the Police.
Thermal Imagery
Standard CCTV works like a digital camera, it uses optics. Thermal cameras work differently, they use heat. They can provide a more resilient form of detection as they are not affected by some conditions such as fog or rain like an optical image, they are detecting heat signatures. Thermal cameras can provide excellent perimeter detection as they can detect humans, animals, vehicles and fires ranging from a few metres up to many miles away.
Video Analytics
These are rules and algortihms run on optical and thermal cameras to provide more information that just the pictures we receive at a DVr or NVR. Video Analytics can be used to detect potential break-ins, acts of vandalism, theft and alike and can provide extremely early detections and allow for fast response to potential threats.
