A Basic History of CCTV and Upcoming Trends

First off, you may be asking yourself what exactly does CCTV stand for? CCTV stands for closed circuit television and has been in use primarily since the 1970s. They were first developed in the United Kingdom and that is also where they were first put into use. There have been many developments and improvements since that time with the advancement in technology. Some of the major developments include easier installment, more reasonable prices and they are easier to configure. In the 1970s, all of these were harder and the price reflected that. The main reasons that they have been used and were developed in the first place include surveillance, traffic control, theft, shoplifting, employee theft, robbery deterrence and identification.

Choosing a CCTV System

There are a few different choices that can be made when it comes to a CCTV system. This is because these systems can be in black and white or color and this is one of the first decisions you will want to make. This may depend primarily on what you are planning to use the system for. In cases of robbery and theft, identifying the suspect is crucial, and color could help immensely in these cases. On the other hand if you were planning to use it for traffic purposes or just surveillance, then black and white would be the preferred option for you. This is because black and white tends to have better resolution and more nighttime abilities to better pick up details such as license plate numbers. Of course, there is the choice between wired or wireless to make as well.

There are several advantages to wireless, with the much easier installation being one, but it can be more expensive and not quite as reliable as a wired system. This is because with a wireless system you may encounter signal interruptions more often then with a hardwired system. So in this case, you must decide which option is best for you and your needs.

Some other things to consider in a CCTV system are how big of an area you are looking to use the camera for. You also need to know what kind of light is available for what you are using it for. This will help you choose the correct camera with the correct type of lens. Lately there have been some updates in the types of lenses that can be used in CCTV systems. There has also been many developments in the use of DVR technology and can effect the type of recorder you choose to use. There are time-lapse recorders, computer DVRs and stand-alone DVR systems, as well. While there are still time-lapse recorders in use, they are not being used as often, since more and more things are gravitating towards DVDs and VCRs in general.

Time lapse recorders are just more cumbersome in general and harder to install and less effective in the long run. Besides, this storing the recorded tapes from this type of system can be problematic as well, with the lack of space and the potential towards damage. On the other hand, the more advanced technology of the DVR is a lot easier to just download onto a computer or to burn a CD and can be much more convenient for most people. Another aspect of newer technology incorporated into the DVR is the switcher and multiplexer functions built into it, making it less equipment to be installed, once again making it much more convenient for most people. With prices coming down drastically in the last few years in this type of technology, getting better quality has never been easier or cheaper.

One of the other aspects of the CCTV system to look at is the monitor and the types that are available for you to choose from. Depending on where you are placing the CCTV, will determine what size of monitor you can get. With so many advances in nano-technology, it has become a lot easier to find smaller cameras with smaller everything, including monitors, to choose from. Of course with the more advanced technology of the internet and such you will be able to use your computer monitor to view your CCTV and what type of stuff is recorded.

Besides these basics, there are more and more people getting involved in the CCTV world and its development therefore causing more and more advances in it each day. The primary areas where advances are taking place are in storage, retrieval and video content analysis. One great thing that has helped in the area of CCTV is the camera. This is because not only has it been advanced, but also it can be added to already existing CCTV systems. One of the most amazing features in this area is the smart camera that can actually track someone based on their behavior. Transmission itself has also advanced CCTV systems by the better cables that are available, including fiber optics. With these advances and the more common use of the DVR to record the images, CCTV has come a long way since the 1970s in the United Kingdom, that’s for sure.