The work of modern technology should be understood in action by a person who dreams of installing cameras to guarantee his own peace of mind. Tracking tools are used everywhere: on the territory of private houses, in shops, restaurants, cafes and public institutions. Thanks to their action, it is possible to identify the offense in time and stop it before the criminal disappears without a trace. But how do CCTV cameras work and what types exist? The features of each system and specifications are given below.
What are they used for?
Modern technologies facilitate the professional activities of employees of closed enterprises, public institutions and people who have decided to protect their housing from ill-wishers. Protected objects are under the supervision of the security service, and the tracking system records material from beginning to end, which becomes an advantage for the injured party in the trial. In other words, observation is not intended for public viewing, but for working in closed mode.
It performs the function of monitoring property, people and equipment. For example, the principle of how CCTV cameras work in hypermarkets is elementary: they monitor the shop departments (sausages, cheese, cash desks) and are directed so as to cover the room, the products exhibited on the shelves to prevent theft.
Other uses include:
- Monitoring people in busy areas (metro, concert halls) to avoid terrorist attacks, vandalism, public fights.
- Watching animals at the zoo.
- Registration of customer activity in the bank (records are kept in case of an incident).
- Collection of evidence, the fact of unrest in the registrar of police cars.
- Check the integrity of the goods in the store.
Specifications
Before proceeding with the installation process, you should find out how CCTV cameras work, and the structure of their connection. The owner is directly provided with information about what is happening indoors, without his knowledge.
A closed-circuit television system uses four main components: a camera, a lens, a monitor, and cables. As soon as the image is collected, it is sent to the monitor or DVR. Then the picture is transferred to the playing tape using multiple screens or a digital TV.
Modern equipment can be equipped with:
- Infrared night vision device.
- Cloud services to maintain an impressive amount of information.
- HD image.
- By means of video analytics.
- Remote access to the system with or without internet.
Classification. Difference between species
The equipment consists of image capture elements, an electronic circuit and a lens, providing visualization of a particular scene. Some cameras have a built-in microphone, which allows you to pick up the sounds of the environment under surveillance or send them through the network for listening and recording.
For types of modern technology is distributed according to specific use. Depending on the terrain, the specifications may vary. For example, you do not know how CCTV cameras work at night. Infrared lenses use LEDs located around the lenses so that they can detect thermal waves and relay the image to black and white frames. They will compete with adaptable cameras that automatically change their operating mode depending on the lighting conditions.
Different types of lenses fulfill their intended function in accordance with the target requirements of the installation. Provides options for scaling, image settings, increasing brightness, the absence of noise in the picture, which helps to improve the accuracy of the captured material.
Dome-shaped types of cameras characteristic of shopping centers, hidden and other types are available for each specific case. Characteristics are an integral part of the installation, therefore they must be taken into account in order to make the right choice and get the maximum result from the technology.
Viewing Range
An important part of the equipment before purchasing will be the availability of the function to enlarge or reduce the image at a certain distance. The cost without it will be much lower.
There are different types of camera lenses with zoom for short or long distances. High magnification technology is installed with a special engine that helps to maximize focus adjustment, increasing the clarity of the picture. In confined spaces, this function is useless, and in open spaces, territories of private houses, in public places - it is effective.
Before deciding to purchase, it is important to know how CCTV cameras work so as not to make a mistake with the choice.
Home system
The use of tracking tools has become extremely popular these days. Often there are buildings or fenced areas with signs "being taken" that help to scare unscrupulous people with the presence of a security guard installed in strategically important places.
Equipment for monitoring your own housing, as a rule, includes a video surveillance camera, digital TV, monitor and wiring. Recording can be transmitted online or to the cloud. The technique is a specialized lens with a function such as infrared night vision. The image is broadcast on the monitor screen, but many systems are able to redirect it to a home TV.
How to find out that the security camera is working and you are safe? So:
- A small diode flickers behind the equipment.
- A picture of the area will be broadcast online.
- The lens will become movable if it a priori has such a characteristic.
As soon as the camera receives the image, it sends the contents to the digital video recorder, which continuously records all the captured material. Depending on the type of lens, zoom and zoom technology may be present to ensure full zoom.
An additional bonus of the home system will be the ability to install more than one camera if you plan to cover a large area or separate rooms.
Remote Monitoring: How It Works
One of the ways to ensure security 24 hours a day is constant monitoring with professional management. It has a number of advantages both in material and technical, and financially.
How does a surveillance camera work on the street and at a far distance? The following details are worth noting:
- The equipment is installed in strategically important places around the perimeter of the building or site. It covers the whole space.
- Images are directly transmitted to the remote monitoring center, where trained operators constantly monitor changes and note intrusions.
- When the camera captures suspicious actions, the operator can enlarge the picture to assess the situation and instantly take the necessary measures.
Often situations are resolved by sound notification, warning attackers that they are in an unauthorized area. If a person has ignored the operator’s appeal and purposefully moves towards the target, then the police or other security personnel are connected to the case. Usually such incidents can be resolved in the shortest possible time.
Wireless cameras
This view is highly flexible, allowing you to instantly receive information. The principle of operation is to transfer the image to the screen via wi-fi, over a local network or in the form of live broadcast on a TV monitor. Mobility and money saving in the absence of the need to connect wires will be an advantage in the choice. The technique is effective both indoors and outdoors.
The disadvantages of how a wireless surveillance camera works are as follows. Broadcast from other devices, phones outside the Internet, baby monitors may break due to synchronization with equipment. In addition, if the choice fell on a wireless tracking system, then there is always the possibility that video streams can be intercepted by third parties. Some of the manufacturers increase the security system with additional encryption.
IP Camera Features
Network-connected technology is becoming increasingly popular due to its high resolution and a number of other features. For example, a video captured in the lens is automatically compressed in size and stored in the cloud. The connection occurs through the network infrastructure, appearing in a window next to the printer or scanner. However, it also supports wi-fi connection.
IP cameras are easy to install. They come with preinstalled software and are compatible with Windows, Android and iOS operating systems. A remote monitoring option is available that allows you to view the object from anywhere with free DDNS or static IP. The built-in two-way communication not only scares offenders, but also acts in Skype mode to communicate with households.
Thanks to a special chip, a surveillance camera that runs on a SIM card has a slow bandwidth, but it is more secure from hacking by hackers than a wireless network. If an intrusion into the territory or movement is detected, the option immediately sends a notification or email to the owner’s phone.
The cameras are equipped with night vision devices. So, they are able to capture and transmit live video in the dark.
Internet connection
If several cameras are installed at the same time, the network may not withstand the load - there will be a software failure. Therefore, you should open access via wi-fi. Initially, an additional virus scan is recommended to ensure security.
The software built into the equipment’s memory allows you to quickly find equipment in the connection list and easily figure out how the IP-surveillance camera works.
Shelf life of the material: are there any restrictions?
Depending on the company, the recorded data may be required for trend analysis, investigation, audit and search. The difference is only in the storage time of information in the cloud.
We already know if the ip-camera works without wifi, therefore, in situations associated with hypermarkets where the type of security system in question is used, the footage can be stored until the company’s interest is completely lost. For example, if a survey was needed for an investigation due to theft or an audit, such shots are not deleted until the official desire of the owner of the organization. Sometimes the data from the equipment act as material evidence against thieves denying guilt.
Material from private objects operates on a similar principle, indefinite preservation. Information from military and state organizations is cleaned under strict control once every two years or transferred to the archive.
Are security cameras useful?
A customized system can be used to record people, animals, traffic, airplanes, as well as activate the permanent remote monitoring function. Having figured out what types of territory shooting exist and how a wifi surveillance camera works, the indispensability of the mechanism should be noted.
It is useful for several reasons: crime prevention, stopping unrest, control. No one is immune from the terrorist threats that are characteristic of our time, which underlines the effectiveness of additional security.