A Basic History of CCTV and Some Up and Coming Trends

What is CCTV?

CCTV stands for "closed circuit television" and has been in use since the 1970s. CCTV cameras were first developed in the United Kingdom, where they were first put into use. As you would suspect, there have been many developments and improvements since that time as technology has advanced, including easier installment, more reasonable prices and easier configuration.

What is CCTV used for?

The main uses of CCTV are surveillance, traffic control, protection against theft, shoplifting and employee theft, and robbery deterrence and identification.

CCTV choices

You will have to make a number of decisions when it comes to choosing a CCTV system.

Color CCTV or black and white?
The first is between a black and white recording system or a color system. 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 are planning to use CCTV for traffic purposes or just surveillance, then black and white would be the preferred option for you, as black and white tends to have better resolution and is better performing at nighttime (for example, it is better able to pick up details such as license plate numbers?.

Wired CCTV or wireless?
There are several advantages to wireless, with the much easier installation being one the most obvious - 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. You must decide how crucial reliability is to you.

Surveilliance area, lighting etc.
Some other things to consider in a CCTV system are how big an area you are looking to use the camera for, and how much light is available for that area. 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.

DVR technology
There have also been many developments in the use of DVR technology which 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 becomeing less popular as we gravitate towards DVDs and VCRs in general.

Time lapse recorders are basically more cumbersome in general, harder to install and less effective in the long run. The storing of recorded tapes from this type of system can be problematic as well, as each tape (and a lot will be required) takes up a fair amount of space. If tapes are recorded over, quality can deteriorate. On the other hand, the more advanced technology of the DVR is a lot easier to 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, meaning that less equipment needs to be installed. With prices coming down drastically in the last few years in this type of technology, getting better quality has never been easier or cheaper.

Monitor choices
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. 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 easier to find smaller cameras with smaller everything, including monitors, to choose from! And 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.

CCTV trends for the future?

CCTV technology is moving on rapidly and sometimes there appear to be new advances every day! The primary improvements are taking place in the areas of storage, retrieval and video content analysis. One very interesting development has been the smart camera, which can be added to existing CCTV systems. The smart camera is able to track someone based on their behavior. Transmission (with better cables and fiber optics) is also developing rapidly. With these advances and the more common use of the DVR to record the images, CCTV has come a long way since the 1970s and has a great deal further to go!