CCTV Computerized Monitoring and Storage

Current closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras operate utilizing a wide rage of lenses and electronic components. Modern cameras can focus on extreme detail, allowing for optimum visibility in a high definition field, but can create problems when storing the media.

Other advanced uses seen in several of our CCTV installations in Los Angeles and Orange County included computerizing the monitoring process. By linking the control of the cameras to a computer and motion sensors, objects can be tracked semi-automatically. The system will track movement across a scene where there should be no movement, or they can lock onto a single object in a busy environment and follow it. This can also be adjusted for the time of day the system needs to perform these functions. These systems can also be linked to time access key card operations. Computerization allows the tracking process to work between cameras on a unified system.

The primary components in a CCTV surveillance installation include:

· Video surveillance cameras
· Digital video recorder (DVR)
· Intercom systems

Long-term storage for large commercial enterprises usually requires a digital video recorder (DVR). DVR’s utilize different compression ratios and are equipped with differing amounts of hard disk space. The size and quality of the recordings are subject to frame rate, video compression and the length of time the file must be saved.
Storing the recorded images is necessary depending on the specific business functions of the system owner. The digital recordings are kept for a multitude of reasons, and the length of time the recordings are stored differ from business to business. The primary purpose of storing recordings is usually to monitor a facility. They can also be used to recover evidence of an important activity, or evaluate historical information.