Understanding Security Camera Technologies.

Somewhere in between your old CCTV system and the illusions of Hollywood lies the reality of today's security technology. The best part is that they are not only good, but they are also affordable.

How do I know if my cameras are too old?

Like most computers, the technology of cameras has been getting better and better every year. If your hardware is more than a few years old, it might be time to look at some upgrades. If your cameras are connected with coax or Siamese cables, not network cables, it is definitely time to look at replacing your system. While there are a few digital cameras that are designed to work with coax writes, it is highly likely that the cameras on those systems are still analog. In this article, we will look at many of the advantages of digital cameras.

The Anatomy of a Camera System.

Before we go much further, let's pause and talk about the different parts of a camera system.

NVR - The Network Video Recorder is the brains of your system. While most NVRs do have ports to connect the cameras directly to it, this is not necessarily a requirement. IP Cameras can communicate with the NVR as long as they are on the same network. The NVR is the computer that manages your cameras. It will have a network card to connect your system to the internet for remote viewing. If your NVR has certain AI features, it will process those, and it also houses the storage drives where your footage is saved.

POE - Power over Ethernet technology allows devices to receive electrical power and their network over the same ethernet cable. If an NVR has ports to connect the cameras, it is like that all or most of them are POE ports, but check to be sure. If not, you may need to have a POE injector or POE Network Switch. In short, this enables the cameras to operate with just one wire. We recommend using a CAT 6, or better, cable. POE+ is an indication that the POE will work at extended distances; however, even these have limits of a few hundred feet. For further distances, additional equipment is necessary to ensure full power and signal.

STORAGE DRIVE - The hard drive is where data from the cameras is stored. Special surveillance-grade drives are used in most systems. These drives are designed for high turnover and required speeds. As space runs out in the drive, newer recordings will take precedence over older files. The size of the drive required is determined by calculating a few aspects: The number of cameras on the system, The resolution of those cameras, the recording plan (24/7 or occasional), and the desired retention time. Don't worry about doing the math; there are many free tools to help you calculate this. Of course, certain files can always be downloaded or moved to a cloud storage for permanent retention.

Drives are now available in Solid State as well as the traditional Hard Drive formats. They are measured in Terabytes and are generally available in a variety of sizes. Many NVRs have multiple drive bays; in these models, several drives can be placed, and the systems can use them all to store more data for longer. External drives are also available, especially for enterprise settings.

CAMERAS - The cameras are the eyes of the system. This is where we will spend the majority of our time in this article. Cameras vary widely in quality and features. Be sure to do your research here before buying the cameras. Price is not the only thing you should look at, and it is not always the best indicator either. In the next section, we will take a look at some of the basic camera parts before moving on to the more exciting, advanced technologies.

How do I know what to look for in a camera?

Let's start with some basic terminology. If you know these already, feel free to skip to the next section or give it a brief review read.

HOUSING - most cameras come in 1 of 2 housing styles. Bullet cameras are longer and can be round or boxy. The other style is known as Turret. These are smaller in size. Turrets with a protective lens over them are called Dome cameras.

Megapixels - This indicates the camera lens's ability to produce resolution. Five years ago, the average camera offered a 2MP resolution, but today, it is hard to find one that low. Most cameras are generally 4MPs, with the higher-end models offering 8MP or 4K resolution. Of course, cameras with much higher resolutions are available, but we are focusing on the typical use cases for now. To handle your expectations, the human eye sees in an equivalent of approximately 800 MPs. While your favorite TV show or movie may "have" cameras that see like that, the real world is not there yet. An 8MP should give you a very clear image in most use cases. Frankly, a 4MP is more than enough for most home uses.

WDR - Wide Dynamic Range is best described as a technology that adjusts the light for different parts of the image independently. If you have ever taken a photograph in front of an open window and the image was all "washed out" by that light, you understand the problem that WDR solves. We highly recommend that you look for cameras that have real WDR or similar technologies in them.

NIGHT VISION - Historically, most cameras used IR or infrared light to produce an image when it got too dark for normal light. The major drawback to this was a monochrome image. IR also had a shorter distance range, usually less than 30ft. While IR ranges have significantly improved, so have other technologies. Many manufacturers are now using advanced chip sets that can record in full color with as little as 0.001 Lux of light. Let's call that almost pure darkness. The advantage here is the ability to see more than just monochrome shapes at night. If you are trying to describe an intruder to the police, it helps to be able to see them, to describe the clothes they are wearing, and any other features that are now visible to you.

PERIMETER PROTECTION AI

The days of the cat or racoon tripping the motion sensors of the cameras are long gone. Any decent camera will include a minimal amount of AI onboard to set and detect real events. Ideally, you should look for cameras with a minimum of AI Line Crossing and Human or Vehicle classification.

While Hollywood regularly uses some unrealistic abilities of camera systems, they seem be stuck in the past when it comes to intruder detection. Today's systems don't rely on infrared beams and lasers, as much as as they use AI and drawn perimeter lines. These are much harder to trick, since they are created as virtual areas in the system. I guess it takes the acrobatic museum break-in scenes out of all those movie plots. Sorry, Tom Cruise.

In addition to Basic lines and boxes, some cameras offer advanced AI detection tools that include, Loitering, Crowds, abandoned or missing objects, parked or high speed vehicles, and facial detection.

SPECIALTY CAMERAS

There are a variety of specialty cameras available in the market now. Specialty does not necessarily mean very expensive, although they range from just higher than a fixed camera to several thousand dollars more, depending on the type. We will explore several of these in this section, starting with the ones that I feel are more useful to most readers.

Active Deterrence Technology

In my opinion, This is one of the most valuable advances in camera technology over the last few years. The entire concept of "Proactive Security" is the ability to deter a crime before it happens, While the mere, passive, presence of cameras is in and of itself a deterrent, this technology takes it into the proactive level.

Different manufactures have a variety of brand names for this type of technology, however they all operate in similar way to accomplish a similar result, scaring the bad guy away, AKA Deterrence.

Active Deterrence technology uses multiple different features such as built-in audio or siren alarms, lighting, and AI to Identify and notify potential security risks. The use of preset audio alerts and flashing lights, when an event is triggered, can be a very persuasive deterrent to most would-be criminals. Your typical criminal is looking for an easy target where he can get in and out without being noticed. The idea behind cameras with these tools onboard is that the audio/video alerts will bring unwanted attention to the protected site, thus hardening it as a target, and scaring the perpetrator away.

I should add, that while this proactive technology is useful, we can not rely on the machines alone. The best use scenario involves the combination of the AI and a human. When an event is triggered, it will also send an alert to the connected smartphone app. A best practice is for the user to open that app and examine the feed, if the violator is still present, they can open an audio channel and address them directly. For example: "You, red hat, blue shirt, grey SUV, You are being recorded and the police have been notified. Leave the area immediately!" This ensures that the person knows that they are being identified by a human, not just a passive alarm, while you remain in the safety of your home, or even half way around the world.

Whether it be an main or side entrance side entrance, backyard, or driveway monitoring, Active Deterrence security cameras provide clear visibility and excellent video quality both day and night. Using advanced Active Deterrence technology, coupled with white light LED and other enhanced features, Active Deterrence Security Cameras bring light to the dark, actively deterring theft, vandalism, and other criminalities.

Another helpful use of the technology is at businesses. Custom audio files can be uploaded to the cameras. Since all events can be time based, a business could set a tripwire alert at their entrance and have the camera play a welcome message. When the store is closed, that same camera camera can be used to play a warning message along with the flashing lights.

License Plate Recognition Technology

Often referred to as LPR or ANPR, these cameras are specially designed for the difficult task of reading the license plate information on a passing vehicle.

With so many variations and placements of license plates in the US, we have definitely been behind the rest of the world in this technology. In the last few years, that has really started to change.

There are many common uses for this type of camera. They range from passively recording information, Identifying authorized or "banned" plates, to opening access control systems.

Check the specs of an LPR camera carefully before your purchase one. Many still have very restrictive height and angle mounting requirements, while other are capable of identifying multiple vehicles in multiple lanes of travel.

Advanced systems can also 'attempt' to identify the vehicle make, model, and color. Another technology that works better outside the US, where they have less variations. Recent models do get this right, a majority of the time now.

Several newer models include advanced AI tools that can detect, and record, The drivers face, the use of a handheld mobile device, or the lack of a seatbelt in place. When connected to other "smart" systems, this type of detection can even automatically create a summons for particular violations, similar to how a Red Light camera works.

We typically see these in use by campuses, corporate parks, and in commercial settings. Many municipalities and HOAs have also been creating a network of cameras in their areas of concern. For private homeowners, who just want to know what vehicles have passed by their home, in case...., I highly suggest that you read up on your municipal guidelines. While the general rule is that there is no expectation of privacy in public areas, many municipalities have created regulations around LPR cameras that face public streets.

THERMAL TECHNOLOGY

No, we have not jumped off the ledge into military level technology yet. The use of thermal cameras has many practical applications in regular off-the-shelf applications. Recent advances in this technology, certainly brought on by the COVID Pandemic, have resulted in significant reductions in cost for thermal camera components.

Thermal cameras operate by detecting the infrared radiation that emitted from all objects, instead of the reflected visible light that we generally use to see. This enables the camera to "see" things that are obscured by light, smoke, snow, or even light bushes. When thermal technology is paired with AI it creates an plethora of useful scenarios.

Perimeter and Motion detection are among the top use scenarios of thermal cameras today. Even in a zero light setting, the AI can still identify a human and create an event when that human crosses a tripwire. Think of the difference between conceal and cover. There are many things that could conceal a person from a typical viewpoint, but with thermal detection they may not be covering them from the camera.

Other uses of thermal technology include identifying the presence of smoke, whether a person smoking or smoke from a fire, both are useful and can be lifesaving. Advanced AI technology can detect smoke and fire through differences in temperature, allowing for faster and more accurate smoke and fire detection.

Thermal imaging is also useful in preventive maintenance of machines. From basic washing machines to large manufacturing machines, all these units have a typical operating temperature. When a machine begins to overheat, that is a sign that something is not working right. Using AI-enabled thermal cameras to identify these anomalies and alert someone before something goes wrong can save thousands of dollars in repair costs, and possibly even lives.

Typically, the cost of including a thermal camera in your system is outweighed by the many advantages they offer. Many cameras are available with a dual-lens system that produces a traditional video stream and a thermal video stream simultaneously from the same device.

More commonly referred to as a PTZ camera. The popularity of these cameras has advanced nearly as much as the technology they have on board. The main advantage to a PTZ is in its name. The view can be moved and adjusted as desired by panning it, tilting it and zooming it. The zoom of these cameras is typical of an optical zoom, which provides a much clearer image than a digital zoom.

There was a time when these cameras were reserved for high-security areas and controlled by human operators who were looking for threats and thefts. Today, we use them in private homes, schools, shopping centers, and more.

In addition to basic abilities to pan, tilt, and zoom these cameras manually, today's PTZ is available with the technology to do this on their own. Here are a few examples to consider.

Automatic Follow mode - Cameras with this feature can be set to identify a person or vehicle within a set area and automatically adjust their field of view to move in and follow the subject for a certain amount of time.

Presets - Certain preset views can be established. The PTZ can be set to rotate through these presets, spending a prescribed amount of time at each stop.

When paired with other AI cameras on many systems, they can be "called" by that camera when an event is identified. For example, a suspect knows that the fixed camera is on his right side, so he turns away from the camera when he passes it. Unknown to him, that the event triggered the PTZ at the other end of the lot to "go to" preset position X, where it captures the unobstructed view of the perpetrator. The cameras can also be set to constantly pan back and forth.

While a PTZ is not for all scenarios, the automation and benefits are bringing it to a certain popularity. Several manufacturers have started producing PTZs with the added features of the active deterrence cameras in them.

PANORAMIC AND FISHEYE CAMERAS

When is enough not enough? When you need to cover a wide area with limited cameras. Cameras that offer a 180° or 360° view can be a real cost-saving tool, especially when it comes to large areas that need to be monitored. A good NVR paired with one of these has specialized 'dewarping' tools that take that bids eye or wide angle view and create several manipulatable images for the viewer. Panoramic cameras are great for wide perimeter protection. Fisheye cameras are ideal for large rooms, warehouses, garages, or anywhere with open space and decent ceiling height.

MULTI LENS CAMERAS

In truth, this name really refers more to the housing than to the actual camera. These units are designed to provide a single unit that houses multiple cameras inside it. The clear advantage of this type of unit comes in the cost of installation since there is only one unit to install. They typically also only require a single cable to connect all of the onboard devices. Outside of the smaller two-camera models, you do not typically see these in many residential applications. You almost definitely see them at airports, shopping malls, and at many schools and houses of worship. Generally, each camera can be adjusted to focus on a specified viewpoint. In some models, the lens type can be selected when the unit is ordered, giving some cameras a wider or narrower field of view, adding optional motorized lenses, and determining the amount of AI each one has. There are also several models that combine 3-5 cameras around and a PTZ on the bottom.

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY

In addition to being able to see and record activity, many additional tools have been made available to assist business owners and others by assessing the data that is made available from the cameras. These tools can be valuable for gaining insight into a site's operations, logistics, and requirements, all of which can be used to improve the bottom line and the customer experience.

We are not going to get into the facial recognition technology, that is coming, in this article. Instead, we are going to focus on tools that are already available in off-the-shelf systems and used in a variety of settings.

HEAT MAPING - Heat mapping works by taking the data from one or several cameras, analyzing it over a certain period of time, and producing an image. That image shows the data of how long people were in certain areas of the interior. It can help a retailer understand the traffic patterns of their layout, as well as evaluate certain areas of their space where more people tend to go. They can use this to adjust displays as well as personnel. Imagine knowing that the reason a particular item is not selling well is that it is placed in an area with very low traffic. That could be remedied by moving the display or placing an attractive item in that area.

PEOPLE COUNTING - The knowledge of how many people are in a particular venue has many practical applications. From a safety perspective, it can provide a count of the number of people who need to be evacuated or signal an employee when a space reaches a certain occupancy number.

From a workforce management perspective, it could provide valuable data about the days and times that have the most visitors. That information could help optimize the number of employees on duty at a particular time.

People counting can be obtained in two ways. The first is using a single camera, or people counter, at the entrance exit. This would provide the in and out count. The second is by using multiple cameras in a combined live count scenario. The latter could also provide the amount of people in a particular area.

A great example of the use of this data is in a supermarket. Cameras could identify when there is x number of people in the queue for the register. It could then notify a manager or even signal an automated system to send more cashiers to the front. This can be applied to any retail or service establishment. This type of system would reduce the amount of time that employees spend at checkout with no customers while simultaneously improving the overall customer experience.

POS INTEGRATION - Many camera systems are designed to integrate with popular point-of-sale machines (Registers). This integration can be as simple as showing an on-screen display of each item as it is rung up to utilizing AI to compare that item to what was scanned or count the total items purchased and compare that to the total items there charged. These systems pay for themselves in the savings that come from a reduction in theft and human mistakes.

Overall, Video Surveillance systems can be utilized in numerous ways, beyond surveillance, to provide valuable intelligence, helping businesses to optimize their operations, improve customer satisfaction, and increase overall business performance.

What are your thoughts on modern camera systems? Is it just more big brother, or have we evolved into a useful pairing of humans and technology that provides a greater benefit? We want to know.

In our next issue, we will take a look at how Access Control systems have developed and what options are available for everyone from the home user to residential and commercial applications.

David I. Bacall is a renowned security expert. He currently serves as the Chief Solutions Architect for Crown Business Solutions, a division of the Crown Group of Companies, where he consults with business owners on physical and cyber security solutions and offers telecom, call center, data, and security technology solutions. Crown's experts collaborate closely with you to decrease your vulnerability to cyber threats while watching your budget and needs.

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