Optical vs Digital Zoom: The Basics
Filed under: CCTV Articles, CCTV Camera, Comparisons, General Technology
After reading the title of this article, you might be asking yourself, “Zooming is just zooming, right?” Is there really a difference between optical and digital zooming? You may be surprised to learn that yes, there is definitely a difference.
Optical zoom is considered as true zooming. In other words, the lens optics on the camera itself are used to zoom in on an object. This is opposed to digital zooming, in which the camera processes an image internally and focuses on a certain portion of that image. That certain portion is simply enlarged, thus creating a zoom effect.
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- The red box marks the zoom area.
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- Digitally zooming is essentially enlarging the area.
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- Optically zooming lenses magnify the image, preserving the quality.
The downfall to digital zooming is that the enlarged image is very pixilated and distorted (you may have noticed this when using digital zoom features commonly found on digital point-and-shoot cameras and cell phones). This is not the case with optical zoom, which will provide a clear and accurate picture. This is the main reason why cameras with a higher optical zoom cost a whole lot more. It’s true that the higher the digital resolution (megapixels), the more area you have to zoom in, but remember that the zoom feature is basically just a crop of a larger image, and will eventually distort as you zoom further in.
You might be reluctant to purchase a high optical zoom camera over one that has a high digital zoom because of the price. But if you ever get the chance to view the picture quality of an optically zoomed image side by side with a digitally zoomed image, the choice is a no brainer, regardless of the price. If zoom detail is important, go with optical every time.
LPR and LPD: License Plate Recognition vs. Detection
Filed under: CCTV Articles, Comparisons, General Technology, Security Camera
Let’s say that you want to record license plates with your surveillance cameras. Do you know if you need LPR or LPD cameras? Do you even know what those acronyms stand for? In order to record license plates, you will definitely need a camera that has either one of these capabilities. LPR stand for License Plate Recognition. LPD stands for License Plate Detection. There is a distinctive difference between the two.
LPR only guarantees that you have the possibility of recognizing a license plate, provided the car is a reasonable distance in front of the camera. Also, the lens on the camera has to be adjusted properly in order recognize the license plate. LPD has some similarities to LPR. The license plate has to be within the proper range in front of the camera, and the lens has to be adjusted properly on LPD cameras. But an LPD camera, implemented with the proper software, will detect a license plate and log the plate number into a database. One could go back through this database and view the plate numbers and generate a report for viewing. Choosing the right license plate camera is all mainly dependant on whether you need to keep a record of every license plate that passes in front of the camera, and of course, as always, how much you’re looking to spend.
Stay True to Yourself With True RG59
Filed under: Cables, CCTV Articles, General Technology, Quick Overview
Fact: all Siamese cable is not created equal. There are some cables that are considered Siamese, but not rated as true RG59 cables. Even though non-true RG59 can be useful, it’s not the best quality of cable. If you want the most quality for your money, you want to make sure that the cables that you use are rated as true RG59. The true RG59 cables have a higher copper rating than the standard Siamese cables. This higher copper rating ensures higher quality video and better transmission rates. The true RG59 is also less flexible and sturdier. So do yourself and favor and spend the few extra dollars for the true RG59 cable. You’ll definitely see a difference in the quality of your video and the lifespan of your cable.
A Beast of a Bullet
Filed under: CCTV Articles, CCTV Camera, General Technology, Security Camera
I have seen a lot of cameras since I’ve entered the CCTV world. However, there are some cameras that make you stop and say, “Man this camera is amazing!” Introducing to you the CG40 weather resistent Sony Effio bullet camera.
Dressed in all black, this beauty gives you maximum analog performance and can be used indoor or outdoors. The Sony Effio technology takes the image processing to another level giving you the feel of an IP camera’s megapixel resolution. The outstanding 700 tv lines makes this camera stand out above the others making the picture quality clear and noticeable.
The powerfu auto iris varifocal lens 2.8mm-12mm gives you the ability to expand and narrow your field of view giving you more flexbility in any environment. And please do not worry about being in the dark, because this beastly bullet has a 90 feet illumination range.
Installers, the CG40 did not forget about you because it features cable management and also comes with the mounting bracket for an easy installation for you end user. And end-user, get ready for a treat with the on screen display and wide dynamic range.
So if you are in the market for a multi versatile camera that packs the punch of Mike Tyson in his prime, then look no futher. The CG40 has arrived. Plus, don’t worry about the price because this beast retails for under $170, and that is a price you cannot beat!
Are IR Cut Filters Necessary?
After seeing the title of this article, you might ask, “What the heck is an IR cut filter?” Well, I’m glad you asked. IR cut filters are important to consider when using an IR illuminator with a non-infrared camera. Infrared light, when reflecting off of objects can be transmitted back through the camera lens that is recording the area that is being illuminated. The absorption of this artificial light can cause the video being recorded to be completely not viewable, or the video color to be distorted. To avoid this, you will need an IR cut filter. Depending on what kind of filter you choose to use, the light will be either absorbed by the filter, or reflected off of the filter. Whenever using an IR illuminator with a non-infrared camera, always check and see if the camera has an IR cut filter. If you plan on placing a box camera in a weatherproof housing with an IR illuminator, check and see if the housing itself has an IR cut filter. If either the housing or the camera doesn’t have an IR cut filter, please be sure to incorporate one.
Be Sensible with Sense-Up Technology
Filed under: CCTV Articles, General Technology, Guides, Security Camera
With every new day brings new and improved technology to the world of CCTV cameras. One in particular that seems to be catching on quite fast is a phenomenal feature being utilized by newer cameras. This feature is called Sense-Up. The main purpose of sense-up is to provide a camera that does not rely on artificial light to see in very low light conditions. A camera with sense up is very capable of capturing images in near total darkness all while maintaining full color images as well.
An example of Sense-Up on the {link:http://www.apexcctv.com/p-1166-hd-cctv-security-camera-wdr.aspx}HD6 Camera{/link}
This is all possible in the fact that the shutter stays open longer, allowing more light into the camera and being capable of seeing better in low light. This feature also gives you the ability to set limits to the amount of sense up want to use. The limit setting can be set on most cameras anywhere from 2X amplification to 128X amplification. This not the actual shutter speed rather the amount of light being allowed into the camera.
While some security marketing people claim that sense up is the end of infrared night vision, this simply isn’t the case. However it is a feature that under the right circumstances can produce an unbelievable image without having to go to black and white, adjust power due to IR’s being turned on, as well as reduction of noise and graininess to produce a crisp image in near darkness. It just makes sense to go Sense-Up.
Don’t Cut Its Worth Going the Extra Cable
Filed under: Cables, CCTV Articles, Comparisons, General Technology, Guides, Power Supply
When it comes to Security Cameras and DVR systems, many factors can go into making a precise decision on the items that will make up the whole Unit. One aspect that seems to be over looked quite a bit is in regards to the Cable. For Analog cameras they tend to use the popular cable known as Siamese Cable. This cable carries the Video and Power in one strand.
Where it gets tricky is knowing when to use Pre-Cut Siamese Cable vs. a spool of Siamese Cable. Pre-Cut Cable comes at a certain length 25’, 50’, 75’, 100’,ext with connectors per attached. Typically you can find spools of Siamese Cable at 500’ and 1000’ while needing to attach your own connectors.
Where this can get complicated is many people will purchase Pre-Cut cable thinking it’s the same exact type of cable as Spooled Cable. Theoretically it is, however where they differ is in that if measurements aren’t exact people think they can just cut Pre-Cut Cable and reattach the connectors. This can cause serious video degradation. Pre-Cut Siamese Cable has a thinner copper thread since it has the connectors pre-attached it’s not intended to be cut again, and that’s why you’ll experience issues. You’ll also experience issues if you try to attach two pre cut cables together to create longer distances of runs.
So if you aren’t sure of the length of runs, it’s better in the long run to go with the spool of Siamese Cable. It may take a little work applying the cuts and connectors but it’s not nearly as costly as losing quality in your video feed.
IP Cameras in the Home…Do You Need That?
Filed under: CCTV Articles, CCTV Camera, General Technology, IP Cameras, Security Camera
As someone that is in the industry, I get this question on a daily basis. “Do I need IP or Analog cameras for my home?” The answer to this question is quite simple, “How important is your stuff?” There is one major truth about IP cameras that some people find hard to swallow and I am going to be very blunt about it, “Yes, they are more expensive”.
They are more expensive BUT the Cost vs. Price analysis shows that they are in essence less expensive when considering what you actually get with the IP camera solution. So what do you get, Clarity is the huge one. With the right IP camera you can catch such great detail that you can not only see and describe who is walking up to the door, but the camera system can recognize the face, store it, and give you the exact time the person walked up to the door. While the camera system is doing this it also has the capability to catch the make, model and license plate of the car s/he drove up in. And if that wasn’t enough, the camera system can count the number of people that walk up to the door, pull into the drive way, or even walk by the house. And believe it or not, the system will even send you an email if someone walks up to the door after hours. The system can alert you if the UPS man walks up and leaves a package, or it can alert you if you have something on the porch and it suddenly walks off.
Can you get this type of clarity with an analog camera system? Maybe? On a clear day? The honest answer: probably not. Can you get these extra features like facial detection with an analog camera system? That answers easy, NO.
So now I ask the same question that I asked above, “How important is your stuff?” or the real question is “How important is your safety?”.
Power Over Ethernet May Be The Way to Go
Filed under: CCTV Articles, General Technology, Guides, Networking
Power over Ethernet (PoE) is a technology that powers a remote Ethernet device by transferring electrical power over the same standard twisted-pair Ethernet cable that used to also send Ethernet data communication. Here are some benefits to using POE:
Simple – A single cable can supply power and network connection
Space – Only one set of wires to deal with saves space and simplifies installation
Maintenance – Easier to deal with low voltage issues
Easy –Very easy install cameras and extend your network
Reach – Supports longer camera runs with Ethernet cable (ft.)
Savings – Cost savings on many levels (installs, labor, etc)
Look into Power over Ethernet injectors or switches to assist you in transmitting electrical power, along with data, to remote devices over your network. The benefits could be endless!
Looking for a Nice Bullet Security Camera?
Filed under: CCTV Articles, CCTV Camera, General Technology, Security Camera
Since I have become familiar with the CCTV industry and its products, you never know what is a good buy. Also price is always a determining factor before you make a choice. However, recently I ran across a CCTV camera that is highly impressive.
I introduce to you the 138CT bullet security camera.
This is a beautiful camera and the size is quite impressive. It can be used indoor/outdoor and has an amazing 500 TV lines. Now of course we can’t forget about the night vision on this one which clears 50ft easily. My installers also rave over the 138CT due to the easy installation and mounting aspect ; mounting bracket included.
So if you are looking for a very nice, but powerful analog bullet camera then look no more. Try out a 138CT and don’t worry about the price because this baby retails for under $80.
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