Home Security Systems Computers
Filed under: CCTV Articles, CCTV Security DVR Cards, General Technology, GeoVision, Security Camera System, Security DVR, Software
When purchasing a home security system, you have the option of going with a Linux-embedded security system (similar to your DVR that records your favorite TV shows) or a (PC-based) computer security system.
Below, you will see the top 5 reasons to go with a PC-based or computer security system for your home security application:
- Flexible – Most PC-based DVRs can work with IP cameras, as well as Analog cameras. This will allow you to seemlessly move from older technology to newer technology or have a mixture of both.
- Expandable – You can add additional cameras and/or storage much easier than with a linux-embedded DVR.
- Maintenance – If a component fails, it is much easier to replace since PC components are readily available.
- Features – For most PC-based DVRs, there are a lot more features offered such as missing object/object left behind detection, object counting, etc.
- User Accounts – For most PC-Based DVRs, you have the ability to have thousands of user accounts, with customized security levels for each.
Linux-embedded security systems do have their place too, though! I will be covering the top 5 reasons to go with a linux-embedded DVR next week. Stay tuned!
What is Egress for Access Control?
Egress is defined as the mean for a person to come and go from a given point or an enclosure. When we put this term into world of access control it becomes a very important key function to keep in mind on any install. When installing the access control components on an existing door the goal is to secure the door from the outside coming inward without restricting the flow of movement to exit the area. When a person comes up to an exit door they expect to be able to walk up turn a knob or push the door open either directly or by the means of a device like a crash bar. When a Mag lock is placed on a door to secure the door from being opened from the outside the only way to disengage the lock is for the access system to read a authorized card. When you exit the same door there is no card reader, but yet the door is still locked and there must be a way to exit, this is where a Request to Exit button or REX button would come into play. When you push this button you are telling the access system that you are needing to exit the system, this is called forced egress. But in some applications you may need a different type of locking devise such as a electric strike or electric deadbolt. When you have the items installed on the door the process to open the door is still standard as if the equipment was never installed. When you approach the door you may either turn a knob or push a crash bar on the door to achieve exit, this would be considered free egress. Egress whether it be in the form of free or forced egress must be achieved at all access control points to ensure a proper and safe exit from a building during normal exits as well as emergencies.
What is IP66?
On the occasion, while looking for cameras you will come across the term: IP66 compliant, but what does that mean? IP66 is usually a rating that is giving to outdoor cameras and it defines the camera’s ability to keep out foreign objects. The IP stands for Ingress (the act of entering) Protection. The first numerical digit (in this case being 6) describes the rating that is given for solid objects. The rating of 1, the lowest rating, defines the entering object being greater than 50mm. The rating of 6, the highest rating, means the camera would be dust tight. The second numerical digit (again, in this instance a 6) defines how well the camera can keep liquids out. The rating of 1 means no special protection at all. The rating of 8, the highest rating, meaning the camera would be suitable for continuous submersion in water.
Below is a chart that describes the rating of the two numerical digits that follow IP:
| Protection against solid objects | |||
| 1st Digit | Description | Definition | |
| 0 | Non-protected | No special protection | |
| 1 | Protected against solid objects greater than 50 mm | A large surface of the body such as the hand (no protection against deliberate access). Solid objects exceeding 50mm diameter | |
| 2 | Protected against solid objects greater than 12 mm | Fingers or other objects not exceeding 80 mm in length. Solid objects exceeding 12 mm diameter | |
| 3 | Protected against solid objects greater than 2.5 mm | Tools, wires, etc of diameter or thickness greater than 2.5 mm. Solid objects exceeding 2.5 mm diameter. | |
| 4 | Protected against solid objects greater than 1.0 mm | Wires or strips of thickness greater than 1.0 mm. Solid objects exceeding 1.0 mm | |
| 5 | Dust protected | Ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with satisfactory operation of the equipment | |
| 6 | Dust-tight | No ingress of dust | |
| Protection against liquids | |||
| 2nd Digit | Description | Definition | |
| 0 | Non-protected | No special protection | |
| 1 | Protected against dripping water | Dripping water (vertically falling drops) | |
| 2 | Protected against dripping water when tilted up to 15º | Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at any angle up to 15º from its normal position | |
| 3 | Protected against spraying water | Water falling as spray at an angle up to 60º from the vertical shall have no harmful effect | |
| 4 | Protected against splashing water | Water splashed against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect | |
| 5 | Protected against water jets | Water projected from a nozzle against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect | |
| 6 | Protected against heavy seas | Water from heavy seas or water projected in powerful jets shall not enter the enclosure in harmful quantities | |
| 7 | Protected against the effects of immersion | Ingress of water in a harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time | |
| 8 | Protected against submersion | The equipment is suitable for continuous submersion in water under conditions, which shall be specified by the manufacturer | |
CCD vs. CMOS
CCD (charge coupled device) and CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) image sensors are two different technologies for capturing images digitally. Rather you choose CCD or CMOS, neither is superior to the other, With the availability of IP cameras, discussions have surfaced if CCD or CMOS provide better results versus the other.
Both types of chips convert light into electric charge and process it into electronic signals. In a CCD sensor, every pixel’s charge is transferred through a very limited number of output nodes (often just one) to be converted to voltage, buffered, and sent off-chip as an analog signal. All of the pixel can be devoted to light capture, and the output’s uniformity is high. In a CMOS sensor, each pixel has its own charge-to-voltage conversion, and the sensor often also includes amplifiers, noise-correction, and digitization circuits, so that the chip outputs digital bits. These other functions increase the design complexity and reduce the area available for light capture. With each pixel doing its own conversion, uniformity is lower.
For the current IP cameras, CMOS is the preferred choice based on the following advantages:
If size is not a consideration
-More suitable for HD monitor features
-Faster response rate
-Declining prices for high-end sensors
Important IR Camera Questions
When looking at purchasing an IR cameras you want to be sure that there are a few things you keep in mind.
1.) How far out will the camera need to see? Most IR cameras are spec’d at being able to see a certain distance in the dark. If you are wanting to see a 100ft out in the distance be sure the camera is rated for that distance.
2.) Can you ever have too much IR? Yes, some camera placements can cause viewing issues if you go with an IR camera that is to powerful for the area needed. If the cameras is going in a small room or even outside looking in a small fenced in or partitioned off area. If you place an IR camera that has a illumination range or 100ft in an area that is only 10-15ft in length the light has the potential to reflect off of any walls or objects and can cause the camera to have a white glare in the image.
3.) Is IR always the answer? No, let’s say the camera is going in a bar or club or even a restaurant that has a very somber very dim lighting environment, you may find that there is not enough light to provide the IR camera with the ability to stay in day mode, but the area may have more light than what is needed to truly be in a night mode. The best recommendation for this setup would be a camera with a really low lux level and great light adjustment features, For instance Samsung makes the SCC-B2331 model that works great in these environments.
4.) Can you turn a non IR camera into an IR camera. Yes but this can be tricky. First you need make sure that the camera you have can except and use infrared lighting, or the camera may have what is called a cut filter shutter in the lens this also can help utilize the IR device. If your camera does have these abilities than you can purchase an IR illuminator to help with night vision viewing.
H.264 – The Codec of the Future
H.264 is a next-generation video compression format. H.264 was evolved from MPEG-4 ASC. Developed for use in high definition systems such as HDTV, Blu-ray and HD DVD as well as low resolution portable devices such as Apple’s iPod, H.264 offers better quality at lower file sizes than both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 ASP (DivX or XviD).
Apple has officially adopted H.264 as the format for QuickTime. It is also one of the formats chosen to be supported by both high definition DVD standards, and is destined to be the future standard format for Blu-ray.
A popular Mac Client DVR system that utilizes H.264 is listed below
http://www.apexcctv.com/p-999-4-channel-security-dvr-with-dvd-r.aspx
H.264 is sometimes referred (erroneously) as x264 – x264 is the name of a popular freeware encoder for the H.264 format. H.264 is also sometimes referred to as MP4, again this is technically incorrect. MP4 is a container format much like AVI or MKV and it can be used to “house” many different types of compression codecs, not just H.264. It is true though that MP4 is a very popular choice for the H.264 format. MP4 should not be confused with MPEG-4 video either.
Do I Really Need to Hear What I’m Seeing?”
Most people who are shopping for a surveillance system are mainly concerned about one thing, and that is capturing video. Very seldom do people consider recording audio as well. One might think capturing audio is not needed as long as video is being recorded. But, an audio recording system can provide added security to your surveillance system for a small cost. Capturing audio can prove to be a huge asset.
This is especially true if you have a surveillance system that doesn’t have very high resolution cameras. If a person’s face can’t be clearly recognized on video, their voice can be the determining factor in proving guilt. This is especially true if the person has a distinctive voice, or an accent of some sort. Most DVRs, whether Linux or PC based, have audio inputs. Inline microphones can be placed at each individual camera. Or, omni-directional microphones can be placed throughout a facility. Whether using in-line or omni-directional microphones, your looking at spending about 20 to 100 dollars depending on the amount of coverage desired. That’s a small investment that can prove to be a huge savings in the long run.
Sony Effio Chipset: Effio (Enhanced Features and Fine Image Processor)
The new Sony Effio Chip set is what Sony is calling the new DSP chip set. It allows for 700TVL with richer color, high S/N, built in WDR, and higher color reproduction for security cameras. Under normal circumstances the worst digital IP camera or megapixel camera is 10x better than the best analog camera but the new Sony Effio is giving that thought a run for its money. This camera is excellent for facial recognition or giving a clear image on license plates. This camera provides a low lux of .001 before it changes to black and white with the IR function but has a 30m (100ft) illumination length when the IR function is on.
Excellent Color Reproduction
Noise Reduction
The Design and Fabrication of an Access Control System and its Components
There are many areas of importance when building and creating an access control solution for you business. You want the process to be smooth and efficient below or some key factors to go over when looking at you application.
1.) You need to look at how the system will benefit your needs, will the cost of the investment create a positive solution that is worth the money you put into the project.
2.) Make a layout, create a plan on where the vulnerable areas. Find out what areas need to be secured, and list the areas in order from the most important to the least important.
3.) Figure out what means of protection that will be placed on these secure areas. What components will be needed to make the door accessible and secure.
4.) Are you going to need a reader, pin pad or combo pad on each specific location?
5.) What kind of hardware will be needed to secure each door? Will it be a magnetic lock, electric strike or knob?
6.) Are there any other components that will be needed to make the door functional? Will a REX (Request to Exit) method be needed such as a red push to exit button?
7.) You will need to make sure all the components can work together and be compatible. How will the Reader connect to your existing network?
8.) What cables will be needed? There are many different ways to create the wire setup, you need to figure out what layout will work best for you.
9.) If you system comes with management software then great, if not you need to find what Access Control Management Software you would want to use.
10.) How many people will be included in the system? How do you want to access the system?
IR Ilumminators
Ir illumination plays the vital role in the ability to be able to see at night. We are all familiar with night vision capability. The most commonly used IR camera is probably the IR dome camera. Typically the camera comes with a ccd or cmos ship set and can range from 420 TVL ( t.v. lines) to 600+. The amount of illumination is typically a result of the amount of LEDs this camera or the strength set inside the camera. For instance a camera with 24 LED’s is capable of seeing further in low light conditions if the LED’s are bigger.
Let us say you have an application where there is very little light but you have a very specific focal point. Typically a box camera can be used. A perfect example would be a camera that is being used for a license plate recognition camera or LPR. Typically this is accomplished with a high resolution box camera and a powerful varifocal or adjustable lens. But, box cameras do not have the ability to see true IR. This is a perfect application for an IR illuminator. What an IR illuminator will allow you to do is to transmit infrared light in the path of the camera which in obvious will provide greater night vision range. These can be used with traditional IR cameras as well to extend the range of illumination. One key component to remember is the IR cut Filter. This is required in a camera to be able to use the illumination coming off the illuminator.
But, don’t forget a simple motion light will also increase your odds and capturing your footage.
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