CCTV Camera World Knowledge Base

Frame Rate

Most have become accustomed to what’s referred to as real time recording; this implies recording at a rate of thirty frames per second. The end result is fluid recorded video that looks identical to what you’d see during live viewing. Granted, this is a nice added bonus to have, but how realistic is it for businesses? The average homeowner has around eight to twelve cameras making recording at this rate pretty easy to obtain. Businesses don’t have such an easy time as their average ranges from twenty four to thirty two cameras. Continue reading →

There a lot of things that can go wrong with security cameras. The most noticeable are going to be problems with the image itself. The good news is that identifying the problem isn't as difficult as you may think. For as many things that can potentially going wrong, each one of those problems presents themselves with their own set of unique characteristics. Continue reading →

Simply put and as it pertains to security cameras, a lux rating is a way of determining a cameras ability to see in various degrees of darkness. It’s very important to note that lux ratings for IR cameras are rated differently from cameras without that Infrared capability; be careful not to compare these two side by side as they are going to need to be interpreted differently.
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Tribrid video recorders are very new to the market. If you're not already familiar with them, we encourage you to read our previous article first outlining what Tribrid DVRs are all about. From here on out, it's essentially going to be a grudge match between Tribrids and Hybrids to see which one will come out on top. It’s already being speculated that Tribrid series DVRs may completely replace Hybrids altogether but as we don't want to assume anything just yet, we'll all want to know which the better option is for our own personal situations. Continue reading →

“Tribrid” digital video recorders (DVR), as they've come to be known, aren't exactly a new thing. Previous to the release of Tribrid DVRs, there were Hybrid DVRs. If you recall from previous articles, Hybrid’s are capable of streaming and recording both standard analog and IP/network cameras. The Tribrid simply introduces the ability to now have HDCVI cameras in addition to those analog and IP cameras.

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We saw High Definition Serial Digital Interface (HDSDI) hit the market in 2012. With it finally came the possibility of high definition (HD) over coax. The only option in the past had been IP/network cameras via network cable. While IP camera systems are a fantastic direction to go in, they require a whole new knowledge base from traditional analog CCTV systems. This new HDSDI system type was the saving grace for professional and amateur installers alike who didn't want to invest boat loads of time into learning all about the networking it takes to get IP setups up and running. So, why are we suddenly seeing it all on sale from virtually every distributor and retailer we come across? Continue reading →

This video will show how to crimp RJ45 connects to either Cat5e or Cat6 network cable. You can find the CAT5/6 crimping tool here. It has an RJ-45 crimping jack, RJ-11 crimping jack, wire stripper, and wire cutter. Briefly, here is how you crimp network cable: Continue reading →

Consultations are quickly becoming a lost art form in the CCTV security camera industry. There is an ever widening gap in our understanding of what a consultation in this industry actually means. In the spirit of educating ourselves, let’s begin. Continue reading →

This video shows the IP100CM; a 1.3 megapixel IP camera. The camera has a 3.6mm lens for an eighty-degree angle of view, one IR LED for up to 33 feet of night vision, real time 30 frames per second 720p video streaming, and is PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android compatible.
This camera also offers WiFi, a micro SD card slot for recording footage on camera upon motion detection (up to 32GB), and a 12 volt power or PoE input.

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This camera has a 1.3 megapixel CMOS image sensor which provides a 720p HD resolution which equals 1280 by 960 pixels. The larger image size and increased resolution allows for better detail and zoom during playback. This camera has a set function which allows you to select an area on screen using the mouse and the camera will then automatically zoom and focus in on that area. Continue reading →

The front face the HDCVi HD DVR has numeric and playback keys, and an LED display for power, network, hard drive, and channels. The rear face at the DVR has 4/8 BNC video inputs, four audio inputs, one audio output, one BNC video output, RS 232 and VGA outputs, a network cable port, HDMI out port, USB port, alarm outputs, and RS 485 input. The accessories included are a SATA cable, software and manuals, USB mouse, remote control, and power supply. The larger image size of 1080p allows for increased detail and zoom during playback; the 1080p resolution is also sharper and more detailed. Continue reading →

The type of cable you're either able to or should be using has been under debate since HDCVI cameras hit the market. While it was originally stated that solid copper RG59 should be used, there have been more than a few people to state that it's not required; installers and retailers alike. We're going to put all previously formed statements and opinions aside for this and simply show you what type of video quality you can expect from various cable types and lengths.
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Having a sales person prompting you to spend more on another product is nothing new, but have you ever considered that they might be trying to save you? Admittedly, not every product that a company sells performs and incredible as you’d like. In defense of those companies, it’s what the market and consumer demands. If they didn't sell what people thought they wanted, they wouldn't be in business for very long. We’re certainly not going to tell you to take every sales person at their word, but it would behoove you to look into what some of them have to say. Continue reading →

Welcome to part three of CCTV Myths. Don't forget to check out part one and part two if you haven't already. We credit this installment of myths to some of the more ridiculous things we've heard over the years. As usual, let us know what you think, tell us your ideas, and enjoy! Continue reading →

Welcome back for part two of CCTV Myths. We didn't mention it in part one, but if you have any ideas or myths of your own, leave them in the comments section below. For those of you who may have missed part one, be sure to check it out. We said it once but we'll say it again; this is all in good fun so enjoy and let us know what you think. Continue reading →

Welcome to the first installment of CCTV Myths. The premise of this series is to debunk as many of the misconceptions people have about security camera systems as we can come up with. Whether or not you've had a couple or many of these thoughts yourself, it's all in good fun, so sit back and enjoy a good laugh. Continue reading →

You'll usually hear us recommend opting for a wired system over wireless. Most of this stuff is all about speed, and hard wiring your system is just always going to be faster. What happens when running cable isn't an option? Whether it be structurally impossible, or can't work without creating an eyesore, sometimes wireless is the only solution. In a day and age where tying your DVR into your network for local and remote viewing is a must, one of the bigger complications people will run into is how to connect their DVR/NVR/Hybrid to that network. Continue reading →

High Definition Composite Video Interface (HDCVI) is brand new to the CCTV and security camera industry. With it, comes a few new, and very cool capabilities. While you may not see any great advancements in the high definition (HD) resolution, these new features that come at a pretty incredible price do more than impress. Continue reading →

It may seem a bit basic, but most people aren't in love with the idea of possibly defacing their home. Not only is it a matter of not creating an eyesore, but also the effective placement of surveillance cameras. There are times you may need more cameras than you think, and sometimes you may not need as many as you've planned for. Continue reading →

It's not uncommon for people to inherit CCTV systems. The problem is that most of the time, the previous owners aren't very forthcoming with information and people normally don't know to ask. More often than not, you'll find yourself needing to repair, or wanting to upgrade these systems. You'll soon find that not knowing the finer details of what you have is going to cause you problems down the road.

**If you have a proprietary system, you will not be able to identify it without locating a brand name on the devices. Continue reading →