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Maximise surveillance with the right technology

Surveillance camera technology continues to develop to accommodate the growing demands of a burgeoning market. According to Marco de Ru, head of product management at IP convergence company MiRO, smart manufacturers have embraced a number of new technologies that improve reliability of surveillance and increase image quality.

Clients are often at a loss when deciding what technologies are best suited to the application at hand and what features to consider when selecting cameras to ensure maximum performance.

De Ru points out that while many of these new technologies are sought after in a surveillance camera, the camera location and system end goals are the factors that should be considered when selecting a surveillance solution.

So how does one select an IP video surveillance camera given the fact that there are so many different camera types available and so many different features? De Ru says that while camera resolution is a prime consideration, it is only one of the deciding factors one should consider. Technologies like wide dynamic range, H.265 compression, image stabilisation and software defog are just some of the features that are noteworthy.

He emphasises that it is critical to ensure that the features of the specific camera fit the conditions and application. For example, if one has a camera mounted indoors facing a glass sliding door, at certain times of day the sunlight shining in from outside will cause over-exposure of the image, thereby influencing the image quality. In this instance, one needs to deploy a camera with wide dynamic range. Wide dynamic range takes the high exposure portion and merges them with the low exposure portion to average out the over-exposure of light. This substantially improves the image quality and provides the user with usable footage.

Another thing to consider is whether cameras will be integrated with access control systems. Long considered a grudge purchase, many clients are demanding systems that work seamlessly together and maximise the return on investment. Pairing access control and CCTV systems helps generate smarter video data for the security system.

An access control system that uses proximity cards, without a CCTV system, means that someone who should not have access to a building could acquire access by using a lost or stolen card. Although occupants may eventually notice intruders inside the buildings, the access control system itself would fail to detect that anything is amiss. One solution is to have the CCTV cameras set up to record the entrance whenever employees use their proximity cards. Using video analytics, the camera system can determine whether the person using the card is actually the person authorised to use it. If not, the system can generate an alarm.

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