Tag: CCTV

How Have CCTV Systems Evolved?

Posted on by Daniel Youngs

CCTV stands for closed-circuit television and was first used in World War 2 when some German scientists created a camera inside a box so that they could safely observe A4 rocket launches.
More than 75 years since they were created, CCTV cameras are still mainly used to record footage for the purposes of surveillance and crime detection. The world has changed massively since then with technological leaps like the internet and smartphones, but not that much has changed in terms of CCTV utility and architecture. The vast majority of cameras today are used to record footage that then has to be analysed by humans if an incident occurs. This is a very slow process, it’s also costly and requires human time, attention and huge amounts of data storage.

Recent developments in machine learning and camera quality mean that this is all likely to change soon. Instead of reacting to events retrospectively, we expect hardware and software to soon be capable of automatically detecting and notifying people of incidents and important events happening within the camera’s range.

Let’s have a look at the most significant advancements in the transformation process of CCTV and see what’s in store for the near future.

• The first analog systems
The first documented CCTV camera to ever exist was in 1942. It wasn’t able to record and store data, so it required monitoring constantly.

• VCR analog cameras
VCR (videocassette recorders) were widely rolled out in the 1970s. Images were stored in 8 hour long tapes and had to be manually replaced.

• Hybrid systems: DVR analog cameras
In the mid 90’s the DVR (digital video recording) came about. This system digitized and compressed the video, storing the information in a hard disk.

• Network based DVR
Later DVRs were fitted with an Ethernet port for network connectivity. This allowed videos to be monitored remotely using computers.

• Video encoders
Video encoders (or video servers) were the next big step in the technology. The most important modernisation is that with this system the video management is operated through the software installed in a computer.

• Fully Digital IP Cameras
This system is fully digital and has no analog component. This has significantly simplified the installation and maintenance of the system. It now has computer power built in, allowing for the use of preinstalled applications in the camera. These systems can synchronize with other devices.

The future of CCTV

The CCTV industry has experienced some changes over the years, but drastic improvements are just around the corner. To this day, surveillance cameras require a human security operator to view the footage and determine appropriate actions. This should be rapidly automated, especially in larger areas where the sheer volume of footage means it is impossible to be 100% observed. In terms of security, automation would allow us to act on incidents happening in real time as opposed to using the footage for investigative functions. It would save massively on costs, but also significantly increase the chances of us preventing incidents from taking place. In some cases, this would save lives. Real time analytics could also be utilised in a variety of other sectors like healthcare, education and retail.

What Are The Best Deterrents To Burglars?

Posted on by Daniel Youngs

If you have been the victim of a break in or burglary, you may be curious to know why you had been targeted.  What was it about your property that attracted the burglar?  After all, most thieves are opportunistic, so it may have been a spur of the moment break in.  Shockingly, research has revealed that almost a third of us have no security measures in place, so the most probable answer is that your security was either non-existent or simply wasn’t tight enough. There are in all likelihood a whole host of extra measures that could have been taken to send thieves running in the other direction.

If you are lucky enough not to have been the victim of a theft crime, but are still looking for ways to make your property more secure, there are several ways of doing so.  And what better way to know what deters potential burglars than to get inside the mind of one?  The Co-op conducted a survey of 12 former criminals to find out what makes them select a particular property when they’re looking for targets, and what would deter them from breaking in.

One of the top considerations on their list of deterrents were smart homes.  Technology is evolving at quite a rate, and is becoming more and more affordable as the market grows.  Most home owners could have a basic smart device installed at very little cost.  When you consider the inevitable hike in your insurance premiums in the event of a break in and a subsequent insurance claim, the cost is easily absorbed!  The Co-op found that 89% of ex criminals surveyed said that they would be deterred from targeting a home with smart technology.

There are several other factors that would deter opportunist thieves when selecting their next mark.

Here are our top 5 tips:

  1. Smile, you’re on camera!

CCTV cameras are pivotal in the fight against crime.  We see them literally everywhere on our streets, and the police rely on them daily to identify crime and its perpetrators. Amazingly though, only 14% of UK residents have them installed in their homes.  Perhaps the biggest deterrent for thieves, burglars and other criminals, why do more of us not look to CCTV to protect our homes?  Comparatively it’s more costly than other forms of home security, but it does add a means of identifying criminals, and provides evidence against any that are apprehended later.

  1. Light up!

Security lighting is an effective measure when it comes to protecting your home, particularly if the street lighting around your property is poor.  Very few burglars work in broad daylight, so make the night time hours as bright as possible, as they don’t want to be seen!  Whether you decide on lights timed to come on during certain hours of the night, or motion activated ones, they are all a deterrent.  If you’re going out, leave some lights on inside, and a TV or radio – the more occupied your home looks the better.

  1. Shut up!

How many of us don’t lock ourselves in when we’re at home?  Some burglaries happen when the property is occupied with thieves having gained entry through an unlocked door.  People who are particularly vulnerable should be extra cautious, especially if they are living alone.  Get into the habit of locking your doors when you come in as well as when you go out.

When we go to bed many of us sleep with the windows open?  It’s good to have well ventilated rooms, but it’s easy to forget to secure them the next day when we’re in a rush to get out to work.  Open windows are an invitation to would-be burglars.

Whenever possible have a car parked on the drive, and better still, install lockable gates at the entrance of your driveway.

  1. Be an attention seeker!

Criminals who are debating whether to burgle your house or not will not want to attract any unwanted attention.  If you have dogs, your furry friends could be the deal breaker!  Most thieves will not enter a property where there are barking dogs.  If you don’t have any pets, you can get motion sensors that play a recording of barking dogs. Coupled with ‘beware of the dogs’ signs, it might be enough to prevent a break in.

Burglar alarms have a dual purpose; the sight of the box situated on the house is usually enough to discourage a burglar, but in the event they gain entry anyway, the noise of the alarm will soon attract the attention of neighbours and passers-by.  Some more sophisticated alarm systems can combine smoke detectors and CCTV, giving you an all-in-one security system.

  1. Don’t be a virtual attention seeker!

It’s the age of sharing.  With almost infinite social media platforms to choose from, it’s easy for us to share everything that’s going on in our lives.  But do we really need to let everyone know what we’ve had for dinner, or the latest item of clothing we’ve bought, or that we’re jetting off to sunnier climes?  Holiday details shared online is like advertising the fact that your home is empty.