For almost 20 years, closed-circuit television (CCTV) was the technology used by 90 percent of security cameras in existence worldwide. You might say it was the gold standard when it came to surveillance systems. Still, gold standards are subject to tarnish when the next new technology comes to fruition. We need only look at computers, smartphones and flat-screen TVs.
One of the biggest disadvantages of CCTV cameras is that their low-resolution images are inadequate in our high-definition world. Since high resolution is one of the best advantages of HD security cameras, more and more businesses are replacing their CCTV systems with HD surveillance cameras. If your company is still in the consideration stage, a closer look at the benefits of the technology may help you decide.
Superior Image Quality
While the HD security cameras most companies install range from 2 to 12 megapixels, there are some capable of producing 20-megapixel images. In contrast, the best traditional CCTV cameras could ever muster was .4 megapixels.
As a point of reference, a 2-megapixel security camera will give an image comparable to a full HD television. An 8-megapixel camera yields images such as those seen on 4K TVs. Such high resolution translates to the vivid level of detail that many commercial property managers, security companies and police forces consider one of the most valuable benefits of installing HD security cameras.
Precise Detail
The ability to capture fine details is one of the advantages of high-definition security cameras, but it also optimizes the functioning of forensic tools such as license plate readers and facial recognition software — allowing police to apprehend thieves, vandals and trespassers more quickly. This is because the level of detail in images recorded by a 2-megapixel (or greater) HD camera allows police to zoom in on a frame. The frame holds a face or license plate without pixelating, as it would with a CCTV low-resolution image.
Precise details are also significantly important for business owners and retailers looking to minimize shrinkage, since it allows them to focus on orders being picked in the warehouse or the money changing hands at checkout counters.
Lower Cost
Another disadvantage of CCTV camera use is the installation cost. CCTVs get their name from the fact that the video they record cannot be directly transmitted to a device outside the circuit. This means all cameras, recorders and monitors must be hardwired to one another or to a server. The cost of wires and cables — as well as any other hardware, plus electrician labor — adds to the price of already-expensive cameras.
The latest generation of HD security cameras have features that further lower the costs. For example:
- Battery-powered and solar-powered cameras need no electrical wiring. Their installation requires little more than downloading the software.
- Those cameras that rely on 3G/4G networks provide secure connections to virtually anywhere in the world
- Cloud-based monitoring is done via an online portal.
In addition, the higher resolution of HD surveillance cameras allows them to cover a wider area of surveillance, meaning fewer cameras need to be purchased. Since there is no dilution of detail, more license plates can be read and more faces recognized per frame.
Thanks to ever-advancing technology, including the development of HD security cameras, the world can be a safer place. Eye Trax is taking advantage of these advances to help make workplaces, streets and properties safe 24/7. Contact us to see how our cameras can help you keep an eye on your property, factory, utility installation or whatever other sector you serve.