06. Advantages of Digital CCTV

The CCTV digital age has really arrived

More and more people are moving to DIGITAL BASED CCTV Systems over the conventional analog VCR based systems. The benefits of using a digital system, is that it allows the user to replace their switching unit, monitor and time-lapse recorder with one centralized system, which they can access and control from several locations. Because the system is automated, one does not have to swop or replace any video cassette tapes, allowing minimum intervention from the system controller.

These systems can record video images on the HDD, depending on capacity, for several weeks. A digital system allows the user to instantly retrieve relevant data. There is no longer a need for screening through hours of video tape to find a single frame of video. Data is stored in a database which can be searched by camera, time, date, alarm-activation or motion. This saves the user time in identifying the target.

Even at the most basic level digital video images are superior to video recorded on analog systems. Sharp, crisp images are stored which can be viewed over and over again without image deterioration.

Yet another advantage of digital systems is their flexibility of recording modes. Recording can be done by schedule (ie. time or date), alarm activation or via smart motion detection.

Faster retrieval times - No more plodding through hours and hours of videotape. Utilising digital CCTV, users can instantly retrieve video. Users can rapidly search events by time, date, location and camera.
Less storage space required - Users may set the system to record
when motion or other pre-defined events are detected - so there's no
wasted "dead taping". Video is then compressed and efficiently stored
to a PC's hard drive.
Archiving - Important information can be archived to FDD, HDD, CD-R
or DVD for later retrieval.
Higher image quality - Digital CCTV provides unbeatable quality.
Digital video can be easily enhanced and copied over and over without
losing its original quality.
Better quality - Digital Video Recording provides much sharper better quality images to aid in evidence and image recognition.
No Tapes - with analog systems tapes need to be replaced regularly,
but digital storage media has an almost unlimited lifetime.
Immune to noise - Digital systems are less affected by noise than analog systems.
Transmit and retrieve stored data - Across town or across the world,
video images can be remotely viewed, easily saved, retrieved, displayed, copied, printed, faxed and e-mailed.
Less Obsolescence - Most systems software is upgradeable which
extends the systems lifetime.
No Routine Maintenance Required - Other than DVRs, VCR's are
required to be serviced once a year for reliable operation.