Glossary: Charge Coupled Device (CCD)

A Charge Coupled Device (CCD) is a type of image sensor and is basically the eye of your IP security camera. Is it a small, light-sensitive integrated circuit which translates the light which hits it into a digital electrical signal.

On the CCD there are thousands or even millions of tiny receptive cells. These cells react to the red, green or blue light components and records each as a voltage. The voltage is then read by the camera, compressed and then sent along the network.

CCD sensors are usually measured in physical dimensions. In IP CCTV cameras these are usually 1/4, 1/3 or 1/2 an inch. Larger sensors tend to give a better picture as they have a larger surface area to catch more light.

Published on January 14th, 2009 by James Drinkwater