Specialist IP Camera Store - Supply & Solutions
Public Sector & Education • Business & Enterprise • Home Security
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What’s the difference between varifocal and fixed lens CCTV?
One of the most frequent questions we get asked is the reason some cameras are priced differently to others. There’s often a variety of reasons, but one of the main culprits is the lens.
In short, fixed lens cameras give a specific field of view, while the viewing angle of a varifocal is set during installation. The moving parts and lens adjustment required for varifocals increases the price of a camera.
Though, of course, there’s a little more to it than that.
Retail CCTV system – a guide on what to consider
Retailers face increasing pressure from within and without, making loss prevention a key driver for profitability. One way of doing this is installing a CCTV security solution.
When you’re thinking about a retail CCTV system you have various factors to consider driven by different needs.
This blog takes you through key considerations like view, visibility and non-security applications. After that, this article gives you some suggested systems to consider.
Perimeter security – what to consider in a camera
Monitoring and protecting a perimeter, be a school ground or business premises is one of the most common surveillance scenarios. However, with such an array of cameras to choose from, how do you narrow down your options?
This article covers the main features to consider when purchasing cameras to protect a perimeter. Of course, budget is important too, so this guide can help you determine which features are required for your installation.
Recording at the edge – A new approach to surveillance system design
Edge recording is a term which is has started to populate through the IP camera industry with regards to network video recording. Edge recording is a network configuration designed to reduce the bottlenecks inherent to centralized video systems. This article describes how edge recording functions work and describes the pros and cons of its use.
Digital Pan, Tilt and Zoom Cameras: Can they compete with conventional cameras?
With the increase in megapixel and HD cameras, more and more camera manufacturers are offering digital pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) features as an alternative to conventional mechanical pan, tilt and zoom. Can digital pan, tilt and zoom cameras offer the same level of functionality when used in security scenarios?
What is a Network Port and why do I need one?
Network Ports can often be a difficult concept to understand. When working with IP cameras you don’t really need to worry about them until you have to set up remote access. Routers rely on ports to limit data which can access your camera and differentiate between multiple devices. Believe it or not, you are using a port just now, only you can’t see it.
How to set up remote access for IP cameras
Remote access is often a key factor when choosing a security camera. The ability to monitor a location remotely is a huge benefit for most and is often the main reason for selecting an IP camera.
However, the act of setting up remote access can often be very confusing for non-technical users and can lead to difficulty. The process is actually very simple but does require some explanation.
Universal Plug and Play: Friend or Foe?
We get a lot of technical support requests regarding Port Forwarding, the process of allowing access through the firewall on your router to your camera so that you can access your camera from across the Internet. It’s a tricky process which can leave many novice users scratching their heads.
Enter Universal Plug and Play
Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is a set of network protocols designed to allow network devices to automatically communicate without any manual intervention from the user. In the case of IP cameras, UPnP often provides an icon on your computer to let you easily navigate to the camera as well as automatic port forwarding so that you can access your camera quickly and easily from anywhere in the world without any configuration.
How to set up a personal FTP server for use with an IP camera’s image transfer function
With the image transfer feature found in many IP cameras you can store a number of images in a central location as an archive for security purposes or maybe for building a time-lapse movie.
These images are sent using the FTP protocol which stands for File Transfer Protocol and is normally associated with transferring files across the Internet. It also works equally as well on a local network and this guide will show you how to set it up.
Using H.264 video compression in IP video surveillance systems
H.264 is an open video compression standard. Uniquely, H.264 is the first compression format to be formed by collaboration between members of both the IT and telecommunications industries and each have their own name for it. H.264 is the name used by the ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union) and MPEG-4 Part 10 AVC (Advanced Video Coding) is the name used by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization). The video surveillance industry has adopted the term H.264 and this has become the primary reference to the standard. This is also the term we use.
H.264 is fast becoming the standard video compression format for the video surveillance world and if we look at the claims it makes we can see why. We hear bold statements about low bandwidth usage, reduced storage requirements, higher resolution monitoring and better quality images and it all sounds too good to be true… doesn’t it?
