Ip camera system Archives

What is the Best IP Camera Recording System

Posted on April 24, 2017May 18, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

There are NVRs and VMS Recording Systems, but what is best for your IP camera system?

The video recording system is a key part of the total IP camera system. There are many solutions available, but what is the best one for your application?

Most NVRs, video management software systems, or even a cloud system will provide basic video recording. But, if you want to support many cameras at multiple sites, you need a more advanced system.

This article helps you determine the best recording system for your application. It compares simple systems that are used for a handful of cameras, to complex systems that can handle thousands of cameras at multiple sites. Your total system requirements will determine the best video recording system.

The History of Video Surveillance

Posted on July 20, 2016June 1, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

Evolution from Closed Circuit TV to Ubiquitous IP Camera Surveillance

By Bob Mesnik

From the early beginnings of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), it was somewhat controversial. It was designed to increase our security and safety, but does it threaten our privacy? How has video surveillance changed over the years? This article reviews the history of surveillance and how it has evolved into a technology that has become part of our lives.

History

Video surveillance is not new; it has been around for quite a while. One of the first recorded application for closed circuit television system (CCTV) was back in 1942. It was used to view the launch of V2 rockets in Germany.

In the US, commercial surveillance applications began around 1947. In 1957 a number of companies such as General Precision Labs (GPL division), provided CCTV camera systems for education, medical and industrial applications.

What is the Best Price for Your IP Camera System?

Posted on February 23, 2016March 22, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

The other day I was walking down a street in Manhattan and I saw a guy selling watches. There was one watch that looked just like an expensive Rolex but it cost only $50. What a deal, I thought.

I think everyone tries to find the best deal. Unfortunately, we sometimes forget that old maxim, “you get what you pay for”. I know I do. How many times have we gotten burned by this?

I’m not sure how to tell if the watch is worth $50, but I can provide some guidance about what to consider when purchasing an IP camera.

IP Cameras range in price from under $50 to well over $1000. What is the difference? As you may guess it’s the functionality and quality. The low-cost cameras are usually sold to the home consumer market and are not designed for commercial security and surveillance applications. The more expensive camera lasts longer and allows you to see things clearer. So how does this relate to getting the best IP camera for your money?

Selecting the Right Equipment for Your IP Camera Surveillance System

Posted on August 25, 2015March 22, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

How do you select the right equipment for your IP camera system? The surveillance system is more than just the IP camera. It also includes the video recording system, lens, lighting, camera enclosures, network switches, and mounting brackets. Everything has to work together so you get the security system you expected.

Selecting the right equipment for your security system can be quite complicated. Sometimes it’s like putting together a puzzle. We need to make sure we have the right camera, but does the camera work with all the other equipment?

We would like to be notified of alarm conditions, but does the video recording system provide alarm notification? We would like to mount the camera on a pole, but does the camera include image stabilization? As we decide on one thing, it can affect other parts of the system.

In this article, we provided a real-life surveillance example and then defined a complete surveillance system.

How Far We Can See With the PTZ IP Camera

Posted on July 20, 2015March 23, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

How far away can we see things using a long range PTZ camera? Obviously, we can see the moon which is 238,900 miles away, but of course we would need a powerful telescope to see the small craters. We can see people in a crowd, but when we want to identify their face, it gets a lot harder. The distance is determined by what detail we need to see.

Do you want to be able to detect a vehicle moving, or identify the person driving the vehicle? The objective will determine the type of IP camera system you will need. In general the distance is determined by the lens, the type of camera (thermal camera or optical camera), the camera resolution, and sometimes the IR illuminator available. This article describes how we can specify the IP camera system required for long distance viewing.

IP Camera System Bandwidth

Posted on June 2, 2015March 23, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

We are often asked about how much bandwidth is required by an IP camera system. It is a valid question, and one we are constantly reviewing.

Megapixel IP cameras generate quite a lot of data. The latest 4K cameras will generate even more; requiring more video storage, and more network resources.

It is important to understand what contributes to the bandwidth, and what steps can be taken to control it. This article describes the various compression schemes, the factors that affect bandwidth, and the practical things you can do to reduce the bandwidth in your IP camera systems.

Understanding IP Camera Specifications, What’s Important

Posted on June 2, 2015March 23, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

This article was updated on 4/12/2018 to reflect new IP cameras

IP Camera manufacturers provide product specification sheets that help you select the right camera for your IP security and surveillance system. But, which specifications are important? They include such things as resolution, minimum light sensitivity, lens, WDR, signal to noise, etc. This article reviews the important camera specs, and how to avoid being fooled by specsmanship (from the marketing department).

The importance of each of the camera specifications depends on your objective and application for your IP camera system. For example, if you want to use the camera outdoors where it can get dark, then the low light specification is important.

If you are only using the IP camera indoors, you may be more interested in the how wide a viewing angle you can achieve. Here is a review of the important specifications.

Physical Security Systems

Posted on October 31, 2014June 1, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

A physical security system is a collection of equipment and software that provides security and safety. It can use a variety of network-attached devices as well as a number of software products that can be integrated to provide a unified solution.

To be more specific, the integration of the latest video management software (VMS), with door access control software, and emergency paging software along with IP cameras, IP sensors, IP door readers, and IP paging amplifiers can provide a very complete physical security system. These IP based security systems provide similar capability to Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) software at much less cost.

IP Camera Tech Support in Action

Posted on October 1, 2014June 1, 2020 by Virginia Fair

Bug, now that’s a word that covers a lot of ground.

Eeck, there’s a bug on the table.
I’m sick. I have some kind of bug.
Don’t bug me!
Bug off!
I love my Volkswagen bug.

And then there’s dreaded. There’s a bug in the system. Our customers rarely find a bug in the IP cameras Kintronics sells, but in the rare instances one finds its way in, they can rest assure we won’t rest until we’ve debugged the system.