Motion Detection on Playback

When playing back video images the user can select an area of the screen to detect motion in and then press play to do a motion search.  The software will stop playback when movement occurs inside the selected area.  This can save hours of sitting at the PC watching playback for a specific event.

Alarm Events and triggers

Alarm input cables provide the activation signals.  When a monitored event triggers an alarm, the PC is set to automatically record for a predefined duration.

Having multiple inputs allows you to constantly view images from a number of cameras simultaneously, recording and organizing those images so that they can be found and replayed later.  Another advantage is being able to view stored images whilst actually recording.

Surveillance Applications

IP-surveillance applications create video streams that are transferred via a wired or wireless IP network, enabling remote video recording, as well as integration to other systems such as access control.

What is an IP Camera?

A network camera can be described as a camera and computer combined into one unit; it connects directly to the network as any other network device.  

A network camera has its own IP address and built-in computing functions to handle network communication. Everything needed for viewing images over the network is built into the unit.  A network camera has built-in software for a Web server, FTP server, FTP client and e-mail client.  Other features include alarm input and output functions.  Advanced network cameras can also be equipped with many value-added options such as motion detection and an analogue video output.

CCTV IP Cameras

This operates on wired and wireless TCP/IP computer networks and removes the need for running separate cables for the CCTV system, making installation, quick, convenient and inexpensive.  As the CCTV system operates over a network the cameras can be accessed by anyone on the same network or via the Internet and recorded on a PC.

Another advantage of CCTV IP cameras is that they can connect directly to a computer network or ADSL connection with no PC is required; the cameras are self contained and supplied ready for connection.  This saves on cost because separate PCs are not needed for each camera/location, there is less equipment involved and cameras have no hard disk.

Flexible Hardware

Unlike dedicated POS technology or cash registers, EPOS systems using PC technology can display camera output on the same screen as the EPOS software, saving on additional display units.

Broadband Connection

CCTV software may be implemented at centralized stations to allow monitoring over a broadband IP connection.  Alarm, video and audio IP devices may also be fitted at the remote site.

Viewing Video over a PC Network

Viewing pictures over a PC network or dial up network can be achieved by sending the video over the TCP/IP network.  Each networked computer can view and store the images on its own hard disk and replay them at a later date.

Email and Web Server Upload

Software has the ability to email a picture to several email addresses. This feature can be programmed onto the software’s function keys, can be automatically triggered by an alarm input, keyboard, timers or on screen buttons.  An email may have a JPEG image attached to it, or not in the case of an SMS text message.  The web upload command can be attached to a function key and is intended for use by anyone who wants to show pictures from CCTV cameras on the Internet or the intranet.

If exists a permanent connection to the internet (cable modem or DSL) then images can be uploaded at a specified rate.  Another option is for the software to make a dial up connection via telephone line, upload the picture and then disconnect to save on call costs.

Range of Cameras

Day and Night Functionality

High quality CCTV cameras include built-in light sensor detectors.  The camera automatically changes to night vision mode and activates the built-in infra-red LEDs, giving a high quality black and white night time image - distance and quality depends on the camera model.

Time-Lapse Recording

This maintains as many days of images as storage will allow.  Software can be set to record time-lapse on hard disk, DVD, network server or any PC storage device.  Alarm triggered recordings can be saved separately from time-lapse recordings.

Alarm Recording

'Recording on alarm' is where images are recorded after the alarm is fired, and for a specified period of time.  This is important where storage capacity is limited.  It is also useful to indicate which camera inputs to use.

Flexible Configuration

Choose where to record images, internal, external or networked drive(s); choose which hours during the day to record and which cameras to record during those periods; choose the quality of your recordings; choose the speed of recording; choose how much hard disk space to preserve.