‘Green shoots’ of encouragement: make CCTV useful

One of the most encouraging things about the last six months in the CCTV industry is the state of mindset relating to the quality of recorded images.

It wasn’t that long ago that someone spoke out saying that the majority of CCTV installed was not fit for purpose. Well, he may well of been right to some degree because technology has raced ahead in the last five years – so much that this has quite simply left many systems behind, both in performance and delivery.

What was once the cutting edge 2-3 years ago has now been superseded by some pretty good DVR`s and cameras. I think that most installers are switched on to the fact that you cannot replace frames per second and HDD storage by simply fitting a budget system where something more capable should be used, especially where there is a high level of activity or crime.

One fact is that, because the customer now has to use the equipment more often to replay events, they need quality images that can actually be used as evidence or for basic identification at the very least. Poor images with low frame rates are simply a waist of time.

Feeling the pinch

Having said all of this, I fully understand that now the end user is feeling the pinch as never before and the need for budget equipment is now as great as it was.

So how do we square the circle and find a way to please both camps?

As a manufacturer, I have to think about these two situations on a daily basis and try and provide solutions for all concerned.

While I was writing this article I took a call from an installer who asked me for the cheapest 8-way DVR we had – anything would do, even an ex demo unit.

His customer had stipulated that it had to be under a certain budget but he also had to have 20-30 days recording at “decent frame rates”, this being laid down by the authorities.

Securing the job

In fairness to the installer, he knew that the budget units would not meet the criteria but he was forced to try and find a product so he could secure the job. He knew this would be a difficult task from the outset.

The compromise came in the form of adding enough hard drive storage to record on 6 frames per second at 2 CIF which – given it was a night club – was as low as I would like to suggest. Incidentally, the end price had moved from “as low as possible” to a price that would actually deliver if required.

So it goes that if the end user is happy, the police will be happy and of course so will the installer. This will all result in a win-win situation for our industry which simply means that, on recommendation alone, more people will have CCTV installed.

Unusable end result

I do feel quite passionate about this issue and to me there is no point in recording at 1 or 2 frames per second in CIF just to please the customer’s purse when the end result will be, in most cases, unusable.

Yes, fit budget systems, but accept that limited days recording is the best they will do. If the customer wants 31 days then offer a DVR and HDD storage that can deliver both on quality of image and recorded information (frames per second). To me this is the correct approach. Anybody can fit a 16-channel DVR on a budget to record for 31 days at 1-2fps but just try using the recorded information.

This is not about moral standards but more about moving our industry forward and, quite simply, us all getting more work.

I am pleased to say that, from what I have seen, there are “green shoots” of encouragement creeping in and this has to be good for us all.