HD-CCTV School

When it come to Security Systems, there are a lot of options. When purchasing a Security System, it is important to know the differences in video quality and system performance.

There are 3 different types of technology; Analog CCTV, Megapixel IP and the newest technology, HD-SDI. All 3 systems are capable of different video qualities.

If you only read one thing here, Make sure it is this section!
You may have heard the terms D1, CIF and QCIF. They are DVR recording resolutions. They refer to the size of the image be recorded. D1 is the best quality because it offers a 704 X 480 image. CIF is about half the size of D1, and QCIF is half the size of CIF, or 4 times smaller than D1.

Analog Resolution	Megapixel IP Resolution	HD-SDI Resolution
D1 Resolution: 704 X 480 CIF Resolution: 360 X 240 QCIF Resolution: 120 X 76	1 Megapixel: 1280 X 1024 2 Megapixel: 1920 X 1080 5 Megapixel: 2560 X 1920	2 Megapixel: 1920 X 1080
*CLICK TO ENLARGE*	*CLICK TO ENLARGE*	*CLICK TO ENLARGE*
Image Shown at D1	Image Shown at 3MP	Image Shown at 2MP

Another area of concern is FRAMES PER SECOND, or FPS. FPS refers to the recoding speed. 30 FPS is what the human eye is used to seeing watching television. It is common for security video not to be 30 frames per second. A frame rate of 15 or 7.5FPS is very popular. The following video will show you the difference in FPS.

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Where does Analog CCTV perform the best?

Analog CCTV is geared towards residential and small business. Analog cameras work the best protecting the immediate area without trying to see to far. At large distances Analog cameras will not hold detail. So, will Analog cameras work for you? It just depends on what you are trying to cover. If you just need to make sure what car is in the driveway, then analog cameras will be fine. But, if you need to see who is driving the car from 100+ feet away, you may want to think about digital cameras.

Where do Megapixel IP cameras perform the best?

Megapixel IP cameras are geared towards medium to large size business. While a lot of homeowners do use IP cameras, most of the time they are "overkill" in the residential setting. Megapixel IP cameras can see a lot further with good detail compared to Analog cameras. In a retail environment, IP cameras will show you very small detail. In a production facility, IP cameras will show you the smallest parts rolling off the assembly line.

Where does HD-SDI perform the best?

HD-SDI is a well rounded system and can be used just about anywhere. Because HD-SDI uses the same standard coaxial cable as Analog cameras, makes them a great way to upgrade to digital without having to run all new cables. HD-SDI cameras are all 2 Megapixel (this is where true HD starts, 1920 X 1080). Just like Megapixel IP cameras, HD-SDI cameras offer superior image quality. Because HD-SDI uses standard coaxial cable, makes them very easy to install. No need for a background in networking.

ANALOG CCTV		IP NETWORK CAMERAS		HD-SDI CCTV
PROS:		PROS:		PROS:
	Low Cost		High Definition (Megapixel)		True High Definition (HDTV)
	Easy to Setup		High Storage Capability		Smooth, High Detailed Video
	Compact Size		Upgradable and Expandable		Uses Standard Pro-Grade RJ-59 Coax
	Mac & PC Compatible		Runs on Cat 5 Ethernet Cable		Mac & PC Compatible
CONS:		CONS:		CONS:
	Low Resolution		Highest Cost		Higher Cost Than Analog
	Limited Expandability		PC Only Compatibility		Limited Expandability
IDEAL USE:		IDEAL USE:		IDEAL USE:
	Homes & Small Business		Offices		Homes, Business, and Enterprise
	Driveways & Carports		Assembly Lines & Warehouses		Mission Critical Locations
	Entryways & Hallways		Parking Lots & Other Large Areas		Parking Lots & Other Large Areas

Camera resolution is different than DVR recoding resolution.

Now that you understand DVR recoding resolution, you should also understand camera resolution. If you have a DVR that is capable of producing high quality video, it would make no sense using a low resolution camera. This is what we call a resolution bottleneck. Analog camera resolution is measured in TV lines, or TVL. The highest resolution available in the analog world is 700TVL. 700TVL comes the closest to matching the D1 quality we discussed earlier (D1 = a screen size of 704 X 480). Megapixel IP cameras and HD-SDI cameras are measured in Megapixel. It is the same measurement used in digital still cameras.

How do the Cameras Connect?

Analog cameras connect using a BNC connectors and RG59 Standard Coaxial Cable
HD-SDI cameras connect using BNC connectors and RG59 PRO Coaxial Cable
Megapixel cameras connect using CAT5 network cable.

Cable Limitations

There are length limitations for cable. For cameras using RG59 Coaxial cable, it is not recommended to use cable longer than 150 feet. Megapixel cameras use CAT5 cable and can run several hundred feet without issue. If your cable run is longer than 150 feet, you can use Video Balun Adapters. These adapters allow you to use CAT5 cable on Analog cameras and allow for a much longer run with no signal loss.

BNC Connector for Analog

CAT5 Connector for IP

BNC Connector for HD-SDI

Camera Power Supplies

So far we have talked about DVRs and cameras. Now lets talk about camera power supplies. Like everything else, you have some options here. Analog cameras, Megapixel cameras and HD-SDI cameras all requires their own power. Most cameras require 12 volts of power. Some cameras require 24 volts of power. Most Megapixel cameras can use DC power or PoE, or Power Over Ethernet, which means the power travels down the CAT5 cable. It is very important to know what your camera requires for power. If you use the wrong power supply you will damage your camera, and this type of damage is not covered under warranty. Power supplies come in different sizes.

12 VOLT DC POWER
Single 12 volt DC / 1 Amp (Wall Wart)
4 Camera 12 volt DC / 5 Amp (Wall Wart)
8 camera 12 Volt DC / 5 Amp (Wall Wart)
9 Camera 12 Volt DC / 10 Amp (Professional Distribution Box)
18 Camera 12 Volt DC / 12.5 Amp (Professional Distribution Box)

PoE INJECTORS
Single PoE
4 Channel PoE
8 Channel PoE

Single Cam

4 Cam

8 Cam

9 Cam

18 Cam

Single PoE

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Camera Lens Information

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Lens: The lens determines the field of view the camera provides. Lenses range from 2.8mm to 18mm on an average. The larger the lens size the farther it will view. The draw back to a 12mm or 18mm lens is that the horizontal view narrows to as little as 15 feet.

Lens	Distance	Width
2.8 mm	10 feet	15 feet
3.6mm	30 feet	30 feet
6 mm	60 feet	20 feet

*Many of our customers require a standard fixed wide angle 3.6mm lens. They are designed to be installed in a corner, provide a 90 degree field of view, and provide effective surveillance in a 30 x 30 foot area. If you need to adjust the angle and are not sure when viewing a cash register or looking down aisles, we recommend a vari-focal lens which you can adjust manually based on the angle and distance of the camera to the subject. For example, with a cash register we recommend a 4-8mm vari-focal lens so you can manually adjust and capture the money, hands, and register close up. When in doubt, go with a vari-focal adjustable lens.

Lux and low lighting chart
Condition	Illumination		Details
Condition	(FTCD)	(LUX)	Details
Sunlight Full Daylight Overcast Day Very Dark Day Twilight Deep Twilight	10,000 1,000 100 10 1 .1	107,527 10,752.7 1,075.3 107.53 10.75 1.08	Daylight Range
Full Moon Quarter Moon Starlight Overcast Night	.01 .001 .0001 .00001	.108 .0108 .0011 .0001	Low Light Level Range

During the day the amount of illumination reaching a scene depends on the time of day and atmospheric conditions. Direct sunlight produces the highest-contrast scene, allowing maximum identification of objects. On a cloudy or overcast day, less light is received by the objects in the scene, resulting in less contrast. To produce an optimum camera picture under the wide variation in light level (such as occurs when the sun is obscured by clouds), an automatic-iris camera system is required. Typically, scene illumination measured in foot-candles (ftcd) can vary over a range of 10,000 to 1 (or more), which exceeds the operating range of most cameras for producing good quality video images. The chart above summarizes the light levels occurring under daylight and these low light level conditions. The equivalent metric measure of light level (lux) compared with the English (ftcd) is given.

2.5mm Lens 120�
3.6mm Lens 90�
4.3mm Lens 78�
6.0mm Lens 53�
12mm Lens 25�
25mm Lens 18�

lens size	Field of View (in ft.)
lens size	5 ft away		10 ft away		15 ft away		25 ft away		50 ft away		100 ft away
mm	w	h	w	h	w	h	w	h	w	h	w	h
3.6	7.5	5.2	15.1	10.4	22.6	15.6	37.7	26.1	75.4	52.1	151	104
6.0	3.8	2.9	7.7	5.7	11.5	8.6	19.2	14.4	38.4	28.7	77	57
8.0	2.9	2.1	5.7	4.3	8.6	6.4	14.4	10.7	28.7	21.3	57	43
12.0	1.9	1.5	3.9	3.0	5.8	4.5	9.7	7.5	19.4	14.9	39	30

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