Why Public Space CCTV must consider Wireless Technology
Boston Networks release free white paper detailing the benefits of wireless technology for
the public space, Vigilance can report.
Although public opinion on CCTV is still divided, a large majority now feel safer where Public CCTV is
in operation. Surely the Public Sector must look to emerging technologies to facilitate growth and
shape future systems.
The UK has more CCTV cameras per capita than any other European country and CCTV for Public
Space Surveillance in the UK has developed at a faster rate than anywhere else in the world.
So no longer is the questions, Why do we need CCTV? It’s more, ‘What is my Local Authority doing to
ensure Public Safety in this economic downturn, plagued with budget cuts?’
This is where emerging technologies present a compelling case. The benefits of IP solutions over
historic analogue systems will only be further enhanced and documented in 2013 and it is predicted
that Wireless CCTV solutions will really come to the fore.
Why Wireless?
With Wireless Public Space CCTV, long gone are the days of massive investment with depreciating
assets. The latest surveillance technologies present a wealth of cost savings, superior quality
footage, enhanced storage and review capabilities and truly scalable solutions.
Rapid Deployment and Redeployment
Wireless CCTV cameras can be deployed and redeployed quickly and efficiently, which is the polar
opposite to fixed analogue cameras that require a dig solution.
Deployment and redeployment of cameras can be configured in days. Such time savings greatly
benefit the emergency services, enabling them to target crime hot spots and monitor temporary
events that possess an element of public risk. Moreover with Wireless technologies the police and
local authorities can share services and cameras, presenting an even greater cost saving.
Migrate gradually with a Hybrid Solution
Wireless cameras can be gradually introduced and added to existing systems to create a hybrid
solution. An evolutionary approach to migration negates the high up-front costs associated with
analogue systems. Moreover there is no mass ‘rip out and replace’ required.
Image Quality
Indisputably, a wireless HD camera can deliver better image quality and higher resolution than an
analogue camera. In a fully digital wireless surveillance system, images from a network camera are
digitised once and they stay digital with no unnecessary conversions and no image degradation. In
addition, digital images are stored and retrieved much more effectively.
Audio
Wireless surveillance solutions also support two-way audio, allowing users to listen in on an areas as
well as playback a recorded audio clip to visitors or intruders remotely. Audio detection can also be
used as an event trigger, which for example can be used to direct a PTZ network camera or initiate
recording of video; all automated and managed wirelessly.
Event Surveillance
The aforementioned swift and cost effective deployment is illustration enough as to why a wireless
CCTV solution is most appropriate to monitor an event.
Advanced wireless cameras include built-in features such as video motion detection, audio detection
alarm, active tampering alarm and alarm and event management functionalities. These features
enable the surveillance solution to constantly analyse inputs to detect an event and to automatically
respond to an event.
Enhanced Storage
Efficient storage delivers obvious benefits in terms of hardware requirements. In addition smart
storage is also more flexible in video format, with wireless and IP cameras offering more than one
video compression format including include Motion JPEG, MPEG-4 Part 2 and H.264.
Eliminating risks with Edge Storage
Edge storage allows a wireless camera to record video directly to a storage device such as an
SD/SDHC card, thereby creating a more robust, reliable and flexible system.
The cameras can record video locally when the central system is not available, or continuously
record in parallel.
Scalability and Flexibility
A wireless surveillance system can change and grow, almost immediately, as situations and
requirements dictate. Cameras can be added and/or moved to the system without significant or
costly changes to the wireless infrastructure and no service interruption.
Cost Effectiveness
Wireless surveillance solutions are much less expensive alternatives than traditional coaxial and fibre
cabling for an analogue CCTV system. In addition, digital video streams can be quickly and swiftly
viewed in various locations and also seamlessly integrated in to an intelligent control room.
Management and equipment costs are also lower with the adoption of back-end application, smart
storage and open systems-based servers as opposed to proprietary hardware such as a DVR in the
case of an analogue CCTV system.
Summary
Wireless CCTV solutions offer a myriad of benefits from cost savings to smart storage and enhanced
images and will no doubt be on the agenda for many Local Authorities and should play a key role in
shaping the future of public space CCTV.