Introduction

So we will head of on a fabulous journey, a journey on which we will explore the ins and out of CCTV cameras and DVR Surveillance systems in great details. And will help make the right choices when designing and implementing your Video , CCTV surveillance system. It’s going to be fun trip; we just know it.

CCTV and Security DVR system isn't hard to master, but just like with any tool and technology, if you know the ins and outs, you’re ahead of the game.

DVRMaster Book will help you understand appreciate the subjects and material you need to implement you Surveillance DVR system.

How to use this book

Professional CCTV Installers and security professionals from DVRMaster created this book to give home and business owners a comprehensive and easy to follow guide to the most common business and home Surveillance system. Their expertise and years of experience to provide you successful completion of CCTV surveillance system project, from basic 1 camera DVR or surveillance system to complex Security DVR Camera system with PTZ and major high technology CCTV implementation.

Chapter 1:  Surveillance and DVR technology Method. Gets you started by introducing you to basic Security DVR and Surveillance system, and CCTV equipment. Picking project with your skill range will help you gain confidence so when you move on to more complicated task, you know you’ll be able to complete them successfully. The chapter starts with the basics-cameras and DVR system and then moves on more complicated projects.

Chapter 2: CCTV basic equipment and CCTV Cameras

This chapter will show you the tools require for most CCTV jobs and the basic equipment and CCTV camera used in different environment to get best result. Refer to it when you’re planning a project or when you want to know what something is for or how to use it, or which CCTV camera will be best for the job.

There are 4 type of surveillance technology to consider: they are

Analog & Time Laps (VCR based) Systems

Time Lapse VCR's

Time lapse VCR's that are used for CCTV are different from ones in domestic machines in two important respects.

• Firstly, CCTV VCR is an industrial machine which designed and built to a standard that will enable it to run 24 hours a day. A normal VCR machine would be expected to operate for this amount of time. hence cost.
• Secondly VCR used in CCTV systems are typically ‘Time-Lapse’ machines have the function of stepping down or up the speed of the recording tape at slow rates and because of it making a standard 3 hour video cassette last for longer periods, If you need to record audio and video signals it is necessary to use a machine with linear recording capability.

• When using a VCR in CCTV time-lapse system it is important to realize that not all of the pictures from the camera are being recorded. For example with a VCR in 24 hour mode, only one picture in 8 coming from the camera is actually being recorded onto the tape. The recording has a short interval between each recorded picture of approximately 1/3 sec. and this gives the jerky movie’ type pictures on playback.
  
  
  
• 24 Hour machines CCTV VCR are not popular compare to DVR due to their maintenance in that the tapes need to be changed once per day. Where coverage is required for longer periods, e.g. over weekends or even holidays when no staff are available to change tapes.

• The only way you can view more then one camera on TV in a split screen mode, is by using multiplexer that receive all the pictures from the cameras and split it on to the monitor signal.

Analog / Time Lapse System Overview

Benefits and advantages

• System is very low cost and easy to maintain.
• No computer skills are required to operate them

Limitations:

• Low Video quality  compared to the digital systems
• High Maintenance The tape must be changed every day.
• The VCR CCTV System does not have the ability for remote networking or remote viewing.
• The video quality degrades over time.

PC based DVR?

PC-based DVR is a DVR Cards built inside a computer. You have a case either a tower or a rack mount. Inside you have your usual motherboard, Network card, VGA Card CPU, Hard Drive and memory. And inside is a PCI DVR Card. This capture board have 4,8,16 video input. The PC Based system receive the analog signal from all the cameras, it convert the signal to digital signal and compress it with mp4 compression, and than it store the data on the hard drive for archiving and playback. The DVR software provides all the necessary, video and recording functions: like, Video compression, converting the video to a file, camera controls and display, record and playback functions.

PC based DVR provide far better video recording clarity over Time Lapse and are easier to use and more flexible than standalone DVR's. These units are available as kits which you install on your PC or as complete factory built recorders and provide you with all the functionality you need for your Surveillance system. Some factory models can be expanded as your needs grow, this is not the case with Time Lapse or standalone (Hardware) DVR's.

PC Based DVR work on a computer base system so you can customize the hardware spec for you need ,like Size of hard drive or Multiple Hard drive, memory and processor. Etc…

PC Based DVR available in:

·        4 Channel DVR (up to 4 CCTV camera)

·        8 Channel DVR (up to 8 CCTV camera)

·        16 Channel DVR (up to 16 CCTV camera)

·        32 Channel DVR (up to 32 CCTV camera)

Our PC Based DVR system built mostly on dell system which provides you with reliability and warranty. With high performance DVR system and full support before and after you buy from us. The Surveillance system you get from DVRMaster comes preconfigured, Plug-N-Play, so the only thing you need to do is run the cable, connect to the DVR and you are ready to go.

PC Based Digital Video Recorder Overview

Benefits:

• High Resolution Recordings (720x480)
• Easy to use and flexible to upgrade
• more option and friendly interface on playing back video
• Using latest compression and Video standard
• Stores large amounts of video or recording days
• Easy network integration

Limitations:

• The system runs on a PC Based system with the Windows Operating System, which make it more sensitive to viruses and windows malfunction
• users must have average computer skills

Standalone, Surveillance DVR System.

Standalone DVR System is a perfect DVR solution for those PC-phobic clients. Every function on this DVR is a matter of a push of a button. Stand alone DVR has off-site viewing function that allows you to view from anywhere in the world. This is all with digital quality. With two or more internal hard-drive spaces and two external hard-drive connections, Standalone DVR recording time can extend at your preference.

Standalone DVR are computer base Machine which run on Linux, Unix or other proprietary Operating system that was design to run only one application, which makes the standalone Device a reliable appliance and does one thing only. Because of that, standalone DVR are more reliable but limited in the functionality and upgrades.

Standalone Digital Video Recorder Overview

Benefits:

• High Resolution Recordings (720x480)
• Easy to use and operates
• Fax function usually one button operation
• Very stable and very low maintenance
• Stores large amounts of video or recording days
• Easy network integration

Limitations:

• The system runs on a proprietary operation system, which make it not flexible to standard changes or upgrades
• users must have average computer skills

IP Network Camera

Network IP Camera, often referred to as IP-Surveillance for specific applications within security surveillance ,remote monitoring and Security Camera, is a system which gives users the ability to monitor and record video over an IP network (LAN/WAN/Internet)

Unlike analog video systems, network IP camera uses the network, rather than dedicated point-to-point cabling like Siamese, as the backbone for transporting information. The term network video refers to both the video and audio sources available throughout the system. In cable (Coax) a network IP camera (video application), digitized video streams are transferred to any location in the world via a wired or wireless IP network, enabling IP video monitoring and recording from anywhere on the world.

Remote accessibility
Access live video at anytime, from anywhere
You can access real-time video at any time from any computer anywhere. DVR Master Network IP cameras products provide an easy way to capture and distribute high quality video over any kind of IP network or the Internet. The video can be stored at remote locations for convenience and security, and the information can be transported over the LAN or Internet. This means that even companies with several offices across the world can make effective use of a network video solution for security surveillance and remote monitoring purposes.

Network IP camera can be used in an almost unlimited number of environments; however, most of its uses fall into one of the following two categories:

·                     IP Security surveillance
Network IP's advanced functionality makes it highly suited to the applications involved in security surveillance. The flexibility of digital technology enhances security personnel’s ability to protect people, property and assets. Such systems are therefore an especially attractive option for companies currently using CCTV.

·                     Remote monitoring
Network IP Camera gives users the ability to gather information at all key points of an operation and view it in real-time. This makes the technology ideal for monitoring equipment, people and places both locally and remotely.

Network IP Camera Overview

Benefits:

• High Resolution Display and Recordings (720x480)
• Easy to use and operates
• Can access each camera separately
• No limitation on amount of cameras
• Very stable and very low maintenance
• Can use and upgrade camera with out  DVR upgrade
• Low cost cabling, and ability to use existing network infrastructure.
• Easy network integration

Limitations:

• Higher cost of camera
• Limitation on bandwidth usage.
• users must have average computer skills

CHAPTER 2

Selecting camera for Surveillance DVR environment is important as choosing the DVR itself. Choosing the right camera for the job will give you the desire performance and picture quality depend on the environment the camera is in. The environments are divided to number of categories. First question we need to answer is if the camera is an indoor or out door camera. Answering this question will eliminate half of the trouble. Second question we need to answer is the distant between the camera and the viewing object. If we need to focus on a entrance door from a 24Ft ceiling we cannot use a fix lens that exist in most dome and bullet camera, we will need to use a camera that have the capability to manually or remotely zoom on the object, for this kind of scenario we are usually use CCTV Box camera with suitable lens.

Black & White Camera:

Camera Specification Guide

Here will try to explain how to read camera spec and understand their effect on the performance of the camera in the environment. Understanding camera spec will let you make wise decision on selecting the right camera for your environment cameras. All the cameras listed meet and exceed the minimum standards for professional surveillance applications. A lot of this information is good to review but you really do not need to memorize it.

CCTV Camera Resolution (Picture Quality) 

All cameras performance and picture quality is based on the number of horizontal lines the chip in the camera provides. Called the lines of resolution or TVL which specified the quality of the video the camera can produce. The higher the TV lines of resolution are, the better the quality of the image the camera send to the DVR.