Do Thermal CCTV cameras really have a place in the world of security today?

We have recently seen a rise in the number of companies starting to promote Thermal CCTV as a viable option to help end users protect their premises against crime and intrusion. This trend is currently a trickle but some in the industry seem to believe that Thermal CCTV really does have value and should be at the forefront of every specifiers mind. Difficult to believe when thermal cameras can retail from anything from £4000 to £25000 installed.

Thermal camera image

 

So let’s start with the different types of Thermal CCTV cameras on the market. We have a choice it seems. Thermal PTZ domes and Thermal statics. Some of the domes also combine a standard colour camera to compliment the thermal. The static thermal CCTV cameras tend to come with a variety of lens options and definition, the majority though concentrate on using lenses that mean the scene width will be narrow, feeling that perimeter protection is likely to be the main area where these cameras will sell.

 

At the fore-front of the industry we have the big manufacturers such as Flir, 360 Vision and Bosch. These giants of the industry have spent millions in development  but some smaller guys are starting to break through and this is encouraging. What makes these manufactures want to invest so much in thermal when as we said earlier the prices are seemingly high to the end user? To be honest it’s one of those things you need to see to actually make you release the power of thermal. These cameras can see in ZERO  light conditions, look through fog and rain, pick out movement in trees and bushes but most importantly they work brilliantly in conjunction with on-site security or high end analytics. The best until last though, the distance that they can realistically detect an intruder can be measured in Kilometres rather than meters and this makes them exceptionally cheap compared to their colour camera rival.

Thermal predator

 

We asked earlier if they have a place in the market . Recent research has predicted that the use of thermal technology could increase by up to 25% in the next 5 years. A growth that will have quite an impact and reward those who have spent lots of time and money researching and producing Thermal CCTV camera technology.

 

The sort of scenario where we expect these cameras to be deployed are wide open spaces on critical infrastructure sites where intruders can do untold damage to electricity, communications or military establishments. As we said earlier perimeter protection suits thermal quite brilliantly it gives the watching guard the sort of information they need to do their job,  lighting up the screen with a clearly defined image of an intruder in absolute darkness.

 

Central stations to are beginning to capitalize on Thermal CCTV camera technology to. With false alarms being a central stations biggest nightmare Thermal plus analytics is giving reliable alarm triggers and the clearly defined images leave the operators in no doubt if there is a human presence on site or not.

 

We have all seen the police camera action videos , so we all know just how good these images can be. Well now it’s not just the police who can apply this technology its actually the average business trying to protect its assets . That is good reason to belief then that Thermal really is the next big thing.

 

 

 

Are expectations of HD CCTV too high?

The world of security is currently buzzing with talk of HD CCTV and how it will be the making of the CCTV industry over the next 10 years. A word of caution though, we must be careful that we do not repeat the mistakes that have been made with analogue CCTV over the last 20 years.

 

The crux of the point we are making here is that customers want to pay the least money possible for a CCTV system. As a result,  hard pressed salesmen oblige by consistently under specifying what the customer needs. Up against a host of competition it is all too easy to hope camera coverage and light levels will be enough for the price the customer wants to pay. Of course as soon as the first real incident occurs and the customer reviews their footage, desperate disappointment ensues and grainy staccato like images that are of little use to anyone are the disappointing result.

 

Let’s remember the company who actually specified the system correctly were dismissed from the tendering process because their price was too high , so in this whole sorry process everyone loses out.

 

So to my initial point regarding HD CCTV and whether our expectations are too high. Well in truth the fact is that the same rules apply. We must specify what is actually required to meet the customers’ needs and most importantly, his expectations.

Too often we see system set ups that lack the four basic requirements.

1) The correct number of  pixels per meter to ensure facial or number plate recognition at the specified distance.

2) The correct lighting level at night.

3) The correct amount of storage capacity for the required number of days.

4) The correct network architecture, bandwidth and equipment such as quality switches and cable/transmission path.

All the above must be correct or the system as a whole will fall down and the customer, full of hope, will find once more the CCTV system he has purchased has let him down.

So how can we be sure we get this right? Well firstly we must put our trust in a provider who has a proven track record. His price may not be the cheapest but this is a sure sign that he is not taking short cuts and should  be reassuring rather than an excuse to put the quote to one side. If he has paid attention, his sales pitch will  pay due attention to the 4 points above,  this should mean that he is doing his job properly. Finally don’t try to get too much out of a camera. The laws of physics will decide what can be achieved. Ultimately of course a quality brand using all the best components and installers will work out the better option but there is only so much a 5 megapixel camera can do, especially if it is deprived of light at night.

 

Light plays a huge part in the final image quality, don’t try to buy cheaply here either. A good quality IR illuminator makes all the difference and these are not the cheapest items to produce. However a good brand will ensure low  maintenance levels and excellent reliability as well as actually producing the light levels a megapixel camera will need to operate properly at night.

Clarius IS - 860

 

So are our expectations of HD CCTV too high? The simple answer is no, quite frankly it’s the best thing for security, monitoring industrial processes and keeping track of health and safety issues that we have seen for a long time, however this is only true if the job is sold correctly. Short cuts and under funding will mean we will all be cast back to the disappointments of the past.