How important are IR illuminators when installing HD CCTV systems?

Over the years CCTV as a product has managed to get itself a bad name. Sometimes this is due to trying to get too much out of the view meaning detail is lacking but mainly the problems start when specifiers refuse to advise their customers of the importance of lighting when installing their CCTV system. Ironically as technology has progressed and we now have HD images the need for correctly installed lighting has become even more critical. HD cameras are more light hungry than their analogue counterparts and the fantastic images we see during the day quickly deteriorates when the light starts to fade. The poorer image also has the effect of using more hard drive space as the noise on the screen is seen as movement and therefore worthy of recording.

So what is the answer? Well manufacturers have addressed the issue by integrating IR lighting into their products in the form of a ring of IR leds placed strategically around the lens. This can work well and certainly gives us better nighttime pictures but the biggest downfall of this method is the dreaded spider. We have seen several example of cameras that worked well until a spider decided to weave its web across the front of the camera . This has the effect of reflecting the IR back into lens and completely obliterating the images. The worse thing about this is that it can go unnoticed for many weeks and when the need arises to review the images they are are worthless.

Clarius - IS-8100

So what else can be done? Well good ambient light will help or sensor switched halogens are an option but these are expensive and what if the bulb blows? Sodiums burning all night perhaps but this is throwing money away. No the answer is more simple, it is IR LED lighting. An IR illuminator uses hardly any power they are reliable and effective and maintenance free. The level of investment is higher to begin with but ROI is swift and they solve the issue of picture quality. An IR illuminator is the only answer to lighting issues.

So what do we recommend. Well there are three main players in this market place. Raytec, Clarius and Iluminar. All make several models that can suit most scenarios taking into account distance and width of view. Advances in the manufacturing process have bought prices down dramatically so there is no excuse to compromise your CCTV systems for the sake of skimping on lighting.

Clarius IR illuminators what sets them apart from other IR products

Clarius illuminators have started to get tongues wagging in the world of security and lighting. The Clarius product range has found a niche in the professional illuminator market place due to its design and build quality as well as a keen price in comparison to its big rival Raytec. With this in mind GJD a world renowned distributor of lighting and security  products have bought into Clarius led lighting with the intention of taking the products forward to challenge Raytec as the market leader.

As most security installers now acknowledge led lighting technology has many benefits over traditional lighting solutions such as sodium or Halogen. Lighting of course has always been important but good lighting saves hard drive space during night time recordings and dramatically improves picture quality. Sales are expected to increase exponentially in the coming years and for good reason.

35m Infra-Red LED illuminator - Clarius - IS-8120-P

 

Clarius IR is leading the way:

 

Clarius infra-red LED illuminators are designed to provide class leading performance, long life and ultra-low maintenance. Incorporating the latest surface mount LED’s with enhanced optical output and outstanding reliability, they deliver excellent night-time images. Each unit is fitted with integrated control circuitry to carefully control LED output, delivering consistent illumination and projected working life in excess of 10 years. Installation is quick and easy, requiring only a 12-32V DC /24V AC input.

New installations and replacement of old tired looking lighting is becoming a practice that will continue going forward and Clarius/GJD are very well placed to benefit from this change in lighting preferences. POE has added to the benefits we can list and this enables installations to be completed by people from a non-electrical background.

HD CCTV can save you money and that’s a fact!

On the face of it when you compare HD CCTV product prices against analogue CCTV prices how can it be possible that HD CCTV can actually work out cheaper?. Well there are several factors we need to take into account when making this assumption. These range from power saving , better coverage supplied by HD, time saving on searches, false claims that can be dismissed, increased productivity and reduced crime.

An HD CCTV system brings many benefits over analogue and these in turn will bring an impressive ROI far quicker than anticipated in many cases.

megapixel cctv image

Below we list many of the factors that make HD CCTV cheaper compared to analogue.

1) If you are a large organization your CCTV system will often have grown with the businesses and this could well mean you have bank after bank of DVR’s, monitors, matrixes and associated power supplies piled up in your server room. This equipment will be drawing a large amount of current 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. HD CCTV is scalable and this means you are no longer restricted to 16 way DVR after 16 way DVR each time you need more cameras. HD servers are able to handle hundreds of cameras each so the current draw for this one server will be significantly less. Add to this the fact that you will need less cameras to cover the same area and over time your saving on power consumption alone will go a long way to paying for your new HD CCTV system.

2) As we mentioned above you will need less cameras. A 16 MP camera for instance with the right software will do the same job as up to 50 analogue cameras. Instantly you can see the savings mounting up.

3) In many organizations one of the most stressful, costly and annoying drains on the business can be false claims from employees or customers. The NHS is a classic example of this. With traditional analogue cameras and recording methods information is often difficult to find and when it is found the picture quality often means proving a false claim is impossible. HD CCTV software makes searching for information so much easier. Information can be discovered in seconds not hours and once found the detail in the image will often prove a claim to be false thus saving tens of thousands of pounds in some cases.

4) Productivity is something that is at the heart of every organization. Improve this and you improve your profit. HD CCTV systems can identify areas of the business that can be costing you money far more easily than analogue solutions. Once identified the information can be used to put in place changes and then ensure these improved procedures are adhered to.

5) Crime reduction is key to maintaining profitability. Sadly many who would chose to steal from their employers have now identified the weakness of analogue CCTV and exploit this to their benefit. HD CCTV is a real eye opener for those who think CCTV has had its day. Once images are shown to a few the word spreads fast to many. This helps discourage those who think it may be worth the risk to take on CCTV thinking its not good enough to catch them. Rest assured HD CCTV certainly is.

Just a few reasons that HD CCTV can be cheaper than analogue but finally there is one further benefit. It does the job that you expect CCTV to do!

 

Benchmark test the Clarius IR illuminator

Benchmark are known as the best in the business when it comes to testing and reporting on CCTV and related products. Recently they tested the Claruis IR illuminator and we have re-posted their findings. Honest and to the point. It does however prove what robust products are produced within the Clarius range. Please read through the findings and order your HD CCTV lighting here at HD CCTV solutions.

“PROFESSIONAL TEST: CLARIUS IL-8100

Many years ago, infrared lighting for surveillance was the exclusive preserve of high risk sites. However, changes in manufacturing have resulted in costs falling, as well as maintenance needs being reduced. The result is cost-effective illumination for virtually all applications. The latest option is the Clarius range.

One of the most significant developments for video surveillance in recent years was arguably the introduction of surface mount LEDs. This development forced the cost of surveillance illuminators downwards, with the result that now, almost any application can benefit from true 24 hour video surveillance.

The subsequent growth in true day/night devices, coupled with affordable secondary illumination, has eradicated issues with around-the-clock surveillance, and that in itself is no small thing.

Whilst white light is still the preferred option for many (as colour detail is preserved), concerns about light pollution have seen the rise in use of infrared lighting, to the point where it is almost the first choice nowadays. As the majority of cameras are IR sensitive, there are no real barriers to utilising infrared illumination.

While the number of manufacturers offering infrared lighting has grown in recent years, demand for the products is still high, and HD CCTV solutions are a relatively new entrant to this area. The company offers the Clarius range of infrared illuminators.

Specification

Clarius is Latin for ‘more brightly’ … or it could be a reference to Apollo, who was God of light and the sun. Either way, it isn’t important to those seeking illumination.

The Clarius range is made up of short, medium, long and extra long range units, and also includes PoE options. Our test unit was the IL-­8100, a long range unit using traditional low power.

The illuminator is an 850 nanometre unit, which emits a red glow when in use. A more covert 940 nanometre variant is also available. Coverage is 100 x 50 degrees, with a total range of 48 metres.

The unit can be controlled via a telemetry input; it also has an integral photocell, with a photocell following contact to switch cameras to an appropriate mode as the illuminator turns on and off. The photocell is adjustable for sensitivity. The defaults allow the light to switch on at around 30 lux, and to switch off at around 70 lux. This differential is included to prevent the lamp flicking on and off during dawn and dusk periods, when light levels are at the switching threshold. The photocell can be disabled.

Power output can also be adjusted between 10 and 100 per cent. Both adjustments are via sideways-oriented potentiometers on the rear of the unit. There are no other adjustments. The illuminator is housed in an extruded aluminium housing, which is anodised with a black finish. The polycarbonate protective lens is billed as ‘vandal-proof’, which is a bold claim. The unit incorporates an integral mounting bracket.

The lens of the Clarius illuminator is treated with what the manufacturer refers to as a ClearLite coating. This is a self-cleaning coating, which is also claimed to make the surface of the polycarbonate cover more scratch-resistant. During the test we did replace a unit that had been outside for nearly five years with the new unit. Despite being in an exposed place, the lens of the older lamp wasn’t particularly dirty or scratched. Still, the coating is there as standard.

Connections to the unit are simple. The illuminator is fitted with a three metre six-core cable. The connections are for power input (12-32V DC or 24 AC), telemetry input and photocell following contact. The cable is pre-connected at the illuminator, eradicating the need for a specialist connection. Power consumption is stated as 39W.

The only other element of the illuminator is a pressure relief valve. This is a standard feature on most illuminators and doesn’t need any interaction.

Build quality is good, and the lamp is supplied with a brief but complete manual.

Performance

Once up and running, the Clarius IL-8100 worked as expected. We tried the unit using the photocell before shifting to our preferred method of operation using telemetry. A point to note is that some illuminators mount the photocell on the back of the unit. If mounted under roof eaves or in a restricted space, this can cause the unit to switch on well before it is actually needed. The Clarius unit has the photocell mounted on the top of the housing, which mostly eliminates mounting issues.

Switching using the photocell was consistent, and we didn’t experience any problems with the unit flickering during dusk and dawn periods. The degree of adjustment isn’t that wide, and whilst the unit switched on a tad early, there wasn’t that much in it.

That the cable is pre-connected is a bonus, as some units are supplied with specialist sockets, and if delivered to site there’s always the issue of ensuring you have an appropriate connector. With the Clarius unit, all that is required is a straightforward cabling connection.

The quality of illumination is good, with consistent levels of light across the viewed scene. We’d always recommend that the range of illuminators is respected, but we did push the distance a bit to see how it coped, and there’s a bit more capability than specified. However, for the sake of quality, don’t try to under-specify the lamps.

The image showed no hot spots or faded areas of illumination, and light intensity was consistent up to the edges of the image. There was also no sign of pooling or other aberrations, even when objects were in the foreground and closer to the illuminator.

Switching using the telemetry was reliable, and the power adjustment also allowed the unit to be used in a number of differing environments without any issues of over-reflectance or glare from nearby objects.

Verdict

The Clarius IL-8100 proved itself to be a well built and designed infrared illuminator. It is, to be truthful, a work-horse more than a Derby winner. That’s not a bad thing. It lacks gimmicks and additional functions that won’t be needed in most applications, instead concentrating on consistent illumination.

That the needs of a site in the real world have been considered is reassuring. Along with that, light quality was good and there were no issues with coverage. As such, the IL-8100 achieves Recommended status”

Many thank to Benchmark for this report

Avigilon acquire VideoIQ

Well the big news this week in the world of CCTV is Avigilon’s announcement that they are buying out HD analytics experts VideoIQ. In a statement released yesterday a spokesman for Avigilon said:

“We are excited to announce that today we have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the video analytics company, VideoIQ, Inc.  Founded in 2006, VideoIQ has grown to become a leader in real-time intelligent video analytics solutions for security and business intelligence applications. This new acquisition complements Avigilon’s line of high-definition surveillance solutions and provides us with sophisticated and proven analytics technology supported by one of the leading development teams in the industry”.

Avigilon ACC-4.6 Range

Back in March 2011 we reported a synergy between the two companies now it seems they are one.

 

So why would Avigilon purchase videoIQ and what advantages does it bring to the installers and end users? Well firstly it brings powerful analytics into the Avigilon range. This will help installers deliver security solutions that now includes an intelligent method of detecting changes in the images that are needed for a proactive approach to security. Alarms generate a measured response and will prevent crime rather than just have the ability to watch it being played back after the event. A spokesman for Avigilon continued:

” Adding this technology to our HD video surveillance solution enables end-users to prevent crime proactively and to more effectively analyze large amounts of data for both security and business intelligence purposes. By adding VideoIQ’s advanced technology to the Avigilon solution, our customers will have the benefits of automated real time detection, real time alerts and post-incident analysis and forensic search capabilities, along with all of the other benefits that Avigilon’s end-to-end solutions deliver”

There is one other benefit that Avigilon may chose to exploit. Video IQ are well known for being pioneers of EDGE recording. It remains to be seen if this will be developed further by Avigilon but its always been a unique selling point for VideoIQ and something that should not be overlooked for the future.

So is this the end of VideoIQ ? For the moment we are led to understand that Video IQ will continue in its own right. It has a global user base and support will continue to be provided as before. Eventually though of course VideoIQ will be integrated fully into Avigilon’s products and eventually the two companies will be one.

It is certainly an exciting development that Avigilon should chose to take this step, an already powerful product will become an almost complete solution and this will give end users a huge choice as to how they are able to process and act upon activity taking place within their company. Avigilon will still be providing solutions to health and safety issues as well as monitoring production and increasing security but now with the benefit of high quality analytics on board.

Automated realtime detection in HD is now here and underpinned by technology developed by two of the most successful companies within the industry.