August 2013 - Integrated CCTV

IP HD bullet cameras

IP HD bullet cameras have always been the choice for professional installers when a one stop weatherproof unit is required. They often include built in IR led technology meaning night time images are clear. The attraction of an ONVIF approved IP HD bullet camera is that it can operate with any VMS software that also carries the ONVIF badge. This means installers can source good value HD IP Bullet cameras on-line and be 100% confident that they will work. HD CCTV solutions have spent some time looking into the best value camera on the market and have found the Qihan HD IP bullet camera to be the best unit we could buy.

Te Qihan IP bullet camera can be installed in the harshest conditions and still perform giving the images of utmost quality , a simple bracket makes it very easy to install and setting up is simple as it has an analogue output that will connect to any set up monitor.

Audio in and out means that where recording of conversation is crucial the Qihan HD IP bullet camera fits the bill.

IR illuminators, HD CCTV and why they need to go together

If you decide your CCTV system is in need of an upgrade most forward thinking people will decide to use HD CCTV cameras. The reason is fairly simple, better live images and better recorded images. The improvements over analogue cameras are dramatic. Facial recognition becomes possible where before it was almost impossible. Registration plates can be recorded where before this was very much hit and miss and a as a management tool HD CCTV is second to none, in addition as a security deterrent HD CCTV wins every time. Well almost every time !!! The big exception is at night. The reason is simple, they are light hungry.

Dual chip HD cameras require IR illuminators to ensure image quality does not drop as the light fades. Either Clarius white lights or the Clarius IR illuminator range will ensure your system functions at it’s peak as the dark nights approach.

The Clarius range is built to a high specification. One benefit is a self cleaning lens which means the IR illuminator can be installed in even the most hostile environment. The main places where IR lluminators will be found is airports, quarries and heavy industry the self cleaning lens is so important here and this USP will help to keep images crystal clear.

This one feature alone leads to low maintenance costs. The Clarius IR illuminator has and a ten year life span and a built in photocell to keep running costs down and as a result this means return on investment can be achieved in months rather than years.

The Clarius IR illuminator has a consistent light spread and as the light is invisible there is no light pollution associated with halogens, it also means of course that a more covert security operation can be achieved.

So in summary HD CCTV and Clarius IR illuminators go hand in hand, if you have one you need the other.

Will new CCTV regulations make any difference? Is HD CCTV the catalyst

It has been muted that HD CCTV is at the heart of the reason that new regulation on privacy has been introduced across England and Wales yesterday. The fact that HD CCTV is capable of producing images far superior to that which has been achievable by analogue cameras previously has got some members of the public concerned over civil liberties and their privacy in general.

It is true that HD CCTV can now be purchased on line by anyone who feels they are capable of installing it. There has been a huge rise in domestic systems and its true again that some cameras are positioned in such a way that they do intrude into others premises. However the new regulation covers local authorities and government organizations only, industry and private domestic installations are unaffected. Add to this the fact that the CCTV commissioner has no powers of enforcement or powers of investigation and it seems that this legislation is just a meaningless piece of paper.

Do we need HD CCTV to protect the public?

Also do the new regulations supercede the data protection act as the legislation seems very similar with regard to the CCTV aspect? No one has really come forward to the industry to consult or explain.

The new code of practice for the use of surveillance cameras in England and Wales that has been introduced by the Home Office and state that CCTV cameras should be used to protect and support people, not to spy on them.

The code also states that: “The purpose … will be to ensure that individuals and wider communities have confidence that surveillance cameras are deployed to protect and support them, rather than spy on them.

“The Government considers that wherever overt surveillance in public places is in pursuit of a legitimate aim and meets a pressing need, any such surveillance should be characterised as surveillance by consent.”

It seems a sensible approach but is it overkill?

There are more than 1.85 million CCTV cameras are in operation across the UK and few are complying with current regulation. No one has ever stepped forward to enforce the data protection act or even champion it.

Of course most CCTV cameras are operated by private companies, businesses and individuals and the rush to install HD CCTV equipment has perhaps prompted the move to introduce the new regulation.

With regard to publicly operated systems it is estimated that some 51,600 CCTV cameras are operated by local authorities, while 2,107 schools have a further 47,806 cameras. In addition over 100,000 cameras are used on transport systems to help protect the travelling public, most who are questioned welcome this protection and few complain each year about the “big brother issue”.

So what do civil liberty campaigners say? well they seem to complain that the code does not go far enough.

Emma Carr, from civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, said “CCTV remains a vital issue”.

“We’re getting an increasing amount of phone calls and letters from people who are concerned about their neighbours putting up CCTV cameras in their gardens, which cover their own private areas and sometimes look into their houses,”.

“And then there’s also the technological development in terms of CCTV. Facial recognition and HD CCTV cameras. These are all available online to pretty much anybody.”

|This is of course true but many want more rather than less cameras especially now HD CCTV can provide conclusive proof of identity where previously analogue cameras failed.

So will the regulation make any difference? The answer we feel is a resounding NO.

Clarius IR illuminators to enhance your night time images

Why use Clarius IR illuminators?

Inappropriate lighting will result in very poor video quality of CCTV cameras at night. In order to resolve this CCTV experts and domestic CCTV installers have turned to Clarius IR illuminators. CCTV cameras are perhaps relied upon more at night than during the day so it makes sense to ensure images don’t deteriorate when you need them most. of course there are some excellent low light cameras out there but when you use dual chip cameras, adding Clarius IR illuminators makes a huge difference to the pictures you can record. After all if the pictures are unusable due to lack of definition then there is little point in installing the cameras in the first place.

What are Clarius IR illuminators?

Clarius Infrared illuminators are devices that emit low frequency IR light. This is in fact a form of electromagnetic radiation, It is invisible to the human eye but when using your CCTV camera in mono mode (black and white ) the IR light is detectable and enhances the image with great effect. So Clarius IR illuminators are used widely together with the night vision cameras to achieve this high quality, clear images in the dark.

They work best with dual chip cameras and do not work with colour only cameras. However, a dual chip camera is able to switch modes between colour and mono and this enables the Clarius IR illuminators to perform as designed.

IR illuminators is a better Solution With CCTV Systems.

Clarius Infrared illuminators offer one of the best solutions on the market. They are a quality build with a patented self cleaning lens in addition they offer exceptional reliability and performance. As Raytec’s closest competitor they can be purchased for less but ultimately offer more. Claruis IR illuminators are a must in conjunction with your CCTV system when you need night time images.

IR illuminators will eliminate the need for outdoor lights entirely so no light pollution. Clarius IR illuminators are also able to offer covert recording if this is a necessity. All in all a clever device and one that can ease the pain of poor night time images.

Buy Claruis IR illuminators

Clarius white light illuminators light up the security industry

Clarius white light illuminator

Its catching on fast. White light LED illuminators are replacing halogen lighting at a rate that is taking the industry by surprise.

White-Light enhances colour cameras performance at night, a real benefit when customers are trying to achieve accurate colour images for identification purposes during the hours of darkness. In addition white light acts as a visible deterrent this helps to discourage intruders especially when used in conjunction with PIRs. Add to this the fact that a white light illuminator has low running cost and minimal maintenance.

Clarius white light illuminators are among the market leaders they allow users to adjust the output angle of a white light illuminator on site in order to achieve precise directional lighting. Clarius white light illuminators include patented self cleaning lenses to deliver optimum performance year after year and enough flexibility in the range to cover most applications.To ensure that your system has the White lighting solution for your premises Clarius is an ideal light for your business.

Clarius - VS-CW60

Clarius white light illuminators will give the end user longer illumination distances and allow CCTV systems to produce better images than traditional halogen lighting at much reduced running costs.

Clarius also provide illuminators that are available in Infra-Red. Both IR and White-Light and are powered directly from 12-24V or or if its preferable POE