'Is the quality good enough'

Is the quality good enough

Tags: cctv, cctv_surveillance, cctv_quality

Jenna from A highly secure location -

Are people satisfied with the current quality of CCTV surveillance or is it still lacking in some areas? I'm also curious to know how much the technology has advanced in recent years.

Comment #1 Plums from the thrush tree -

I saw a camera in a parking lot recently which seemed to be sweeping the lot in a random pattern. The high mounting seemed pretty secure, and the way the camera was tracking the lot seemed to be based on some sort of feedback system possibly movement based, which seemed pretty interesting. Anyone know how effective this is?

Comment #2 Keter from the garage door -

Many stores install them these days and of course banks have used them for some time. The question is whether one is using them to store images or to actively monitor them, which is a much more expensive business. Casinos and the like do that all the time.

Comment #3 Delino from California -

You always see those 'most wanted' shows and the footage looks awful. You can never make out the thieves. Surely they can do better than that with today's technology, no?

Comment #4 Tara from Somewhere cold -

I know, with all the technology that's out there I can't believe that these surveillance videos are not of better quality. I wonder why that is?

Comment #5 Keter from the garage door -

Like anything else it's probably a question of the cost. I suppose that high definition photography is just too expensive for most businesses to think of employing and that the camera is really there as a deterrent more than anything else. It's like the signs some people post outside their houses, there is actually no real alarm system installed at all!

Comment #6 Kings from parallel street -

I have seen some pretty fair results for bank CCTV cameras in the UK. I agree that the optics and other hardware necessary for the cameras is readily available, it is just a question of the cost effectiveness to the user.

Comment #7 Plums from the thrush tree -

I believe that the deterrent factor is probably worth spending a bit on it, although getting something really good, quality-wise is probably only for the big businesses requiring real top security. Like the banks that you mention.

Comment #8 Delino from California -

DefinitelY helps to deter them, but if they know that the quality is not sufficient to arrest them then they probably aren't too concerned about it.

Comment #9 Jess from New York -

I think it's way more powerful than most people think it is. The technology has evolved and remember that now you can watch from a remote location over the net which is a very useful feature. They can also be set up wirelessly to make it even more convenient.

Comment #10 jnights from Watching my back -

I'm not sure I agree it's as powerful as you're making out, but it has come a long way. It's a very useful tool in preventing crime and catching the bad guys.

Comment #11 George from Montana -

CCTV does absolutely nothing for preventing crime. In that respect at best it might move it from a location that has CCTV to one without.

Of course for solving crime, CCTV can be an excellent tool.

Comment #12 Kings from parallel street -

At the end of the day having a guard walking around the premises is by far the best deterrent. Alternatively, strategically placed one-way glass is a great solution to these problems. I remember seeing someone caught on the platform of a tube station in London for walking up the tracks to get around paying. The staff who caught him were simply observing through a conveniently placed window. Pretty low tech, but seems to pay off in many locations where it is feasible.

Comment #13 Doktor Jon from London, U.K. -

It is a mistake to believe that poor quality CCTV images are simply down to a lack of investment. More often than not, very good quality pictures can be achieved, using less expensive or older equipment, provided it is used correctly.

In answer to Jenna's original question, yes the technology has advanced significantly in recent years, but having said that, the knowledge required to apply the equipment and techniques correctly, is generally still stuck at a point around the mid '70s.

Kings has posted an interesting story about the London Underground, but just to put it in context, despite it being the most electronically surveilled transit system in the world, it was still subject to a hugely expensive attack on a major station, by graffiti artists that wandered up the tracks on New Years Day, and without any surveillance video recordings apparently available after the event.

• A Guide to the Use and Application of CCTV

Comment #14 George from Montana -

Don't forget about lighting either. But there is also the psychological effect of having a very dark image of a criminal.

Comment #15 Rob (63.176.159.89) - Mon Oct 20 23:37:18 2008

The security surveillance that is out there now is great and also is very helpful. these days I honestly feel safe when parking my car in the parking ramp for the day while I'm at work or parking my car in the parking lot at a local store. The securoty has really increased and I think thats wonderful.

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