Municipalities and businesses around the world are implementing external video surveillance cameras for a number of reasons, including boosting perimeter security and apprehending individuals who perform criminal activities in public areas. Closed circuit television cameras are even used in busy intersections to catch drivers who speed, leave the scene of a crime or run red lights.
Unfortunately, since these surveillance cameras are positioned outside, they are more vulnerable to inclement weather, vandalism and other activities that often occur outdoors. As a result, many external surveillance systems experience frequent malfunctions and require maintenance or need to be replaced, according to a report by A&S Magazine.
In general, defect surveillance cameras are attributed to one of two problems: operational or maintenance failure, A&S Magazine noted. By installing devices with several desirable features, decision-makers can keep their security installation budget to a minimum and reduce long-term maintenance expenses.
Features to look for in an efficient CCTV camera
At first glance, implementing surveillance cameras with internal fans and heaters may seem like a plausible idea, as the systems are meant to create a climate-controlled environment inside the actual device, minimizing failures due to extreme weather conditions. While this sounds like an advantageous quality, the miniature temperature controlling tools actually add new potential vulnerabilities, A&S Magazine noted.
If one or the other components fail, the camera is more likely to malfunction. Furthermore, the fans and heaters will require additional maintenance, potentially rising costs in the long run, the news source said.
Decision-makers should also look for surveillance cameras with a high mean time between failures, also known as MTBF. External CCTV cameras with high MTBF and low failure rates will provide more consistent coverage of the monitored location, A&S Magazine noted, allowing municipalities and business managers to respond appropriately to solve a problem.
Surveillance cameras should also have low maintenance and operating costs. To meet these demands, many manufacturers are developing products that are capable of running without requiring the use of external power sources, which can become expensive for tools that have power-hungry internal mechanisms, the news source said.
Surveillance cameras that run on solar power or battery can be a good choice, but will likely need assistance when the battery dies or it is a rainy day. As a result, decision-makers should consider using power over Ethernet, or PoE, surveillance cameras that pass electrical power through Ethernet cabling, A&S Magazine noted. These devices are also efficient when CCTV systems have advanced systems like analytics, as PoE can transfer data and power through the same supply.
According to a report by MarketsandMarkets, the global video surveillance market is forecast to generate more than $25 billion in revenue by 2016. This growth is largely driven by the increased use of perimeter and integrated security systems that use CCTV and other external surveillance cameras.
While implementing surveillance tools outside will always have inherent risks, planning ahead and choosing the right tools can help reduce long-term expenses associated with malfunctions and maintenance.