Getting More Out of Your Security Cameras Leave a comment

Video cameras have become a big part of our lives with them being used so often in security systems both in our homes and our businesses. So, most of us know how powerful a technology this is. That is why it might be worthwhile to learn how exactly they work and what features they might provide you that you might not be aware of. Getting the maximum out of your video cameras is always a good idea since they are such a big investment to any individual.

If you do not quite understand how frequent video cameras are, it is estimated that in Sydney, there are approximately 12.35 security cameras for every 1000 people that live there according to a survey done by Comparitech. In Auckland, that ratio is 3.35 cameras for every 1000 people that live there.

You might wonder why so many people around the world have started to use video cameras. Well, the reason is that if you are able to harness the power of the video cameras you have efficiently, you will be able to ensure optimal safety for your business or your house. Having a good video camera in your surveillance system means that you are being proactive instead of being reactive as the cameras can often send signals if something compromises a specific territory. Even if you do not catch someone in the act of breaking the law, you can always use your recorded footage later to catch the criminal or you may even be able to use it in the court of law.

Increasing your return on investment from video cameras

Most modern video cameras are able to compute surprisingly large amounts of data without any issue whatsoever. It would be a shame to not use that computing power. You are, after all, paying to get the feature. That is why simply setting up a camera to passively record is such a waste. Yet, so many people all around us are guilty of doing this. They think that simply setting up the camera will keep them secure. While it is true that having a camera is good for your security, it is also true that sometimes being reactive might cost you a lot. This is why a lot of people have started to take proactive steps when it comes to using their security cameras. 

The key to using cameras as an active asset instead of a passive asset is to use them for more than their basic task. In this scenario, it would be to use them for more than to simply record what is happening in the environment. How do you turn a passive asset into an active one? You could link your camera to an open platform that sends alarms if any motion is detected in a specific area. You could also use analytics to see how much foot traffic you get in a specific area. Not only that, depending on the kind of camera you have, but you will also be able to analyze what the busiest time of day is for your company, which direction people usually move and how fast they move among other things.

Using an open platform for video analytics

A lot of people are not aware that they can connect their cameras to open platform video management software (VMS). This allows the cameras to observe and recognize cards when they enter a park; the way some companies use them is by lifting the barrier that stops cars from getting in. Advanced versions of this software can detect and read license plates and then decide what to do based on that. 

If a facial recognition software is integrated with the VMS, then the camera can be used to analyze the face of employees. The camera identifies employees and matches their images in the existing database to match results. It is a very useful tool as you can simply assign certain employees to access certain places and your camera can do all the hard work by simply getting the information from your database. 

Video cameras have come a long way since they were first introduced in the surveillance industry and the technology keeps getting better and better. It is up to all of us to fully utilize what the technology can provide. Hopefully, this article taught you a few ways to do that. As always, feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions about anything