When getting into a community or learning about any new product, it is best to research all its different terminology. The same is true for surveillance cameras. When you are buying surveillance equipment in the market or online, you will come across many terms that many may find confusing.
Knowing these terms and acronyms will allow smooth communication without any confusion. You also won’t have to go back and forth to search for the meaning of every term. They will also help you explain what you are looking for in your surveillance planning to the providers or vendors.
This article covers a glossary of key terms related to video surveillance for your convenience.
Below, you can find a list of terms, acronyms, and phrases commonly used in the video surveillance community and market. Let’s check them out-
A classic video surveillance system consists of the following components:
Cameras are imaging devices that capture footage of an area and transfer it to the switch or DVR. It can be either an analog camera or an IP camera. Depending on its features, it may come in various shapes and sizes.
A recording device takes the camera’s data and processes it to make it ready for viewing or storage. Some systems may skip this part and directly stream the video data to the cloud or computer. There are currently two types of recording devices: the DVR and the NVR.
Display monitors are the output devices that display the footage captured by the cameras. Anyone in front of the monitor can view everything happening in a premise through it. Some with picture-in-picture features enable multiple displays on one monitor. It helps keep track of footage from multiple cameras. Not all monitors support high-resolution or good-quality video.
Networking equipment consists of components that allow the recording device or switch to connect to the network or each other. Ethernet cables are the standard way to do it now. But one can also connect all devices to the same Wi-Fi signal or cellular network in order to access the cloud
Software in a surveillance system is installed in the recorders to process and store the data. Cameras with analytics have software that allows them to analyze video footage in real-time in order to detect any unusual occurrence.
As someone planning to invest in technology to help your business, property, or house have better security and management, it is mandatory to know about the relevant terminology. Knowing the precise terms can help in multiple ways in your strategy, such as-
Physical security means any security measures against unwanted or unauthorized facility access. It also means security against harm or damage to people and objects. Video surveillance is one such physical security measure. It utilizes cameras and monitors with many features to surveil a premise.
Artificial intelligence in video surveillance is known as video analytics. It is software that can analyze a video upon receiving it and signal the authorities if anything seems out of the ordinary. For example, it can detect when someone seems to be breaking into a property or a vehicle is not abiding by traffic rules.
While digital video recorder (DVR) software is somewhat outdated nowadays, it doesn’t change the fact that they are one of the best means of security and surveillance. DVR encodes, processes, and stores the data. So, it may not be possible to remotely access it without the right equipment. However, the authorities can access and use the files from on-site storage.
Like any other tech corner, surveillance systems also include so many terminologies. Anyone new to this sector may find it overwhelming. However, familiarizing yourself with the terms and acronyms is a proper start.
Once you know the terms, communicating with technicians, vendors, VSaaS providers, security guards, and others in the community will be smooth and comprehensible to you.
