When your boss requests an IP camera surveillance system, it can be tempting to opt for the cheapest option available. However, purchasing a low-cost system may lead to disappointments if it fails to meet your expectations. Selecting the right system involves a thoughtful process rather than just choosing the least expensive model.
Assess Your Needs for an IP Camera System
Current events, such as mass shootings or rising crime rates, often prompt the need for enhanced surveillance or access control systems. Understanding your specific needs will guide you in choosing an appropriate surveillance solution.
First, clarify your objectives: Are you aiming to reduce liability, catch criminals, receive notifications about dangerous situations, improve productivity, monitor entry points, validate alarms, identify license plates, or observe wildlife? Each goal requires a different type of IP camera system.
Key Considerations for Defining Your IP Camera System
- Immediate Notifications
If you need instant alerts for specific events, such as someone entering a restricted area, opening a door, removing a laptop, or leaving a package, you will need an advanced camera system with real-time alert capabilities.
Some cameras feature narrow artificial intelligence (AI), which allows them to perform specific tasks autonomously. These systems can provide timely alerts to security personnel by detecting and categorizing certain activities.
- Identifying Suspects
If your goal is to identify individuals involved in theft or other activities, recorded video may help, but real-time alerts can be more effective. The resolution of the camera system is crucial here. For identifying someone you know, a resolution of 40 pixels per foot is generally sufficient. However, for identifying unknown individuals, especially in challenging conditions like low light or fog, you may need a resolution of 160 to 180 pixels per foot. Automated facial recognition also requires higher resolution to be reliable.
You might also consider the visibility of security cameras. Visible cameras may deter criminal activity, while covert cameras can catch individuals off guard.
- Monitoring Entry Points
IP camera systems can monitor various entry points, including doors, garages, parking areas, and elevators. Each location might require a different type of camera based on the specific needs of the site.
For example, if you are monitoring a single door, a camera with a lens focused on the doorway might suffice. With a smaller field of view, you don’t need high-resolution cameras. For instance, using 2-megapixel cameras with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, you can achieve sufficient clarity for identifying individuals you know. A calculation of 1920 pixels divided by 80 pixels per foot provides a field of view of approximately 24 feet, which is adequate for most doorways.
- Smart IP Camera Systems
Modern smart IP cameras offer advanced capabilities with narrow AI. These cameras can make real-time decisions about objects they detect, categorize them, and provide enhanced motion detection, reduced false alarms, and detailed information about observed objects.
These intelligent cameras generate immediate alerts for various events, such as object removal, unauthorized entry into restricted areas, or unusual activity in the parking lot. This real-time intelligence greatly improves the efficiency of security operations compared to merely reviewing recorded footage later.