What are CCTV systems?

CCTV is the acronym for closed circuit television and is also known as video surveillance. It is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal on a set of monitors. It is different from broadcast television because the signal is not openly transmitted.

Why would you need it?

CCTV is used for surveillance in areas that may need monitoring. CCTV is mostly utilized in banks, casinos, airports, military operations and convenience stores. Today more and more businesses are utilizing CCTV, to monitor staff, parking lots and high-risk areas.

CCTV equipment can also be used in industrial plants, used to observe parts of a process from a central control room, and works well if the environment is not conducive for humans. You can choose how you would like it to operate. You can have your system on a timer to only work on specific occasions to monitor particular events.

The first CCTV system was installed by Siemens AG in Germany in 1942, and was used to observe the V-2 rockets launch . German engineer Walter Bruch installed and designed the system.

The first commercial CCTV system became available in the US in 1949. And it was called Vericon.

In the earlier days, the video surveillance systems involved constant monitoring because information could not be recorded. The invention of reel-to-reel media made it possible to record the surveillance footage. This was still a tedious process as the magnetic tapes needed to be changed, and the technology was expensive and unreliable.

When video cassette recording (VCR) technology became available in the 1970s, it opened a lot doors for this operational system. It was more widely used and became a very popular security option.

During the 1990s, digital multiplexing was developed, allowing multiple cameras to record at the same time, as well as time lapse and motion-only recording. This increased savings of time and money and then CCTV started booming.

Today CCTV technology has been enhanced with a shift towards Internet-based products and systems, and other technological developments.

Crime prevention

Surveillance systems are extremely effective in parking lots, resulting in a huge decrease in crime

when CCTV was introduced to public transportation it saw a 23% decrease in crime.

Today, you can watch any activity happening at your workplace from the comfort of your own home, using your mobile phone or personal computer.

If you reside in the Durban area and have been thinking of installing a CCTV system, why not contact Contraserv (Pty) Ltd? Professional technicians will assess your requirements and tailor-make a CCTV system best suited to your needs. It is also a great way to monitor your staff productivity, their clock-ins and at high-risk areas within your establishment . Very effective at points of entry and secure doorways, you can have eyes everywhere, making sure you always know what is happening in your company.

Use this with a “Smartclock” for employees clocking in or out, and then you can take it a step further and let the professionals handle your whole payroll for you. They have so many business solutions, their main focus is making your daily business running as smooth as it possibly can. Your business is their business, and they will go the extra mile to ensure smooth running of any implementation you do through them.