Factors to Consider When Purchasing a PTZ IP Camera

Factors to Consider When Purchasing a PTZ IP Camera

PTZ IP cameras are commonly used for surveillance in large home compounds and public areas such as commercial car parks, stadiums and conference halls. PTZ stands for Pan Tilt Zoom, and that means you can use the IP software for cameras through the internet or your network to manipulate what the IP camera displays.

Different IP camera brands sport different kinds of zooms, and lower end cameras will simply feature the digital zoom. Proper optical zoom is the recommendable zoom type and this, together with the price, will always be specified in the product description.

Basically, a PTZ IP camera lets the user view real time images of the protected areas over the internet. You can simply monitor your office, home, building, yard or anywhere from miles away using a PC or a high end smartphone, tablet or PDA. Some network cameras even feature built-in Web server functions such that the IP camera doesn’t necessarily need to be connected to a computer.

DESIGN

IP PTZ cameras are traditionally spherical in shape, and this is mainly because they are meant to be completely mobile. Either the network camera itself (the sensor and camera mechanism) has been designed to take the shape of a sphere, and held so that it can pivot accordingly, or the camera is structured more traditionally and cased in a spherical protective bubble where it can tilt, pan and zoom and take images from within the shield.

NIGHT VISION

IP cameras with night vision capabilities come with built-in LED lighting to enable object visibility in dark settings, or at night. For outdoor surveillance, specifically in places without artificial lighting, night vision cameras may come in handy.

PTZ vs PT

Some IP cameras can only pan and tilt but not zoom. The two functions will usually be enough if the area you want to cover is small, like, say, your living room. However, if you want to cover a large area such as a shopping mall, an IP camera with the zoom function will be more effective.

HOW DO THEY WORK ?

PTZ IP cameras are typically controlled using remote systems. Users can do an initial configuration to have the camera moving and rotating in a certain predetermined pattern, or do it manually using a keyboard or mouse controlled interface. The angle of the lens can also be manually controlled, and this facilitates automatic position adjustment of the camera.

BENEFITS OF PTZ IP CAMERAS

·         User does not need to be close to the camera to operate it.

·         Requires little maintenance after it has been installed (except for regular cleaning of course).

·         Has 360-degree mobility. This way, it can detect and track objects as they move in the covered area as long as the target object is within lens range.

Factors to Consider When Purchasing a PTZ IP Camera

INDOOR OR OUTDOOR USE ?

If you’re looking for a PTZ IP camera for outdoor surveillance, you need one with night vision, weatherproof enclosure, miniature architecture for “outsider” visibility reasons, and vandal-proof capability for fortification in high crime areas.

YOUR DESIRED CAMERA FORM FACTOR

Each form factor has its own benefits, and the brand you opt for should cover all your surveillance requirements. Would you prefer a dome-shaped or an inconspicuous mini-dome camera? A wireless option or just an ordinary corded PTZ IP camera? You know your place and specifications best.

LEVEL OF DETAIL

When weighing different camera alternatives, you need to be sure of the detail level you want to see in your images. For wide area surveillance, you need a higher resolution, of course, as this will allow you to view even the furthest of images in relatively great detail.

Another factor that affects a camera’s resolution is its field of view (FOV). This is the viewable expanse of a given scene taken by the camera, and is sometimes referred as the angle of coverage or angle of view. A small FOV generally leads to the target object appearing smaller than it would in a fairly larger FOV.

The type of lens featured in the camera will also have an impact on resolution and field of view alike. A lens with low focal length number will bring about a wide field of view but less magnification while a higher focal length number will provide more magnification.

PTZ IP cameras, just like ordinary cameras, come with different resolution capabilities, and if you choose a high-resolution one, you also need to choose a high resolution megapixel lens so that the resolution required to produce a clear and detailed image can be maintained. If you combine a high resolution camera sensor with a less powerful lens, then your images will not be as detailed and crisp as you may desire.

POWER

PTZ cameras have multiple motors built-in which draw a considerable amount of power compared to a regular surveillance camera. Power can be supplied locally at the camera location or a cable can be pulled from a power source to the camera. The size of the wire dictates the maximum distance the cable can extend from the camera to the power source. See the chart below.

·        12 Gauge Wire – Maximum Distance 320 Feet

·        14 Gauge Wire – Maximum Distance 225 Feet

·        16 Gauge Wire – Maximum Distance 150 Feet

·        18 Gauge Wire – Maximum Distance 100 Feet

Each PTZ camera is shipped with its own power supply. Some cameras operate on 12v DC and some on 24v AC. Make sure you note the type of power the camera uses and that the power supply matches the camera. 

PTZ camera advantages & Disadvantages

PTZ camera advantages & Disadvantages

PTZ cameras occupy a special place in the field of video surveillance. So, here’s an article which will throw some light on how these cameras can prove useful, what are their deployment pros and cons and other related points.

Basically, a PTZ security camera is a network camera which reflects the movement options of Pan, Tilt and Zoom. These cameras can be mechanically operated, where the user typically has the ability to control the Pan-L and R (Rotate Vertically); Tilt- Up & down (Move Horizontally); and Zoom (Point Down an objects) of the camera with a joy stick / Key Board / hardware device or another software.

PTZ cameras are ideal choice for monitoring large public places like stadiums, traffic signals, and other environments. If these cameras come tucked with the feature of megapixel or high definition (which is now possible in 2015), then they add absolute value to the whole deployment security surveillance.

Coming to the Pros and Cons of PTZ cameras, here’s a bit of illustration-

PTZ camera advantages

1. With the help of a capable VMS, the PTZ cameras can be auto programmed. So, these cams can capture the front doors, the gate and the fence at regular intervals and can achieve the best out of it.

2. If the video from this camera is under live monitoring then an operator can track down a suspect or respond to a threat triggered by the video management software integrated with the camera. The operator can then zoom-in and take control of the situation and if necessary can act in time for loss prevention. If the PTZ camera is tucked with high definition, then the captured image can help the operator track the facial features of a suspect, license plate of an automobile involved in crime or identify an object of interest.

3. As these security cameras can be panned, zoomed and tilted, hundreds of acres of land can be monitored day/night. So, by using a PTZ in premises, the cost of coverage per given area can get reduced.

PTZ camera Disadvantages

1. As every technology has its pros and cons, so does the PTZ camera. Generally, people gather an opinion that these cameras are capable of covering 360 degrees. Except for a couple of cameras available in the market of this sort none can truly cover up more than 180 degrees. So, go for a demo if the camera PTZ maker claims to make a camera with not just 360 degrees coverage.

2. The other disadvantage which can prove advantageous to criminals is that these cameras record where the lens is focused. So, if an incident occurs and if the camera is pointed in other direction, then it could potentially miss the event entirely and this could miss vital video evidence.

3. Though, there is a lot of development in PTZ cameras offered by different manufactures, it is often observed that they need to be regularly maintained and have a shorter life span. Moreover, most installers feel that in hot conditions, these cameras will give-up. But yes, if they are secured in a housing which keeps the inside temperature under control, then these cameras tend to work fine.

4. The sensors of PTZ cameras are smaller when compared to fixed cameras. So, image quality is not up to the mark. But as technology improvisation is taking place is this segment, it is reviewed to be yielding better results.

5. To get the best out of a PTZ camera monitoring, a live operator dedicated to monitor the system is needed. So, here a rise in surveillance costs can be observed.

6. If the PTZ camera is not properly installed, then a slight wind can push the video output into doldrums. So, the installer must be very careful in such camera deployments.

7. PTZ cameras if positioned in unwanted places can land the installer and the owner installing the equipment into legal trouble. And if their focus includes the coverage of an opposite house swimming pool or lawn even by an inch, then the installer and the related authorities will be in deep trouble.

8. PTZ controls are sensitive to latency and if the latency is more than a fraction of second, then the PTZ control can go out of gear.

9. PTZ cameras have more features in them and so their cost is 60% high than normal fixed cameras.

10. The position of a PTZ camera will indicate the focus of its lens. So, an attacker can creep into the blind spot of the camera and spray some paint on the camera lens, in order to prevent the camera from recording further. There is a high chance that the image of the person doing such mischief can get skipped.

Therefore, in order to get optimal results from PTZ camera deployment these cameras can be made as a supplementary with fixed cameras for investigating a situation or tracking a criminal.

Hope, this article helps in unraveling the truth about PTZ security cameras.

How fiber optic cabling combined with PoE converters allows long-distance IP camera placement

Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology enables powering IP surveillance cameras through the transfer of DC electrical power along with data over standard unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cabling. This cabling connects to a network device through an RJ-45 port that injects the power from power sourcing equipment such as a PoE switch or midspan PoE injector. PoE provides a flexible and convenient means of powering devices that are located in out-of-the-way locations, and saves money by eliminating the expense and difficulty of direct electrical wiring. A challenge with PoE is reaching remote locations outside the distance limitation of UTP cabling. According to the TIA/EIA 568-5-A standard for category 5e cable, the maximum length for a cable segment is 100 meters (328 ft), and PoE power injectors or midspans do not increase the distance of the data link.

So, how do you get beyond that 100-meter limit? Once answer is through fiber optics. Fiber optic cabling is an effective method to overcome the distance and bandwidth limitations of UTP, and media converters are a commonly used to integrate copper network equipment and fiber. Since DC power cannot be conducted over fiber, PoE media converters are the solution to extend network distances via fiber to remote IP cameras. A PoE media converter converts the fiber to copper, and sends DC power to the camera over the UTP cabling.

How PoE Media Converters Work
On the main article image/PoE schematic that appears at right, an Ethernet switch with RJ-45 ports resides in a control room or data closet. The copper UTP cabling is converted to fiber with a standard media converter. The fiber is run a long distance to the PoE media converter located near a convenient AC or DC power source, where it converts the fiber back to copper UTP. The PoE media converter also functions as a power-sourcing mini switch, and injects PoE (DC power) over the UTP cable. At the other end of the UTP cable is the IP camera, located up to 100 meters away from the PoE media converter.
PoE media converters are available with Gigabit Ethernet and Fast Ethernet data rates and can support PoE (15.4 watts) or PoE+ (25.5 watts). PoE media converters function like PoE mini-switches, and are available in a variety of multi-port configurations, including dual RJ-45 and dual fiber ports. They can support fixed fiber connectors or small form pluggable transceivers.
To understand those power specifications, it’s worth knowing that in 2003, the IEEE ratified the 802.3af PoE Standard. That standard provides up to 15.4 watts of power per port. Late in 2009, the IEEE ratified the 802.3at PoE Standard known as PoE+ that provides up to 25.5 watts of power for each port. PoE+ can be required to power IP cameras with Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) / Speed Dome Camera capabilities, and weather-hardened cameras used in cold environments that feature blowers and de-icers.

Leverage the Benefits of Fiber
There are several solutions available to extend the distances of PoE network links, including LAN extenders that convert Ethernet to DSL, UTP to coax converters and wireless technology. When you’re going long distance, however, fiber optic cabling provides several advantages over these technologies.
Unlike copper, fiber extends network distances up to 87 miles (140 kilometers) per link with no data deterioration over distance (signal deterioration is to be expected in copper cabling). LAN extenders can only extend network distances about 3,300 feet, but a data rate of 100 Mbps can drop by 70 percent at longer distances.
Fiber cabling provides security benefits as well. It is a secure medium that generates no electro-magnetic emission and is very difficult to tap. Fiber is also very reliable because it is not susceptible to electrical interference, or data loss due to temperature or atmospheric conditions.