Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is the use of video cameras to transmit a
signal to a specific place,
limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the
signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point to point
wireless links. CCTV is often used for surveillance in areas that may need
monitoring such as banks, casinos, airports, military installations and
convenience stores. The increasing use of CCTV in public places has caused a
debate over public surveillance versus privacy. People can also buy consumer
CCTV Systems for personal, private or commercial use. A more advanced form
of CCTV, utilizing Digital Video Recorders (DVRs), provides recording for
possibly many years, with a variety of quality and performance options and
extra features (such as motion-detection and email alerts). In industrial
plants, CCTV equipment may be used to observe parts of a process from a
central control room; when, for example, the environment is not comfortable
for humans. CCTV systems may operate continuously or only as required to
monitor a particular event.
History
The
first CCTV system was installed by Siemens AG at Test Stand VII in
Peenemünde, Germany in 1942, for observing the launch of V2-rockets. The
noted German engineer Walter Bruch was responsible for the design and
installation of the system. CCTV recording systems are still often used at
modern launch sites to record the flight of the rockets, in order to find
the possible causes of malfunctions, while larger rockets are often fitted
with CCTV allowing pictures of stage separation to be transmitted back to
earth by radio link.
In September of 1968, Olean, NY was the first city in the United States to
install video cameras along its main business street in an effort to fight
crime. The use of closed-circuit TV cameras piping images into the Olean
Police Department propelled Olean to the forefront of crime-fighting
technology.
The use of CCTV later on became very common in banks and stores to prevent
theft, respectively record evidence of criminal activity, both by customers
/ outside criminals or by staff. This use popularised the concept.
In recent decades, and especially with terrorism and general crime fears
growing in the 1990s and 2000s, public space use of surveillance cameras has
taken off, especially in some countries such as the United Kingdom.
limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the
signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point to point
wireless links. CCTV is often used for surveillance in areas that may need
monitoring such as banks, casinos, airports, military installations and
convenience stores. The increasing use of CCTV in public places has caused a
debate over public surveillance versus privacy. People can also buy consumer
CCTV Systems for personal, private or commercial use. A more advanced form
of CCTV, utilizing Digital Video Recorders (DVRs), provides recording for
possibly many years, with a variety of quality and performance options and
extra features (such as motion-detection and email alerts). In industrial
plants, CCTV equipment may be used to observe parts of a process from a
central control room; when, for example, the environment is not comfortable
for humans. CCTV systems may operate continuously or only as required to
monitor a particular event.
The
first CCTV system was installed by Siemens AG at Test Stand VII in
Peenemünde, Germany in 1942, for observing the launch of V2-rockets. The
noted German engineer Walter Bruch was responsible for the design and
installation of the system. CCTV recording systems are still often used at
modern launch sites to record the flight of the rockets, in order to find
the possible causes of malfunctions, while larger rockets are often fitted
with CCTV allowing pictures of stage separation to be transmitted back to
earth by radio link.
