Evolution: from analog video to digital. Part 2
This is the second and final part of the transition from analogue to digital video surveillance. The first part is available here . This time it will be discussed about the transition from one system to another and comparative characteristics. Well, let's get started.
We form a new set for video surveillance.
On the frame above, there is a ready-made video surveillance system with IP cameras. But let's start in order. An analog system includes at least:
')
At most:
Now consider the difference between a digital video surveillance system.
Minimum set:
Maximum set:
As you can see, the difference lies not only in the fact that analog cameras are connected directly to the DVR, and IP cameras require a switch. By itself, an IP camera can send video to any server (local NAS or remote FTP) or save video to a USB flash drive. It should be noted that adding a PoE switch also makes the job much easier, since when installing a large number of cameras, away from the recorder, you do not need to pull the cable from each camera, but rather stretch one line from the switch.
Camera types
To solve each problem has its own tool. We consider the main types and areas of their application. We must immediately say that we will describe the outdoor cameras that are used for typical tasks. There are variations and subspecies, but the main types of cameras are only 3.
Cylindrical
Classic cylindrical outdoor camera. The body is usually made of sturdy plastic or metal with a round or rectangular cross section. Inside mounted all optics and electronics. The lens can be varifocal or without the possibility of approaching and adjusting the sharpness. The easiest and most common option. Easy to install and configure. A lot of modifications with different characteristics. Once set up and forgot.
Dome
Such cameras are more common in rooms, because the most applicable installation site is the ceiling. Take quite a bit of space. Easy to set up. All electronics, lens and matrix are mounted in one block. Once set up and forgot. There are modifications with a built-in microphone and a speaker, to communicate with the observed object.
Rotary or dome swivel
The main advantage of these cameras is the ability to pan and zoom. One such camera allows you to immediately see a large area. It can work according to the program (bring object 1 closer, turn around at object 2, inspect the whole area, bring object 3 closer) or at the command of the operator. They are somewhat more expensive, but lack the drawbacks of the two previous cameras - to reconfigure the object of observation there is no need for physical presence next to the camera.
Since the object of observation is the house, any type of camera could be used. To make the system budget, but at the same time meet the requirements for picture quality, it was decided to use two types of cameras: cylindrical - for inspection of the perimeter and dome - for monitoring the entrance door and parking.
Camera selection
The basis of the video surveillance system has become a novelty in the Russian market - the Ezviz C3S camera. This camera with its compact dimensions has a lot of positive qualities:
To estimate the dimensions of the camera (176 x 84 x 70 mm), I placed an AA battery next to it. If you are interested in a detailed review of this camera or a comparison with the younger C3C model - write it in the comments and I will put it in a separate article.
For comparison with the analog camera that was installed before, several frames were taken.
It is worth noting that the camera is equipped with IR LEDs and light compensation technology, so it can work in complete darkness or with side illumination from a bright moon, snow, and a searchlight. As shown, the object is distinguishable at a distance of 20-25 meters in total darkness and is clearly visible from a distance of 10 meters. The camera supports the extended digital range (HDR) feature of 120 dB. Add to this that the camera can work completely autonomously, without a DVR, recording all the video on a USB flash drive, and access to the camera is possible through the application on the smartphone. And for this you do not even need a white IP - it is enough to provide the camera with access to the Internet.
To monitor the entrance and parking in front of the house, the Milesight MS-C2973-PB dome camera was chosen. It has a smaller effective viewing distance in the dark, but at the same time it supports resolution up to FullHD and is well placed on the facade of the building, not attracting much attention. Plus the camera is that it is endowed with a microphone and allows you to record video with sound, which is especially important for recording conversations when someone knocks on the door. The camera is powered exclusively by PoE, can record on the installed microSD card and is endowed with a web-interface through which you can monitor what is happening. Another interesting feature is the SIP client. You can connect the camera to a telephony provider or your own VoIP server and at a given event (sound \ movement in the frame) the camera will dial the required subscriber and start broadcasting the sound and image.
Another camera was installed under the visor to view the entire area with the access road. In this case, there were particularly high demands on the quality of the picture, so the Milesight MS-C2963-FPB camera was chosen. It is capable of delivering 3 streams with FullHD picture quality and is able to call via SIP when movement appears in a given zone. It is powered by PoE and works great with highlights and side lighting.
We are preparing a network
So, we have decided on the cameras and now we need to put everything together and save the video. Since the home network is not very large, it was decided not to physically separate the video surveillance network from the home network, but to merge it together. Since the amount of information is growing every year, and the video on the home server is increasingly stored in FullHD resolution, the bid was made to build a gigabit network. To work correctly, you need a good switch with PoE support. The basic requirements were simple: high reliability, stable power, support for PoE and Gigabit Ethernet. The solution was found quickly and the smart switch TG-NET P3026M-24PoE-450W-V3 was chosen to create a home network.
It is made in a standard format, occupies 1 unit in a 19 "rack and is capable of delivering up to 450 W to PoE devices; this is an enormous power considering that the selected cameras consume no more than 10 W even when the IR illumination is turned on. 24 ports, you can configure the power schedule for each port, speed, and everything that smart switches can do.To simplify the configuration, there is a switch on the frontal surface that allows you to choose the display of port activity / power.Over active ports, below is the port Which are powered by the PoE. In case of any problems with setting it allows you to immediately determine whether the received power of the camera or a problem with the configuration. In general, the device is one of those "set and forget".
DVR
In order for the video surveillance system to be complete and it was possible to view old recordings, a server or NVR is needed. A distinctive feature of Network Video Recorder is that they only work with IP-video cameras. The requirements were simple: support for all cameras, information storage for at least two weeks, ease of setup and reliable operation. Since I already had experience with QNAP network drives, I decided to use this company's NVR in my system. For my task was suitable one of the younger models with support for 8 cameras. So, the QNAP VS-2108L recorder was selected as the storage and playback system . Support for two hard drives with a total capacity of 8 TB, a gigabit network port and a familiar web interface tipped the scales in favor of this NVR.
The recorder itself supports recording video streams according to the standards H.264, MPEG-4 and M-JPEG from the cameras connected to it. All selected cameras support H.264 codec. It should be noted that this codec can significantly reduce the video bitrate without loss of picture quality, but this requires serious computational resources. This codec contains many functions, including the adaptation of cyclic actions. For example, a swinging tree branch will not select the same bit rate as when using the M-JPEG codec.
Attentive readers will notice the similarities with the network drive of this company QNAP TS-212P . It should be noted that the filling of the models is similar, only the number of channels for connecting video cameras (8 for NVR versus 2 for NAS) and support for NAS disks with a capacity of 10 TB each (versus 4 TB each for NVR) differ.
The settings interface is familiar and familiar to everyone who dealt with this technique.
And viewing of all cameras and recorded video is carried out through proprietary software. In general, the model is simple and functional.
Camera comparison
And now I propose to compare the picture with only one camera. It will be significant enough. The first shot is the operation of an analog camera at night with a searchlight on the side. Original resolution.
The second shot is an analog camera at night with the searchlight turned off. Illumination IR illuminated camera. Original resolution.
The third shot is an IP camera at night with the searchlight turned off. Illumination IR illuminated camera. Original resolution.
In addition to the increased resolution (1920 * 1080 vs. 704 * 576), we see a noticeably clearer picture, because the frame is processed by the camera itself and a ready-made picture is sent to the video surveillance server without interference from the analog video signal on the way to the recorder. In the frame itself, you can even see the highlight of other CCTV cameras.
Minute rest for the eyes
Literally 5 minutes from the recording of the camera Ezviz C3S, installed next to the trough.
Conclusion
As mentioned in the first part, the video surveillance system based on IP cameras is not much more expensive than the analog kit in terms of functions. That's just with digital technology functionality can grow with the advent of new firmware, and the analog system almost always changes entirely if new functionality is required (sometimes the issue is solved by replacing the heart of the system with a DVR). By the example of this project, it became clear that the creation of a video surveillance system is a fairly simple procedure if you act according to plan: set a task, make a scheme, determine the required parameters, select equipment, mount and configure.
And remember: CCTV is not protecting your home. This is just one of the elements that will help prevent hacking or find unexpected guests. Try to position the camera so that you can see the faces of the incoming. In addition, the video server should be well hidden or all records should be duplicated in the remote storage. And may your home always remain your fortress!
We form a new set for video surveillance.
On the frame above, there is a ready-made video surveillance system with IP cameras. But let's start in order. An analog system includes at least:
')
- camera
- DVR
At most:
- Camera
- DVR
- PTZ control panel
- Screen to view pictures
Now consider the difference between a digital video surveillance system.
Minimum set:
- Ip camera
- Switch (PoE or normal)
Maximum set:
- Ip camera
- Switch (PoE or normal)
- DVR
- PTZ control panel
- Screen to view pictures
As you can see, the difference lies not only in the fact that analog cameras are connected directly to the DVR, and IP cameras require a switch. By itself, an IP camera can send video to any server (local NAS or remote FTP) or save video to a USB flash drive. It should be noted that adding a PoE switch also makes the job much easier, since when installing a large number of cameras, away from the recorder, you do not need to pull the cable from each camera, but rather stretch one line from the switch.
Camera types
To solve each problem has its own tool. We consider the main types and areas of their application. We must immediately say that we will describe the outdoor cameras that are used for typical tasks. There are variations and subspecies, but the main types of cameras are only 3.
Cylindrical
Classic cylindrical outdoor camera. The body is usually made of sturdy plastic or metal with a round or rectangular cross section. Inside mounted all optics and electronics. The lens can be varifocal or without the possibility of approaching and adjusting the sharpness. The easiest and most common option. Easy to install and configure. A lot of modifications with different characteristics. Once set up and forgot.
Dome
Such cameras are more common in rooms, because the most applicable installation site is the ceiling. Take quite a bit of space. Easy to set up. All electronics, lens and matrix are mounted in one block. Once set up and forgot. There are modifications with a built-in microphone and a speaker, to communicate with the observed object.
Rotary or dome swivel
The main advantage of these cameras is the ability to pan and zoom. One such camera allows you to immediately see a large area. It can work according to the program (bring object 1 closer, turn around at object 2, inspect the whole area, bring object 3 closer) or at the command of the operator. They are somewhat more expensive, but lack the drawbacks of the two previous cameras - to reconfigure the object of observation there is no need for physical presence next to the camera.
Since the object of observation is the house, any type of camera could be used. To make the system budget, but at the same time meet the requirements for picture quality, it was decided to use two types of cameras: cylindrical - for inspection of the perimeter and dome - for monitoring the entrance door and parking.
Camera selection
The basis of the video surveillance system has become a novelty in the Russian market - the Ezviz C3S camera. This camera with its compact dimensions has a lot of positive qualities:
- wide range of operating temperatures: from -30 to +60
- Full waterproof and dustproof (IP66)
- Support FullHD resolution (1920 * 1080)
- Wi-Fi or Ethernet transfer support
- Power support for PoE (only in versions without Wi-Fi)
- H.264 codec support
- The ability to record on microSD
- Ability to work through the cloud, or with a local DVR
To estimate the dimensions of the camera (176 x 84 x 70 mm), I placed an AA battery next to it. If you are interested in a detailed review of this camera or a comparison with the younger C3C model - write it in the comments and I will put it in a separate article.
For comparison with the analog camera that was installed before, several frames were taken.
It is worth noting that the camera is equipped with IR LEDs and light compensation technology, so it can work in complete darkness or with side illumination from a bright moon, snow, and a searchlight. As shown, the object is distinguishable at a distance of 20-25 meters in total darkness and is clearly visible from a distance of 10 meters. The camera supports the extended digital range (HDR) feature of 120 dB. Add to this that the camera can work completely autonomously, without a DVR, recording all the video on a USB flash drive, and access to the camera is possible through the application on the smartphone. And for this you do not even need a white IP - it is enough to provide the camera with access to the Internet.
What is WDR or HDR
WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) is a technology that allows you to get high quality images with any difference in illumination levels.
Another name is HDR or "high dynamic range." With simultaneous hit in the frame areas with a large difference in the level of illumination, the standard video camera calculates the exposure to cover the maximum gradations of brightness. If the camera reduces the amount of light to optimize the lighted areas, all areas in the shade will become too dark and, on the contrary, when adjusting areas with low brightness levels, the light will become too blurred. WDR is measured in decibels (dB).
Another name is HDR or "high dynamic range." With simultaneous hit in the frame areas with a large difference in the level of illumination, the standard video camera calculates the exposure to cover the maximum gradations of brightness. If the camera reduces the amount of light to optimize the lighted areas, all areas in the shade will become too dark and, on the contrary, when adjusting areas with low brightness levels, the light will become too blurred. WDR is measured in decibels (dB).
To monitor the entrance and parking in front of the house, the Milesight MS-C2973-PB dome camera was chosen. It has a smaller effective viewing distance in the dark, but at the same time it supports resolution up to FullHD and is well placed on the facade of the building, not attracting much attention. Plus the camera is that it is endowed with a microphone and allows you to record video with sound, which is especially important for recording conversations when someone knocks on the door. The camera is powered exclusively by PoE, can record on the installed microSD card and is endowed with a web-interface through which you can monitor what is happening. Another interesting feature is the SIP client. You can connect the camera to a telephony provider or your own VoIP server and at a given event (sound \ movement in the frame) the camera will dial the required subscriber and start broadcasting the sound and image.
- Operating temperature range: -40 to +60
- Full moisture and dustproof (IP67)
- Support FullHD resolution (1920 * 1080)
- Ethernet transfer support
- PoE Power Support
- H.264 and H.265 codec support
- The ability to record on microSD
- Built-in microphone
- Embedded web server
- Built-in SIP client
Another camera was installed under the visor to view the entire area with the access road. In this case, there were particularly high demands on the quality of the picture, so the Milesight MS-C2963-FPB camera was chosen. It is capable of delivering 3 streams with FullHD picture quality and is able to call via SIP when movement appears in a given zone. It is powered by PoE and works great with highlights and side lighting.
- Operating temperature range: -40 to +60
- Full moisture and dustproof (IP67)
- Support FullHD resolution (1920 * 1080)
- Ethernet transfer support
- Power support for PoE and 12V DC
- H.264 and H.265 codec support
- The ability to record on microSD
- Variable focal length
- Embedded web server
- Built-in SIP client
We are preparing a network
So, we have decided on the cameras and now we need to put everything together and save the video. Since the home network is not very large, it was decided not to physically separate the video surveillance network from the home network, but to merge it together. Since the amount of information is growing every year, and the video on the home server is increasingly stored in FullHD resolution, the bid was made to build a gigabit network. To work correctly, you need a good switch with PoE support. The basic requirements were simple: high reliability, stable power, support for PoE and Gigabit Ethernet. The solution was found quickly and the smart switch TG-NET P3026M-24PoE-450W-V3 was chosen to create a home network.
It is made in a standard format, occupies 1 unit in a 19 "rack and is capable of delivering up to 450 W to PoE devices; this is an enormous power considering that the selected cameras consume no more than 10 W even when the IR illumination is turned on. 24 ports, you can configure the power schedule for each port, speed, and everything that smart switches can do.To simplify the configuration, there is a switch on the frontal surface that allows you to choose the display of port activity / power.Over active ports, below is the port Which are powered by the PoE. In case of any problems with setting it allows you to immediately determine whether the received power of the camera or a problem with the configuration. In general, the device is one of those "set and forget".
DVR
In order for the video surveillance system to be complete and it was possible to view old recordings, a server or NVR is needed. A distinctive feature of Network Video Recorder is that they only work with IP-video cameras. The requirements were simple: support for all cameras, information storage for at least two weeks, ease of setup and reliable operation. Since I already had experience with QNAP network drives, I decided to use this company's NVR in my system. For my task was suitable one of the younger models with support for 8 cameras. So, the QNAP VS-2108L recorder was selected as the storage and playback system . Support for two hard drives with a total capacity of 8 TB, a gigabit network port and a familiar web interface tipped the scales in favor of this NVR.
The recorder itself supports recording video streams according to the standards H.264, MPEG-4 and M-JPEG from the cameras connected to it. All selected cameras support H.264 codec. It should be noted that this codec can significantly reduce the video bitrate without loss of picture quality, but this requires serious computational resources. This codec contains many functions, including the adaptation of cyclic actions. For example, a swinging tree branch will not select the same bit rate as when using the M-JPEG codec.
Attentive readers will notice the similarities with the network drive of this company QNAP TS-212P . It should be noted that the filling of the models is similar, only the number of channels for connecting video cameras (8 for NVR versus 2 for NAS) and support for NAS disks with a capacity of 10 TB each (versus 4 TB each for NVR) differ.
The settings interface is familiar and familiar to everyone who dealt with this technique.
And viewing of all cameras and recorded video is carried out through proprietary software. In general, the model is simple and functional.
Camera comparison
And now I propose to compare the picture with only one camera. It will be significant enough. The first shot is the operation of an analog camera at night with a searchlight on the side. Original resolution.
The second shot is an analog camera at night with the searchlight turned off. Illumination IR illuminated camera. Original resolution.
The third shot is an IP camera at night with the searchlight turned off. Illumination IR illuminated camera. Original resolution.
In addition to the increased resolution (1920 * 1080 vs. 704 * 576), we see a noticeably clearer picture, because the frame is processed by the camera itself and a ready-made picture is sent to the video surveillance server without interference from the analog video signal on the way to the recorder. In the frame itself, you can even see the highlight of other CCTV cameras.
Minute rest for the eyes
Literally 5 minutes from the recording of the camera Ezviz C3S, installed next to the trough.
Conclusion
As mentioned in the first part, the video surveillance system based on IP cameras is not much more expensive than the analog kit in terms of functions. That's just with digital technology functionality can grow with the advent of new firmware, and the analog system almost always changes entirely if new functionality is required (sometimes the issue is solved by replacing the heart of the system with a DVR). By the example of this project, it became clear that the creation of a video surveillance system is a fairly simple procedure if you act according to plan: set a task, make a scheme, determine the required parameters, select equipment, mount and configure.
And remember: CCTV is not protecting your home. This is just one of the elements that will help prevent hacking or find unexpected guests. Try to position the camera so that you can see the faces of the incoming. In addition, the video server should be well hidden or all records should be duplicated in the remote storage. And may your home always remain your fortress!
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/402977/
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