The UK digital CCTV video recorder market is set to near-double, a report states.
The UK digital CCTV video recorder market will grow by as much as 187 per cent between 2002 and 2006, according to a market report from MSI in association with Professional Security. This year the digital market has enjoyed a 46 per cent rise, and that comes after similar market growth in the previous two years. MSI estimate that the UK market for digital CCTV video recorders increased by 52 per cent to £16.75m during 2000, on top of growth of 40 per cent in the previous year. Digital recorders are accounting for 12 to 14 per cent of the total UK CCTV recorder market this year, the report says. MSI say: ‘The UK market for digital CCTV video recorders was virtually non-existent before 1996, when smaller capacity HDDs and high costs made digital recording unattractive when compared with relatively low cost, good quality S-VHS analogue equipment. However, as technological developments have led to significant increases in capacity and picture quality, and costs have become more competitive, the market has increased in value. Ever since analogue CCTV systems first appeared in the early 1970s, recorded images have provided vital evidence in many high profile court cases. CCTV images have given police vital clues in what otherwise might have been unsolvable cases, and have allowed members of the public to assist police in identifying suspects. However, MSI believe that the primary factors driving the growth of the UK digital CCTV video recorder market are the greater convenience and ease of use of such equipment compared with analogue equipment. Searching for images of a particular event using an analogue system may involve many hours, if not days, of close examination of many video cassettes. Digital recorders allow searches to be made by time and date, or by camera, so that the desired images can usually be found in a matter of minutes. Moreover, previously recorded digital images can be viewed whilst recording continues. This is not possible with analogue CCTV video recorder systems.’ According to the research, most of the UK digital CCTV video recorder market is accounted for by lower specification recorders (off-the-shelf units with fewer networking capabilities and a fixed number of camera inputs, typically four, eight, 16 or 32). MSI project that in 2001 the value of the lower-spec sector will increase by 46 per cent to £19.99m. The higher specification sector (bespoke basis to suit larger applications such as airports and shopping centres) will increase similarly, by 47 per cent, in 2001 to £4.44m. The analysis breaks down the forecast rise in market value to 2006: 214 per cent for the higher specification end, and 180 per cent for the lower specification end. On the issue of evidential quality, MSI report that digital images are just as admissible as evidence in a court of law as analogue images, provided that the court is satisfied that the images could not have been electronically altered. The report quotes a1997 the House of Lords publication, Digital CCTV as Evidence: ‘The original is the data first recorded in memory. Thus any printed or displayed image created from these data is a copy. Consequently, digital recording technology provides no original that could be used in evidence. All that is available for use in evidence is a copy of the first ‘ probably temporary ‘ recording in memory. This will be admissible as evidence.’ MSI add: ‘Thus, the fact that there is no original image to submit to the court does not disqualify a digital image or series of images from being admissible as evidence. An automatically produced audit trail, which cannot be edited, may also be required as proof that the images have not been altered in any way.’ The report adds that a digital CCTV recorder operating at 12 frames per second at a relatively low resolution may record images of slightly inferior quality to those produced by a real time S-VHS recorder. ‘However, many digital CCTV video recorders allow recording to take place at higher resolutions and higher frame rates, allowing very high quality images to be stored. Indeed, many digital recorders can operate at rates of up to 50fps.’ Other factors include television programmes such as BBC1’s Crimewatch that have demonstrated the value of clear CCTV images; and most insurance companies offering lower premiums for properties with a pro-active approach to security. ‘Consequently the cost of installing a digital CCTV video recorder may result in a reduced financial outlay in subsequent years, thus increasing companies’ propensity to make this investment.’ The report sounds a note of caution, however. After September 11, and because of likely recession regardless of terrorism, many companies in the industrial sector many not feel confident enough to invest in new premises and indeed in digital CCTV systems in the near future, the report argues. The report explains how digital CCTV video recorders differ from analogue VHS and S-VHS recorders: ‘Images are recorded on HDDs rather than video tapes. Indeed, digital recorders are essentially specially configured industrial, rack-mountable PCs operating with specially designed software applications. As the digital images are automatically stored, security personnel do not have to manage and replace a multitude of video cassettes. The rapid increases in HDD capacity and improved compression techniques have made it possible for many manufacturers to produce digital CCTV video recorders capable of recording more than a month’s video images without any intervention from security staff. Digitally recorded CCTV video images suffer little or no degradation regardless of how often they are viewed or how often the HDD is overwritten, as there is virtually no contact between the disc and any other moving part. By contrast, video tape is slightly degraded each time it is played, recorded upon or overwritten, and tapes must be replaced regularly in order to ensure images are recorded clearly. Digital CCTV video recording technology offers end users a range of features that analogue systems cannot provide or which must be added to analogue recording equipment as additional items. Automatic motion detection, which programmes the recorder to record only when movement in detected in a particular part of a camera’s view, can be controlled from the digital CCTV video recorder. In many analogue systems, separate motion detectors have to be attached to cameras. Furthermore, analogue CCTV video recorders typically require external multiplexer units to be connected to them before they can record from more than one camera. Most digital recorders incorporate internal multiplexer circuitry, reducing the need for additional space and extra cabling. In addition, digital recording products may be integrated with the existing computer network infrastructure in a building, allowing security staff to: manage local and remote sites from a single workstation or PC; export video clips and send them as e-mail attachments to police, central monitoring stations and other authorised parties; copy video images to removable media such as CD-RWs, or DVDs; save video images on the HDD of a PC; and electronically enhance or zoom in to parts of recorded images. Most digital CCTV recorders incorporate multiplexer circuitry, thus reducing costs, installation time and space requirements. Furthermore, built-in digital multiplexer and motion detection circuitry allows the number of digital-to-analogue and analogue-to-digital conversions to be kept to a minimum, thus preventing unnecessary degradation of the images sent from the camera. Many commercial and industrial buildings have had complete ethernet cabling installed for some time, and in the office and administration environment it is standard practice to integrate computers, servers, printers and routers into these secure networks. IP addressable digital video recorders and cameras can be accessed directly from a PC connected to the network or via the Internet to allow truly remote viewing. Thus, key personnel could be automatically alerted at their homes of an alarm situation at commercial or industrial premises, and could then view both live and recorded images of the site to ascertain the nature of the alarm.’ On the subject of market developments, the report singles out the storage capacity of the Everfocus ERD-1600. In another forecast, MSI say: ‘As digital CCTV video recorders have fewer moving parts than analogue systems, some industry commentators expect digital video recorders to be widely used in mobile applications, such as buses, trains, taxis, ships and other forms of transport.’ The report mentions a new version of the Octar digital video recorder fromVisimetrics for such mobile applications. The analysis ends by stressing the need for awareness: ‘the UK market for digital CCTV video recorders has been constrained by a lack of knowledge and understanding of digital equipment amongst many specifiers and installers. Indeed, installers more familiar with analogue VCRs are believed to have actively influenced end users in their selection of CCTV video recorders and encouraged the purchase of VHS or S-VHS equipment as they were unfamiliar with digital recorders.’ More manufacturers are dealing with installers directly to provide the necessary product training, the survey notes. The leading distributors of digital CCTV in the UK are named as Norbain SD, and Gardiner Security, and leading manufacturers as Dedicated Micros, Loronix, Neurodynamics, NICE Systems, Primary Image, Vigilant and Visimetrics. The report ends by profiling ADT Fire and Security, Axis Communications, Baxall, CBC Security, Dedicated Micros, Digital CCTV, Gyyr Europe, Imigix, Loronix Information Systems, Mitsubishi, Neurodynamics, NICE Systems, Norbain SD, Panasonic UK,Sensormatic and Visimetrics (UK).
MSI Data Report: Digital CCTV Recorders: UK costs £475. Readers of Professional Security can enjoy a ten per cent discount on quoting this article. To order, ring free on 0800 195 6756 or e-mail: [email protected]
