| The inexorable crisis also dictates new business conditions — based, among other things, on saving auxiliary resources. It is hard to classify the security sector in the same category as office supplies. However, reasonable savings are appropriate here too — through more rational use of technical security equipment. Let us stipulate right away — we are talking about installing a system «from scratch» or replacing outdated equipment with new. Despite economic troubles, manufacturers are in no hurry to curtail production of «promoted» lines. Technical progress does not stand still either, dictating the need for a change in generations of equipment.
In professional video surveillance, literally on the eve of the crisis, a trend emerged that will fundamentally change users' ideas about camera capabilities in the coming years. Megapixel camera-based systems have already found their specific areas of application — primarily where highly detailed digital images are required (banks, retail, gambling, facial recognition systems, and inscriptions). Despite the relatively greater «gluttony» of megapixel video surveillance in terms of network bandwidth and data storage volumes, their use has long since justified itself at facilities that are critical from a security standpoint.
But what to do with «ordinary» objects — production, warehouse, service? Business clients have switched to a strict cost-cutting regime, and the installers have a heavy burden of proving the effectiveness of the proposed solutions. «Cure» by referring to similar solutions and famous brands is much more difficult today than, say, a year ago. Here, you can't do without a calculator. It is no secret that many quantitative indicators in practice are taken «out of thin air». Calculation based on risks, in the current conditions, is beginning to lose meaning: the country is in turmoil, exchange rates are jumping, and therefore economic risks today are significantly higher than risks of criminal origin. Whether the «end user» benefits from the implementation of a megapixel system is up to the client to decide. However, the best argument «for» can only be harsh monetary mathematics.
Here we present a fairly simple and at the same time technically correct example of calculating the economic effect of implementing Arecont Vision megapixel cameras at a real facility. But first, let's once again dwell on the key properties of high-resolution cameras that determine their technical and operational superiority.
A technically simple and understandable characteristic is the number of image elements. The junior AV1300 model in the Arecont Vision camera line exceeds the standard SVGA resolution (800×600) by 2.7 times in this indicator, having a real image resolution of 1280×1024 pixels. In the «top» AV5100 camera (2592×1944 pixels), we are already talking about exceeding it by an order of magnitude — 10 times.
The numbers are impressive, but how does this manifest itself in practice? First of all, in a higher degree of object detail. With the same viewing angles determined by the properties of the optics, a higher resolution camera will provide the same «picture» details with a greater number of dots (pixels). Infinitely enlarging and zooming in on an image is only possible in Hollywood action movies. Standard CCTV of previous generations is simply powerless here: when trying to discern details of an enlarged image, we will see either a mosaic or a play of blurred spots. However, when using megapixel cameras, zooming in within certain limits is possible — due to digital scaling of the image.
Higher detail more than compensates for the slightly higher cost of megapixel cameras compared to traditional ones. First of all, due to the fact that the number of high-resolution cameras required to provide coverage of the territory of the object can be significantly smaller. A simple example of a calculation confirming this consideration.
Task: to provide video monitoring of a car park where the width of the camera coverage area is 30 m. In addition to video monitoring, there is also a need for automated recognition of license plates and human faces that are in the frame. It is known from practice that for effective operation of video analytics applications, the image detail should be at least 120 pixels per meter. Multiplying 120 by 30, we get the total number of pixels by the width of the camera coverage area = 3600. Let's assume that the coverage area is divided between cameras by width, and the cameras used are of the same type. Then, dividing 3600 by the horizontal resolution of the cameras, we get the need for cameras to ensure full coverage with the required resolution.
For standard cameras with a resolution of 800×600 pixels (strictly speaking = 0.48 megapixels), dividing 3600 by 800 yields = 4.5. Rounding up to the nearest whole number, we get five cameras. However, cameras with a resolution of 1280×1024 (1.3 megapixels) will require 3600/1280 = 2.81 — that is, three. And three-megapixel cameras 2048×1536 (three megapixels) — only two.
In addition to the gain in the number of installed units of equipment, a system based on megapixel cameras also has relatively greater operational reliability. With a horizontal lens opening angle of 70…90°, video monitoring of the entire protected area is technically possible using only one high-resolution camera. The alternative to this solution — the use of low-resolution PTZ cameras — inevitably leads to the appearance of «dead zones». And these are, in fact, gaps in the defense of the facility, and they can be used by intruders.
And now — an example from real life. The estimate for the purchase and installation of equipment given in the insert was compiled by equipment integrators of the Arecont Vision company for a gas station complex located in the Kaluga Region. It is easy to guess which option was chosen by the customer.
Task: to provide round-the-clock monitoring of six fuel dispensers from a distance of 15 m with the required coverage area width of 21 m. The customer was offered a choice of two options for solving the problem.
Option one. Cameras with a resolution of 640×480:
10 cameras at $637 = $6370
10 lenses at $200 = $2000
10 thermal housings at $216 = $2160
Installation work at $300 for 10 cameras = $3000
Total costs: $13530
Option two. Arecont Vision High Definition Cameras:
2 megapixel AV2100 cameras at $953 = $1906
4 regular cameras at $637 = $2548
2 megapixel camera lenses at $227 = $454
4 regular camera lenses at $200 = $800
2 megapixel camera housings at $203 = $406
4 regular camera housings at $216 = $864
Installation work at $300 for 6 cameras = $1800
Total cost: $8778
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