Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) is a network of cameras and monitors that are directly connected on a closed circuit. This means the images picked up by the cameras aren’t accessible by anyone who has a receiver, which is the norm with regular television. Instead, the monitor must have a direct connection to the cameras of the system in order to access its signal. CCTV can be used in a number of different ways, including as a part of a security system for a business or residence. It may also be used in such applications as aerial photography, which involves taking photographs from up high; in football stadiums; in hospitals; and even in monitoring the movement of traffic at intersections.
The size of a CCTV system may depend on how and where it is used, but the basic elements of the system are the same, regardless of its application. A CCTV system has at least one camera, but may include several cameras if needed. It also includes display monitors that pick up the images captured by the cameras. The display monitors have a direct connection to the CCTV network, which is the reason they can pick up the images on the cameras. Display monitors that are not directly connected to the closed-circuit network cannot access the signal or see the images provided by the cameras.
There are different ways in which a CCTV system can send its images from the cameras to the display monitors. This type of system may use coaxial cables for signal broadcasting, but some systems use other types of technology to accomplish this. For example, a CCTV may also use microwaves or infrared technology to send its broadcasts from its cameras to the display units that are connected to the network.
The uses of CCTV are numerous. a store owner, for example, may install this type of system to monitor his store and keep track of each customer who enters. With this type of system in place, catching thieves may be easier. A homeowner may also use a closed-circuit system for the purpose of monitoring parts of his home for intruders. Hospitals may also have a use for these systems, as they allow health care professionals to monitor patients visually, without being in the room with them. This sort of system may even be used in the monitoring of intersections in order to capture traffic violations.
