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What Does "CCTV Camera" Mean? "CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) Camera” is a term generally applied to almost any type of security camera in most applications. Since the advent of digital security camera technology, however, CCTV and video security are becoming less and less interchangeable.
CCTV cameras are referred to as “closed circuit” because unlike traditional television, which is broadcast over a signal, CCTV cameras focus in a closed circuit, connected to a central recorder by coaxial cable. These connections keep all footage from the security cameras in one location, like an office building or a grocery store. These kind of analog film cameras have been very popular for maintaining security since the 1960s, and are to date the least expensive way to secure a business, home or organization with video surveillance.
Today, “CCTV Cameras” can also refer to an IP camera, which is a surveillance camera that uses digital technology. Unlike CCTV cameras, an IP camera’s footage can be broadcast over the internet and even transmitted wirelessly. A relatively new addition to the security camera market, IP cameras are more flexible and have many more features than film security cameras. However, they are more expensive than CCTV cameras.
Each type of CCTV camera as we know it has advantages and disadvantages. Film cameras are inexpensive and have been stable providers of security for years, but the supplies (like video cassette tapes) are expensive, and the security footage provided must be monitored at all times because it cannot leave the circuit that the camera is in. IP cameras provide higher quality footage and are very flexible, as well as more secure, but they are also very expensive compared to analog cameras and may be a prohibitive option for many companies seeking an immediate security solution.
Although an analog CCTV camera system sounds like the most appealing choice due to its low cost, an IP camera system is actually the most practical solution. Eventually, as computers and digital cameras earn more positions in our lives and workplaces, film cameras will become more and more obsolete and expensive to repair and maintain. IP cameras, because of continually evolving technology, will probably improve and need to be replaced, but economic trends from other digital devices like computers, mobile phones and personal digital cameras has proven that cost does decrease as technology develops. An IP camera system will be easier and less expensive to maintain over time – no re-recording cassette tapes, no having to deal with sorting mountains of footage, no need for a 24-hour security staff.
Will the CCTV acronym go away? It’s obvious that CCTV is a culturally acceptable term for any type of security camera, whether it’s analog, digital, or whatever is to come in the future. Countries like the UK use the term “CCTV” to describe any system of security cameras, even the digital cameras posted near a London subway station that identified the perpetrators of the 2005 subway bombings. Will it matter that the term is technologically incorrect? Only time will tell.
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