Before the 1960s, industries, manufacturing, and government organizations often employed security personnel, similar to uniformed law enforcement officers, to safeguard their facilities. These private security personnel were tasked with preventing criminal activities. With the onset of World War II, the number of private security personnel increased significantly. They were hired to protect factories, manufacture military equipment, and secure government facilities.
In the early 1960s, with advancements in electronics, alarm systems and video surveillance were introduced. Companies like RCA, Motorola, and General Electric led the way in manufacturing vacuum-tube television cameras for the security industry. These innovations increased equipment security, reduced operational costs, and improved tube-type camera technology. The usage of cameras began to grow rapidly in the 1960s and 1970s.
In the 1980s, while the functionality of video security systems and associated accessories improved, the growth of video surveillance remained relatively modest. One major breakthrough in video technology during the 1980s was the invention and introduction of solid-state cameras. By the early 1990s, solid-state cameras with Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) image sensors became the preferred choice for new video surveillance installations, rapidly supplanting tube cameras.
Historically, cameras, especially those utilizing vidicon tubes (a specialized electron tube used for photoconductive imaging before the emergence of CCDs), played a pivotal role in video systems. They determined the overall performance and quality of visual results from video surveillance systems. Vidicon tubes were the weakest link in the chain, degrading over time and usage due to their complexity, variability, analog circuit characteristics, and susceptibility to temperature and time.
In contrast, solid-state cameras with CCD sensors and newer Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) and Complementary MOS (CMOS) sensor-based cameras had a long lifespan and were stable under all operating conditions. The widespread adoption of solid-state cameras for consumers lowered production costs and enabled price reductions due to economies of scale, facilitated by the use of digital video recorders (DVRs), video cassette recorders (VCRs), and personal computers (PCs).
The 1990s saw the convergence of computer technology and video security technology. At this point, all components became solid-state. Digital video technology required extensive digital storage to process and store video images. The computer industry had already developed solutions for this. To achieve satisfactory video transmission and storage, video signals needed "compression" for transmission over existing narrowband telephone line networks. The video computer industry had established compression standards for broadcasting, industrial, and government requirements. The video industry required a fast, cost-effective method to transmit video images to remote locations, and this need was met with the precursor to the World Wide Web (WWW) developed by the U.S. government's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Internet (and intranet) communication channels and the WWW provided a global mechanism to transmit and receive video and audio, as well as communication and control data anywhere.
Today, video surveillance has become an integral part of people's lives, transitioning from public spaces into everyday homes. The extensive application of video surveillance systems primarily stems from the peace of mind and security they offer, especially in the realm of indoor/outdoor home security.
In the early 1960s, with advancements in electronics, alarm systems and video surveillance were introduced. Companies like RCA, Motorola, and General Electric led the way in manufacturing vacuum-tube television cameras for the security industry. These innovations increased equipment security, reduced operational costs, and improved tube-type camera technology. The usage of cameras began to grow rapidly in the 1960s and 1970s.
In the 1980s, while the functionality of video security systems and associated accessories improved, the growth of video surveillance remained relatively modest. One major breakthrough in video technology during the 1980s was the invention and introduction of solid-state cameras. By the early 1990s, solid-state cameras with Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) image sensors became the preferred choice for new video surveillance installations, rapidly supplanting tube cameras.
Historically, cameras, especially those utilizing vidicon tubes (a specialized electron tube used for photoconductive imaging before the emergence of CCDs), played a pivotal role in video systems. They determined the overall performance and quality of visual results from video surveillance systems. Vidicon tubes were the weakest link in the chain, degrading over time and usage due to their complexity, variability, analog circuit characteristics, and susceptibility to temperature and time.
In contrast, solid-state cameras with CCD sensors and newer Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) and Complementary MOS (CMOS) sensor-based cameras had a long lifespan and were stable under all operating conditions. The widespread adoption of solid-state cameras for consumers lowered production costs and enabled price reductions due to economies of scale, facilitated by the use of digital video recorders (DVRs), video cassette recorders (VCRs), and personal computers (PCs).
The 1990s saw the convergence of computer technology and video security technology. At this point, all components became solid-state. Digital video technology required extensive digital storage to process and store video images. The computer industry had already developed solutions for this. To achieve satisfactory video transmission and storage, video signals needed "compression" for transmission over existing narrowband telephone line networks. The video computer industry had established compression standards for broadcasting, industrial, and government requirements. The video industry required a fast, cost-effective method to transmit video images to remote locations, and this need was met with the precursor to the World Wide Web (WWW) developed by the U.S. government's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Internet (and intranet) communication channels and the WWW provided a global mechanism to transmit and receive video and audio, as well as communication and control data anywhere.
Today, video surveillance has become an integral part of people's lives, transitioning from public spaces into everyday homes. The extensive application of video surveillance systems primarily stems from the peace of mind and security they offer, especially in the realm of indoor/outdoor home security.
