Mr. Manetti

Security & Safety

Analog or Digital CCTV Systems: Which one is right for your property?

By Maurizio Manetti, Director of Risk Management, Swissôtel Chicago

Over the last several years, hotel security monitoring systems have evolved into useful tools that enhance overall safety and security. CCTV systems are of crucial importance when it comes to maintaining a secure property and providing safety for guests.

CCTV systems are often the prime focus of security personnel as they tend to be the eyes and ears monitoring activity throughout the property. New digital technology, such as high-definition and larger digital storage options have changed the way this technology can be used in these monitoring systems. For example, high-definition gives security teams the ability to zoom in on facial details and compare them to the hotel’s past records. This often helps law enforcement with their investigations, in turn, keeping the hotel safe and secure.

There are two types of closed circuit TV (CCTV) systems: digital and analog. In the past, the latter was the only option and video surveillance was based on analog technology -closed circuit television (CCTV), and then recorded on video tapes. This system simply recorded in the moment activity for future access. However, since it does not broadcast actual live information, it is not practical for monitoring stores from a remote location. The picture quality is also low and often unusable, and it relied on human reliability as well, such as changing the tapes regularly. Analog technology at one time served a purpose for security monitoring, but now digital CCTV is revolutionizing security measures and technology has evolved to allow for a more diverse security monitoring system.

With digital CCTV, a digital camera views the scene in front of the lens and broadcasts the video images as a digitized signal over a LAN line (Local Area Network) where it's then transmitted to a computer or server. In turn, the server manages all of this information. Depending upon the software used to manage the digital images, it can record, display or retransmit the images to anywhere in the world. Even more, the software package can be upgraded to allow for data analysis, such as selecting specific flagged items to monitor, in addition to a host of other functions that truly make it a customizable security tool.

True IP-based digital surveillance uses CCD cameras that employ signal processing with the purpose of sending packetized video streams over the LAN through a Cat 5 cable rather than a coax cable network. This system provides more intelligent data mining and information retrieval. If security is an issue, full digital surveillance offers the added advantage of data encryption opportunities to protect against image tampering; something not possible with analog recording. Recently, a few companies such as D-Link and Linksys have developed fully digital cameras that have completely integrated, built-in web servers so that external computers are no longer required. In this case, the signal is transmitted directly to the terminal location for storage or play-back.

The main difference between the two camera types is the way in which the video signal is delivered. Analog cameras turn the video signal into a format that can be received by a television or other receiver such as a VCR or monitor. An IP-based camera, also known as an IP network camera, digitizes the video signal using a specialized encoder that contains an onboard web server. This allows the IP camera to act as a network device, thus allowing captured video images to be viewed not only through an existing network, but also through a web browser that can be accessed through the Internet.

I feel like this paragraph is written in a different, more casual voice that’s easier for the average person to understand.

The advantage of a digital system over an analog is clear, and by that I mean literally - better picture quality. After all, the whole point of a Video Surveillance System is to see exactly what is happening in the moment. How many times have you heard about or seen grainy footage of a perpetrator committing a crime that was taken by a traditional CCTV system? Most often you can't make out more than a fuzzy form and the images are useless to law enforcement. In addition to quality, digital cameras also cover a larger area. For instance, if you have both camera types (digital and analog) aimed to show the same coverage area, the digital image results in an image more than three times larger than the analog camera. That larger picture of the same area translates into more image detail and clearer image quality. On the other side, we have a situation where increased coverage area is desirable over increased detail.- this sentence doesn’t make sense to me???) The digital camera’s larger coverage area also means that fewer cameras are needed on the property. With higher tier IP cameras surpassing the ten megapixel benchmark, it is clear that analog CCTV has been outdone. The fact is that traditional CCTV cameras have reached the end of their evolution, and cannot compete with high resolution Digital Surveillance Cameras.

Some hotels will move to the hybrid models of a CCTV/DVR system when they first move beyond an analog system because it seems like the next practical evolutionary step in video surveillance. However, shifting to this method largely ignores how IP-based video surveillance works. With CCTV/DVR surveillance, you have actually simply delayed the inevitable of adding on a relatively new technology (hard disk, digital storage) to an old technology (analog video over coaxial transmission lines). Rather than moving forward into something new, you have prolonged the demise of the old.

While an analog camera is ideal if you want to monitor one location from a fixed position, an IP camera is more flexible and can enable more sophisticated surveillance, recording and review. IP cameras can deliver high definition or megapixel images, which give greater detail and can cover a greater range. All the more, they can be powered over a network using Power over Ethernet (PoE) that does not require a separate power supply. Some IP cameras have audio recording built in which allows recorded messages to be broadcast automatically to warn people that they are being watched. However, this functionality can be integrated into any camera’s housing, and is not a specific benefit of IP. Both types of cameras can feature infrared technology to capture full-color images during the day and black-and-white images in low light or even complete darkness.

Even at the highest resolution available for CCTV, the clarity of rapidly moving objects, such as a person running or speeding car, has long been problematic in security and surveillance applications. In an analog CCTV environment, a rapidly moving object will appear blurry. This is because the video signal, even when connected to a DVR, interlaces to create the images. Interlaced images use techniques developed for analog TV monitor displays, made up of visible horizontal lines across a standard TV screen. If you happen to have shopped for a new TV lately you are probably aware that 1080i is not nearly as good as 1080P. Interlacing divides images into odd and even lines and then alternately refreshes them. The slight delay between odd and even line refreshes creates some distortion - only half the lines keep up with the moving image while the other half waits to be refreshed.

A better way to understand the differences between analog and IP-based video surveillance may be to compare the two and how they work:

Analog or CCTV+DVR

• Easy to use - operates like a VCR
• Changing and rewinding tapes – humans may interfere with effectiveness
• Image quality is poor
• Storage tapes wear out over time
• Broadcasting images live isn't an option
• Storage is bulky
• Uses analog recording, recording in low-grade picture quality and inability to search and track easily
• Adding DVR systems must be done in blocks of 16 channels

IP-based

• IP-based recording means instant transmittal of images anywhere in the world
• Can monitor multiple cameras from one remote location
• No decrease in recording quality over time or with repeated replays
• Digital picture quality far superior to analog
• IP-base recording is highly compressed for easier storage and can be transported over a variety of media
• Digital images can be encrypted for security purposes
• Updates and add-ons are relatively inexpensive through software packages and Internet computer networking
• Adjustable frame rates
• Remote or shared viewing may be done over the Internet or a wireless connection
• Standard IP video compression techniques are used
• IP surveillance cameras may be added individually or in groups according to your needs

Security is a twenty-four-seven responsibility and maintaining a vigilant security focus can prove to be a very expensive expenditure for a hotel. The size and scale of the hotel obviously has an impact on the level and amount of security that is required for the operation. Hence, by identifying the right strategy and balance for a hotel and implementing the right systems, hotels can reduce their overall exposure while still providing a safe environment for their guests and staff. By gaining a clear understanding of the various technologies and solutions that are available or by using the assistance of a security expert, hotels can find the right solution for their environments.

Maurizio Manetti is the Director of Risk Management for Swissôtel Chicago. Since August 2010, Mr. Manetti has been in charge of the hotel’s safety and security. His main responsibilities include establishing policies and procedures for the protection of the staff, guests, proprietary information, and physical assets. Furthermore, he develops and executes the hotel’s crisis management program. This includes the deployment of state-of-the-art technology solutions and innovated security management techniques to safeguard all assets. As a result of his career experiences, Mr. Manetti is trained and skilled in high-risk, high-priority situations. Mr. Manetti has had an illustrious career in Italy and the United States. In Italy, Mr. Manetti was a Police Captain/Commander for the Italy State Police in Rome/Florence Italy. He oversaw the security for Florence International Airport, major sporting venues and led investigations among other things. Moreover, he specializes in organized crime, terrorism and drug enforcement. Since moving to the United States, Mr. Manetti has held several positions in risk management such as College Football Hall of Fame, Prada U.S.A and Sofitel Chicago. Mr. Manetti can be contacted at 312-268-8110 or maurizio.manetti@swissotel.com Extended Bio...

HotelExecutive.com retains the copyright to the articles published in the Hotel Business Review. Articles cannot be republished without prior written consent by HotelExecutive.com.