Security and Surveillance Industry News

Video systems are becoming a part of our everyday lives. When Video Surveillance Systems first hit the market in the mid 80’s, they immediately made a major impact on crime prevention and the way crimes are investigated. Early Video Systems required a hardwired connection between the camera and the recording system. Recent innovations in wireless video transmission are changing that requirement.

Wireless camera systems are popping up all over the place to satisfy a range of consumer requirements. From wireless baby monitors to high-end high-definition wireless broadcast systems, wireless video systems are available in a wide range of prices, features and functions. Most modern, consumer grade Wireless Video Systems will fall into one of the following frequencies; 900 MHz, 2.4 GHZ or 5.8 GHz. Almost all of the affordable consumer grade wireless cameras on the market fall into the 2.4 GHz range.

Every wireless video system consists of a camera, a transmitter, a receiver, an antenna and a power supply. Transmission ranges can vary greatly depending on the frequency, the antenna and the rated power output.

With the exception of higher end, high power broadcast quality systems; most wireless video systems do not require a license from the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to operate. No matter what frequency you plan on using, if you are installing a high powered installation, especially near a highway or an airport, you should secure the appropriate FCC license.

For the best results and the longest range, most wireless video transmission systems require a clear line of site between the transmitter and the receiver to operate consistently. Wireless video signals do not penetrate very well through glass, walls, concrete, trees, steel or other obstructions.

In addition, other RF signals around the same frequency can cause interference. In the 2.4 GHz range popular with most security applications, interference can be caused by cordless phones, microwave ovens, local television broadcasts, computer monitors, power supplies or wireless LAN/WANs.

Many interference problems can be solved by re-locating the transmitters or receivers.
2.4 GHz Analog RF vs. 2.4 GHz Digital IP Wireless Video Systems

Since 90% of consumer grade wireless video systems fall into the 2.4 GHz category, we will discuss the features, limitations and benefits of this technology.

The entire 2.4 GHZ bandwidth allocated for consumer use is from 2,412 MHz to 2,462 MHz. As per the FCC standards, there are 11 possible channels which are 22 MHz wide with a 5 MHz spacing interval between each.

In order to allow multiple cameras on the same system, residential, consumer grade 2.4 GHz analog video transmitters such as a wireless baby monitor or a front door camera require fixed frequency, non-overlapping channels to reduce interference.

These 2.4 GHz analog wireless cameras are some of the most popular video surveillance systems for consumers and end users, yet very few Professional Security providers will offer these wireless cameras.

At best, Professional Security Installers consider the 2.4 GHz Analog Video Systems as low-end residential solutions which are notoriously unreliable. These Analog 2.4 GHz cameras are easily identified by their price tag which is usually in the $ 69.00 to $ 140.00 range per camera.

If you take away the benefit of their low cost, there are several inherent limitations to Analog 2.4 GHz video transmission including:

In the 2.4 GHz range, there are only 4 available non-overlapping channels. This limits these systems to a total of 4-cameras, each of which is tuned to a different pre-defined frequency. Each of these fixed frequencies is capable of transmitting about 11 mega-bits per second of data (Mbps).

Because the Analog 2.4 GHz Wireless Video Transmitters are on fixed frequencies, they are especially susceptible to interference from outside sources. A typical transmission range for an Analog 2.4 GHz Wireless Video Link is about 300 to 500 feet when installed outdoors with a clear line of site. The relative transmission distance is greatly reduced when installed indoors with some lower end analog systems typically providing about 10-30 feet.

Since these cameras are transmitted on a fixed, un-secured open frequency, the signal is easily intercepted and can be seen by anyone with a 2.4 GHz 4-channel receiver. A Voyeur or a Burglar could simply drive around a neighborhood with a receiver and see inside your home.

If you currently have one of these systems installed in your home or office, perhaps a burglar is watching you right now.

Soon I will post n article on the benefits of a wireless internet security camera system.