FAQ

FAQ NEWS ABOUT LMS TERMS OF SERVICE

Welcome to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ page). Below, we have tried to answer the most common questions visitors to our Web site may have. If you find that your question is not answered on this page, please e-mail us.

Why Is A DVR better than a VCR?

VCR’s were state-of-the-art years ago. They utilized time-lapse-video to capture scenes every 10 seconds or so. Not bad, unless you were a thief who could walk out the door with merchandise in 10 seconds! Plus, you had to have a tape for every day of the month. It’s not uncommon for us to visit clients with a wall of tapes! DVR’s changed all that - video is stored on a hard drive for weeks and months, depending on your needs and budget. No more hassling with video tapes that wear out. And to review events is as easy as point-and-click! And the clarity is DVD quality.

Can I retrofit my existing VCR system?

We do it all the time. Your cameras are probably black & white and analog, which is OK. Sure you’re not going to get the clarity of the new digital cams (see our section on cameras) but you will reap all the benefits of DVR technology.

What makes Lawton Media Services different from everyone else?

First of all, we are custom builders. Second, we use only brand name products you are familiar with and that have iron-clad warranties. And, of course, the rest is subjective - we like to think we are the best and the most knowledgable. Bottom line - you buy from someone you feel comfortable with and that you trust. If you give us that chance to win your trust, we are confident you will become our client for life!

Can I use any type of security camera outside?

Not really. Some mini security cameras are designed for outside use with waterproof cases (e.g. bullet cameras) but if you need lenses of different focal lengths and especially if you need auto-iris lenses (which are best for outside because of varying light conditions) then mini-cams won't be satisfactory. Special outdoor cameras with heaters for cold climates should be used. Mini-dome security cameras are meant for inside use only, and should not be used outside.

Why are color security cameras better than Black and White (B/W), even though B/W security cameras will work at lower light levels?

Traditionally, B/W security cameras were considerably less expensive than color security cameras, much more light sensitive and often of higher resolution. Today, the price gap has narrowed, resolutions are basically the same and while B/W security cameras can still be more light sensitive than color security cameras, the light levels at which our color security cameras will still produce images is as low as 0.3 Lux, which is pretty low light (Starlight color security cameras which utilize frame integration, will provide color pictures in as little as 0.003 Lux). Taking these points in mind, when you add the far more positive recognition qualities of color images, it makes color cameras, in general, a better value today than B/W security cameras.

Why don't I need 30 frames per second video recording on all security cameras?

Video security systems are generally intended to allow the image capturing of intruders and crime perpetrators. The purpose of these systems is not to make movie quality videos. Recording rates of as low as 1 or 2 frames per second will catch virtually any criminal act. Even at these frame rates, with many cameras all recording on motion, the compressed video files produced are multi-Gigabytes per day. Imagine what the file sizes would be if security cameras were all recording at 30 frames per second! Of course, recording frame rates must be fast enough so as not to miss anything - a major problem with multi-camera time-lapse VCR systems. Sometimes time lapsing on VCR systems can be as great as 1 frame very 5 or 6 seconds, in order to get the number of hours of recording time high enough. This kind of recording frame rate can certainly miss many things, but a digital system recording at anywhere from 1 to 6 frames per second should miss nothing and still provide many days of recording capacity. There are some applications, however, that do require faster recording rates (e.g. sleight of hand) and we now have the high speed DVRs available for these purposes.

What does an auto-iris lens do for me?

Outdoor security cameras or cameras indoors facing a window or an outside door will have varying light conditions. CCTV display and recording systems are set to a certain level of image brightness and contrast. When light levels change in the images produced by the cameras, the displayed and recorded images will either be too bright and washed out or too dark and non-resolvable. The only way to solve this is to use an auto-iris lens. These lenses have an electric motor-driven iris which is opened or closed according to signals fed to it from the camera. Once set, a camera equipped with auto-iris drive will attempt to produce a video signal of constant brightness by opening or closing the auto-iris of the lens, as light levels change.

How far from the DVR can I place security cameras?

Using RG59 Coaxial Cable, each CCTV security camera can be placed up to 600 feet from the DVR and up to 1,000 feet with RG6 Coax. Even longer distances can be achieved using Baluns and CAT5 cable.

Can I use my old security cameras mixed with new ones?

Yes, providing certain conditions are met. Even with the same color type, some older cameras and some newer cameras mixed together can cause problems because of very different image synchronizing systems. In this event, you can get interference between one camera image and another. Color cameras are more prone to this type of problem. If your camera has a BNC connector, you can probably use it.

How many days/weeks of recording can I store?

This depends on how big your hard drive is, how many cameras are you using and under what conditions are you recording (on motion, on alarm, continuously, etc.) and what type of compression you are using. Assuming that you are recording only when motion is present (the most common recording method today) using a 30fps board and assuming that you have 4 CCTV security cameras and that there is movement in the surveilled area for 16 hours a day, 5 days a week, and you are recording at 320x240 pixel resolution with H.264 compression, you could expect to use up about 20 to 25GB of disk space per week. So, a 40GB drive would hold about 2 weeks of recordings under those conditions.

Of course, if you record at 640x480 pixel resolution, and/or you are recording at 120fps , the disk space used will increase. Because of the way that H.264 compresses video, there is not a definite mathematical formula that can be applied to say exactly by how much the recordings would grow.

Since hard drives are now relatively inexpensive, it pays to use as big a capacity drive as possible if you are concerned with storing many weeks of recordings before overwriting.

FAQ NEWS ABOUT LMS TERMS OF SERVICE