How Has CCTV Evolved?

We’re so used to seeing CCTV cameras that we rarely stop to think about how they have evolved, but actually it’s a very interesting story, so we’re going to share it with you.

Roll back to 1949.

In 1949, Vericon launched the first commercial CCTV system in America. It had no recording function, and the wired system transmitted to black and white television monitors which had to be continuously monitored for crime detection purposes.

Deterring Crime in Public Spaces

In September 1973, CCTV cameras were installed in Times Square in New York City to attempt to reduce crime rates. These cameras were monitored by the NYPD, and over the coming decades, surveillance in public spaces became more commonplace, allowing for a reduction in police presence.

Recording Functionality Becomes a Game Changer

In the 1970s, video cassette recordings allowed human operators to step away from their monitors, as continuous human monitoring was no longer deemed necessary. Instead, footage from CCTV Worcester could be reviewed as needed.

Over time, video cassettes were replaced by hard drives, which offered a greater storage capacity and easier footage retrieval.

CCTV in the Digital Era

We are living in an increasingly digitised world, and security surveillance is no exception. Companies such as //apmfireandsecurity.com/cctv-installation/cctv-installation-worcester offer CCTV cameras that record to the cloud, allowing authorised users to access footage from wherever they are and to search and retrieve it at will.

By tapping into the possibilities offered by 5G and the Internet of Things, wireless surveillance can even be incorporated into tiny body-worn cameras and doorbell units.