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Scratching your head as how to best monitor a large residential or commercial property? Perhaps you have a wide expanse of field to watch over, but are loathed to plaster the place with multiple cameras- and all of the wiring that entails? The answer is a Pan-Tilt-Zoom, or PTZ security camera- a CCTV camera mounted on a motorised base with a powerful zoom lens, all controlled remotely by the user. The allows you to easily move the camera around to track subjects and quickly zoom in for more detail, all controlled in real time. Most systems also allow you to program in automated camera movements or “tours” to scan your property. Whilst PTZ gear has traditionally been seen as the reserve of high end commercial and industrial systems, our latest range of PTZ IP camera kits are also ideal for larger homes or small businesses.
Old school analogue PTZ cameras need two separate cables, one to carry the video signal and one to carry what’s known as the telemetry (the directions for movement). The key thing that makes PTZ IP cameras so useful, is that both of these are now carried down one standard network cable, running from the camera to the controller. As with other IP cameras, they record video as digital data, and then connects to other devices over your network. This also allows them to record at resolutions that are simply not possible with standard CCTV. A great example would be our PTZ outdoor bullet camera. This is capable of recording detailed video in 1920×1080 Full HD, with a 10x optical zoom on top of that, making it capable of monitoring subjects a great distance away with usable detail. The “bullet” camera shape is also quite unique for a PTZ camera (most use domes), and make it an imposing and effective visual deterrent when mounted on a wall.
Aside from the camera, the most important part of a PTZ system is the controller. There are a few options for controlling the camera, with some recorders even letting you move them around using a mobile phone app, but by far the most practical is by using a PTZ joystick. This connects to the camera over your network, and gives you an intuitive and quick way to move the camera. Generally speaking it is also one of the most responsive ways to move it, making it much simpler to quickly zoom or track a moving subject. For IP cameras, our best controller would be our new joystick with built-in CCTV monitor (see top image). The colour screen built into the face of it’s control panel allows you to operate the camera without needing a separate monitor. For home users this is a massive benefit, as it means you can have an incredibly simple setup, with just the camera connected to the controller via your router. It also means that if required, you can quickly move the controller to a new location without having to reconnect the monitor or recorder.
If you need another reason to convince you that now is the perfect time to invest in PTZ security for your home, then I can proudly present our customer support packages! With our most basic package- Bronze Support– our expert advisers can remotely configure the camera and controller on your network. This means that all you have to do is install the camera and plug it in, and then we can get it all ready to use for you, along with a secure web address to allow remote access when away from home. Our Silver and Gold packages also allow for multi-camera setups, should you want to expand the system with a recorder at a later date.
