Subscriber Discussion
Consumers Would Be Shocked If They Found Out
Consumers expect cameras in banks, jewellery stores, retail stores, etc.
Any examples of video surveillance applications where a consumer would be surprised to know they were being recorded or what the video is used for?
Any examples of recording the unexpected?

Consumers would be shocked at how shoddy and ineffective many surveillance systems really are.
Consumers would be shocked to know that at one point in time over 1/4 of the largest US retailer's camera domes were dummies (this is no longer the case)
I was at Office Depot last year, and saw a little box camera moving back and forth. I was stunned because I had never seen anything like it. I walked up to it and noticed there was no cable running into the wall. Evidently, it was a battery powered dummy camera that had a motion sensor on it. Very weird, especially for a chain retailer with 1600+ stores.
I think I found it on Amazon for $3.35:
Would be shocked to know, at least where I live, that majority of parking lots with signage saying "Video Surveillance System in use" means there are no cameras watching the parking lot. (Just from what I've seen in my area, I could be wrong)
Daniel, if those signs are posted outdoors, they could be increasing legal liability as customers might have an expectation of video, at the very least recorded to capture any crimes.
There is one parking lot just 5 minutes from me that has them posted on a few of the light poles, I still can't see any cameras.
They would be shocked to find out that they became demo video that security companies post to their web sites and YouTube.
Good point, though those companies are taking a big big risk doing so. I am amazed when I see companies use their customers in marketing without getting their express permission.
Evidently, it was a battery powered dummy camera that had a motion sensor on it.
John, that's exactly what that is - a friend of my wife's moved into a storefront that had these exact units. There's some kind of motion sensor that triggers the "camera" to pan back and forth a couple times if someone steps in front of it.
Of course, they also have the standard "fake cam" give-away: the blinking red LED.
Consumers Would be Shocked If They Found Out
- What "IPVM" really means.
Long and busy weekend. 'Night!

That dummy camera's lens appears to be higher quality than the ones shipping with select budget lines I've seen.

I actually saw one of those dummy cameras at store not that long ago. It was HORRENDOUSLY loud when it oscillated, and I find it hard to believe it was fooling anyone.

IPVMU Certified | 03/20/13 04:41pm
They're often shocked to find out you can't bring up that video from 3 months ago (even with data recovery services).
Home Owner Associations are often shocked with it turns out a camera has been bad at least since the time of the current recorded video, or someone unplugged the DVR because it was too noisy (true story), and nobody noticed until an event happened that caused them to look at it... because the last time anyone looked at it was 5 months ago.
Luis, good point on being shocked about video not being available from months ago. They forget how shocked they were when they got the quote originally for storing it for 3 months!

In my home county, none of the "redlight" intersection cameras or highway cameras are recorded. 0% of more than 300.
(Allegedly) The reasoning for this: neither the Police Department, Office of Public Safety, nor Department of Transportation group have extra manpower to satisfy the projected FOIA requests for recorded video, from insurers and citizens.

Hello Scott, It's good to see a fellow OKCer on here.
Specifically, I was talking about these cameras. In addition to these permanent units (trees of three/four cameras at each location), there are a number of 'portable' camera that are mounted on trailers for street view work, although those units do no show up on the linked interface.
Like you mention, to my knowledge, there are no 'streetlight' mounted redlight cameras, just the trailer mounted units. For reference, here is the type of image available from those cams (brutal):
Scott, if those are the same as the ones we have around here, I believe they ARE cameras, but are not recorded or monitored; rather, they simply feed an analytics-based system that controls the lights (although I'm sure they COULD be recorded and live-monitored, if so desired).

Nah, Scott is correct about those not being cameras. They are traffic light pre-emption devices designed to resemble cameras. Think 'dummy camera' on steroids.
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