just curious, who actually uses camera tampering detection (camera or VMS side) and connects, through an output in its turn wired to an intrusion panel for instance, to a security monitoring center?
I almost never see this being used and think that’s strange. Using DEOL on a motion sensor, it’s obvious but why isn’t it equally obvious to treat your cameras the same way (if they support it)?
I have used the inputs on the camera when I didn't have an integration to some parking garage intercoms. So when the intercom button was pushed I took that switch to the camera input so the VMS could pull up the camera for an awareness notification. Note: Not all intercoms have a dry output, so make sure to review your parts when designing. Back in the day inputs were used a lot to call up the a video on the spot monitor.
In regards to using the I/Os for alarm integration it is doable, however I like to use PRTG to monitor SNMP traps. This way I avoid any extra conductors being pulled to the camera and the associated labor for the technician to hook it up. In a public location where the camera is vulnerable your concept makes a lot of sense to have another layer of notification.
Another fun note, Some IP cameras can RSTP with each other so virtually one event at camera 1 can effect the output on camera 2. The setup is not intuitive, I wish they could have a straight forward GUI for linking camera to camera functions.
I actually have a note to self to put up a discussion called "Who actually uses camera tampering?" so I relate to this topic. I'm nerdy and like to use all the features I can for alarms, but I find that most aren't willing to sit through configuring and testing them, and even experienced integrators don't really see the value in it.
So, if few are using tampering, configuring the output to trigger an alarm panel input is even less likely.
I do think that partly people simply don't know how to set up camera tampering, what to do with the alarm when it's triggered, and how different manufacturers handle these events. I think with some basic training these events would be more common.
Actually, I find that many installers today don't even use the tamper switches on motion detectors, card readers, and other devices, let alone cameras.
This is a pet peeve of mine and one I wrote a brief article on a short time back: Using Tamper Switches on Security Equipment.
I recall doing military work where every enclosure and electrical box had to have a tamper with a “pull out” bypass.
The good old days.
I think the reasons tampers are NOT used:
1. It cost money (albeit maybe negligible) & extra effort to connect and configure tampers to alarm.
2. If/when tamper alarms do occur, they are often ignored or even considered nuisance.
3. Rather, the design decision is made to mount cameras at heights or at locations where tampering is less of a risk, often at the extreme penalty of how effectively cameras see subjects (See: Testing Camera Height vs Image Quality for more).
The idea behind the question is the following:
what is essential in any kind of security setup? To detect any misbehavior asap. The sooner you can detect, the more time you have to respond, right?
in stead of mounting cameras high up to be ‘tamper proof’, we should mount them low, 3 meter hight or less, and tamper them.
This way:
1/ you’ll get a better frontal picture of the people commiting the act in stead of a top of head shot that shows you nothing useable
2/ you trick them into trying to eliminate the camera by spraying it or destroying it. This is meant to happen since this will trigger the tamper and you get notified at the verry beginning of the malicious act. In almost any case of, succesfull or not, crime act that i’ve read about, first thing they do is trying to eliminate the cameras so let them but be sure you get notified of it
3/ downside: you’ll probably loose the ‘decoy’ camera and will have to replace it so use the cheapest possible model with an output that you can tamper. Considering the risk you’re protecting, loosing a 100-200$ camera to gain a couple of minutes respons time migh5 well be woth it. For instance protecting ATM’s.
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