Charlie Pierce: How Video Surveillance / CCTV Has Changed

By John Honovich, Published Sep 09, 2013, 12:00am EDT (Info+)

Charlie Pierce is a legend in CCTV and surveillance, having taught generations of new professionals. Pierce, the founder of LeapFrog Training and Consulting, has been in the industry for almost 40 years. We interviewed him to understand how the industry has changed, and how things have gotten better as well as worse.

Early Cameras Were High Price/Low Quality

Surveillance cameras and CCTV in the 1970s was vastly different than it is today. Now it is widely seen as the biggest and most powerful market segment but, back then, Pierce notes that it was, "the bastard child of the industry." Then it was primarily used by the government and on a limited basis, Pierce said. “It was expensive, bulky, and untried.” In the 80s, industrial security applications started up. In the mid-90s, retail stores started using cameras. 

“If you were looking for a camera that could give you good night vision, it was either Panasonic or RCA ... but by the time you got done installing and putting everything in place, you were looking on average about $5,000-$6,000 per outdoor camera,” he said, noting that cameras were so expensive that it only made sense to put them on pan tilt motors.

*******, ***** **** ******* **** *** speed ***** ** ***** **** *** do * **** *** ** * second. ****** ********, “** ***** **** at ** ******* *** ******. ** I’m ******* ** * ***** ** feet **** *** * ****** ** pan **** *** **** **** ** the ***** ****, ** ***** **** me ***** **** *******, ** ******** was *** ** **** ***** **** then.” 

** ******, $*,*** ** ***** *** is *** ********** ** $**,*** ** $15,000 *****. **** '*****' ******** ***** cameras ***** **** $*,*** ********* ** that ****.

Recording ********

**** **** ******* ** *****, *** recording *** ********** *******. ****** ***** that **** ** ***** *** ***** record ** "****-*****," *** *** ****** you ********* *** * *****, *** fewer ****** *** ****** *** ***. Add **** ** ****** ********* *** the **** ******* * ********'* ***** enemy. *** *******, * *** ******** set ** *** ***** ** ********* would **** * ***** ***** * seconds. ** *** *** **** * cameras *********, **** ***** **** * frame *** ****** ***** ** *******, a **** *** *** ****** ** happen."

Conservative ***********When cameras were more expensive, Pierce noted a positive upside. People were more conservative and practical with their camera layouts. They were much more careful how they designed. But 10 to 15 years ago, as equipment became more available at less cost, people started getting carried away, he says. Projects are deploying more than enough cameras, but they are not deploying them in a way that meets the needs of the application. "They're selling cameras, not security application or support," he said. 

Fixed ******* ***** ********** *** ******

“*********** *** **** ****** ******* ****’* in ***** ***** *****. ** **** continuously ****-*** [************] ******* **** ***’* have *** ********* ****** ** ********** interface ******** ** ** *** ****. This ****** ***** ******* ** ** the *** *****.” ***** *********** ***** work **** ****** ********* ***** ** if *** **** ******* ****** ** not ** ***** ***** **** **** can’t **** **, ** ****.

Cameras ********

“*** ** *** ******* ******* *’** seen ** *** ******** ** * whole ** **** **’** ********** **** our *** ** *** ******** *** to ******* ****** ********,” ****** ****. “Now, *** ******* ** ‘***’* ***** everything *** **** ** *** ** the ***.’ **** ********* *** ****** money *** ** ******* ********* *** service ********* ** **** ***'* ** a ******** *** ** ******* ** where ** *** ******* *** ******** necessary ** *** ***********. ** ***** **** a **** ** ********, ********** ** possibly * **** ** **** *** bottom **** ** *** ****** ****," he ****.

************, ** **** ******* ************ ***** used *** **** **** ****** ** done ** ******, **** ******** *********. The ******** *** ******* *** ******** away ************, *** ***** ** *** **** more *** ************ ** ***********, ****** said. **** ** **** ********* ** CCTV ** ****** ** ******* *******,*** some ** ** ** ****** ** fear, ** ****.

End ***** ****** **** ***********

*** ******* *** **** ** *** educated ****** ***** ***** ************ ** know **** ** ***** ** **** best *** ***** ***********. “**’* * mistake *** ** **** * ********** - *** ****** *** **** *** training *** *** ********** ** ** this *****. **** ** ** **** come **** ****** *** **** ***** $1 ******* *** **** ** ****** they *** **** *** ** *** contract*** **** **** *** *** ***** thing,” ** ****. “*************, **** ******* **** what **** ******, *** ** ***’* what **** ****** … **** *** enough ******* ********** ***** *** ***********, needs *** ******** ** *** ******.”

Education *** ********* ******Surveillance has always been the “bastard child” of the security industry Pierce says. While physical security guidelines are popular and there are a number of certifications related them, surveillance is an area that has not seen much growth as far education goes. “We’ve got this tremendous technology, but we’ve got no standards. We’ve got not rules,” he said. Standards would make sure people at least had a minimal knowledge base when putting together systems. He noted that the security industry in the U.S. seems to be much less interested in standards than the industry in Europe. Pierce and others worked with SIA to put together * ************ ************* ******* *** ******** standards*** **** ** ***** **** *** among ******** ************* (*** *** ******* out ** ****, ****** ****** ** **** ****).

Final *******

“* ** *** ** *** ******* that *** ******** ** *** ** even ** ******* … * ** concerned **** ** *** ****** ***** of *** **** ******* *** ********* visual ******* **; ********, ************, ******, and ** ******* ****** ********* ** the ******* *** ****, ******* *** advanced ********** **** ** *********. ****** technology ******* *********, *********, ****** ** purpose ** **** ******* **** ** invasion *** ** *** *** **** cost ** *** *** ******* *** specific, ***** *** ****** ** ******* and *******. * **** **** ****** it ***-**** *** ***** *****. ** cameras **** ** *** ******* *** down ***/** ************* ** ******? *** and **. ***** ***** **.”

Comments (0)

Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts reporting, tutorials and software funded by subscriber's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.
Loading Related Reports