In the relatively short history of CCTV and video there
have been great innovations in the permanent recording
of video images. These new technologies have been
brought about by the consumer demand for video camcorders,
the television broadcast industry, and government
requirements for military and aerospace hardware and
software. One result of these requirements was the development
of the VCR and DVR. The ability to record video
images provided the video security industry with a new
dimension, i.e. going beyond real-time camera surveillance.
The availability of VCR and DVR technology resulting
from the consumer market has made possible the
excellent time-lapse VCRs and large storage PC-based DVR
systems. These technologies provide permanent documentation
of the video images in analog (magnetic tape) and
digital (solid state and hard disk drive) storage media.
The use of time-lapse recorders, computer hard disks and
video printers give management the tools to present hard
evidence for criminal prosecution. This ability to provide
a permanent record of evidence is of prime importance
to personnel responsible for providing security.