The CCTV System Design Problem

There are numerous cases where CCTV system performance is less than ideal. The detection probability of a complete barrier system frequently relies upon the ability of the security operator to perform a particular visual task. This impacts directly upon the staffing costs for the response teams. This situation has given rise to the introduction of systems performance tests. The subsequent adoption of these tests for use in systems performance requirements at purchase time means that the system designer needs to be able to characterise the performance of all of the system components, and to understand the way in which each of them contribute to the performance of the whole system. Broadly this knowledge is not available. Work has been done to review the ways in which the operator performance impacts upon the specification of the different hardware components. A broader understanding of the whole system design problem has been obtained as a result of this work.