A Brief History of Closed Circuit Television Through the Years
Closed circuit television (CCTV) has come a long way since its invention way back in the 1940s. Here’s a brief look at the history of the CCTV throughout the years.
How CCTV Has Evolved
1940s While the CCTV was invented with safety in mind, it wasn’t criminals or thieves that the inventors were worried about. Instead, the CCTV was invented as a way to allow scientists and engineers a way to watch rocket launches without getting too close to the action. The earliest systems used an analog TV and a monitor. 1980s In the 1980s, CCTVs consisted of four devices: analog cameras to film the action, a VCR to record the action, a multiplexer to combine the images into one feed and a monitor to watch the feeds simultaneously. This development allowed people to keep a closer eye on multiple areas all at the same time. Early 2000s In the early 2000s, things became simpler. The DVD replaced the VCR, making the multiplexer unnecessary. Now, the feed could be stored digitally, instead of on tapes, it could store more footage, and it could clear up memory itself as needed. Mid 2000s In the mid 2000s, CCTVs continued to improve. Now, the feed was not only stored digitally, but it could be sent digitally as well. This allowed for the feed to be accessed from any location around the globe. People could now also watch events as they happened, which led to even greater security. Late 2000s As we move into today, the trend towards digital recording, store and sharing only continues to grow. Today’s security systems use IP cameras instead of analog cameras so every step of the process is now digital. Today’s security systems also use a network switch and NVR software so the feed can be viewed anywhere, even on a smart phone. As CCTV technology continues to improve, who knows what sorts of new technology we will see in the future? Only time will tell!
