Surveillance Definitions

Surveillance specs can feel like alphabet soup. This page translates the most common camera and recording terms into plain English so you can buy once, set it up right, and avoid “I wish I knew that before I ordered.”

Shop Surveillance & Security Ask a Question

Reminder: Recording laws vary by location (especially audio). Use surveillance equipment ethically and follow local regulations.

If You Only Learn 7 Terms, Start Here

Resolution: how much detail you can see (faces, plates, fine text)
Field of View (FOV): how wide the camera “sees”
Night Vision (IR): how the camera performs in darkness
WDR: helps when you have bright + dark areas in the same scene
PoE: one cable for power + data (simplifies installs)
NVR/DVR: where footage records and how long you keep it
Bitrate/Compression: affects video quality and storage use

Video Quality & Image Terms

Resolution (1080p / 2MP / 4MP / 4K): How much detail the camera captures. Higher resolution can help identify faces, clothing details, or license plates (assuming the camera is positioned correctly and lighting is decent).
FPS (Frames Per Second): How many images per second the camera records. Higher FPS can look smoother during fast movement, but uses more storage/bandwidth.
Bitrate: How much data the video stream uses. Higher bitrate usually improves clarity (especially during motion), but increases storage needs.
Compression (H.264 / H.265): The method used to reduce video file size. More efficient compression can save storage, but may require compatible hardware/software.
WDR (Wide Dynamic Range): Helps the camera handle bright and dark areas in the same scene—like a bright doorway with a darker interior behind it.
Backlight Compensation (BLC): A basic setting that brightens the subject when there’s a strong light behind them (like a window or bright porch light).
3D DNR (Digital Noise Reduction): Reduces graininess in low light. Too much noise reduction can blur fine details—so balance matters.
Field of View (FOV): How wide the camera can see. Wider FOV covers more area but makes distant objects smaller; narrower FOV zooms in but covers less.

Night Vision & Low-Light

IR Night Vision (Infrared): Infrared LEDs illuminate the scene so the camera can “see” in darkness. Often shown as black-and-white night footage.
IR Range: The distance the IR illumination can reach in ideal conditions. Real-world performance depends on scene layout, reflectivity, and weather.
Lux Rating: A sensitivity measure for low light. Lower lux ratings suggest better low-light performance, but real results vary by lens and sensor.
True Day/Night (ICR Filter): A mechanical filter that improves color accuracy in daylight and improves sensitivity at night when it switches for IR.
Color Night Vision: Uses extra light sensitivity, added white light, or both to keep color footage longer into the night.
IR Reflection / IR Bleed: When IR light bounces off nearby surfaces (like soffits, walls, spider webs, rain) and washes out the image. Proper placement reduces this.

Camera Types & Lenses

Bullet Camera: A common outdoor camera style with a visible “point-and-shoot” look. Easy to aim; often used for driveways and perimeter coverage.
Dome Camera: A round housing often used indoors or under eaves. Can be more discreet and harder to tell where it’s pointed.
Turret (Eyeball) Camera: Similar to a dome but without the reflective dome cover. Often performs well at night because there’s less chance of IR glare.
PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom): A motorized camera that can rotate and zoom. Great for wide areas, but it can only look in one direction at a time.
Fixed Lens: A non-adjustable lens (single focal length). Simple, reliable, and common for most standard installs.
Varifocal Lens: An adjustable lens that lets you zoom in/out to fine-tune the view. Useful when you’re not sure about distance and coverage.
Focal Length (mm): A lens measurement that influences how wide or zoomed-in the image appears. Lower = wider view; higher = tighter/zoomed view.
Optical Zoom vs. Digital Zoom: Optical: lens zoom that preserves detail. Digital: zoom by cropping the image (can reduce clarity).

Recording & Storage

DVR (Digital Video Recorder): A recorder typically used with analog cameras (coax). The DVR stores footage on a hard drive.
NVR (Network Video Recorder): A recorder used with IP/network cameras. The NVR stores footage and manages camera connections over the network.
Local Storage: Recording stored on a device you control (like an NVR/DVR, SD card, or NAS). Often preferred for reliability and privacy.
Cloud Storage: Footage uploaded to a remote service. Convenient for off-site backup, but depends on internet speed and subscription terms.
Retention (Storage Days): How long footage is kept before being overwritten. Retention depends on resolution, FPS, bitrate, and storage size.
Motion Recording vs. Continuous Recording: Motion: saves space by recording when activity is detected. Continuous: captures everything, uses more storage.
NAS (Network Attached Storage): A network-based storage device that can store video files. Used in some advanced setups for extra capacity or redundancy.
SD Card Recording: Some cameras can record to a microSD card inside the camera. Useful as backup, but storage is limited and physical access can be a risk.

Power & Wiring

PoE (Power over Ethernet): Sends power and data through one Ethernet cable. Simplifies installs and tends to be more reliable than Wi-Fi for fixed cameras.
PoE Switch: A network switch that provides PoE to connected devices (like cameras). Helps power multiple cameras from one place.
12V DC Power: A common power option for many cameras. Typically requires a separate power cable in addition to video/network cabling.
Coax (BNC): A cable type often used with analog CCTV systems (commonly paired with a DVR). Some systems can carry power + video with special setups.
UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply): Battery backup that keeps your recorder/router running during power outages (short-term). Helpful for reliability and continuity.

Networking & Remote Viewing

IP Camera: A camera that connects to a network (wired or Wi-Fi). Often used with NVR systems and remote viewing apps.
Wi-Fi Camera: A camera that sends video over Wi-Fi instead of a wired Ethernet connection. Convenience is high; reliability depends on signal strength.
Bandwidth: How much data your network can send/receive. More cameras and higher resolution require more bandwidth—especially for remote viewing.
Latency: Delay between what happens and what you see on screen. Some delay is normal, especially over cellular or cloud connections.
ONVIF: A common compatibility standard that helps certain IP cameras and recorders work together (when both devices support the same ONVIF features).
RTSP: A streaming protocol some cameras use to send video to recorders and software. Often referenced in advanced or third-party integrations.

Durability & Ratings

IP Rating (Ingress Protection): A rating describing resistance to dust and water (example: “IP66”). Higher ratings generally mean better weather protection.
IK Rating: An impact-resistance rating for housings. Higher IK ratings generally mean better protection against tampering or accidental impacts.
Vandal-Resistant: A general term indicating tougher housing/materials. Look for IP/IK ratings for more specific guidance.
Operating Temperature Range: The temperatures a device is designed to handle. Important for very hot attics, direct sun, or freezing winters.

Motion Detection & Smart Alerts

Motion Detection: The camera triggers recording or an alert when it detects movement. Sensitivity and placement are key to reducing false alerts.
Detection Zones / Activity Zones: Custom areas you define so the camera focuses on motion where it matters (like a doorway) and ignores areas like a busy street.
Smart Alerts (Person/Vehicle): Alerts that attempt to classify motion (person, vehicle, etc.). Can reduce noise compared to basic motion alerts, depending on the system.
False Alerts: Alerts triggered by shadows, bugs, trees, headlights, rain, etc. Better placement, zones, and sensitivity tuning help a lot.
Push Notifications: Alerts sent to your phone via the app. Useful, but best when tuned—too many alerts train you to ignore them.

Privacy & Cyber Basics

Privacy Mask: Blocks out parts of the image you don’t want recorded (like a neighbor’s window or a private interior area).
Encryption: A security method that helps protect data (like video streams or account info) from being easily intercepted.
Firmware: The camera/recorder’s internal software. Keeping firmware updated can improve performance and security.
2FA (Two-Factor Authentication): A login security feature that requires a second step (like a code) in addition to your password.
Default Password: The factory-set password. Change it immediately—this is one of the simplest, most important security steps.

Want Help Picking the Right Gear?

Tell us where you’re installing (home, business, driveway, entryway) and what matters most (night clarity, wide coverage, easy install). We’ll point you to the best-fit options.

Email: sales@totalarmor-security.com | Support FAQ

Shop Now Contact Us