2. Frame Rate – Another way to reduce bandwidth and storage needs is to adjust the frame rate of the video. The more frames per second (FPS) that are being recorded, the larger the video file. Lower resolution and fewer frames per second may be adequate for some end users, but for others high-resolution and FPS are important and may even be required by law.

If there is flexibility in an end user’s application, camera settings can be adjusted to provide standard resolution and frame rates at certain times, with the ability to increase either or both when needed, such as when an event is triggered within the camera’s field of view.

3. Regions of Interest – Motion, reflections or any details that have no bearing on the end user’s security goals can cause video to quickly eat up bandwidth and storage requirements, so it’s a good practice to limit a camera’s field of view in high resolution.

Many cameras incorporate functions that allow users to select the most important or most critical areas within a scene to be recorded at the highest resolution. Other areas can be recorded in lower resolution, reducing the amount of detail in the overall scene and lowering bandwidth and storage requirements and costs.

4. Noise Reduction – Noise or interference caused by the circuitry and electrical components within a camera itself can be picked up by the sensor and show up in video as static, snow or fuzzy images. The extra and unnecessary detail these artifacts add to the video is another potential culprit in increasing the strain video can put on the network and NVR.

There are two types of noise reduction, spatial and temporal, both of which use sophisticated algorithms to average out the pixels in a frame to reduce noise. Each type has its pros and cons. An ideal solution is a blend of the two methods that allows them to dynamically adjust based on light level, motion and other factors to produce images with the lowest noise levels, reducing network and storage costs.

5. Recording – The final variable in lowering bandwidth and storage costs is the amount of video that’s being recorded and how long it is retained. Naturally, cameras that are constantly recording and transmitting will put the most strain on networks and NVRs. While 24/7 recording is required in some situations, in many cases it isn’t a necessity. Instead, cameras can be set to record either on a time schedule or when an event is triggered, such as when motion is detected. Once the video reaches the NVR the length of time an organization intends – or is required by law or policy – to keep the video will determine how much storage capacity is needed on an on-going basis.

Just as high bandwidth and storage requirements can drive up the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a surveillance system, effectively managing those requirements can lower TCO. This helps makes megapixel video a more attractive option for end users in terms of both quality and cost.

The ability to deliver high-quality megapixel video at a price point that’s more acceptable to end users can be the difference between winning a lucrative project or having your proposal automatically rejected, based simply on the overall cost.

As mentioned, it is indeed possible to present customers and potential customers the high-quality video they demand simply by understanding and utilizing these five factors. Perhaps best of all, the sale doesn’t necessarily end today.

Because these types of systems allow for easy expansion if needed, dealers and integrators have an opportunity to create a lasting relationship with their customers. Ultimately, these relationships could very well lead to even greater revenue growth in the future.

John Grabowski is National Sales and Marketing Manager for JVC, Security Division.

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