Generally speaking a security system with PTZ cameras nowadays may either be manual or automatic.
An automatic system would mean that the software controls the cameras automatically, and uses motion tracking and facial recognition technology to identify targets and then track their motion. However this technology is far from perfect, which is why many people feel that manual systems where an actual person is present monitoring the video feeds is still preferable.
Furthermore it is also worth noting that although an automatic system can be programmed to trigger an alarm there is little else it can do. Because the technology isn’t perfect, this could mean that you have a lot of false alarms being set off – which could end up causing more work.
On the flipside, with someone present actually making the right call and investigating suspicious activity there should be very few or no false alarms.
How do Manual PTZ Camera Systems Work
Most manual PTZ camera systems consist of multiple cameras that are set to monitor a certain area. Some may have a small degree of automatic motion, i.e. they may be set to pan a couple of degrees over a set period of time.
The reason why it is known as a manual system however is because most of the movement will be controlled by security personnel who are monitoring the video feeds. When anything suspicious is noted, the personnel can focus in on it by zooming, panning and tilting using a joystick or some other control interface.
Some of the more modern systems may even use ‘point and click’ systems that use a mouse.
Unfortunately the downside of these systems is that the person monitoring them needs to be alert – otherwise potential threats may go unnoticed. For systems with multiple video feeds this is even more likely to happen as the security personnel may be looking at Camera 1 while someone crosses through Camera 8, or something like that.
Semi-Automatic Solutions
One way to overcome the weakness in manual systems is to use semi-automatic solutions. By using the technology in automatic systems (i.e. face and motion detection), it is possible for these systems to trigger an internal alarm when something is detected and the security personnel will then be alerted to focus on it and determine whether or not it is a threat.
In this way, the weaknesses of both manual and automatic security systems can be overcome.
As you can see, there are some marked differences between manual and automatic PTZ camera systems, and both do have their weak points. However, with the combination of the two a high level of security can be attained that really does solve most of the common issues.