How to Achieve Effective & Reliable Motion Detection

A security camera is barely useful if the motion detection is inaccurate. In fact, the usefulness of a security camera depends on the accuracy of real motion events. With the recent developments in modern technology, security camera manufacturers always make sure to develop smart algorithms in the devices they sell.......

How to Achieve Effective & Reliable Motion Detection

A security camera is barely useful if the motion detection is inaccurate. In fact, the usefulness of a security camera depends on the accuracy of real motion events. With the recent developments in modern technology, security camera manufacturers always make sure to develop smart algorithms in the devices they sell. However, regardless of the smartness of the video surveillance system, the positioning and configuration of the camera is exceptionally important for optimal results.

 Mentioned below are some of the important things you should consider when setting up your videos surveillance system.

1.The angle of the camera

They way you position the camera and direct it play a vital role in maximising the productivity of the camera. It is also important to maintain the appropriate focal length to support proper motion detection. Here are the key points you should consider when setting up the camera angle:

• What you intend to capture should be in a larger frame. If the captures were done with a very wide angle, the objects, of course, are going to appear smaller. Such smaller objects are hardly capable of triggering the motion detection feature. Also, it is obviously going to be difficult to identify details, like faces.

• Be sure to avoid sky in your camera frame. You can easily do this by angling the camera downwards. When the sky is in the frames, depending on the angle, the sun will create a glare in the camera and reduce the cleanliness of the images captured. Also, direct sunlight may have the ability to damage the sensor of the camera.

• Focus on the essential frames only. Avoid all the unnecessary areas as they significantly reduce the resolution of the capture.

 2. They way the camera is mounted

You should always remember to mount the camera in a sturdy manner. If the camera is shaky, you can’t expect a good quality camera picture. The best way to mount the camera is to use a strong and sturdy bracket and install it on a solid platform such as a building or a concrete pole. Be smart enough to refrain from mounting cameras on shaky poles, trees and other flexible objects.

 3. Adequate Lighting  

Technically, cameras produce low quality images under poor light conditions. The amount of noise significantly increases when the light is low. When the light is low, the camera itself has to boost the brightness of the pixels; this mechanism increases the noise of the image, too.

The best way to overcome this issue is to illuminate the targeted area properly. If you don’t want to illuminate the area with visible light, you can go for an infra-red surveillance system. Fortunately, most of the modern surveillance cameras are equipped with sophisticated infrared LEDs and, therefore, are capable of providing night vision. One of the major downsides of the inbuilt IR LEDs is that they attract insects. The movements of these insects will trigger motion detection feature of the camera. Moreover, inbuilt infrared LEDs are effective within a limited distance.

This is when you need to illuminate the area using a separate IR light system. Such a system can help the camera capture better images.

4. Correct compression settings

If the compression settings of your camera aren’t configured perfectly, you are not going to get the end result you expected. Basically, videos captured with the help of these cameras are compressed in JPEG, MPEG-4 or H.264. When the correct compression settings are maintained, the quality of the videos will appear to be significantly high. However, the image quality will drop drastically when the wrong settings are applied. Without the correct settings, things can be really difficult when referring to the details of the captured information.

For instance, settings like Constant Bit Rate (or CBR) produces a steady amount of data within the given period. CBR is the default setting type you find in most of the cameras. However, when it comes to a location with lots of objects and complex movements, the camera may need a better compression mode like Variable Bit Rate (VBR). This compression mode helps the camera to adjust the bit rate and capture better, clearer images.

The quality setting lets you to change the quality of the video (as the name depicts). The higher the setting, the better the quality of the images will be. Depending on the type and the brand of the camera you select, you will be able to get quality videos even from “medium quality” settings.

5. Frame Rate

It is important to maintain a good frame rate with the camera if you expect better motion detection ability. Although the best results can be expected from a frame rate around 10fps, under general circumstances, you need to keep the frame rate to a minimum of 5fps.

6. Masking settings

Adjusting the masking settings is another fact to consider when eliminating false-positive detection. By masking out objects that you don’t want in the footage, you can set your camera to avoid unnecessary motion detections. Usually, this can be used to mask out objects that move in the wind (trees, branches, etc). When you mask, however, be sure to do it with a control and keep the necessary frames.

7. Triggering

Triggering of a camera determines the minimum duration of the continuous motion. Most of the cameras come in 1 second trigger time by default. Be sure not to reduce this speed unless there is a very good reason. In fact, 1 second trigger speed will be good enough to capture real-time moments like walking. With a sufficiently wide camera angle, you will be able to capture the motions pretty easily with the same settings.

Regardless of the camera you select, it is always important to contact a specialised technician if you are not 100% confident about the installation process. Be sure to perform a few test runs before finalising the installation. Before you make the purchase, clarify the product’s information and the warranty information.