High-Definition (HD) is everywhere–cameras, televisions, cell phones, monitors. It references to the pixel density on a screen or on recorded video. Pixels (p or pix) are a measurement of the amount of space a programmable color is displayed on a digital image. The more pixels, the sharper, more detailed the image. The tiny pixel space can light up in millions of different colours. Hundreds of thousands of pixels blended together then produce the image that you see on the screen. The amount of pixels that the image spans is calculated in megapixels.
With the rise of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) televisions and computers, the term ‘HD’ is a vital part of a sales pitch in selling a better picture. But does it still hold credibility in a fast-moving digital age. First off a little bit of a background behind the term and the organization that stands for it.
What is High-Definition video?
High definition video is described as higher resolution that standard resolution. Standard resolution (think traditional televisions) anything below 480 television lines in North America. Televisions never used to use pixels until the newer LCD screens came out. TVs used lines to create the image that you saw on the screen. That’s the reason why the resolution was counted by the amount of lines that are possible to be displayed on a TV. The new HD devices all utilize pixels instead of lines to produce the image that is seen on the screen.
High definition Video Modes
The common modes of high definition video are as follows:
- 720p
- 1080i
- 1080p
- 1440p
All these standards are based upon a pixel amount on the screen. 1080p for example refers to 1920 pixels horizontally and 1080 pixels vertically. Note that the mode is still counted by the number of pixels vertically, just like it used to be with TV Lines. At a resolution of 1080p, the screen will have a total of 2,073,600 pixels displaying an image.
Is it a buzzword or not?
Now that we have bored you with the details of what HD actually stands for, the issue is that it is not a standard. A standard is a unified specification that is created by a consortium of manufacturers to create a solution that will be universally usable. WiFi is an example of those standards. Every device can log onto an existing WiFi network, so long as the device supports the standard. With HD, anything can bear that plaque saying that it is a HD product, while it may not fulfill the actual specs of HD.
Shopping for cameras can be very complicated, but one thing that never seems to miss is the ‘HD’ on the box. The term HD itself is a marketing tactic that has swept the market by a storm. Everyone is now looking for HD cameras, regardless of what these cameras may be. Technologies such as HD over coax cable, which allows ‘HD’ resolutions to be sent via coax. Unfortunately, all these boxes are not clear and simply use the buzzword to make sure the customer buys the item.
So how can you ensure you have a High-Definition product?
Luckily in the case of TV’s and displays the HD is usually combined with the standard that the display can actually support. A Full-HD screen supports 1080p, and any lower resolution, such as 720p. If the box states the video mode, these are much more enforced than the actual ‘HD’. As such you can rest assured that you are getting the product you are paying for.
Cameras usually state the megapixels on the box, which can then in turn be converted to a video standard. A 2-MP (Mega Pixel) camera will support 1080p, as the camera will have 2,000,000 pixels and 1080p has a marginal amount of 73,000 pixels more. Megapixels is a much easier way to tell the resolution the camera can actually support. If there is a camera that states ‘HD’ and other buzzwords but does not provide megapixel information, this usually shows that the camera is not what it is made out to be. The Authorized Security teams works closely with Hikvision and Axis to provide cameras that fulfill upon what they promise. With video surveillance it is typically very hard to find the camera that you are looking for, if you do not know what exactly you are looking for. There are cameras that state 1080p, but cannot keep up with the standard that is expected from that resolution.
Ultra HD
Ultra High Definition (UHD) is another resolution mode that was started with the 4,000 pixel resolution. This quality level of viewing prides itself on being four times the pixel density of 1080p, which means you have eight megapixels instead of only two megapixels that you would be getting with 1080p. The reputable manufacturers of TV’s and cameras have kept their promise that comes with the 4K badge, but that may change over time.
How to buy the right camera
Buying the right camera for your solution takes math, experience and cameras that are up to the task. There is no set guide on what the right camera may be for a solution. We provide the cameras that we personally trust and that we would vouch for being the best in the business. We calculate the lens requirements, resolution requirements, focal length and more to ensure that you get the right camera for the job. Unfortunately there are surveillance kits and cameras from low-end manufacturers that promise the world and only disappoint. These are the cameras that purely rely on buzz-words to sell. We avoid exactly that by selling cameras made by reputable manufacturers and demoing the products for you before you purchase.
As a general rule of thumb, you should always question a camera solution that offers 4 or even 8 cameras under $1000 with a recording solution and more. These cameras may be able to be played back on a 1080p screen, but the video they record does not actually abide by the 1080p standard. The sentence ‘you get what you pay for’ really applies for cameras, and as such we always recommend to go with a surveillance solution provider that can provide you with demo products and videos before you purchase cameras.
Get in Touch
Did you fall victim to the ‘HD’ hype? No problem–let us help you find a video camera solution that will actually work for you and your business with cameras that actually perform as promise. Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments. You can call us at any time at (403) 477-4800 or email us at info@authorizedsecurity.ca.