Digital Video Surveillance And Security by Anthony C Caputo

“Digital Video Surveillance And Security” by Anthony C. Caputo is a comprehensive manual on IP-based electronic security systems. The author provides information on selecting the right hardware and software, areas of coverage, and the best camera positions to maximize effectiveness of newer technologies. Through clear descriptions and detailed illustrations, Caputo describes how to integrate the various components of a security system to meet various needs and budgets. This book in no way can be confused with a security pamphlet, for it is indeed a textbook on Digital Video Surveillance and Security.

The book starts with an introduction to Digital Video Security by providing a short intro, discussions on closed circuit television, Digital Video Security, general security, and a couple case studies. I liked that Caputo starts out with the goals of visual surveillance. These are deterrence, efficiency, capable guardian, and detection.

Part one of the book focuses on choosing the right equipment. Chapters include Digital Video Overview, Digital Video Hardware, Understanding Networks and Networked Video, and Wireless Networked Video. Each of these chapters has plenty of detail with diagrams, charts, and photographs to assist with learning. Each chapter has a summary or “chapter lessons” at the end, which is a bullet point list of the important concepts covered in the chapter.

Part two is about approaching the project. Chapters include Site license plate reader camera Survey, Choosing the Right Software, DVS Archiving and Storage, Project Implementation, and Security Integration and Access Management. I especially liked some of the topics in the site survey chapter. It discussed license plate recognition, human recognition, and something very obvious, but something some may forget, you need power to have a camera. No power equals no camera.

The book contains an Appendix that contains a site survey readiness checklist and survey form. This eight page form covers the planning Caputo covers in the text. There is also a good index.

This is not a book for the person who wishes to install a simple security system in their home. Unless of course you want an elaborate system and are interested in the topic. This book is designed to assist the security professional who needs to install an IP-based security system. The book is detailed and at times complicated, but no so much that you can’t follow or understand. Look at it as a textbook, and realize that it is a subject that needs to be studied in order to master. The knowledge and guidance from this text will enable the reader to not only better understand this new technology, but become competent in the planning and installation of these new video surveillance systems.