You’ve probably heard about “ghosting” a date. You may have heard about job candidates “ghosting” employers. But have you heard about the CCTV ghost? CCTV ghosting is a phenomenon that creates fuzzy images that appear misty, hazy, and even supernatural. But far from being an otherworld event, if you have a ghosting image on a camera, it is simply a technology glitch.
But what causes ghost images on security cameras? In this blog, we’ll look at CCTV camera ghosting, including what causes ghosting on CCTV cameras and how you can scare off your own surveillance-system ghosts without relying on a gang of plucky meddling kids and their talking dog.
What Causes Ghosting on CCTV Cameras?
There are several television shows (and plenty of YouTube videos) that appear to capture ghosts on closed-circuit camera footage. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately, if you want to believe), this “CCTV ghosting” is the result of technical glitches that cause what looks like a ghost. What causes ghosting on security cameras? There could be several factors:
How to Scare Away Your CCTV Ghost
The first step toward how to fix CCTV ghosting on your cameras is to divide camera coverage between day and night. If you’re having problems with the clarity of images at night, you may need upgraded HD night vision equipment. Most HD IP cameras have a CMOS sensor that helps keep images clean during daylight. But these tools simply don’t perform as well in low-light conditions.
You can also add an infrared sensor to your camera. The trick is to choose a higher quality camera with better sensors to improve your visuals. Today’s digital IP-enabled cameras are both more sophisticated and less likely to have ghosting.
You should also make sure your entire site is as well-lit as possible. If you’re placing a camera under a light source, a lens hood could help eliminate any lens flare, getting rid of CCTV ghosts. Make sure the cameras are placed properly. This could include watching the video feed to ensure you aren’t catching a flare from the rising sun in the mornings. The same process could occur with the setting sun. Generally, you don’t want the camera pointing at an angle that is ever hampered by the sun, if you can avoid it.
During the day, you should perform regular maintenance on your cameras to be sure they’re functioning properly. This should include periodically dusting your cameras and inspecting them for wear and tear. When was the last time you walked around your business and checked camera housings, placement, and any other signs that your transmission signal could be corrupted?
You should also:
Finally, we know that managing video surveillance can seem worrisome. That’s why we offer a service to monitor the health of your IP cameras to be sure they’re functioning properly. This service includes monitoring the quality of the video. That way we can correct any issues that lead to ghosting before they affect your video quality. We also offer remote surveillance guards who can watch your site from afar.
All of these steps can eliminate that ghosting image on your surveillance system. Talk with our team today about how we can help improve your business security platform.
