CCTV Glossary K to O

Luminance

The brightness of a video signal

LUX

Used to specify how sensitive cameras are to light (measured in lumens/sq
metre).

e.g. a camera with a LUX Level of 0 can see in pitch black. The lower the
LUX Level the better the camera will see in the dark.

Mega Pixel Resolution

Mega Pixel resolution refers to video resolutions now achievable using IP Cameras. Unlike Analogue cameras, whose resolution is usually limited to around 752 x 582 (0.4 Mega Pixels), a Mega Pixel IP Camera can achieve far greater resolutions such as 1280 x 1024 (1.3 Mega Pixels) or 1600 x 1280 (2 Mega Pixels).
This increase in resolution produces far better image quality than a traditional analogue camera could ever achieve.

Motion Detection

Recording method for digital surveillance systems. When someone walks
in front of a camera, the pixels change and the DVR defines this as motion.
The surveillance system will then record these images to the hard disk.
This is a popular recording setup as every event recorded is actually
motion driven as opposed to a static image if the system was set to record
'round-the-clock'.

MPEG

Motion Picture Experts Group - a video compression technique for video
images

MPEG-4 has fast become the Digital CCTV standard recording compression
format.

MPEG-2 is used for DVD Recording quality.

Multiplexer

A Multi Screen CCTV device that allows input of 4, 9, 16 etc cameras
and provides a 'Mutli-Plexed' (or split screen) display of those cameras

Noise

Video Signal interference that usually appears as graininess or snow
on the picture.