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Plain guides to running cameras: standards, recorders, storage and search.

Also: the CCTV storage calculator and a glossary of camera terms. RSS

  1. Running a VMS with no internet: air-gapped video surveillance

    What breaks when video management software loses the internet, how to plan a server room that never dials out, and what to ask a vendor before you buy.

    · 4 min read

  2. MeitY's Essential Requirements for CCTV, explained for buyers

    What India's Essential Requirements for CCTV cover, who they apply to, how to check a camera's STQC test report and CRO registration, and what tenders now ask.

    · 5 min read

  3. One VMS across several sites: central server or one per building?

    Should cameras from several buildings record to one central server or to a server in each? The bandwidth maths, failure domains and who sees what.

    · 4 min read

  4. Ten questions IT should ask a video management vendor

    Before buying a VMS, ask about data residency, encryption, audit logs, directory sign-in, update signing, offline use, camera lock-in, licensing and exit.

    · 4 min read

  5. SSO for video management: SAML, LDAP and Entra ID explained

    What SAML, LDAP and Microsoft Entra ID each do for a VMS, how directory groups map to roles, how leavers lose access, and why one local account still matters.

    · 4 min read

  6. How to find IP cameras on your network

    Lost track of a camera's IP address? Find IP cameras and NVRs on your network with ONVIF discovery, your router, a network scan or the maker's tool.

    · 3 min read

  7. H.264 vs H.265 for security cameras

    H.265 records the same picture in roughly half the bits of H.264, but takes more work to play. When to switch, what can break, and what it saves.

    · 2 min read

  8. How much storage do security cameras need?

    Work out CCTV storage from bitrate, recording hours and retention days. The formula, typical bitrates, a worked example and ways to need less disk.

    · 3 min read

  9. Main stream vs substream: why cameras send two

    Most IP cameras send a full-quality main stream and a lighter substream. What each one is for, sensible settings, and how they save bandwidth and CPU.

    · 2 min read

  10. NVR vs VMS: what's the difference?

    An NVR is a box that records IP cameras; a VMS is software that manages them. How they differ on brands, scale, search and cost, and when you want both.

    · 3 min read

  11. How to search CCTV footage by describing it

    AI video search finds moments in recorded camera footage from a plain-words description, across every camera at once. How it works and how to search well.

    · 3 min read

  12. How to know when a camera stops recording

    Cameras fail quietly: power, network, full disks, a lens knocked aside. How to monitor camera health so you find out before you need the footage.

    · 3 min read

  13. Self-hosted vs cloud video management

    A self-hosted VMS records to your own server; a cloud VMS stores video with a provider. How they compare on privacy, bandwidth, cost and upkeep.

    · 4 min read

  14. WebRTC vs HLS: why some camera feeds lag

    Live camera video in an app or browser usually arrives over WebRTC or HLS. Why one is under a second behind and the other several, and when each wins.

    · 2 min read

  15. What is ONVIF? Mixing camera brands, explained

    ONVIF is the open standard that lets IP cameras and recorders from different makers work together. What it does, which profile to buy, and where RTSP fits.

    · 4 min read

  16. What is video management software (VMS)?

    Video management software (VMS) records, shows and searches footage from IP cameras. What a VMS does, the main kinds, and how to choose one.

    · 3 min read