Closed Circuit Television

Sir, Just step in here for checking. The security guard asks a customer moving out of the departmental store in a big city.

Why Whats your problem the boy shouts with anger.

Sir, please dont shout, I am talking to you politely. Our Store manager is coming and we have instructions to hold you.

There is a mixed reaction on the face of the boy. Fear and nervousness, trying to hide under his anger. Soon, the manager arrives along with 2 more guards.

Yes Mister, we need to check you physically. We suspect, you have picked up some items, and hidden under your clothes. Either you take out yourself, or you want us to show your movie recorded in our closed circuit television security system.

Closed circuit televisions are a very commonly installed in stores, sensitive buildings, banks, offices, etc. High profile people install in their residence as well. Closed circuit television abbreviated as CCTV is a kind of system where cameras are installed at strategic points and connected to a monitoring station in the same building or place. These are attached through a computer as well, where the movie taken by the camera is recorded in the hard disk. These are very effective means of security system whereby the cameras record the movement 24 hours of the day. Alongside, the movements can be seen on the television screens and monitored by security personnel. The installed cameras can be fixed or rotational. Normally for places like corridors like areas, fixed cameras are best suited. They give a permanent view covering whole area in their fixed lens. In wide places, the rotational cameras are more effective. They can be set to cover the whole area of the hall/room with movements set with time. These movements can be changed by the persons monitoring on the televisions. Similarly, all the cameras can be set on a single screen, to be viewed in rotation. Or can be set to be viewed multiple cameras on single screen forming divided boxes on the single screen.

Many shoplifting have been detected on closed circuit television, and effectively used in departmental stores. Installation in Sensitive Government offices, Banks, Offices, Residences, have been able to catch thief unaware of being caught and filmed by the CCTV cameras.

CCTV can be used for entertainment as well. In offices, buildings, or fixed places, the television are beamed by channels through cable set top boxes taking signals from the dish antenna. But for viewing of movies or other programs while moving in a transport, CCTV is the best means. Connecting the TVs to a Projector, CPU, VCR or DVD etc. in a control room can telecast the programs on all the TV sets connected or networked. Best example for this would be the aircraft. A TV monitor is provided on each seat, wired, networked to the control room from where it is connected to DVD players or CPU, telecasting various programs at the same time and viewed on different channels on the TV screens. The passengers can choose the program of their choice and view individually on their TV screens installed on their seats.

Another best example is ships sailing. The TVs installed in various cabins, common areas, provide entertainment to its passengers and crew members. These TV can similarly be installed in trains, buses and personal cars.

If we look back to years back, it would have been a dream imagination to think of happenings on a screen far away from the actual place of happening. Maybe many never imagined of it. But that is the development of scientists always involved into research for technological developments. We of this age find these technologies a very obvious and common phenomena. But there would be lots of things which probably we are not able to think today but would be happening from 10 or 20 years from now.

If we give a deep thought to these aspects, we will feel that the ancient people were far more technologically developed than we are today. In Hindu mythology, and one of the most respected epic Ramayana, the life of Lord Rama, we find mentions of various arms, which could be linked with nuclear arms of today. We read about flying humans which could be nothing but supersonic jets or maybe even more advanced jets with speed which have not been reached by us today. Similarly, in another religious epic Mahabhartha, the tale of war between Kauravs and Pandavas, the mention of Sanjay, one of the ministers of King Dhritrashtra, father of Kauravas and uncle of Pandavas, is there. It is mentioned that Sanjay had been given the power to view anything anywhere on the earth. He was narrating the whole episode of the war to his King, who was blind, sitting in the palace, miles away from the war land of Kurukshetra, now a city in the state of Haryana in India. It is possible that the technology was so advanced at that time, that the whole episode was being telecast on television, through various CCTV cameras installed in Kurukshetra, and via satellite, were being telecast live.

Like every development has good and bad angles, the CCTV too has its negative angles too. Bad elements have misused the developments in the technology at every stage, so have they done with closed circuit television as well. Installation of closed circuit televisions cameras is like peeping from the hole. And there has to be some places where privacy is utmost requirement. Trespassing into privacy of someone is an offence. Today, we come across lots of pornographic material on the internet. Internet too is a technological development. It can be termed as An ocean of knowledge. Any information about this Universe on any topic is available by click of mouse. But as mentioned, it too has negative aspects. Pornography is one such thing. It is widely in circulation on the net. Coming back to our CCTVs negative aspects, many cases have come across, where people have installed hidden cameras in private areas. In hostels, shower rooms, bed rooms etc., unaware of being filmed.

Similarly, if CCTV is a boon for security, it is a threat too. Spys have often filmed strategic points of other countries to view its defence and other installations. On the other hand, sting operations have unearthed unlawful activities. Countries and states enact various laws to take care of these illegal activities.

But, the developments in science and technology can not be stopped merely because of some bad elements finding out ways to misuse the developments. The developments in Science and technology must be kept going for the benefit of humanity, society.