CCTV stands for closed circuit television. It is a system where the circuit is closed and all the elements are linked.

The concept of CCTV is simple enough to understand. It is the application of such technology that still holds many undiscovered gems. Such a simple concept can be tapped for its limitless potential. And for the end user, it can serve as a great tool to accomplish many different things. In the end, that is the most important thing.

Another big advance was when footage could be recorded and stored. The footage would be played back according to the viewing cycle the user chose. Once the footage is recorded, it cannot be changed to go to a different camera. The next step would be cameras that were able move and swivel. Simple platforms that move on a horizontal plane are called scanners. If a platform moves on both vertical and horizontal units it is called a pan, tilt unit.

It all starts with the camera. This creates the picture that is transmitted to the control area. Most CCTV cameras are not fitted with lenses. They must be obtained separately and screwed on. There is a standard screw thread although there are different mounts. Not all lenses have focus adjustment. Most have iris adjustment. Some wide angle lenses do not have a focus ring. There is a BNC jack for connecting the video cable. In the case of line powered cameras, this coaxial cable also provides power. The monitor is what receives the signal that the camera creates. A CCTV monitor is similar to a television set but it does not have tuning circuits.