The Status and Development of Digital Monitoring in China

The monitoring industry in China in the late 1990s, along with the popularization of computer technology, image processing technology and network technology, has brought about a wave of digital surveillance. This wave has caused profound changes in China's security market that has grown up since the late 1980s. For the first time, China’s monitoring companies have stood on the same starting line as foreign companies, and have also become emerging professional monitoring companies and companies in China. Brought unprecedented challenges and opportunities.

The digital monitoring system that is now commonly referred to means that the input, control, display, and storage of the monitoring system use digital image compression processing techniques. Its other feature is digitally processed images that can use existing network technology to transmit live images to remote monitoring centers. It can be said that the two major technical cores of digital surveillance systems are image compression storage technology and network transmission technology. The application of these two technologies in the surveillance system is the course of digital surveillance development.

Digital surveillance products in China's development process

Recalling the digital development process of China's domestic surveillance systems, the following stages were divided:

The first stage was the early 1990s: At that time, the monitoring system generally used foreign import matrix control hosts. In order to meet the needs of popularization of computers at that time, the monitoring companies developed software that used computer to control the matrix host system and realized computer monitoring. System image switching, audio switching, alarm processing, image capture and other multimedia controls. The computer multimedia monitoring at this time is actually only used as an auxiliary control keyboard of the monitoring system, and can be said to be the embryonic form of digital monitoring in China.

The process of localization of China's surveillance products was also started during this period. Numerous monitoring companies began to produce or copy control products such as matrix hosts, decoders, multimedia control systems, and PTZ peripherals compatible with foreign companies. It is characterized by small-scale industrialization based on traditional electronics manufacturing.

The second stage was the mid-to-late period of the 1990s: during this period it was a period of rapid development of image processing technology, computer technology, and network technology. After domestic Chinese companies completed the industrial production of matrix equipment, decoders, multimedia control systems, and PTZ and other external devices, they discovered that Taiwanese and foreign monitoring companies began to shift their traditional electronics manufacturing-based monitoring production lines to China for production. Products include surveillance cameras such as video cameras, monitors, image processors, video tape recorders, alarm detectors, and alarm panels. The above development process was just a common phenomenon in the 1990s when foreign electronic product manufacturers entered the Chinese market on a large scale. Most monitoring products are localized. Chinese domestic companies can purchase Panasonic cameras made in China, Sanyo's VCRs, and Dixon's alarm detectors at a lower price, which has facilitated the popularization of surveillance systems in China.

However, a large number of foreign manufacturers of surveillance products have entered China, and in the short term, they have restricted the progress of Chinese surveillance companies from small-scale electronic product companies to large-scale production companies and forced them to face greater competitive pressure. Chinese domestic companies have begun to look into a new field and use image compression technology and network technology to develop new surveillance products. Their product features are the use of sophisticated computer technology, image compression storage technology and network technology, and the use of standardized computerized manufacturing facilities. Conditions, without the need to invest a lot of development, research and mold production funds, can quickly produce manufactured products and put on the market. This production model is completely different from the traditional electronic processing and manufacturing industry and has become a rare market opportunity for China's domestic monitoring companies.

At this stage, digital monitoring has begun in foreign countries. The first domestic digital surveillance products are the telephone line transmission and network transmission products produced by the United States and Israel. The image compression standard adopts MJPEG. The system has simple digital monitoring and network monitoring. There are many features, and there is also a feature that makes the entire surveillance industry a novelty - digital video recording. As the digital monitoring equipment has just been introduced into the surveillance industry, its extremely high value-added technology has immediately attracted a large number of monitoring companies to invest in it, and has developed a digital monitoring host based on computer architecture. The system will be a matrix switcher, image splitter, hard disk recorder Integrated on a computer platform, it forms a monitoring host product with Chinese characteristics and develops into an industry trend.

Due to price constraints and limited hard disk capacity, digital surveillance systems and digital video systems developed during this period have not been able to gain an advantage in competition with analog devices.

The third stage is after 2000: With the progress of image compression technology, especially the large number of MPEG-I and MPEG-II image compression chip applications, since 2000, digital surveillance products have entered a period of rapid development and products From the original digital surveillance video host to the development of network cameras, network transmission equipment, telephone transmission equipment, professional digital hard disk recorders and other products.

Due to the special nature of China's surveillance market, digital surveillance products from abroad frequently appeared in the Chinese market during this period, but they did not enter the Chinese market as much as their analog products. These foreign products brought digital monitoring and network to the Chinese market. The concept of monitoring and technology development. Locally-made digital surveillance products, along with the rapid development of China's computer market, have begun to lead the digital surveillance market in China. Their products are technically almost the same as foreign countries (using almost the same computer and chips) and are more functionally functional. Reflecting the special needs of China's security, the price is more competitive than foreign brands.

After 2000, with the increasing demand for digitization and networking of China's domestic surveillance systems, digital hard disk video recording equipment began to replace traditional analog video recording equipment, and the market share of digital surveillance products continued to grow, resulting in many traditional IT companies, network companies, and home appliances. Enterprises have been optimistic about this market, investing funds, manpower, and developing digital surveillance products, and the digital surveillance market presents an unprecedented prosperity.