The field of surveillance cameras includes a wide variety of different camera sizes, types, styles, configurations and combinations. There are cameras ranging from simple black-and-white cameras to highly complex color cameras. Basic components included in surveillance and monitoring systems are surveillance cameras and monitors electrically connected to a main control unit. Images taken by each surveillance camera are sent to the main control unit and displayed on the monitors for viewing by security guards. Video surveillance systems typically include a plurality of video cameras, video monitors for displaying the outputs of the video cameras and devices for remotely controlling the video cameras. More sophisticated video surveillance systems may include a computer for controlling the various components from a remote location. In security applications several video cameras will be connected to a recording system that periodically records a short period of video from each camera. These surveillance cameras are designed to work in an auto-exposure mode, where a device called an electronic shutter varies the integration time of each video frame to match the ambient lighting conditions. These cameras produce a continuous stream of standard video signals that contain two fields of video that are interlaced to create one frame of video. Surveillance cameras may have optical lenses ranging from very small to very large, depending upon the application, and most cameras include one or more printed circuit boards to control such camera functions as zoom, focus and adjustments for lighting.

A video camera monitor system typically includes a video camera with a pan and tilt mechanism and a display monitor with an operation terminal for controlling the video camera and the pan and tilt mechanism. The camera motion parameters typically required are pan (horizontal movement), tilt (vertical movement), zoom (depth movement) and rotation. Pan is a movement of the camera about a vertical axis generally along its vertical support axis. Tilt identifies a motion about a horizontal axis that is at a right angle or 90 degrees to the axis of the lens. Roll means rotation about an axis parallel to the lens axis. Remote and locally located cameras typically include devices for camera control. Devices include stepping motors or other mechanisms configured to point the camera or an image capturing device toward a scene or point of interest. Today, in the security industry, more and more emphasis is placed on discreet video surveillance by means of video cameras placed in housings having hemispherical transparent plastic domes. A dome may include one or more cameras, the operation of which can be remotely controlled. A camera in such a dome is typically equipped with a zoom lens which has a limited field of view. The camera can also be panned and tilted by remote control. The extent to which a particular camera or dome is able to monitor an area is limited by the field of view of its lens and the extent to which it can be panned and tilted. Oscillating mechanical rotary bases used on surveillance cameras allow such devices to oscillate back and forth between defined limits. Such bases allow a surveillance camera to scan an area between the limits, instead of having a stationary view from being constantly pointed in the same direction.

Video cameras are commonly used in CCTV systems associated with the operation and control of industrial processes. Closed circuit television or CCTV is widely used for video security/surveillance, video distribution, distance learning and other applications. A closed circuit television (CCTV) system generally includes a host computer which controls the operation of the system, a video switch which selectively interconnects input video signals with outputs of the switch. Also included in the system are video cameras, monitors, control consoles, and sensor devices. A local area network is provided for interchange of command, status and alarm data between the system host and the cameras, control consoles and sensors. Remote CCTV cameras are wired to a monitoring station which may comprise one or more monitors for watching the video (and sometimes audio) stream, and/or recording equipment for capturing and storing the surveillance signals. In remotely steered cameras, steering inputs generally activate a control program that sends commands to a stepping motor or other control device to steer a camera toward an object. General zooming functions of the camera may also be activated either on site or remotely. Closed circuit television system acquires and stores a surveillance record in the same format as used in broadcast television. Surveillance and security systems typically include different types of motion detectors, i.e. sensors, which activate a connected camera, a video recorder and/or a plurality of alarms when an intruder object appears within the area of surveillance.

The surveillance cameras may appear in many different forms, and may be generally divided into two types according to the mounting manners: surveillance camera with mounting rack and surveillance camera without mounting rack. In some instances a television camera is mounted on a stationary or rotating holder where it can be readily observed. There are numerous permutations and combinations of unique surveillance camera mounting requirements presented in the field of surveillance cameras. The mounting structures of video cameras typically include a housing that is secured to the ceiling of the building or at another suitable location on the building. The housing contains a video camera, motors and other components which permit the camera to be moved by remote control through a range of motion, and electronics for receiving control signals and transmitting video signals generated by the camera. The video surveillance camera chassis can include a plurality of positioning members on the perimeter of the chassis. The positioning members are engageable with a plurality of alignment flanges on the interior of the housing to guide the chassis into a preselected position within the housing. Many surveillance cameras are also equipped with heaters to prevent condensation from forming on the camera lenses, presenting unique mounting requirements. When mounted on top of a structure, the camera housing tends to act as a shield, deflecting precipitation such as rain and snow away from the base.