How to Design CCTV Systems with Videocad 8 Professional
Videocad 8 Professional is a powerful and versatile software tool for designing CCTV systems. It allows you to place cameras on a background image, model their view areas in 2D and 3D, calculate pixel density and image quality, import 3D models of cameras and scenes, simulate lens distortion and camera parameters, and export your project to AutoCAD, SketchUP, COLLADA and other formats.
Videocad 8 Professional
In this article, we will show you how to use some of the main features of Videocad 8 Professional to create a CCTV design for a parking lot. You will learn how to:
Import a background image and scale it
Add cameras and adjust their positions, orientations and parameters
Visualize camera view areas and coverage in 2D and 3D
Check pixel density and image quality criteria
Import 3D models of cars and buildings
Simulate lens distortion and camera sensitivity
Export your project to AutoCAD
Let's get started!
Import a background image and scale it
The first step is to import a background image of the parking lot. You can use any image format supported by Videocad, such as JPG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, etc. To import an image, go to File > Import > Background Image and select the file from your computer. You will see the image appear in the Graphics window.
The next step is to scale the image to match the real dimensions of the parking lot. To do this, you need to measure a known distance on the image and enter it in the Scale box. For example, if you know that the width of the parking lot is 50 meters, you can use the Ruler tool to measure the width on the image and enter 50 in the Scale box. Then click Apply Scale.
You can also use the Grid tool to check the scale accuracy. The grid lines will show you the distance between each point on the image. You can adjust the grid size and color in the Options menu.
Add cameras and adjust their positions, orientations and parameters
The next step is to add cameras to your project. You can use any of the predefined camera models from the Camera Model Database or create your own custom models. To add a camera, go to Camera > Add Camera or click on the Add Camera button on the toolbar. A new camera will appear on the image with a default position, orientation and parameters.
To adjust the position of the camera, you can drag it with your mouse or use the Position box to enter the coordinates manually. You can also use the Snap tool to align the camera with grid lines or other objects on the image.
To adjust the orientation of the camera, you can use the Rotation box to enter the angles manually or use the Rotate tool to rotate it with your mouse. You can also use the Align tool to align the camera with other cameras or objects on the image.
To adjust the parameters of the camera, such as focal length, resolution, sensitivity, exposure time, etc., you can use the Camera Parameters box or double-click on the camera icon to open its properties window. You can also use the Camera Model box to select a different model from the database or create your own custom model.
Visualize camera view areas and coverage in 2D and 3D
The next step is to visualize how your cameras cover the parking lot in 2D and 3D. To do this, you can use various tools in Videocad, such as:
View Area - shows the shape of the camera view area on 0efd9a6b88