May 22, 2023
Because high-quality experience provided by ultra-high resolution, as well as content sources, transmission and demand can contribute to development. 4K has become popular in TV industry and has become standard configuration for regular TVs. However, for security monitoring industry, development of 4k is not so smooth. 4k resolution is equivalent to four 1080P and eight 720P, so one 4K surveillance camera can be used as four quasi-high definition surveillance cameras. Video surveillance collects ultra-high definition images, even if image is enlarged, it will not blur image. Thus, it seems that image quality of 4K ultra-high definition is more in line with security requirements.
Currently, 4K monitoring is already available in market, but why is 4K monitoring not popular in a large area?
Bandwidth issues
4K ultra-high-definition cameras are a major transmission challenge, and biggest challenge in network transmission is throughput. For current mainstream H.264 compression technology, it is ideal to be able to guarantee transmission of one channel of 4K@25fps images at 15Mbps, it is almost impossible to guarantee transmission of 4k ultra-high resolution.
So which "non-core" compression technology is best for 4K?
In August 2012, Ericsson released first H.265 codec, and just six months later, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) officially approved HEVC/H.265 standard, which is called HEVC/H.265 standard. Highly efficient video encoding. H.265 carries higher quality network video with limited bandwidth, and only half of original bandwidth is needed to play same quality video.
Device processing power issues
Despite being 4k compliant, H.265 brought a new problem - problem of processing power. To ensure smooth video encoding and decoding, H.265 compression technology requires more processing power of device.
Cost issues
High-definition 4K surveillance has always been a total system, not a single device or channel. Auxiliary products are needed, from external capture to network transmission and internal decoding, storage and display. Each channel must comply with 4K requirements, in order to better display effect of 4K ultra-high resolution. Each ancillary requirement adds to overall cost of 4K. Finally, after a series of cost calculations, many monitoring users in general industries have been locked out of 4K monitoring door.
Despite complexity of developing 4K monitoring, prospects are promising
Country Help
On March 1, 2019, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, State Administration of Radio and Television and China Central Television released "Ultra HD Video Industry Development Action Plan (2019-2022)". Among them, it is emphasized that, in accordance with general technical route of "4K first, considering 8K", vigorously promote development of ultra-high definition video industry and application of related fields.
Development of security industry
The prospect of 4K high-definition development is also attracting attention of more security monitoring companies. Currently, megapixel cameras are gradually becoming a thing of past. The market is being invaded by high-definition cameras with a resolution of 8 or even 12 million pixels. At same time, chip technology supporting 4K is also developing rapidly, and 4K-related products are changing every day.
5G support
5G data transmission is faster than 4G network and has lower network latency, which is more suitable for 4K HD video transmission. On June 6, 2019, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology officially issued 5G commercial licenses to China Telecom, China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Radio and Television, and China officially entered first year of 5G commercial use. It is believed that with development of 5G, problem of transmitting 4K ultra-high definition video will be radically solved.
It can be said that development of 4K has brought new development opportunities and new challenges for entire security monitoring industry. Today, leading security companies have released 8-12 million cameras to meet popularity of 4K, and related chip research and development is in full swing. There will be more and more application scenarios for 4k monitoring in future. I believe that development of ultra-high definition will take entire security monitoring industry to a higher level.
