OT. Video Surveillance

[Klm]

This is a good group to raise a general question.

I just saw another TV news report with a surveillance video clip of the robbery. As usual its poorly lit, kinda of out of focus and set at an angle that makes identification difficult. Why do these places even bother with the effort? Surely in this time and day its not too difficult to get and conceal a decent miniature camera and install it properly to get the maximum detail of anyone coming into the shop. One camera at near eye level pointing at the main entrance. Another from behind the cash register and pointed at the customer's face and there you have it. What is this nonsense with fuzzy long range shots of the whole shop or aisle that show little else except perhaps catch some shoplifter in the process but does little to ID the culprit.

[m Ransley]

It isnt the cameras or equipment thats bad it is the reusing over and over of VHS tapes . As their Vhs equipment breaks and digital recorders get cheaper this will change.

[TOM KAN PA]

I believe it is a high quality camera. The poor image is the result of slowing the tape down to get far too many hours of video taping done than should be.

[George]

Because some places are cheap and installed economy versions of equipment and never maintain anything.

[Ian Stirling]

In the UK, digital pictures are not generally admissable as evidence. AIUI. IANAL.