Your surveillance camera system plays a pivotal role in the safety of your home, workplace, and surrounding areas. Through advanced technology, users are able to access live security footage at their fingertips via tablet, phone, or computer. However, sometimes the live feed can fail us at night and begin to flicker. Finding the source of the issue and solving it head-on can not only alleviate you of this problem but decrease the risk of criminal activity while keeping your residence, workplace and loved ones safe. Here are a few reasons why your security footage may be flickering:

Power issues

Like many of our beloved gadgets, security cameras use a great deal of power to operate and cannot function on just on batteries alone. If you are experiencing blurred images when reviewing your feed at night, be sure to check your power connection. Security cameras use infrared lights to allow the cameras to capture images in low light conditions which can fail if the camera’s power is low.

Not all security cameras are the same. If your camera lacks an IR cut filter, it will cause your security camera to be blurry at night and unusable outdoors. Lastly, be sure to check the WiFi connected to your security camera as blurred images may be a result of a spotty connection.

Change Light Conditions

It is imperative not to place your security cameras under extreme light. At night, spotlights and headlights can cause inconsistencies in the quality of your camera’s footage. If light shines on your security camera, it may cause flickering as the camera attempts to adjust to the bright light conditions. By simply repositioning the camera’s angle, you can easily fix this issue.

However, some cameras use BLC (back light compensation) which is designed to optimize the brightness of images through using digital signal processing. When direct lighting shines into the camera, it will compensate for backlight by enhancing automatic exposure control. This change must be configured in the operating system as well as in the camera itself by a knowledgeable technician. The same applies with your Digital Video Recorders and Network Video Recording systems.

Be sure to review your camera’s footage throughout the day and night to distinguish the exact times your camera flickers the most. This will help identify the proper solution for this issue.

Defective Equipment

It is important to keep in mind that like many tech gadgets, security cameras have a limited lifespan. If you are experiencing “rolling lines” across your feed, this may be caused by faulty wire cables and need replacing. Simple maintenance, such as dusting your equipment frequently and replacing old cables can expand the longevity of your equipment’s lifespan.

If you find that your security equipment is outdated and is no longer responsive, it may be time for an upgrade.  At P&O Global Technologies, our technicians are fully trained to ensure you get the most out of your security equipment. Contact us today to find out more about our video surveillance systems by calling 954-616-0600 or emailing info@pogt.net.