Matrix Switch : This is a very large device to manage large numbers of cameras, monitors and operator options. Don’t think boxes, think rows of equipment racks. A large Matrix Switch system can handle up to 4,000+ cameras and a couple of hundred monitors. You’ll find these installed in casinos, airports and hospitals. Miles of cable is installed to connect each camera to the Matrix Switch.
Megapixel : Megapixel refers to cameras with pixel content higher than NTSC/PAL formats. Current sizes of up to 10 megapixels are available. The size will continue to grow. If you want to estimate the megapixel size used in security video next year just check the pixel size of consumer point and shoot cameras today.
Megapixel Lens : Megapixel imagers have more pixels than standard imagers. A standard lens can’t focus light fine enough to resolve to a single pixel in megapixel formats. Megapixel lens have additional optical elements that allow light to focus on individual pixels. You will see the difference if you test the same camera with both lenses. The megapixel advantage can be lost with a less effective lens.
Menu : This is the generic term used to describe the setup screens in a variety of devices.
M-JPEG : Motion JPEG: This is a series of compressed JPEG images to produce a moving image. See M-JPEG, MPEG-4 and H.264.
Motion Alarms : Video motion alarms are triggered by recognizing changes in the video image. There is no physical connection causing the alarm condition.
MPEG-4 : (Motion Picture Experts Group): This video compression method is an improvement over M-JPEG providing smaller average usable file sizes. See M-JPEG, MPEG-4 and H.264.
Multiplexer (Multiplexor) : An electronic system that can accept a number of camera inputs and record them virtually simultaneously. They can also provide multi screen displays with four, nine, sixteen etc. cameras on the screen at once. Multiplexers can be used to transmit multiple pictures down a single video line whether it is a coaxial cable, microwave, infrared link etc. This requires a multiplexer at each end of the line.