AI Security Camera Buyer’s Guide
Choosing the Right Viewtron AI Camera for Your Needs
I created this buyer’s guide to help you understand the different types of Viewtron AI security cameras that we offer, what makes AI so valuable for modern video surveillance, and how to select the best model for your specific application. Please watch the above video and also find information and links below all about choosing the best Viewtron AI camera.
Viewtron AI Security Camera Types
Viewtron AI cameras can be broken into the following main categories.
- Human Detection / Car Detection Cameras
- Face Detection / Facial Recognition Cameras
- Active Deterrent Alarm Security Cameras
- License Plate Detection / Automatic License Plate Recognition Cameras
- Auto-Tracking PTZ Cameras
There are certain features that are common to all Viewtron AI cameras. For example, all of our Viewtron cameras have built-in IR night vision that allow them to work in normal light, low light, and zero light environments. All of them are enclosed in an indoor / outdoor weatherproof housing. All Viewtron products are manufactured under NDAA compliance, which means that are approved for US government use. All Viewtron IP cameras support PoE (Power over Ethernet) for simple plug and play installations, and all seamlessly connect to the free mobile apps for iPhone and Android. Read on to learn what sets each type apart.
What Is a Viewtron AI Security Camera?
Let’s start with the basics. A Viewtron AI security camera is an advanced IP camera with artificial intelligence software built into it’s firmware. This means the camera can accurately detect objects and activities related to security, allowing you to automatically trigger video recording on a Viewtron NVR (network video recorder). The AI object detection events can also trigger various types of alarm actions besides video recording.
For example, you can establish a perimeter or intrusion area on your property. When a person or vehicle enters the detection zone—or crosses a virtual line—the system triggers recording and can send a push notification to the mobile app. Unlike traditional video motion detection, which is highly susceptible to false alarms from things like trees blowing in the wind, AI cameras eliminate these false alerts. This is a game changer for both security effectiveness and is also a huge time saver when you need to review recorded footage. Learn more in our AI security camera vs analog CCTV comparison.
The Power of AI: Reducing False Alarms
Before AI, security camera systems relied on video analysis by analyzing pixel changes to detect motion. The problem? The system couldn’t distinguish between a human and, say, a dog or swaying branches on a tree. False alarms were common and time-consuming to sift through.
Viewtron AI cameras resolve this by accurately differentiating between humans, vehicles, and other objects—eliminating nearly 100% of false alarms. With AI events bookmarked and powerful search features on the NVR, you can jump to relevant events in seconds rather than scanning through hours (or even days) of footage. This is a HUGE time saver!
Save Time Reviewing Video w/ AI Event Recording Annotations
This screenshot is taken from the video playback screen on a Viewtron DVR. On the right hand side of the screen there is a timeline with all of the AI detection events annotated in light blue. Using the DVRs mouse, is is very easy to quickly jump to all of the AI events while playing back recorded video. This can save you many hours when looking for an event that occurred.
AI Annotations in Mobile App
You can also playback recorded video surveillance footage from the mobile app for iPhone and Android. All of the AI object detection events are annoatated on the video plater timeline in the mobile app too.
Human Detection / Car Detection Cameras
Our general-purpose human detection / car detection AI cameras are ideal for most security applications. They can detect both people and vehicles, and you can set up custom intrusion zones or line-crossing events to trigger video recording and alarms.
Viewtron human detection / car detection camera models are available with the following features:
- Available in 2MP, 4MP, and 4K resolution models
- Built-in IR night vision for true 24/7 recording (even in zero light)
- Available in dome and bullet styles (with fixed lenses for easy installation)
- Weatherproof IP67-rated housings for indoor or outdoor use
- Audio surveillance microphones on some models
These camera are very simple to deploy: just mount them, connect to a POE port on your NVR, and they connect. Please note that all Viewtron AI cameras, except license plate recognition models are capable of human detection and car detection. You can find all of the Viewtron AI cameras that support human detection and car detection here.
Human Detection AI Software Video Demos
Click here to watch human detection video demos using Viewtron AI cameras.
Car Detection AI Software Video Demos
Click here to watch car detection video demos using Viewtron AI cameras.
Viewtron Face Recognition Cameras
If your security application requires facial recognition, you can find all of our Viewtron face recognition cameras here. Please note that all of our facial recognition AI cameras can also perform human and vehicle detection; however, you must choose between facial recognition or standard object detection modes—only one can run at a time. To be clear, these cameras can either be setup for face detection / face recognition or human and vehicle detection, not both.
When I refer to “facial recognition,” I mean true AI-powered automation: The camera compares detected faces to a database for access control and alerting—not just recording clear images of people. Our human detection model cameras suffice if you only need facial visibility, but facial recognition models offer higher-powered processors, supporting 4K at 30 frames per second (compared to 20fps for general use models). So, in some cases, you may actually want a face recognition model even though you plan to use it for general human detection
You’ll find these cameras in both dome and bullet styles, with fixed or motorized varifocal lenses. We even offer a fantastic 180-degree camera model—my personal favorite all around AI camera camera. It is also an active deterrent alarm camera that you will learn more about below.
You can watch video demos using Viewtron face recognition cameras here. You can shop for facial recognition camera models here.
Active Deterrent Alarm Cameras
Viewtron active deterrent alarm cameras combine all the features of face recognition models with proactive security. They support facial recognition, human, detection, and car detection. These models add flashing alarm lights, a warning speaker, and a built-in microphone. You can sound a siren or broadcast a pre-recorded warning message as soon as a person or vehicle is detected. The alarm light can flash red and blue, making it clear to any intruders that your property is under surveillance.
Active Deterrent Alarm Camera Video Demos
You can watch all of our alarm camera video demos here. You can shop for Viewtron active deterrent alarm cameras here.
Active Alarm Camera 2-Way Audio Support
A standout feature of the dome alarm security camera models is the two-way audio: Using the free mobile app for Viewtron camera systems, you can talk directly to people through the camera.
License Plate Recognition (LPR) Cameras
If your goal is to record license plates clearly and / or you want the camera automatically identify the numbers and letters on plates for you, you must use a specialized LPR camera model. These are purpose-built to reliably capture and automatically read license plates—even at night or in challenging lighting conditions.
If you simply want clear license plate images, or need full automation with database comparison and access control integration, the Viewtron LPR-IP4 camera is the one you need. Typically, we pair an LPR camera (focused on the plate) with a general purpose camera for scene overview. This ensures you capture both the plate details and the broader context of each vehicle. You can learn more about different types of LPR cameras here.
Auto-Tracking PTZ Cameras
Our Viewtron auto-tracking PTZ cameras can automatically pan, tilt, and zoom to follow a person or vehicle once detected within a programmed zone. You can also control them manually via the mobile or desktop app, or directly from your NVR. These cameras are great for larger properties, parking lots, or anywhere you need wide-area coverage with the ability to track movement in real-time.
You can watch our Viewtron auto-tracking PTZ camera videos here. Shop for Viewtron auto-tracking PTZ cameras here
Video Transcript
Here is a complete text transcript of the video at the top of this page.
Hey, guys. Mike from CCTV Camera Pros. In this video, I’m going to walk you through our different types of Viewtron AI security cameras in the hopes to create kind of a buyer’s guide to help you select the best model for your security application. So I want to start by explaining what a Viewtron AI security camera is. Basically, it’s an IP camera that has AI software that runs on it that can detect objects and activities related to security, so that you can trigger video recording on the Viewtron NVR and also trigger alarm sequences if you want to. So, for example, if you want to set up a perimeter or some type of intrusion area where when a person comes onto your property in that zone or crosses that line, you can trigger recording on the Viewtron NVR and you could get a push notification on your phone to let you know that that event happened. The huge benefit to AI cameras is the elimination of false alarms that traditional motion detection recording is very prone to. So before the advent of AI cameras, video analysis was used when someone would come into an area or an object would come into an area.
Basically the pixels in the video were compared to detect motion, but that video motion, it didn’t know the difference between a person walking into the area or a tree blowing into the wind in the wind. So it was extremely prone to, to false alarms. Viewtron AI security cameras eliminate almost 100% of those false alarms. And it’s a huge time saver to be able to go back on the NVR, search for all of the AI object detection events, and jump right to them. They’re all annotated on the video timeline, and there’s a search feature where you can look for all these events instead of sifting through hours or days or weeks of video to figure out what happened. If you ever done that, you know, even with a sped up recording, it can take a lot of time. This, the AI cameras with the object detection events bookmark is a huge time saver. Okay, so let’s start first with our general purpose Viewtron AI cameras.
And these can detect people and vehicles. So you can set up intrusion zones or line crossing areas to where if a person or a vehicle enters that area or crosses that line, the alarm is triggered. You can tr. You can trigger the video surveillance recording on the NVR, which was bookmarked so you can find it, and then you can optionally get a push notification on your phone. You could sound the buzzer on the NVR, and if you want, you can even trigger external sirens and lights if you connect them to the alarm panel on the NVR we have these general purpose Viewtron AI cameras in 2 megapixel resolution, 4 megapixel resolution and 4K. They all have built in IR night vision. They could do the object detection in day and at night, even in zero light. Some of them have audio microphones, some don’t.
And then we have them in both dome and bullet styles. These are fixed lens cameras. So you just mount them, connect them to the POE port on the NVR and they fire up and they’re pre focused and they just work. Very simple and powerful. And because they’re in an IP67 weatherproof housing, you can use them indoors and outdoors, even in very rainy and snowy areas. These things are rock solid with IP67 weatherproof rating. Okay, so now let’s get into some more specialized AI cameras that we carry. So our facial recognition and face detection cameras, they can also do human detection and vehicle detection.
But you have to choose between either facial recognition or vehicle and human detection. You have to choose one or the other. And let me clarify what is meant by facial recognition. I’m not referring to recording video clear enough so that you can see a face when you look at the recorded video. I’m talking about automation when where the face is recognized compared to a database and can be used for things like access controls and alarms based on a specific face database. Most of our customers don’t need that actually. They just want to be able to see video clear enough to recognize a face, which our general purpose Viewtron AI cameras do. However, there’s other benefits to the facial recognition models.
They have a higher powered processor in them, so the 4K resolution models can record at 30 frames a second. The general purpose models, they’re limited to 20 frames, but 20 frames is an excellent frame rate and it’s fine for almost all applications. We also have these in dome and bullet styles, but we have both fixed lens and motorized varifocal lens options available in the facial recognition category. We also have 180 degree model which I love and I don’t use the facial recognition AI on it. I use it for human detection and vehicle detection, both here at CCTV Camera Pros Warehouse as well as my home system. I love that camera because it also has the active deterrent lights and the active deterrent alarm speaker built in. Which brings me to my next category. The next categories are active deterrent alarm security cameras, which you get all of the features of the general purpose AI.
So you could do the vehicle detection, human detection and you could switch it to the facial recognition mode if you choose. But the game changer of the active deterrent alarm security cameras is the built in alarm light and speaker and, and, and, and microphone. So they allow you to sound a siren or a warning message when someone is detected or when a vehicle is detected. And they also let you turn an alarm light on that can flash red and blue to let the intruder know that the area is under surveillance. You can also come over the loudspeaker and talk to people via the two way audio feature that’s built into the mobile app that’s included for free. By the way, in regard to the mobile app, all of these are completely integrated into the mobile app. The remote viewing is amazing on them, as is the interface to search and playback recorded video. And you can search all those AI events right on the mobile app for iPhone and Android.
Okay, so the next category is our license plate recognition camera. And this is a very specific model that is designed specifically to detect license plates and automatically read the numbers and letters on them. Now it’s also required just to get a clear video of a plate. So even if you don’t need the automation of reading the plate numbers and comparing it to a database, if you just want reliable license plate capture, clear enough video of a plate, you have to use the specific Viewtron license plate recognition camera. And because it’s designed to be focused in on a plate detection zone, we almost always supply it with one of our general purpose cameras to act as the overview camera to get the overview of the vehicle and just the overview of the scene. And the license plate recognition camera is kind of usually mounted lower and really zeroed in on a single lane of traffic. That is the license plate detection zone. With the automatic license plate recognition software that’s built into it.
You can use these for integrations with like gate systems and access control. But again, even if you’re not doing that and you just want reliable license plate video capture, you do need to use a license plate recognition camera. Okay, the last, the last category is our auto tracking PTZ cameras. These cameras can automatically pan, tilt and zoom. You can also manually control them from the mobile app or the desktop apps or the NVR with pan tilt zoom controls. But the thing that’s kind of unique about our Viewtron auto tracking PTZs is you could set a home position, set an intrusion zone or a line crossing area, and then when a person and or vehicle intrudes on that area, the camera can autonomously pan, tilt and zoom to track that object while it’s in view guys. If you have any questions about selecting the best Viewtron AI security camera for your application. If you need a system design, we almost always sell these systems with a Viewtron NVR and multiple cameras and you do need to mix and match different models.
Me and the team here, we do designs and quotes all day for people. You can reach out to me anytime. I can reach directly at mike@viewtron.com for questions. You could schedule a phone consultation with me and I can obviously provide you with a quote. For home, business or government. Reach out to me anytime at mike@viewtron.com I have demo videos of all these different types of Viewtron AI cameras on our video blog. If you want to see all the demo videos and learn more about Viewtron AI cameras, please visit www.viewtron.com/AI. Thank you for watching.
Need Help Choosing the Best Camera?
Selecting the ideal AI security camera system often involves mixing different types and models to cover all your surveillance needs. My team and I assist customers daily—designing systems, providing expert advice, and preparing detailed quotes.
If you have questions or want a personalized system design, reach out to me anytime at mike@viewtron.com. You can also schedule a phone consultation, and I’ll be glad to walk you through the options—whether it’s for your home, business, or government facility.
