Video enhancement has become one of the most sought after activities of video forensic experts around the world. During the Boston bombings CCTV cameras outside retail stores helped the FBI capture the criminals.
One of the reasons CCTV video needs enhancement is because too often CCTV cameras are not properly maintained. Worse yet, the cameras are not positioned properly.
In the following article I will provide you with a few particular tips when your CCTV video needs to be enhanced so you can more clearly see criminals as well as events as they occurred.
- Always begin with the original video recording. If you have to export an AVI file to provide to police, keep a back up on thumb drive just in case. If all you have is a copy on DVD, then load the DVD directly into your computer for enhancement.
- Use a professional software program to enhance like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro. Primeau Forensics uses these as well as Adobe Photo Shop to enhance images exported from the CCTV video. Remember, you can also export frames as still images to identify criminals.
- Color correct your footage before performing any other enhancement filtering. This is especially important if your footage is dark and was recorded at night. Be careful not to add too much brightness. Consult a video forensic expert if you have CCTV enhancement questions
- If you need to enlarge a portion of the video viewing area, do so after you review the footage on a large video monitor. Remember, the larger the playback monitor, the better you can see events in the video and the less you need to enlarge your video as an enhancement step.
- If the CCTV system that made the recording you wish to enhance, before contacting a video forensic expert, learn the type of equipment that made the video you are enhancing. Often times a poor CCTV video export may be to blame for the poor video quality.
- Document every step of the clarification process to validate your videos in court.
Video enhancement is an art as well as a science. Try different filtering to get different results. Always begin with the largest file size and structure as close to original digital video as possible. Lastly, before buying video enhancement software, you can download a trial version and determine if you feel comfortable using the software or would rather contact a video enhancement expert.
