Selection and evaluation of video tape recorders for surveillance applications

Unattended surveillance places unique requirements on video recorders. One such requireemnt, extended operational reliability, often cannot be determined from the manufacturers' data. Subsequent to market surveys and preliminary testing, the Sony 8mm EVO-210 recorder was selected for use in the Modular Integrated Video System (MIVS), while concurrently undergoing extensive reliability testing. A microprocessor based controller was developed to life test and evaluate the performance of the video cassette recorders. The controller has the capability to insert a unique binary count in the vertical interval of the recorder video signal for each scene. This feature allows for automatic verification of the recorded data using a MIVS Review Station. Initially, twenty recorders were subjected to the accelerated lift test, which involves recording one scene (eight video frames) every 15 seconds. The recorders were operated in the exact manner in which they are utilized in the MIVS. This paper describes the results of the preliminary testing, accelerated life test and the extensive testing on 130 Sony EVO-210 recorders