Just as a sports producer knows where the action will unfold, security professionals must anticipate potential risks and identify critical coverage points. That’s why site surveys and risk assessments are the essential first steps in any surveillance project.
“You can’t design a system over the phone,” Tom Fontana notes. “You’ve got to go out, walk the site, understand the lighting, the infrastructure, and identify the choke points.” These choke points—building entrances, stairwells, hallways, or vehicle access points—are where the most identifiable security footage is captured.
The video introduces the DORI model—Detection, Observation, Recognition, and Identification—as a guideline for setting expectations around image quality and camera positioning.
Detection means identifying that something or someone is present.
Observation allows you to monitor movement or behavior.
Recognition helps you determine if the subject is familiar.
Identification gives you enough clarity to positively identify an individual.
Each level requires a different resolution and field of view. A wide-angle overview camera may be perfect for detection in a parking lot, but it won’t help with identification. Conversely, a camera at an entrance should be optimized for detailed facial recognition or license plate capture.
Throughout the video, Tom Fontana and Eric Moreau draw parallels to sports setups. Football stadiums use cameras at strategic locations—50-yard lines, goal lines, and pylons—each serving a different purpose. Wide shots offer situational awareness, while zoom lenses deliver close-up detail of key players. Security systems can mirror this logic: panoramic cameras for general coverage, and targeted high-resolution views at high-risk zones.
Drones even come into the conversation, with references to both manually operated and autonomous models. In security, drones can act like the overhead cable cameras at games—providing sweeping views and responding to alarms in real-time.
Baseball coverage offers another perspective. Since cameras can’t be placed on the field, broadcasters rely on zoom lenses from outfield, along the base lines, or behind home plate. The same concept applies in facilities where mounting options are limited—you’ll need the right lens and resolution to zoom in and get the necessary detail from a distance.
Lighting is often overlooked but critically important. Unlike sports venues, which are uniformly lit, real-world locations—especially parking lots—can have inconsistent lighting. IR-enabled cameras or supplemental lighting might be necessary. Infrastructure is another factor. In industries like Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), the cost of a single pole might justify the use of a high-end PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) camera, because placing multiple cameras isn’t cost-effective.
One of the more exciting topics discussed is how new technology helps clients visualize their surveillance systems before they’re installed. Using Revit models, CAD drawings, or even virtual reality goggles, security designers can simulate camera views within a 3D space. This allows for real-time adjustments and avoids surprises like obstructions or missed angles.
“Data sheets are great,” Eric says, “but they don’t show you what your camera is actually going to see.”
The discussion closes with a critical message for anyone planning a surveillance system: build with scalability in mind. Whether it’s storage capacity, network bandwidth, or camera counts, systems should be able to grow. Camera counts rarely decrease.
Security isn’t about picking the highest resolution or the fanciest features—it’s about meeting a specific need. A 4K camera doesn’t matter if it’s pointed in the wrong direction or installed in poor lighting. That’s why Theseus Professional Services and Chesapeake & Midlantic Marketing stress the “holistic approach”: balancing budget, environment, technology, and threat level to design systems that work.
As the video emphasizes, it’s about solving a problem—not just selling a camera.
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Now, more about DORI...
Who is DORI? Detect, Observe, Recognize, Identify
Our team is always keeping DORI in mind when deciding on camera technologies to recommend. We've also facilitated some interesting security camera demonstrations over the past 25 years. We've always said, "you have to see it to believe it."
Why?
It's critical that all organizations, including commercial, industrial, healthcare, financial, education, critical infrastructure, and government, understand exactly what they will see and record with their security camera system BEFORE they buy it. These are big investments protecting people and securing assets. Stakeholders may have different expectations when it comes to camera system performance and seeing the performance first hand ensures that the entire team is satisfied with the plan.
There's a way
You can make sure you get the technology that's perfectly matched to your application. It's simple: see it for yourself. Demand a Proof of Concept (PoC) demonstration. In addition to a PoC demonstration, the BSIA has produced a document that aids in creating your surveillance system specification or plan. Part of the BSIA document outlines an important acronym: DORI.
We recorded one of our camera shootouts and explained how DORI applies to "real life." Here's Nick Hoyt and Joe Veiga to explain why we set up these camera performance shootouts and how DORI applies to real life as far as setting expectations for security camera imaging:
When DORI and a Proof of Concept demonstration are combined, there's no reason to be surprised with poor performance once a solution is deployed at your facility. Instead, be confident. Get exactly what you want out of your purchase with no surprises.
Download the BSIA standard (BS EN 62676-4:2015) that DORI is based upon here
DORI example for camera/lens selection
In order to better explain DORI we put a few resources together for you.
DORI Explained is a summary document we created to put DORI into simpler terms. You can download it here.
Here are a few examples of Proof of Concept demonstrations:
Proof of Concept Guide
Here's one of the best checklists you'll get from us. It's our Proof of Concept demonstration preparation guide. With this guide,
You can download it for free here. Plus, if you're located in the Mid Atlantic US region, you can have our team come to your facility to do the demonstration. Contact us to schedule today.
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