Year 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of Dahua Technology’s independently developed HDCVI technology. For the past decade, this industry-renowned coaxial technology achieved several key technological breakthroughs, including Audio-over Coax, AI (Artificial Intelligence) functions, AI Coding, 4K Real-time, and Super Adapt.
HDCVI TEN
In 2022, Dahua Technology will launch its brand new HDCVI TEN that is equipped with AI-for-all, Scheduled AI, Smart Dual Illuminators and Real 5MP 16:9 technologies, blazing a trail to the over-coax AI era.
This article explains how the HDCVI technology was first conceptualised and executed. Mr. Yin Jun, the President of Dahua’s Advanced Technology Institute, offers his key insights on it.
HDCVI technology
It can be considered as an innovative technology with massive significance in this generation
As everyone knows, the release of HDCVI technology in 2012 led the analogue video monitoring industry from the Standard Definition era to a new era of millionth-level HD (High Definition). It can be considered as an innovative technology with massive significance in this generation.
As its Founder, Mr. Yin Jun, President of Dahua Advanced Technology Institute, shared the original intention and story behind the development of the HDCVI technology, which started ten years ago.
Shift from standard analogue to IP technology
Mr. Yin Jun said “Ten years ago, with the comprehensive construction of safe cities around the world, video surveillance, as an important technical means of security, had penetrated into all aspects of urban life. However, video surveillance equipment back then was standard analogue technology, which cannot meet the visual monitoring needs of users.”
He adds, “Although IP technology had already started at that time, it wasn’t that popular, due to high cost and complex configuration. Front-line construction personnel, like installers and electricians, were more accustomed to using the old Plug-and-Play analogue system. The global market for standard analogue was also very large, during that time. We thought, if existing coaxial cables cannot be reused, it would be a great waste of resources.”
Rise of HDCVI technology
Mr. Yin Jun, the President of Dahua Advanced Technology Institute, stated “Therefore, we put forward the idea of the HDCVI Technology. Is it possible to develop a new technology that can utilise and upgrade existing coaxial transmission? We want to address the disadvantages of analogue systems, like narrow bandwidth, inability to transmit HD videos, crosstalk vulnerability of images, lack of audio, control limitations in signal transmission, and transmission distance of only 100 metres. The original idea was very promising, but the actual implementation process was extremely difficult. As a new technology, we had no experience to refer to. It was one challenge after another.”
Brightness and colour separation technology developed
In order to solve cross-talk issues, we developed brightness and colour separation technology"
He continues, “Just building the prototype of HDCVI technology took us almost a year. We had no foundation. We can only build a new technical framework through analogue circuits. In order to solve cross-talk issues, we developed brightness and colour separation technology. To solve other issues like common cable transmission of video, audio and control signals, we developed advanced modulation technology, and so on.
Mr. Yin Jun adds, “When we finally reached the new transmission protocol, we were hit by yet another issue in transmission distance. But we didn't give up. After repeated research and tackling key problems, we finally developed a complete and advanced equalisation technology. It can automatically identify and compensate the signal loss in the transmission process, regardless of cable type and distance. Taking 1080 pixels as an example, our maximum transmission distance can reach up to 800 metres.”
He further said, “In addition to breaking through the technical bottleneck, we have also fully considered how to turn new technologies into affordable products for users. We chose to independently develop our HDCVI chip, and finally achieved success. Since then, the HDCVI technology has successfully attained SD to HD upgrading of the original analogue camera wiring network, providing the market with a choice beneficial to customers.”
Market response to HDCVI technology
Mr. Yin Jun continues “Now when mentioning the release of HDCVI technology, everybody thinks of attention and praise that the technology received. But in fact, at the beginning, there were more doubts from the industry, including doubts from chip manufacturers and competitors. Many people have mentioned the idea of coaxial HD composite signal transmission before. Several top technical teams in the industry have worked on it. But it has not been successfully realised. That’s why they didn't believe that Dahua Technology could do it.”
Our whole team was very nervous about the global debut of the HDCVI technology"
He adds, “Before the 2012 CPSE, our whole team was very nervous about the global debut of the HDCVI technology. On one hand, we needed to prove that Dahua had succeeded. On the other hand, we were very excited, because we knew that we have achieved a technological breakthrough - a breakthrough that disrupts the whole security market and has never been anticipated or recognised.”
Attracted the attention of the whole security industry
Mr. Yin Jun stated, “On the day of the exhibition, many people came to visit. We prepared a roll of 300-metre line and a roll of 500-metre line, and put them on the spot, to let people see that CVI can really transmit high-definition images at such long distance. Everyone thought it’s amazing. HDCVI technology has attracted the attention of the whole industry. It gained praises from many technical experts, peers in the industry, and mainstream media. Dahua’s renowned technological capability and their desire for innovation make us extremely proud.”
He concludes, “Because of the outstanding contribution and high promotion value of the HDCVI technology in high-definition video surveillance, HDcctv Alliance announced that HDCVI will be incorporated into the international standard. It was released in 2013. HDCVI has also become an open international technical specification. This is the affirmation of the market, industry and experts regarding the HDCVI technology.”