The benefits of using audio talk down in your video security system

Malcolm Walters, April 7 2022
2 mins

Malcolm Walters

Product Manager

Organizations typically struggle with the lack of proactive measures to stop suspicious activity from escalating and give instructions or guidance during emergencies. Adding the ability to speak to the insight provided by the camera footage can be a very effective tool that allows operators to monitor broad areas from a distance.

Some of the video security cameras of today are equipped with audio speakers, while others have audio outputs that can be connected to speakers or public address systems. They enable operators to communicate verbally with the people they monitor, either warning them that they are being watched, giving them the correct directions to exit, or warning them to move away from protected facilities. This feature is commonly known as either audio talk down or audio announcement.

But what if organizations using security cameras with speakers wanted more from their video surveillance system? What if they wanted more proactive alerts, better situational awareness, or enhanced operational insights? They can connect Onvif-compliant CCTV cameras with audio output capabilities to the Ava Aware Cloud® video security platform. Available from the 4.7 release launched this week, Ava Aware Cloud's audio talk down features allow organizations to be less reactive in their security approach. Read on to discover how.

Safer education and students

Schools and universities deploying Aware Cloud and security cameras with speakers could become more effective across the multiple areas they are monitoring. Some campuses include many facilities such as lecture halls, libraries, cafeterias, residence halls, and outdoor spaces. 

Administrators can receive notifications on incidents or anomalies happening in real time. Using the speakers, they directly communicate to students time-critical announcements or act on what they see to stop potential illegal or antisocial behavior. What’s more, the video security system can become an essential tool in evacuating the campus rapidly in case of an emergency. By viewing map views, the operator can see where people are in buildings and give announcements to advise them of the best action to take.

More inviting public venues

Leveraging security cameras’ speakers from the Aware Cloud platform can positively impact the public’s experience in museums, zoos, stadiums, or convention centers. Security teams can guide visitors who seem lost, and they can deter those members of the public involved in suspicious or illegal behavior. Having the right tools and systems in place can help operators mitigate crowd management, traffic optimizations, and the overall experience.

Better retail operational efficiency

Retail security and overall customer experience can also be heightened by using Aware Cloud with security cameras with built-in speakers. Rules and notifications give security teams better awareness of how customers behave in the store. If they linger too much in an area, they can alert the staff to assist them. Operators can also alert customers if they have gotten lost, are in staff-only areas, or if their behavior is being monitored via video, thus improving loss prevention measures. 

The benefits are clear, security operators can monitor stores with better efficiency, while the staff can focus on providing a better customer experience.

Interested to learn more about how to add speakers to Aware Cloud for audio talk down? Read the 4.7 release notes.