Which component is typically used to manage multiple video streams in CCTV systems?

In CCTV systems, a multiplexer serves a critical role in managing multiple video streams. This device allows several camera feeds to be viewed simultaneously on a single monitor, which is particularly useful in surveillance environments where monitoring multiple areas at once is necessary. By combining several video signals into one output, a multiplexer enables efficient usage of space and resources while providing a comprehensive overview of the monitored locations.

Additionally, multiplexers can often include features like switching between camera views at set intervals or displaying selected camera feeds based on user input, enhancing monitoring capabilities for security personnel. This makes them an essential component for any system requiring oversight of several video sources concurrently.

While monitors, recorders, and cameras are all essential in a CCTV system, their functions are distinct from that of a multiplexer. Monitors display video feeds, recorders store video footage, and cameras capture the video images, but it is the multiplexer that integrates and manages these multiple inputs, thereby playing a unique and vital role in the efficiency of CCTV systems.