Verkada’s CD62-E is Easy to Set up, Use and Share Footage
I plugged it into our Power over Ethernet switch, meaning no additional wiring was required. Verkada advertises the camera as “low usage” for bandwidth, drawing only 20 to 50 kilobytes per second, per camera, at rest. And indeed, there was no significant impact on our network with the cameras in use.
The Verkada CD62-E network surveillance camera also sports a durable, vandal-resistant dome design that won’t succumb to those TikTok trends.
The Verkada CD62-E network surveillance camera’s user interface is clean and intuitive. My colleagues outside of the tech department, who have a diverse range of tech skills, needed only about 10 minutes to learn how to use it.
Footage was also easy to share. By simply clicking a button and entering an email address or a mobile number, I could share an MP4 video clip, complete with a watermark that makes the footage admissible as legal evidence.
Verkada CD62-E Processes Footage on the Camera
As a bonus, footage is processed on each camera, virtually eliminating lag time between detection and alerts. Onboard storage also relieves the district of installing network video recorders for local storage and backup. All footage is stored on the camera and then backed up to the cloud.
This was my district’s first time using Video over IP cameras, and it was a huge upgrade to our current system, which dates to the 1990s. The 4K images and videos were clear and crisp. The ability to set alerts and view the cameras anytime, anywhere is a huge timesaver for staff.
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I also tested Verkada’s analytics, which can filter images based on face match, clothing colors, vehicle type and more. Using a staff member as a “person of interest” to test the face recognition, I received alerts each time he passed the camera, even when he was wearing glasses or a hat.
Motion detection also worked as expected, with alerts for each incident. I was surprised by how consistently well these features worked. Verkada includes these features in cross-camera tracking as well, providing more than one angle and tracking a subject’s movement. This series of Verkada cameras offer occupancy trends data with heat maps to monitor use of space and trends.
63%
The percentage of K–12 security professionals who say footage from their cameras frequently assists in their investigations
Source: Campus Safety, 2022 Video Surveillance Deep Dive Survey, November 2022
Verkada CD62-E is Scalable Across K–12 Campuses
With all of these features and the ease of use, I can see the Verkada CD62-E being a great addition to any school environment. While I only tested one camera, I could easily scale this in a deployment across the district without needing additional equipment or software.
As long as Power over Ethernet is available, each new camera could be brought online and added to the console within minutes. Even better, Verkada’s SAML or OAuth support can be integrated to offer single sign-on for all users, complete with two-factor compliance.
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SPECIFICATIONS
Device Type: Surveillance camera
Dimensions: 6.1x4.5 inches with mount plate
Image Resolution: 4K (3840x2160)
IR Range: 98 feet
Onboard Storage: Up to 2TB
IR Range: 98 feet
Lens Type: Zoom
Functionality: IR-cut filter for day and night use
Connectivity: 10/100Mbps, RJ-45 cable connector for network/PoE
