The closed circuit security camera has been used for decades. But when the digital world began to affect the digital video security and surveillance world, it opened up numerous new features never available before that made this type of system versatile, powerful, and simple and easy to use.

In addition, digital cameras became lighter, circuitry came on very small Integrated Circuit Chips (IC chips), and all of these things contributed to driving prices down so that systems were much more affordable for individuals and not just big corporations or the incredibly wealthy.