CCTV Camera Symbol

The CCTV Camera schematic symbol. Standard-specific details are listed below where available.

Definition: The CCTV Camera symbol represents a fixed surveillance camera — drawn as a trapezoid camera body with a lens circle and mounting line — with power terminals (12V+/PoE, GND) and a Data terminal for the video/network connection, powered either by 12 V DC per camera or by Power over Ethernet per IEEE 802.3af/at, and installed under NEC Article 725/800 low-voltage rules.

Also known as: security camera, IP camera, PoE camera, surveillance camera, bullet camera, dome camera, analog HD camera, network camera.

What the CCTV Camera symbol means

The CCTV Camera symbol denotes a video surveillance endpoint on a security plan or wiring diagram. Two electrically distinct families share the symbol. Analog HD cameras (HD-TVI, HD-CVI, AHD) send video over coaxial cable to a DVR and take separate 12 V DC power — their diagrams show a coax Data run plus a two-conductor power pair, often combined in 'siamese' RG59+18/2 cable. IP network cameras (the Hikvision/Dahua class that dominates modern installs) send compressed video as network data over Cat5e/Cat6 to an NVR or switch, and usually take power on the same cable via Power over Ethernet.

The symbol's three pins summarize both worlds: power positive (12V+ or PoE), power negative/ground (GND), and Data (coax or network). On plans, the camera symbol is repeated per camera with an ID (CAM-01, CAM-02) and its field of view sometimes drawn as a shaded wedge; the wiring diagram's job is to show each camera's home run back to the DVR/NVR/switch and how it is powered.

How to identify the CCTV Camera symbol

The camera is drawn as a small trapezoid or rectangle (the body) with a circle on its front face (the lens) and a short line or bracket indicating the wall/ceiling mount — a pictorial symbol rather than an abstract IEC glyph, because neither IEC 60617 nor ANSI Y32.2 defines a camera primitive. Dome cameras are sometimes drawn as a semicircle on a ceiling line; PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras add rotation arrows.

On the wiring side, identify the family by the cabling drawn: a single Cat5e/Cat6 line to a PoE switch or NVR means an IP camera; a coax line to a DVR plus a separate 12 V pair from a multi-output CCTV power supply means analog HD. Security-industry drawings often follow NFPA 731 or manufacturer CAD-block conventions, and label each run with cable type and length — the length matters, because both PoE (100 m) and 12 V DC (voltage drop) have hard distance limits.

Live editor identity: Live-library identity: `cctv-camera`, 60 × 40 canvas units, 3 logical terminals. Match this exact SVG and terminal list when identifying the placeable editor symbol; do not identify a physical package from the schematic outline alone.

Function and usage boundary

An IP camera is a small network computer: its sensor and encoder compress video (H.264/H.265) and stream it over Ethernet, while the same RJ45 connection carries power injected by a PoE switch or NVR port. Standard PoE (IEEE 802.3af, Type 1) delivers up to 15.4 W at 44–57 V from the source — ample for fixed cameras drawing 4–8 W; PoE+ (802.3at, 30 W) covers PTZ motors, heaters, and IR-heavy models. Using 44–57 V on the cable instead of 12 V is what makes 100 m runs feasible with negligible loss.

An analog HD camera is simpler: the sensor modulates video onto coax back to the DVR, and a separate 12 V DC feed (from a plug-pack or a multi-output 12 V supply panel) powers it. Voltage drop governs the power run: a camera drawing 500 mA over long thin pairs can sag below the typical 12 V ±10% tolerance, causing night-time reboots when IR LEDs kick in and double the draw. Both families are Class 2 low-voltage circuits under NEC 725, keeping the cabling out of line-voltage rules; outdoor runs need wet-rated cable and drip loops, and cameras carry IP66/IP67 weather ratings and IK vandal ratings.

Usage boundary: Use the CCTV Camera abstraction only when the intended circuit can be expressed through these logical ports: `power_pos` (12V+/PoE), `power_neg` (GND), `data` (Data). Select a versioned physical profile and exact manufacturer datasheet before assigning package pins, ratings, or fabrication dimensions.

Standards: IEC vs ANSI

IEC 60617	IEC 62676 series (video surveillance systems) covers performance and interoperability internationally; ONVIF profiles (S for streaming, T for advanced imaging) provide the de facto cross-vendor IP protocol. PoE is IEEE 802.3af/at/bt regardless of region. Enclosure ratings follow IEC 60529 (IP66/IP67) and IK impact ratings IEC 62262.
ANSI/IEEE 315	In North America, cabling and circuits follow NEC Article 725 (Class 2) and Article 800 (communications); UL 62368-1 covers the electronics; NFPA 731 gives installation practice for premises security systems. TIA-568 governs the structured Cat5e/Cat6 cabling and its 100 m channel limit. NDAA Section 889 compliance (banning certain Chinese-made cameras from federal projects) is a US procurement consideration unique to this category.
Key difference	There is no standardized IEC-vs-ANSI drawing difference — camera symbols are pictorial in both traditions. The real regional split is regulatory and procurement-driven: US federal/public projects exclude NDAA-listed brands (including Hikvision and Dahua), while IEC 62676/ONVIF compliance dominates spec language elsewhere. Electrical practice is identical: PoE per IEEE 802.3, low-voltage Class 2/SELV wiring, IP-rated outdoor hardware.

The displayed SVG is the live editor implementation, not a licensed reproduction or certification of an IEC or IEEE database glyph. Verify the exact official entry and project edition before issuing work.

Variant availability

Editor implementation (available): This is the exact SVG and terminal geometry placed by the CircuitDiagramMaker editor.
IEC 60617 (reference only): IEC 60617 is the official international source. This page does not present the editor SVG as a licensed or certified IEC reproduction.
ANSI/IEEE 315 (reference only): IEEE 315 is the North American reference listed by IEEE as inactive-reserved; use the edition required by the project.

Logical terminals

The live editor exposes `power_pos` (12V+/PoE), `power_neg` (GND), `data` (Data). These are stable logical terminal IDs for diagram connectivity, not a promise that they equal physical package pin numbers.

Logical ID	Editor terminal name
power_pos	12V+/PoE
power_neg	GND
data	Data

Polarity and direction

Polarity or supply meaning is encoded on `power_neg` = GND. Do not reverse these logical connections, and verify the physical package pin number in the exact device datasheet.

Reference designator

Project-defined: No single reference letter is asserted for this broad symbol. Apply the project standard and equipment-classification rules consistently.

Where the CCTV Camera symbol is used

Residential perimeter surveillance — driveway, front door, and yard cameras home-run to a PoE NVR in a closet
Retail and small-business interiors, mixing dome cameras (vandal-resistant, discreet) with bullet cameras at entries
Warehouse and yard coverage using PTZ and long-range IR bullets on PoE+ or 24 V AC feeds
Multi-dwelling and estate installations with cameras at gates, tied into the gate operator and intercom system
Farm and remote-site monitoring over point-to-point wireless bridges with solar-powered camera poles
Analog HD retrofits reusing existing RG59 coax from legacy CCTV systems with a TVI/CVI DVR

Key facts

Two electrical families share the symbol: IP cameras (data + power over one Cat5e/Cat6 via PoE) and analog HD cameras (video over coax + separate 12 V DC power).
PoE per IEEE 802.3af delivers 15.4 W at 44–57 V up to 100 m — enough for typical 4–8 W fixed cameras; PTZ and heated cameras need 802.3at (30 W).
Analog 12 V cameras are voltage-drop-sensitive: IR LEDs at night can double current draw and push a marginal run below the 12 V ±10% window, causing nightly reboots.
Camera circuits are NEC Class 2 / SELV low-voltage wiring; outdoor runs need wet-location cable, drip loops, and IP66/IP67-rated cameras.
ONVIF profiles let IP cameras and recorders from different vendors interoperate; check Profile S support when mixing brands.
RG59 coax carries 1080p HD-TVI/CVI roughly 300 m — much farther than Ethernet's 100 m — which is why analog HD survives in long-run retrofits.
NDAA Section 889 bars certain manufacturers (including Hikvision and Dahua) from US federal-funded projects — a spec item, not a technical one.
Every camera should be labelled and home-run: the diagram convention is CAM-nn IDs with cable type and length noted per run.

Common interpretation mistakes

Treating the CCTV Camera drawing (60 × 40 canvas units) as a physical footprint. The schematic outline expresses electrical intent; package and panel dimensions come from the selected physical profile.
Copying `power_pos`, `power_neg`, `data` directly to a wire marker or manufacturer package pin number. These are logical CCTV Camera port IDs and require an exact ordered-part terminal map.
Reversing a polarity-marked CCTV Camera terminal because the symbol was rotated or mirrored on the sheet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a PoE camera and a 12V camera?

A PoE (IP) camera receives both power and network data over one Cat5e/Cat6 cable from a PoE switch or NVR, at 44–57 V per IEEE 802.3af/at — one cable, 100 m reach, negligible voltage drop. A 12 V camera (usually analog HD) needs two separate paths: coax for video to the DVR and a 12 V DC pair from a power supply, with voltage drop limiting practical power-run length. PoE is the default for new installs; 12 V analog persists in retrofits.

How far can I run cable to a security camera?

Ethernet/PoE: 100 m (328 ft) per TIA-568 channel limits — beyond that use a PoE extender, a mid-span switch, or fiber. Analog HD over RG59 coax: roughly 300 m at 1080p. The 12 V DC power side is the tight constraint on analog: at 500–800 mA, thin pairs drop below spec within 30–60 m, so long analog runs use heavier conductors, 24 V AC cameras, or local power.

What does the camera symbol look like on a security plan?

A small trapezoid or rectangle body with a circle for the lens and a line for the mount, pointing in the camera's aim direction — often with a shaded wedge showing field of view and an ID like CAM-03. Dome cameras may appear as a semicircle on the ceiling line; PTZ cameras get rotation arrows. There is no formal IEC/ANSI camera glyph, so legends on the drawing define the exact style.

Do I need an NVR or a DVR?

An NVR (network video recorder) records IP cameras over Ethernet and usually includes PoE ports — choose it for new Cat5e/Cat6 installs. A DVR (digital video recorder) digitizes analog HD video arriving on coax — choose it when reusing existing RG59 cabling. Hybrid recorders accept both. The camera type dictates the recorder, not the other way around.

Why does my camera go offline at night?

The classic cause is power starvation from IR load: at night the infrared LEDs switch on and can double the camera's current draw. On a marginal 12 V run the added drop sags the supply below tolerance and the camera brown-outs and reboots — repeatedly. Fixes: heavier power conductors, a supply closer to the camera, 24 V AC or PoE conversion. On PoE, the same symptom points to an underpowered switch port (use 802.3at for IR-heavy or PTZ models).

Can I plug a PoE camera straight into my router?

Only if the router or switch port actually supplies PoE — most home routers do not. Options: a PoE-capable switch, a single-port PoE injector inline with the camera's cable, or an NVR with built-in PoE ports. The camera negotiates power per IEEE 802.3af/at; a non-PoE port will link data but the camera will stay dead without a separate 12 V supply (many IP cameras retain a 12 V barrel jack as an alternative).

Sources and verification

IEC 60617:2026 DB — Graphical symbols for diagrams (International Electrotechnical Commission) — The current official IEC graphical-symbol database and the electrotechnical areas it covers. Exact symbol identity data requires IEC access.; claim scope: standards
IEEE/ANSI 315-1975 — Graphic Symbols for Electrical and Electronics Diagrams (IEEE Standards Association) — The official catalogue record for North American diagram symbols and reference-designation letters; IEEE lists the standard as inactive-reserved.; claim scope: standards, reference_designator
IEC 61666:2010+AMD1:2021 — Identification of terminals within a system (International Electrotechnical Commission) — General principles for identifying terminals within systems; it does not replace the exact ordered-device datasheet.
IEC 81346-2:2019 — Object classes and reference-designation codes (International Electrotechnical Commission) — The official classification scheme used to form reference designations across technical disciplines.; claim scope: reference_designator
IEC 61082-1:2014 — Preparation of documents used in electrotechnology (International Electrotechnical Commission) — General presentation rules for electrotechnical diagrams, drawings, and tables.; claim scope: standards, usage

Geometry fingerprint: 3ecdd2e4ea8247bd. A changed SVG, canvas size, or terminal definition invalidates the recorded review.

Related symbols

Physical breadboard, PCB, and panel mapping

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