The　high　stability　is　required　in　the　process　of　target　detection　system.　A　video　monitoring　system　based　on　JPEG2000　for　target　detection　is　developed　in　the　paper.　Firstly,　the　image-based　video　compression　method　and　streaming-based　video　compression　method　have　been　compared.　And　then　a　comparison　of　still　image　compression　algorithm　based　on　JPEG2000　standard　and　traditional　JPEG　standard　has　been　made.　The　experimental　results　show　that　the　video　monitoring　system　based　on　still　image　compression　has　higher　stability　and　low　error　influence　than　based　on　video　streaming　compression.　And　JPEG2000-based　compression　algorithm　has　better　performance　than　traditional　JPEG-based　compression　algorithm　in　the　condition　of　low　bit　rates.　©　2012　Springer-Verlag　GmbH.