When one cut’s through the hype of ill-informed sales people and box pushers trying to sell IP cameras above analogue HD systems – one particular truth stands out.

IP or internet protocol cameras do not need a video recorder to store and view the captured footage.

So let’s be clear on this – HD Analogue camera systems can do almost anything that an IP camera can do.

Virtually every advantage ascribed to IP camera systems by sales people is inaccurate.

SOME FALSE CLAIMS

Without entering tedious discussion here are just a few;

• IP cameras offer better video quality because they transmit digitally. HD analogue Cameras and IP cameras have both settled at the standard of 4MP/5MP – 5 MP resolution is the same whether it’s an analogue or digital 5MP.
• IP cameras can be powered over the same cable that transmits the video using PoE. RG59 Powerax cable used for Analogue cameras is virtually a single cable, using a pair for power, just as the Cat6 cable uses a pair for PoE. Additionally Analogue systems now offer Power over Coax. Some people even use the same cat 5 cable for video and power on an analogue system. (We don’t recommend this)

There are hundreds of other claims made regarding the advantage of IP cameras over Analogue systems – most of which can be easily debunked.

WHY THE LIES?

Why are the distributors and manufacturers so eager to promote inaccurate hype?

Simply because the profit margins on HD Analogue are dwindling – given it’s consumer adoption. IP Cameras can be sold at higher prices, securing more profit.

The fact that IP or internet protocol cameras do not need a video recorder to store and view the captured footage, is a legitimate feature of IP cameras.

IF THE RECORDER IS NOT NEEDED, WHY IS IT STILL SOLD 90% OF THE TIME

You will realise that many providers have misrepresented the IP camera sale – simply because in 90% of the cases, they still sell you a recorder.

It’s just called a Network Video Recorder.

The fact that they supply a network video recorder in most cases indicates a lack of understanding for the reason in deploying an IP camera system – which is far more costly.

WHAT ARE THE REAL BENEFITS OF IP CAMERAS FOR YOUR SECURITY?

To establish how IP cameras contribute to your security – we need to focus on the benefits that arise when we eliminate the central recorder.

INTEGRATION AND COMPATIBILITY

Without a proprietary recorder, many IP cameras use open-platform protocols such as onvif. The open platform allows these cameras to integrate with many other third party systems such as access control, attendance management and facilities management systems.

The end user has the flexibility to choose cutting edge management systems that meet their operational requirements – rather than being locked in to a proprietary solution, that might not meet all the requirements.

CENTRALISED STORAGE AND ACCESS

One function of the recorder is to accommodate hard drive storage.

IP Cameras offer the flexibility of sending video data from separate or dispersed geographic locations to a central storage system server or cloud.

often these centres offer more security and redundancy than a local system. Data centres pay 24/7, expert attention, to security and redundancy – while the local recorder is subjected to ad hoc attention by local personnel.

IP cameras have the ability to send data from dispersed areas – such as are common to educational facilities, hospitals, and large plants or branches – distributed across a region, to a single storage point. Centralised storage has benefits from economy of scale to accessibility.

SCALABILITY

Another advantage of IP cameras is that you have the flexibility to install a single standalone IP camera to any site where there is an internet or even a local network connection. Since these cameras can send the footage to a server, cloud or save it to onboard storage cards additional recorders and hard drives are not required.

Cameras can also be added to the system as required. The number of cameras installed is independent of the limitations of a recorder.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ANALYTICS

One established limitation of HD Analogue systems is the compute power that the recorder needs, in order to apply artificial intelligence algorithms to the multiple streams of incoming video.

Recorders equipped with sufficient compute power and GPU will be very expensive – relative to a standard home CCTV recorder.

This is a serious limitation, since the application of artificial Intelligence Analytics to video will be a future norm.

Arguably this will be true for both residential and other CCTV system installs.

An IP camera can be equipped with sufficient compute power and GPU to process and deal with it’s single video stream – each camera handles it’s own processing.

While there is a slight economic trade off on the price of an IP camera versus an HD Analogue camera – this is offset by the total system cost and efficacy.

In summary – Sales people are going to present you with hundreds of reasons to purchase an IP camera system as opposed to an HD analogue system -98% of those reasons are false, inaccurate and misleading.

IP CCTV cameras will enhance your security in the following scenarios;

1. you need to integrate video with diverse management systems, such as access control, time and attendance systems, or facility wide integrated management systems,

2. You want centralised monitoring for large, separate or geographically distinct areas of coverage,

3. You need to deploy only a few camera’s – less than 4, at a single location.

4. You are employing artificial intelligence at scale.

Looking for HD Analogue or IP Camera systems – Shop here now!