Archive Opinion Article

Thinking of CCTV?

A CCTV system is made up of 3 major components. 1. The cameras, 2. The cabling and 3. The processing device (the recorder and switching device). The cameras and recorder will need to be matched together depending on the type. There are now 2 main types of cameras. IP cameras (those which work via networking and IP addressing) and the Coaxial type (those that work over standard coaxial copper cable commonly known as analogue). The recorder used will depend on the cameras. For IP cameras you would use an NVR (Network Video Recorder) and for Analogue Cameras you would use a DVR (Digtial Video Recorder). The cabling used also needs to work on the type of camera and recorder however there is a little flexibility in this regard. IP cameras can only work on data cable such as copper network cable or fibre optic. Aanlogue cameras work on coaxial cable and a small 2 wire power cable however they can also work with copper network cable with the inclusion of a converter at each end of the cable runs. Each type of CCTV system has it's advantages and disadvantages over one another.

More commonly these days there is a shift towards IP CCTV systems due to their versatility and the fact that the quality and image resolution is as good as and if not better than coaxial systems, couple with the ability to easily integrate an IP camera into an already existing computer network environment and in turn connectivity globally makes an IP solution a much more ttractive choice when it comes to building a CCTV solution. An IP CCTV system broadcasts their video as a digital stream over an IP network such as a WAN, LAN, Internet or Intranet. IP cameras combine the capabilities of cameras and some PC functionalities. So they don’t require a direct connection to a PC to operate and they can be placed anywhere within a network. IP systems allow for an almost seemless deployment and are compatible with virtually all network environments from the small home user to a global coprorate installation. Integration is also easier with an IP solution.

IP cameras excel in capturing high definition, megapixel images. The maximum amount of pixels that can be created by analogue cameras is 0.4 megapixels, and 10 megapixels by IP cameras. Just like pictures taken with digital cameras, the more pixel the better image quality.

An analogue security system begins with a CCD image sensor and then converts the images into a digital form for processing. But before it can transmit the videos, it needs to convert back in an analogue form, so analogue devices such as video recorder and monitor, can receive the videos. Analogue cameras are easier to install because they require no configuration and network knowledge, while IP cameras require some networking skills for small installations and more technical skills for enterprise size installations.

To sum up, both types of cameras work well in either commercial or residential security. The IP camera’s advantages are high definition and enterprise wireless application, while analogue camera’s advantages are more practical, easy to operate, install and cost-effective. Whether an analogue or IP is best for you it all depends on the security needs of your business.