When internet protocol was first standardised in the early 1980s, nobody could have understood the profound effect the internet would have on society. Not only has it affected how we do business, the way we learn and how we communicate, but IP has also revolutionised the CCTV landscape. We now live in a world where it is possible to install high-resolution wireless cameras into an existing network, which can then be monitored remotely from a mobile phone. It is a far cry from the dubious low-quality black and white frames, vast cabling and walls of video often associated with analogue systems.
But is this assumption fair, and is IP actually any better than analogue? There are certainly pros and cons to both systems and the fact that analogue is far from obsolete is a clear indication that many companies may not want to move on. However, there is no reason that a company cannot have the best of both worlds.
Quality
If it is a question of image quality, IP wins hands down. IP cameras are available with incredibly high resolutions – even up to 20 megapixels – and can cope with movement much better than their analogue counterparts. IP cameras digitise and process analogue images, encode them and transmit the information over the network. An analogue camera does the same, but after processing it has to convert images back to analogue for recording, resulting in lost image quality.
Cost
Cost is another issue, with IP cameras coming with a heftier price tag than analogue devices. However, this price tag does bring with it an increase in security, less cabling and scalable integration, which should be considered when purchasing. For the small independent retailer who only needs a handful of cameras, analogue is the obvious choice. For the large enterprise, or in a mission critical situation where security is paramount, only an IP system will do the job effectively.
Networks
If every security system in the UK replaced each analogue camera with an IP one tomorrow, the networks would simply fail. Within the UK the move to IP has been slower than other countries, including the USA and developing nations such as Russia and the Middle East, which do not have the same level of legacy infrastructure. A recent report from IMS Research found that sales of network video equipment have now overtaken analogue in the Middle East, highlighting the pace of change.
Network failure is also something that companies should take into account when considering an IP-based solution. Not only will IP cameras be subject to networking issues such as congestion, but if a network outage was to occur, recording would also fail. Though rare, and while companies will often have a back-up, this is still a consideration.
Bridging the gap
There is no reason why a company cannot run IP and analogue cameras simultaneously. In fact, for companies looking to get the most out of their current investment, using a hybrid system is the obvious choice. Certain Network Video Recorders (NVRs) can be used to record analogue and IP output with ease. Devices which enable customers to run both analogue and IP cameras concurrently now also exist on the market. These products have high bandwidth capabilities and the ability to handle a large number of both IP and analogue cameras together. Devices such as these are ideal for companies looking to get the best of both worlds.
Nearly thirty years after the birth of IP networks, CCTV is finally being redefined. However, the move to IP will take time and for the moment analogue cameras meet the security needs of many. Security professionals should therefore take a long-term view when it comes to IP cameras. By understanding the technology in the market that enables IP and analogue to work in harmony, the migration process is much less daunting overall.
Kevin Smith is UK Director for Pelco by Schneider Electronic. For additional product or company information, please go to Pelco.com.
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