Analogue CCTV or IP based surveillance, which one to choose?

If you are a UK based company, the leap into completely IP-based technology is the best bang for your buck both monetarily and in terms of security by far. Digital IP surveillance in the UK can be done over a LAN network, of course, but TCP/IP transmittal of surveillance makes sense for remote surveillance of multiple locations and for remote recording of data onto back-up servers and hard disks for permanent storage.

With IP-based video surveillance security system in place, you can connect your IP surveillance camera or cameras to any network or wireless adapter, and you can become extremely flexible in your placement of the camera itself. A typical PC-attached video camera in the  UK, while providing digital picture image and video quality, still has to be within approximately ten feet of the computer  itself.

Setting up an IP-based video surveillance system in the  UK is easy – all you need is to set up an IP address, get your system up and running and it’s extremely stable and flexible to. Because IP is the technology of the future, it is also easy to upgrade and to maintain. You won’t be outgrowing an IP-based CCTV video camera system any time soon because new developments are based on improving this market. Therefore, you will be able to add on and improve your IP based surveillance system in the UK for years to come while older, CCTV+DVR hybrids will dead-end and become obsolete.

A better  way to understand the differences between analogue and IP-based video surveillance may be to compare the two and how they work:

• Easy to use, operates like a VTR
• Changing cassettes and rewinding regularly means frequent human error and interference with effectiveness
• Poor image quality
• High wear & tear rate for storage tapes
• Live image broadcasting isn’t practical
• Bulky storage
• Uses analogue recording, recording in low-grade picture quality and inability to easily search and track
• Adding new DVR systems must be done in ‘blocks’ of 16 channels

• IP-based digital recording means instant transmittal of images anywhere in the world
• Can monitor multiple surveillance cameras from one remote location
• No decline in recording quality over time or with repeated replays
• Digital picture quality which is far superior to analogue
• IP-base digital recording is highly compressed for easier storage and can be transported over a variety of media types
• Digital images and videos can be encrypted for security purposes
• Updates and new add-ons are relatively inexpensive through software packages and Internet computer networking
• Customizable frame rates
• Remote or shared video viewing may be done over the Internet or a wireless connection
• Standard IP video surveillance compression techniques are used
• IP video surveillance cameras may be added individually or in groups according to your needs

If you are contemplating increasing?  or upgrading video surveillance for your company or home in the  UK, understanding how IP-based video surveillance systems works will make your decision easier. IP CCTV system is the future of video surveillance and, is obviously an investment in superior quality and adaptability.