Why Digital ?

ANALOGUE CCTV is widely used in security applications with varying results. Long runs of coaxial cable for each cctv camera and high maintenance make it expensive to install and maintain. The picture clarity is degraded due to analogue to digital conversion and analogue recording has limited functionality, such as, incident analysis. CCTV systems offer deterrence, but because of inferior quality of recording, often fail to deliver meaningful evidence.

True IP surveillance systems have all three components - camera, connection, and capture, DIGITAL (or else, it’s a hybrid), and address the above shortcomings:

Camera: Intelligent cameras connected via Digital CAT5/ 6 cabling allow remote monitoring over the Internet, cover a bigger area via camera controls, show details, offer ‘live’ sound, and record clear images on a PC. It is easy to use, and simple to maintain - presenting a powerful deterrent with an excellent return on investment.

Connection: IP camera systems are compatible with digital infrastructures and digital services. With modern digital CAT5/ 6 structured cabling, it is easy to plug-in or move a camera on the network.

Capture: Digital recording on a PC hard disk allows a quick search of an incident, and the results can be distributed easily via the Internet without specialist skills. A PC hard disk replaces the Digital Video Recorder (DVR), which is nothing but hard disk storage in a proprietary box. The PC solution not only provides cost effective storage, but also the ability to use the PC to interrogate the data for a meaningful analysis. Audio recording greatly enhances an incident resolution.

Conversely, the above may be realised on an ANALOGUE system at great expense!

Picture courtesy of Panasonic