Latin America. Video surveillance systems over IP offer important advantages over analog ones. These include vastly superior image quality, better scalability, event management, intelligent video, and lower total cost of ownership.
Rodrigo Sánchez, Axis Sales Engineer for South America, presents ten reasons to decide on an IP video surveillance system.
1. High resolution
IP-based cameras are not restricted to the low resolution of analog cameras. With a 5 megapixel IP camera, images are obtained with ten times more detail than with the 4CIF analog resolution.
Analog cameras have a maximum resolution of 704 x 480 pixels (4CIF). With an IP camera, you can get an increased resolution, including HDTV (720p/1080p) and up to 5 megapixels (2560 x 1920).
2.Easy installation
IP cameras easily connect to the existing network. One cable per camera provides power, video and data, making installation easy with minimal effort. And when using the existing computer network, there is no need to invest in a new cabling infrastructure. With the use of Power over Ethernet (PoE), it is also not necessary to have a power socket close to the camera. And if the network switches are connected to a redundant power supply, the cameras will be too.
3. Truly digital
Unlike analog video signal, the image quality of an IP camera does not degrade with long-distance transmission or conversion between different formats. An IP camera can provide several simultaneous streams that can be viewed or stored in multiple locations.
4. Camera intelligence
Built-in intelligence allows cameras to carry out a large number of tasks that reduce pressure on operators, providing vital business data and increasing surveillance effectiveness. In addition, it is possible to extend the functionality of IP cameras by adding new applications.
The Camera Application Platform (example AXIS) is open and allows the development of third-party applications that can be downloaded and installed on network cameras and video encoders.
5. Fully integrated
IP cameras integrate power, video and audio signal, control, and input and output into a single cable. This means cost savings, better functionality and broad integration power.
With an analog PZT camera you need a separate cable to control horizontal, vertical and zoom movement. If an audio signal is added to this, you will need one more cable. All this, together with the power and video cables, adds up to an inflexible and expensive camera infrastructure.
6. Integrated security
IP cameras offer video signal encryption in addition to multi-level control of user access. This means that you can accurately control the people who can see your system and what each one can see and that the video signal is protected from any form of manipulation by third parties.
The analog video signal is not secure. It has no encryption or means of authentication, it is possible to easily access the video signal of an analog camera or even alter or replace it to interrupt the surveillance operation.
7. Sharp moving images
With an IP camera there are no problems of interlacing. With the use of progressive sweep technology, the result of the capture is an image with superior quality. In contrast, most analog cameras use interlaced scanning. This means that only lines with odd numbers on the first pass and even lines on the next are swept. The two subassemblies are then combined into an image. The problem with this technology is that any movement that occurs between the passes will be blurred in the final image.
8. Easy to expand system
The IP-based surveillance camera system can be easily expanded when needed. The demands of wiring are less complex than those of an analog system and with an open standards base there are no ties with a patented technology.
9. Lower total cost
The total cost of ownership is lower for an IP-based system compared to an analog one. Although analog cameras are more affordable, the accompanying installation costs and expensive DVR equipment tip the scales in favor of IP cameras.
Fewer cables leads to less maintenance and the open standard allows the use of affordable, commonly used IT hardware for integration functions.
10. New possibilities
An IP-based surveillance system can grow with future challenges and opportunities. Open standards and add-on architecture make cameras adaptable to the latest technologies.
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