Decision: Analog or IP camera?

There is (and has been) a core industry shift moving everything to the network. It has been going on for quite some time. First data, then voice, now… the “eyes” have it!

Inevitably, ALL information will be on some type of IP based network. The clear choice is an IP camera. That was easy. Done!

Wait… as with anything, both analog and IP cameras have pros and cons.

The physical “eyes” collecting video: choose an analog video camera or an IP video camera? Even with a background in CCTV or networking, being faced with this question can be overwhelming.

In an effort to save time in discovery (of technical and cost information) and allow for an informed balance in the functional and financial decisions required when it comes to choosing analog cameras and/or IP cameras… the following is recommended reading:

1) Analog vs. IP Cameras Aventura Technologies:
(conveys great background information on both technologies with comparisons)
http://www.aventuratechnologies.com/newsletter/DOCS/Aventura_Newsletter_02_Analog_vs_IP_Cameras.pdf

2) Analog Video: Still King of the Hill? SecurityInfoWatch.com:
(a well-rounded perspective)
http://www.securityinfowatch.com/print/Security-Technology-Executive/Features/Analog-Video--Still-King-of-the-Hill-/19292SIW2

3) IP video surveillance standards Video/Imaging DesignLine:
(more insight towards IP future and further in-depth description of IP video capability)
http://www.videsignline.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=214502036&cid=NL_vidl

4) Basic search on term “Analog vs. IP” – the results reveal first hand experiences and choices made from education facilities to further technical papers on this subject. Note: over 26 million results from a standard search.

Be it a completely new video network or an update/extension/replacement of an existing video network, the end result that balances function, finance, video coverage, and video storage/recall will very likely be a hybrid video system which contains BOTH analog cameras and IP cameras.

~David Scales, Chief Technology Officer