If you are considering purchasing or upgrading your commercial video surveillance system, the decision ultimately comes down to purchasing either analog cameras or digital cameras (IP Cameras).
Generally speaking, there are two types of surveillance systems:
- Traditional analog cameras
- Newer IP cameras
Both types of cameras can be effective and are both widely used today. The surveillance industry’s future as well as the majority of new innovations will come from IP video cameras.
When researching security cameras, you will come across options such as: Analog, digital, megapixel, HD, Ultra HD, 1080p, VGA, XGA, QXGA, 4K, lux level, pixels, DVR, NAS, NVR, OMNIF, and H.264. Unless you are in the industry veteran or already familiar with the terms, figuring it all out is probably not the best use of your time.
Depending on who you ask, you will most certainly get different answers on which particular system is the best.
In order to determine what type of camera you will purchase, we recommend starting the process with a defined scope:
What is it that you are trying to accomplish with these cameras?
Benefits of IP Cameras
IP Cameras offer several benefits:
- The system is scalable, so as your business grows it’s easy to add additional cameras.
- If the lighting conditions are challenging, IP cameras can help.
- The future is digital, so an IP-based system is more future-proof than analog.
- If the area you need to secure, is large, the IP system can be implemented more easily.
When Analog is Sufficient
If you have a very limited budget, require a finite number of cameras, do not require great detail, are putting cameras in small areas with good lighting, or want to reuses existing analog cabling then the traditional analog camera should be fine for your needs.
Our Recommendations
We recommend going with the brand names, as these are typically built with higher quality parts and tend to last longer.
Generally speaking, 1 megapixel – 6 megapixel cameras will suffice for most businesses applications.
It is important to remember that wire pulls, installation labor, and programming typically account for about 50% of the cost of any surveillance system. Therefore, it makes sense to purchase the best surveillance cameras that your budget allows.
IP cameras come in all shapes, sizes, and costs. The good news is that the cost for IP cameras continue to come down and should continue this trend.
Contact Jason Maddox today for your free consultation on IP video for your commercial security needs in Birmingham and Central Alabama.
