On closer inspection

When it comes to choosing between a traditional cabled closed-camera-TV (CCTV) installation and an IP-networked surveillance system, many factors suggest that the latter will provide long- and short-term benefits for both the electrical contractor and the end user, but the up-front cost of the cameras can be a turn-off. CCTV cameras have been around for many years, offer reliable surveillance and can be purchased relatively inexpensively. So why bother changing over to an IP solution that can cost up to three times more?

From a contractor’s point of view, there are time and cost savings to be gained during the install. CCTV cameras need power and a video cable, while IP cameras need power and an internet connection. If the camera is Wi-Fi, then it only requires power. Many models also offer power-over-ethernet (PoE) as an option, which is then a matter of connecting to the network via an ethernet cable and drawing power from there. Halving the cabling requirement also means less time spent on site. A reduction in labour costs immediately makes you more competitive.

An IP installation also competes well in terms of reliability and toughness. Video cables are exposed to external forces such as dust, heat and vibrations, all of which can reduce signal quality and system reliability. A digital camera with Wi-Fi receives and transmits signals over the local area network (LAN), so each image is sent in a straight line from point to point. No corners, no exposure to external forces and no weak points.

Another benefit to the contractor is the ease with which digital cameras can be installed and moved around inside the network. Without video cables, an IP camera just needs to be connected to an existing power supply, requires no drilling, no tricky wire feeds and no tight crawl spaces. If the camera also has PoE, it needs only to be connected to the existing network topography, so can be installed at any point the end user requests.

The same advantages apply if the end user needs to expand the security system at some future point. IP networks are easy to augment; buy new digital cameras, fix them in the desired spot and hook them up to the network. Again, no drilling, no crawling, less time on site and a more reliable system.

From the client’s point of view, starting off with an IP-based system effectively future-proofs their premises and their business. Expansion will be simple, install costs competitive and integration into the existing network will be easy and trouble free.

Potential customers should be reminded that a network cannot operate on a mix of cables. If their current security system runs on copper wiring, they won’t be able to expand it using fibre-optic. Of course, having an IP system with Wi-Fi will negate any headaches associated with an upgrade.

So despite the up-front cost, IP cameras are cheaper and easier to install, more robust and offer a flexible, adaptable solution as we move towards the world of fibre-optic cabling. That alone might be enough to persuade some customers to choose IP over CCTV, but many more features and benefits exist that ought to seal the deal.

The most important difference between CCTV cameras and IP cameras is image quality. The resolution of traditional CCTV images stops at about 0.4 megapixels (MP), while an IP camera averages about five times higher at 2 MP. Some cameras now go as high as 10 MP, and manufacturers are working constantly to enhance this. CCTV images can be converted to digital in order to produce a high-definition (HD) image, but the conversion process often results in a loss of image quality.

Storage flexibility is another defining factor. Modern CCTV cameras record to a digital video recorder (DVR), with all cabling routed back to this central unit. There are two types of IP cameras: the centralised camera which requires a network video recorder (NVR) similar to CCTV sending all images back to a centralised point over ethernet cabling and the decentralised IP camera, which has in-built recording functionality and can store data on a network attached storage (NAS) device, USB or remote hard drive. The decentralised IP camera offers greater flexibility since images can be stored, removed and accessed in a wide variety of ways.

An IP system can send true HD signals over a distance of 100 metres and, by simply adding a switch, the range can be extended almost indefinitely with no loss of image quality. Considering the bandwidth achievable on a fibre-optic network, that range can even extend to several kilometres. CCTV is limited by the distance from the central server to each end-point. To send a true HD signal over video cables it has to first be converted and is limited to about 60 metres before the image starts to deteriorate.

Power consumption is a telling factor in favour of an IP system. IP cameras are often scalable, so power consumption can be controlled by the central server or PC. A CCTV installation tends to be fixed for the life of the system. Devices offering PoE offer more savings, since they cut out the need for mains power.

The latest developments in software also offer end users some cutting-edge benefits. Advanced features include object recognition; cameras are now smart enough to recognise a difference in standard conditions and report back to the system controller.

Software like this can be used to isolate certain cameras on a network, highlight them for easy surveillance, pan, tilt and zoom individual cameras, and focus on a specific area; and smarter search capabilities make it simple and fast to locate a recorded event without scrolling through reels of footage.

Recent software developments also provide new, more flexible ways in which a system can be accessed. Instead of being locked into the controlling PC or server, image information can be controlled remotely from any computer on the network - security office, front desk, CSO’s office - even a laptop at home in bed! Many vendors also offer smartphone apps, which enable the end user to check their cameras from literally anywhere. Transmissions sent via the network can be encrypted, which makes them secure from external attack.

So, despite higher start-up costs, a digital or IP surveillance system offers substantial short- and long-term benefits to both contractor and end user. Better energy consumption negates the higher initial outlay over time and the combination of higher image quality and cutting-edge features provide added incentive.