What is an IP Camera System?
Closed circuit television (CCTV) systems have long been in place at businesses and homes across the UK, protecting premises by acting both as a visible deterrent and as a tool for police in apprehending criminals.
CCTV systems obviously has their advantages, but they also have limitations. From the inflexible storage and monitoring of the footage, to the complex installation process, CCTV can present a number of issues.
Luckily, technology has developed to work around this, with the last decade or so seeing the rise of IP camera systems that offer a range of benefits over traditional analogue CCTV.
What is an IP System?
An Internet protocol (IP) system is a digital version of a CCTV system. It uses an Ethernet link to rapidly transfer images and audio as data, allowing for remote monitoring of many separate areas from one central spot.
Advantages
IP cameras can be more favourable than analogue CCTV units for a number of reasons.
- The installation of IP systems is a straightforward process, as cameras can easily be added to an existing network, either wirelessly or wired. With analogue CCTV units however, each camera must be individually routed back to the monitoring system as well as sufficient room being made for respective power and network cables.
- Flexibility is also greatly increased with an IP system. The nature of the technology means that no local monitoring or recording is required; the data can be transmitted across the internet or a local network to a centralised point.
- As IP cameras can interact with other digitised security equipment on the circuit, such as access control or phone systems, increasing the connectivity and convenience of the network.
- Because they convert digital imagery to data, IP camera resolution is limited only by bandwidth. When compared to analogue CCTV systems, which have a maximum resolution of 414,720 pixels, the benefits are obvious. Not only does this allow for greater enhancement of an image without loss of quality, it also means that cameras can be placed further away from the area they are monitoring, giving a wider angle that can be zoomed in and out of at ease.
- Cost-efficiency is another plus point for IP over analogue systems. As monitoring can be done from an existing computer with an internet connection, specialised DVR or other CCTV screens are not required to be purchased. Similarly, if the network needs to grow in the future, an IP camera can simply be added into the system, whereas an analogue camera requires a complex installation of cabling.
AAI Security Systems
Here at AAI Security, we stock a wide range of CCTV systems for use in all commercial and domestic environments. Depending on your needs, we can supply and install both analogue and IP cameras – one of our experts will be happy to discuss your needs with you before suggesting the most suitable CCTV solution.
We are also available 24 hours to carry out maintenance and repairs on systems that become damaged, ensuring that your business remains safe from the threat of intruders or vandals.
For more information, get in touch with AAI Security Systems today.