Video surveillance technology has grown exponentially since ATP first started installing them over 20 years ago. In recent years IP camera technology has taken the industry by storm. IP cameras have revolutionized the industry’s whole concept of how to lay the groundwork for a proper video surveillance system.

For years our only option for surveillance was an analog CCTV system with an octopus set up. Meaning there was a head end ( the DVR ) and the tentacles the ( wires and cameras ). The main problem with this is it limited scalability. If you had 8 DVR ports and wanted to jump to 9 you would have to replace the head end. IP cameras come with a decentralized set up giving the end user greater flexibility to scale their project as their needs and budget change. Where we really get into the advantages of IP over analog is in resolution. Since IP cameras transmit their data over cat5 data wire as opposed to traditional COAX wire the resolution differences are remarkable. A low end IP camera at 1.3 megapixels has nearly 4 times the resolution of an analog camera . The end user is now able to see in far greater detail everything going on at their property. Their high resolution wide angle shots can often cover the same range as several traditional analog cameras potentially lowering cost of ownership. In our ever changing world of intelligent devices IP cameras are a shining star. Since the cameras are able to receive communication back it makes it extremely easy for an end user to remotely control camera functionality. This means a business owner would be able to remotely zoom in to see exactly what is going on his business. They also offer video motion detection and can alert the end user of any tampering with emails.

IP cameras clearly offer the end user far superior picture quality and increased functionality ; however they come with a much more bloated price tag. A typical IP camera can be 3-4 times as pricey as an analog camera. They may not be right for everyone, but in large commercial applications and businesses with multiple sites they are practically a no brainer. Traditional analog systems are still certainly viable security options. They are ideal for small business and residential applications , however if budget is not an option IP technology is clearly something to consider. If you would like to hear more about video surveillance please do not hesitate to call ATP Alarms . Your trusted partner in all things security.

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