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Hybrid, analogue or IP?

Which decision is the right one for your business?

If you are the MD of a company who is about to upgrade or install a new CCTV surveillance system, you are probably going to be faced with some tricky decisions on how you are going to approach the subject. The three main questions you will need to ask yourself are:

1) Will I just upgrade my analogue cameras for new analogue cameras?

2) Will I use a mixture of my existing equipment with new IP camera technology, i.e. a hybrid CCTV system?

3) Will I go for the latest IP megapixel camera solutions with a VMS recording platform?

The problem is there is no clear answer on this. Option 1 will almost certainly work out the cheapest at the point of installation and the results you will be able to achieve will mirror those of any previous analogue system you have used. The cameras and DVR may well have more features but overall system performance is going to be the same.

Option 2 will give you a halfway house solution. Hybrid systems combine analogue and IP cameras with the potential to record on either a DVR or an NVR, but you will have to convert the cameras to either analogue or IP at the point of recording. For the time being, they provide a convenient bridge between the two technologies.

Finally, Option 3. This will mean a commitment to the future, but one that is still evolving. With megapixel cameras you really need to consider your companies’ network capabilities to ensure the frame rate and picture quality are maximised. It is inevitable that IP products will be the dominant force in the CCTV market place in five years. By then products will fall in price sharply and the options and ranges of the camera and recording products will be wide ranging.

The decision is definitely not easy, proper advice should be sought to ensure that a supplier with an installation preference does not force you down the wrong route.

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