Analog vs Digital Security CCTV Camera Details and Facts

The Difference Between Analogue and IP Cameras

When it comes to choosing security cameras for your business, one of the first things you may think of is the choice between IP cameras vs analog cameras. Analog technology tends to be an older technology, and you may already have these cameras at your business. Should you stick with them or does it make sense to change to a digital IP system.

To make this decision, you’ll want to first understand the difference between IP and analog camera systems and then use this information to determine what’s best for you.

IP Camera vs Analog Camera: Important Points

Analog security cameras record footage then send the signal through a coaxial cable to a Digital Video Recorder (DVR). It then converts the video to digital and stores it. To view the video, the DVR can be connected to a monitor, or it can be hooked up to the internet through a router.

With digital IP cameras, the video is captured in digital format, meaning the conversion is not necessary. The digital data is then sent through a network to a network video recorder and it can be viewed remotely.

How the Difference between IP and Analog Camera Systems Can Help You Choose

When it comes to choosing between an IP camera system or an analog camera system, there are a few factors that matter.

Some benefits of analog cameras include:

• Analog camera systems tend to cost less
  • On a per camera basis, analog cameras tend to be less expensive. If you need a lot of cameras, you could find significant savings. This is especially true if you already have several analog cameras at your site.
• They are fairly simple to install
  • Analog cameras have been around a long time, so you’ll likely find more installers that have more experience with them.
  • The simplicity of a DVR setup may be more straightforward and easier for most people to understand
• Many design options
  • As mentioned, analog cameras have been around for longer, so you may be able to find more options available in many different styles
• Lower bandwidth
  • Videos recorded by analog cameras are sent to the DVR via a coaxial cable, not over a network. These files also tend to be smaller, so they often use lower bandwidth when being viewed over the network.

On the other hand, IP cameras have several benefits as well, including:

• Image quality
  • Many digital cameras are capable of capturing higher quality images, often in high definition. This also means that the images can be zoomed in without losing much quality, since the initial image is recorded in a high resolution.
  • This increased quality could mean that you may require fewer cameras to cover a site.
• Ease of positioning
  • Since the cameras do not have to be connected to the DVR via a physical cable, it is often easier to position them throughout a property.
• Easier remote viewing
  • With many IP cameras, it’s much easier to remotely view live footage than with many analog cameras. In addition, you may also be able to control the cameras (pan, tilt, zoom, etc.) remotely.
• Advanced analytics
  • Digital surveillance cameras offer much more in terms of data and analytics. This lets you find out more about a scene and the cameras themselves can be programmed with various functions, such as detecting motion, counting the number of people in a scene, etc.

Choosing Between Analog Camera vs IP Camera Setups

Once you understand the difference between analogue and IP cameras, you can make a choice for your business. This choice will depend on your company and what you are looking for out of your cameras.

For more information on the options and how they can help you make the right choice for your property, please contact Birdseye Security Solutions today. Our team has the experience and knowledge needed to help you find security that works for you. Contact us today!