High definition CCTV cameras

As a CCTV installer, you always want to buy the best value cameras on the market. The current trends in video products have influenced our customers’ perception about security cameras. Large TV manufacturers like Samsung, LG, Sony geared up the launch of 11K TV resolution, so it is not a surprise that the CCTV market is also under pressure from consumers, who are demanding higher definition.

Analogue CCTV cameras have faded away from the market. In, fact I had lot of difficulties in finding an analogue CCTV camera for one of my customers. We are left with two options, IP and high definition.

IP cameras like AXIS come with fantastic resolution. But, the expertise required to install them and the price sometimes doesn’t suit our clients’ budget. If you are upgrading an existing analogue system, you may have to rewire the whole place with CAT5 or CAT6. And this is an expensive option. So, what are the other options?

Analogue high definition CCTV cameras

In recent days, the demand for analogue high definition has gone over the top. Many manufacturers have started manufacturing analogue high definition CCTV cameras.

This article compares some of the analogue high definition technologies available to us.

HD-SDI (High definition – serial digital interface)

The very first to start high definition in analogue is HD-SDI (High definition – serial digital interface). HD-SDI is capable of producing full HD or 1080p resolution. However, the high price and compatibility of them have pushed them to last place.

HD-SDI was used in the early days of camcorders. The only reason they were not introduced in CCTV cameras is due to the fact that they were very expensive.

HD-CVI (High definition composite video interface)

HD-CVI or high definition composite video interface is the latest addition to the HD CCTV system. This technology is developed by Dahua. HD-CVI technology is capable of transmitting video signal via coaxial cable to a maximum of 500 metres. This is a big advantage compared with previous generation analogue cameras. HD-CVI also makes it easy to transmit audio, video and data with one single coax cable. HD-CVI has zero latency and this is another clear advantage compared with IP technology.

HD-TVI (High definition transport video interface)

HD-TVI was introduced in 2014. This is a DSP-TVI technology developed by an American company called Techpoint. HD-TVI chipset is used by Intersil, Hikvision, HanBang and many more.

When twisted cables are used, TVI clearly gives an advantage in running them for longer distances.

AHD (Analogue high definition)

AHD technology is developed by NextChip Korea. AHD supports 720p and 1080p video resolutions. AHD technology also has pros and cons, AHD chipsets are generally the cheapest among high definition chipsets, hence the final product cost is slightly cheaper than HD-TVI or HD-CVI.

AHD cameras can transmit video signals through RG59 and RG6, hence it can transmit signal up to 500m without losing strength. It also supports audio over coaxial.

 

 

IP cameras

As far as IP cameras are concerned there is no cap on the maximum video resolution that you can get. Axis is one of the leading manufacturers for IP CCTV cameras and their AXIS Q3617-VE is capable of producing 6MP (3072×2048).

IP cameras have become easier to install and maintain, but it still requires a fundamental understanding of networking. In most cases, this is a challenge for installers.

As far as the price is concerned, IP cameras are considerably more expensive to install and maintain.

The verdict is, it all depends on your project requirement. If your customer is more concerned about video resolution, and if they are looking to use a video management system, IP cameras may be appealing to them. If most of your customers are small and medium size businesses, it may be good to look at analogue higher definition. And if you are planning for a long cable run, AHD is a good option. All analogue high definition cameras are very similar apart from HD-SDI, therefore it may be a good idea to check after sales support from your distributor as well.

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