IP Surveillance Camera

The Benefits of IP Surveillance Camera Systems

The explosion in sales of IP Surveillance camera systems is largely due to the overwhelming 

benefits that such systems have over the traditional closed circuit television (CCTV) systems. 

The following benefits have contributed to the increasing growth expected throughout the 

first decade of the 21st century and beyond.

Not the least of these is the fact that an IP camera system, including the software and 

networking requirements, conform to set standards, so that equipment purchased from one 

manufacturer can be replaced by that from another manufacturer.  You can access the lowest

priced memory or hard disks if you want, irrespective of who makes them, since they are all

made to the same standard.  Closed circuit equipment, however, is proprietary, and once you 

have purchased a system from one manufacturer, you are stuck with that for all ancillary 

equipment.  You are therefore at their mercy re pricing since there is no market competition. 

Not only can costs be saved on equipment and  re-equipping existing systems, but also on 

manning.  Since signals are transferred through a packet-switched network using the internet 

protocol, IP surveillance can be carried out remotely at any location with an internet connection,

even a wireless connection.  It is therefore feasible for large businesses to centralize their 

surveillance operations, and view and record screens from a single location.  A world-wide 

organization can collate all IP camera operations worldwide to one single location for real-time

surveillance and analysis. 

These are the direct cost benefits, although there are others.  Wireless IP cameras can be 

set up in any location without the need for cabling back to the receiver, and if the camera is 

battery powered, then there is no need for any cabling at all.  Not only is there an implicated 

cost benefit here, but the installation can be made much more secure and place in accessible 

locations in such a way that the cameras cannot be disabled by an intruder.  There are no 

cables to cut. 

An IP surveillance camera can be set to operate through motion detection or some other 

initiation event. Normal closed circuit TV systems have to be continuously monitored or recorded,

resulting in a tremendous amount of recording of nothing.  IP cameras can operate when doors 

open or any other motion occurs, and can also trigger alarms.  These alarms can be set off at 

security locations so that intruders can be arrested without being alerted by the alarm.  Recordings
can be started only when motion occurs. 

Not only can recordings be made of security events, but these can be sent anywhere in the 

world for review and analysis.  And speaking of analysis, the growing science of video analytics 

is having an impact on security surveillance at such locations as airports and government 

establishments. Analytical software can be used to detect baggage unattended by passengers

and also to investigate vehicles that have stopped in prohibited areas. They can, for example,

detect vehicles parked where they should not be and alert security services to the fact.

However, probably the major benefit that the IP surveillance system has over CCTV is that 

whereas closed circuit systems can only record events for viewing after an event has occurred,

an IP system can do so in real time, and provide alerts and warnings of events in-progress. The 

fact that it can do so automatically is one reason for its rapid replacement of traditional 

surveillance equipment. 

IP equipment is available in a number of different mountings for home or business use, and

wireless IP is becoming more popular.  That is because cabling back to the recording device,

or to the internet, is not needed and the cameras can be located in very remote areas if they

are also battery operated.  They are thus of use to farmers in monitoring their stock and to

defense establishments for perimeter security. 

It is possible to run a number of cameras on the one surveillance network, and to view each on

one screen. The software available can enable one person to switch between cameras, or to 

view all simultaneously. Some allow you to  stream the video over your mobile phone, so that

you can view it from anywhere, even without a laptop.  Another option you can have with cabled

IP surveillance cameras is to power the camera through the data cable, thus reducing the amount

of cabling required – another dollar benefit over CCTV.  

The benefits of the IP surveillance camera over its traditional CCTV counterpart are why IP 

cameras will soon overtake CCTV in popularity and sales, since not only are these benefits

operational benefits that improve security and surveillance effectiveness, but are also savings

in hard cash.  This meets the needs of both the sharp end of the operation and the bean counters.