Video Balun Utp

Video Balun Utp

We won't save the best for last as we described the Top 10 Technologies or business related items that are influencing the Video Security marketplace. 

#1 IP Megapixel cameras

No more fuzzy video as IP Megapixel Video Cameras march to the forefront of CCTV technology.  Slowly replacing the basic analog camera, IP Megapixel cameras offer high-definition to the masses. With IP Megapixel cameras providing the high resolution cameras once only dreamed of  far surpassing standard cameras on the market today.  Hopefully the price falls soon to make them affordable to the masses as IP Megapixel cameras cost 300-800% more than analog cameras today.

#2 Emergence of Infrared cameras

Two years ago, Infrared (IR) cameras were not common and were for specialized projects.  Today, IR Cameras come in several styles and shapes and is available for indoor and outdoor use.  Nighttime vision at an affordable price.

#3  Wireless CCTV Cameras

IP Camera Technology has made available a much better wireless video device.  Traditionally, analog cameras have a 0.5-2.0 watt transmitters that were often times difficult to obtain a good video signal and were restricted to line-of-sight use only.  They also required a transmitter and receiver for each camera.  Wireless  IP Cameras operate just like a wireless laptop and connect to a video IP hub/router in the same way a laptop connects to a wireless router.  Distances can be extended by using a repeater.  Wireless IP Cameras at the professional level are starting to enter the market.

#4  UTP Transmission

Whether the system is IP or analog, a common way to connect cameras is with Cat-5 cables.  Even on analog cameras, Cat-5 is a tremendous advantage in lower cable cost and ease of installation.  Analog cameras require a small "balun" for impedance match but the cable cost can be reduced in half with great video transmission up to 1200 feet with Cat-5 vs. the traditional RG59 Coax.

#5 High Resolution Dome cameras

Dome cameras have captured a large part of the CCTV camera market.  They come in indoor and outdoor housing and have an embedded lens with 540TVL and are easy to install.  The improvement in dome video cameras are due to the improved video that is captured.  The traditional box camera two years ago was chosen because of the availability of different lens and it had a superior picture over a dome camera.  Not today, as professional dome cameras come in high resolution and multiple lens options.

#6  Video Storage Availability

1.5 TeraByte Drives from the major manufacturers are emerging at less than $200. Digital Video Recorders today are commonly shipped with 1TB and above.  As hard drive size goes up, the cost goes down.  Where a 4 teraByte storage was, just 2 years ago, reserved for huge enterprise servers at $10K and above, DVRs commonly include large drives at less than $300 per TeraByte. This has impacted Digital Video Recorders pricing tremendously as DVR manufacturers are having to lower storage costs due to common SATA drives used in most all DVRs in today's market.

#7  H.264 Video Compression

A nationwide retail store experienced a reduction of 50% in video storage requirements after upgrading from MPEG4 to H.264.  With bandwidth improvements, storage reduction, and overall better video production, H.264 Video Compression is becoming the leading video of many new DVRs on the market.  H.264 will be the de facto standard in professional DVRs by 2010.

#8  3 Year Warranty's

Not a technology, but very important. Many manufacturers have adopted a 3 year warranty on both CCTV Cameras and Digital Video Recorders.  An important consideration as you invest in Video Surveillance equipment.

#9  Hardware Compression Video DVR Cards

Many DVR manufacturers are releasing hardware compression DVR cards that allow a computer-based DVR to provide the optimal resolution and speed.  When a true 30 Frames Per Second recording at D1 Resolution (720x480).  Until high-speed IP Cameras are readily available, hardware compression video devices are the rage.

#10  IP technology in the Video Security market

Perhaps this should be #1, and in 2010 this may be the case.  Analog to Digital with IP Cameras changes many aspects of Video Surveillance.  From installation to video resolution, IP technology will allow high definition for the Video Security market and will drastically increase the quality of video recordings.  In the next 2-3 years, IP Cameras will dominate the market and overtake analog camera installations.

These 10 items, among many others, should be considered when investing in Video Security systems. 

What did I miss? Any feedback on this list would be appreciated. http://www.amasecurity.com.

Steve McNeal
AMA Security
http://www.AMAsecurity.com