Difference between Analog and IP cameras
Difference between Analog and IP cameras
An analogue camera is a traditional camera used in CCTV systems. It sends video over cable to VCRs or DVRs. IP (Internet Protocol) cameras are all digital cameras that can send signals over cable to be stored in the network. Many security camera systems today are hybrid systems incorporating both analogue and digital components. IP cameras are way more efficient and smarter than their analog pals as they are able to send and receive high resolution data via a computer network.
Here are some of the major differences between analog and IP cameras:
Image Quality: It’s not just about how advanced IP cameras are but how they channel that advancement where it’s most needed—Better Resolution. You can now see the footages without squinting your eyes out! We’ve all seen grainy images of criminals in our favorite murder mystery shows. If only fictional businesses switched to high-quality IP cameras, these detectives would have a much easier time solving crimes! The benefits don’t end here, IP cameras offer more features such as wide/narrow vision and better zoom-in capabilities.
Transmission and Distance: As already mentioned before, IP cameras transmit the data through cloud computing and hence clearly have an upper hand over the anaolg cameras. This is because analog transmissions lose clarity of images as the distance increases and when the format conversion takes place. IP cameras can transfer data over unlimited distances as they are cloud based. Moreover, they don’t lose the clarity as they are in a digital format.
Intelligence and manageability: IP cameras offer network intelligence and remote manageability. They can stream images, and different parts of images, to different recipients simultaneously and perform additional tasks such as sending a message when they sense motion. They also support video analytic tools that can flag specific events and show you the footage, such as motion detection or camera tampering. And when you hook these with AI, you have an absolute powerhouse in terms of security!
Ease of installation: Analogue cameras require more cabling than IP cameras. For instance, they require a separate cable to control the pan, tilt, and zoom functions. If there is audio, another cable is required. One analogue camera may require three separate cables: power, audio, video. IP cameras can accept power, video, audio, PTZ control, and control signals over a single cable
Security: Analogue cameras are far more vulnerable to security breaches because the feeds can be physically intercepted and tapes and recording devices can be stolen. Analogue video feeds are also not encrypted. IP cameras make data difficult to intercept. They encrypt and compress data before transporting it over the Internet to your server and they have VPN support
Pocket weight: This is the only category where analog cameras see the sun. They are cheap and perfect for small size businesses for instance groceries and departmental stores. However, businesses are increasingly prefer Network cameras because of the numerous advantages it carries.