INSIGHTS
The rise of IP video surveillance needs to account for existing analog devices, with video encoders easing the transition to networked solutions, as detailed by Samuel Lee, Product Marketing Manager, Bosch Security Systems.
Selecting the Right Encoders for Migrating to IP Video
Date: 2011/06/14
Source: Submitted by Bosch Security Systems
Building a System
The responsible system integrator would consider how an encoder fits into the overall system capabilities and design. A common mistake is for the end user to place too much emphasis on the specifications of the camera without examining the encoder limitations. For example, encoders tend not to be able to capture the full resolution of a 600-TVL image, so using a 600-TVL camera would be a poor system fit.
Another consideration is the load an encoder would place upon the network, keeping in mind that overloading the network hardware would affect performance and video usability. This task is made more complicated, as determining network load requires more than just the switch closest to the encoder. The entire system must be seen as a whole to ensure there are no bottlenecks that could compromise performance. In this context, the integrator must look into which network functionalities, such as multicasting, can improve network performance and whether the system design supports the optimal usage of this functionality.