How?
IP video improves picture quality and lowers the running costs by improving management. It also provides the basis of a future-proof platform, which makes your network ready for the age of megapixel and HD.
A video encoder achieves this by converting incoming signals of an analog camera into a digital video stream, using universal compression standards such as M-JPEG, MPEG-4 or H.264. This video stream will be identical to that from a network camera and can be fully integrated into a network video system. The encoder can include built-in functions like video motion detection, tampering alarms and video analytics.
There are a variety of encoders on the market. The most common video encoder is a stand-alone version with
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| Erik Fr?nnlid, Director Product Management, Axis Communications |
single or multichannel connections to analog cameras. Stand-alone encoders should be installed close to analog cameras, as analog signals lose integrity the further they travel which could affect the end result of the digital conversion.
Video encoders make the network more flexible and adaptable. The network is suddenly given more expansion options. In the new analog-turned-IP system, adding new cameras and moving them around will become a relatively straightforward job. This makes installation and system management a lot easier for the service provider.
Whereas the old analog CCTV/digital recording systems were rigid and proprietary, leaving you in a dead end, the encoder opens the network up to greater possibilities built on open and interoperable standards. Your customer may not understand all the technical details, but they will appreciate that video encoders can pave the way for savings on bandwidth and storage.
They also allow for integration with other systems. If, for example, your customer has an IP-based building management system or industrial or logistical systems, the video surveillance system can integrate with those systems. Your customer can then monitor all aspects of a building from one single interface and can use intelligent video such as motion detection to know when, for example, a light should be switched off. This enables you to merge functions and departments, helping your customer achieve organizational efficiencies.
Benifits over Complete Replacement
The biggest benefit is cost saving. There is clear financial sense in protecting an investment already made and using encoders to bridge the technology gap.
A new digital network enables remote access to surveillance images from anywhere and at any time. The cameras can be controlled remotely, picture quality is improved, and the images are easier to store, manage and retrieve.
Considering that the average lifetime of an analog surveillance camera is five to seven years, many of them will serve for quite a while yet. Some operators have put significant investment into coaxial cable installations, and in buildings without Ethernet infrastructure. Encoders would bring an immediate payback in obviating the need to pay for a new network installation.
Adding a modern network would be an investment that many users would want to postpone.