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7 Reasons to Install IP Cameras
Digital cameras like this unit from VideoIQ are easier to install than analog systems, allowing dealers to more accurately bid on jobs.
IP cameras certainly have been fruitful for Todd Broyard, owner of Black Lab Alarm in Woburn, Mass., who now attributes 72 percent of his overall business to video surveillance installs.
Broyard has been in the security industry for 21 years, focusing on ultra-high-end residential security installations. The change to IP-based security cameras offers his company incredible installation efficiencies, new market opportunities and solid quality.
Black Lab Alarm specializes in installing digital cameras from VideoIQ that include built-in analytics and, more importantly, built-in recording functions that eliminate the need for a separate DVR.
The built-in recorders have a three-month storage capacity. There is no streaming of video signals to a central station, and the $2,000 cameras compress the images at high resolution, up to 15 frames per second. The video analytics can distinguish between cars, animals and people. When the recording is full, the images can be downloaded onto a flash drive.
Here are 7 reasons IP cameras offer a new paradigm for dealers in video surveillance.
More Accurate Proposals From a budgeting standpoint, installing IP-based cameras are much more predictable. That means Black Lab Alarm rarely creates a bid for a job that ends up being way off.
Easier Installation Broyard says "plug and play" cameras are easier to install, requiring only power and an Ethernet connection.
"Analog cameras are more work and require more service. The more equipment, the more things that can break," he says. Since Broyard uses digital cameras with a built-in recording function, he doesn’t have to worry about running power to a DVR, running a cable from an analog camera to the recorder, or protecting the DVR in a secure environment. (Smart burglars steal the security DVR that includes the video of their crime.)
Lower Power Draw Homeowners who use IP cameras with built-in recording use much less electricity, since most integrators know DVRs cannot be turned off and draw a lot of wattage.
More Flexible System Design IP cameras are more portable, which means fewer cameras are needed in most cases. Broyard can easily move digital cameras to different locations on site. This saves the client money by installing fewer cameras and moving them around, since all they require is power and Cat 5 to the Ethernet.
And the system designs are no longer bound to the old configurations of 4, 8, 16, etc. for quad monitors, etc.
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Article Topics
News · Home Automation and Control · Security · Spotlight · Cctv · Black Lab Alarm · Videoiq · Security Spotlight ·About the Author
4 Comments
I gotta agree with Bob on many of the points. I read his comment before I read the story and figured the story might’ve been an interview with VideoIQ.
However, the interview was with an experienced dealer, so this is just one guy’s opinion. It works for him ....
Thanks for offering a contrary viewpoint.
All these items are causing a slowdown on home networks, we need more speed!
Moore Bandwidth, The IP home demanding on internet thru-put.
Set up a network and 6 to 8 IP cameras with 560 plus TVL, (wow - this eats up a lot of bandwidth) add Two or Three desk tops and 2 laptops (wow), Then add Verison or Uverse TV over LAN systems, And your DVD and blu-rays in the house, then the BIG ONE- add TWO Game consols (PS3, XBox or Wii) and two kids trying to concur the star nebula or Online Death Match for 6 hours on Saturday and 6 on Sunday.
YOU MAY WISH YOU NEVER SOLD THAT CUSTOMER IP CAMERA SYSTEM!!! Good luck!
But IP works best with all automation systems, America needs more Speed!!!!
Two seperate bandwidth issues here.
1) The pipe coming in. That’s increasing all the time and prices are coming down. Your internet connection speed will be a very important discussion with your heavily IP based jobs. But that brings us to an equally important…
2) The LAN bandwidth. Go Gigabit and setup a VLAN! Your cameras have their own LAN, your gaming has it’s own LAN, etc.
As for some of the arguements this article makes… I have to say I don’t agree either with much of what Broyard says.
CCTV is an exciting portion of our market that can not be ignored. Knowing how it integrates with the network or video distribution is paramount. So keep learning, keep testing, keep improving!
Now let’s go out and sell some.
I rarely reply to these but this one blows too much to leave alone.
“IP-based cameras are much more predictable” as long as your cable runs are less than 330’. VideoIQ has a great product, but will it work by POE at 330’?
”Easier Installation… ”
“Analog cameras are more work and require more service” except that replacing a hard drive common to all 16-32 cameras [or use Redundant Discs –RAID, etc.] is a lower cost opportunity. DVR monitoring will warn of impending failure.
“protecting the DVR in a secure environment. (Smart burglars steal the security DVR…” Watch any movies lately where the bad guy shoots the camera? You can kill the system if you are stupid –don’t even have to know what a DVR is…
“Lower Power Draw Homeowners who use IP cameras with built-in recording use much less electricity, since most integrators know DVRs cannot be turned off and draw a lot of wattage” Lessee, 16 –32 VideoIQ remote hard drives running vs. 1-3 on a common power source. How much will the homeowner pay the electrical for all those remote power plugs…
“More Flexible System Design …designs are no longer bound to the old configurations of 4, 8, 16, etc. for quad monitors, etc.” Even the Korean knock-offs have GUI’s for viewing 64-128 cameras on the same display.
“Opens New Markets …Front porch video is another common installation” Go Ahead –put that DVR camera in a single gang box.
“Avoids Expensive Analytics Software” This is a win. Now your entire residential customer base can have analytics.
VideoIQ makes great products –it’s this article that’s full of it.