IP SECURITY CAMERA
What is IP camera?
IP cameras (also called network cameras, IP CCTV cameras, IP webcams, Internet cameras or IP security cameras) allow you to have access to live or recorded video from your PC, or any other PC connected to your computer network or the Internet. For example, your IP security cameras could be located in your branches in London, Manchester and Glasgow and you would be able to view them all via your own PC or any other PC connected to your network or the Internet.
IP camera security systems allow you to monitor and control your security cameras from any remote location. Remote monitoring of multiple locations from one central station offers huge cost saving potential and is one of the many advantages network video (also called IP video) has to offer. IP cameras are used as security cameras, as “webcams” on company websites and intranets and as remote monitoring and management tools in many sectors and environments.
These days, IP camera-based security systems are state-of-the-art, cost-effective and highly flexible, and are always the preferred choice for any new CCTV installation of any size.
Convert analogue cameras into IP cameras with network video encoders
If you have an existing (conventional) security camera system, it can easily be converted into an IP camera solution without the need to invest in new cameras. In this scenario network video encoders are used. These convert the analogue output of the existing security camera into a digital signal that is transmittable over IP (Internet Protocol) networks, such as Local and Wide Area Networks (LAN / WAN) and the Internet.
In addition to being able to view live cameras over a network, remote access to recorded video material is also available from your PC. To achieve this network video recorders or IP video recording software is used.
Network Video Recorders (NVR)
A Network video recorder is used in combination with IP cameras and in some cases conventional analogue cameras. The analogue cameras (which may be existing ones) are connected to the network video recorder or through a network video encoder. The NVR records the video images in digital format and also converts them into an IP signal that can be sent over IT networks, such as Local and Wide Area Networks (LAN / WAN) and the Internet. Basically, a network video recorder is a digital video recorder and a network video server combined in one device. It is this combination that gives you the access to live and recorded video from wherever you are.
Benefits of IP Camera
- Remote access to live and recorded images of any location, at any time and from wherever you are
- The possibility to monitor a large number of remote sites from one central location offers huge cost-saving potential
- Networked video systems have many automated and advanced features, significantly reducing the time and resources spent on monitoring, managing and maintaining a video security system
- These automated and advanced features enable improved security operations to be implemented
- Reduce installation cost by utilising existing communication networks
- Protect existing investment in analogue security systems with network video encoders
- Easily scale up and increase the size of your security system as and when you need to