When building a surveillance system, it is important to select IP network cameras that meet the needs of your organization and installation. This includes selecting specific types of IP network cameras to meet the location’s special intricacies such as fixed, pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ), vandal-proof, or fixed-dome cameras.
There are all types of network cameras available today, and no matter what your needs are, a network camera is available to meet them. Although analog cameras are available in a similar variety, network cameras are now offering added benefits, including better image quality and more installation flexibility.
Some applications require very high-resolution, or wireless capability where network cameras are the only option.
Selecting the right network camera is critical for the success of your surveillance system. For example, retail environments will have different requirements than schools or highway systems, and every installation has some features that are more important than others.
These may be off-site recording, storage, Power over Ethernet (PoE) or alarm management.
Off-site recording was particularly important to a store owner. Within weeks of installing a new network video system, his convenience store was robbed. However, because the video was stored offsite, the thief was unable to steal the videotape during the robbery, as is common with traditional analog CCTV systems.
Moreover, owing to the high quality image and offsite recording, police were able to identify and apprehend the perpetrator within four hours and the store owner recovered all of the losses from the robbery.
