CCTV camera systems are a great way to enhance the security of your home or business premises. But if this is new territory for you, you might find yourself lost in the sea of the many options that lie before you. Years ago, CCTVs were analogue, but as technology advanced, digital CCTV systems came on the scene. So, which one should you choose?
What is the difference between analogue and digital CCTV?
The term analogue CCTV is derived by the method by which they transmit video from the camera to the digital video recorder, DVR. The signal is transmitted over coaxial cable, which then dumps it on a hard drive disk.
Digital CCTV is different in that they record the video footage digitally then send it over a computer network. The only cable they need is the power cable, leaving out the coaxial cable that analogue CCTV systems come with.
Pros of analogue CCTVs
Cost effective: Analogue CCTV systems tend to cost way less than the digital variety.
Installing an analogue CCTV camera system is simple. Installation does not require as much technical know-how as digital systems do.
Flexible design options: Since there are more analogue cameras on the market, you have a little more room to fit most designs you might need.
Cons of analogue CCTVs
Cabling: The cables can be unsightly. Even if you choose to bundle the power and coaxial cables together, they can still be aesthetically unpleasant. This makes them not the best CCTV Camera for Home.
Limited ports: Each DVR has a limited number of ports. This means that in case you want to scale up your coverage and add more cameras to your system, you will need to get another DVR.
Poor resolution: Analogue video footage has a poor resolution, making it hard to make out details at a distance. This only gets even worse if you try to zoom in.
Limited coverage: The field of view of most analogue CCTV cameras is low meaning if you would like to keep an eye on an area further away, you will need to get more cameras.
Pros of digital CCTVs
High image resolution: Digital CCTV cameras tend to have extremely high image resolution, meaning all the details will be clear.
Great coverage: It is easy to cover a wide area with just a few cameras. That is because digital CCTVs have a higher depth and field of view than analogue systems. Since you won’t need coaxial cables, you will find it easy to scale up and add more devices.
Wireless access: The best thing about digital CCTVs is that you can access the feed from any remote location. There are even smartphone apps that you can use to monitor your premises from anywhere in the world.
Encryption options: You would be surprised who would want to have access to your security system. Fortunately, digital CCTV has a great way around this, by inserting the data from the transmission point to the receiver.
Cons of digital CCTVs
Requires a bigger budget: You will need to spend a lot more than you would on analogue systems.
Setup can be complicated: Digital CCTV camera systems, unlike their analogue counterparts, tend to have all sorts of settings that might be a little difficult to get right.
High bandwidth usage: The video files are of really high resolution. Even if you use compression, they still take a chunk of your bandwidth.
Storage: High-quality video means large files. This means you need large storage spaces on your hard disk, especially if you need to keep video footage for long without deleting it.
Which one should you choose?
It all comes down to your budget and your needs when looking at CCTV packages in Singapore. If you want security for a small residential property or a small business in Singapore that is just starting out, you might want to go for an analogue CCTV system. But, if you prefer advanced security features such as remote viewing of your premises, then go for digital CCTVs.