Upgrading your CCTV to an HD camera system: Why move to smart technology

Installing a CCTV system is a big investment and one that you might not want to repeat too often. However, if you still have analogue cameras, the images are of poor quality and accessing video footage is difficult, it maybe worth taking the steps to upgrade and move to an HD CCTV system.

Modern CCTV systems usually now also offer much more flexibility for you when managing your system. They can allow you to view the system online as well as search for and retrieve recorded footage on a mobile device with an internet connection.

Image quality

The main reason to switch from analogue to an HD CCTV system is the higher quality, higher resolution images you will have. If you want to be able to offer the footage as evidence to the police following a burglary or shoplifting incident then you need images that enable people to be identified.

Additionally, you will have the ability to enlarge an image and zoom in on detail with a clarity which simply isn’t achievable with a standard analogue CCTV solution. As technology has advanced further you are also likely to have facial detection technology so that people can be identified. Avigilon, is one of those developers that has also moved on to have vehicle detection and motion detection features.

Ability to expand your CCTV system

If you would like to expand your CCTV system in the future an HD system is far more flexible than an analogue system.  With HD cameras as long as your software supports the number of cameras in your system, and your network has enough bandwidth to transmit video from the cameras to your network video recorder, you can keep expanding your system. With an analogue system you are generally limited by the number of channels on your digital video recorder.

Extending the life of your analogue cameras

The use of encoder devices means that you can get the advantage of a modern CCTV system without the expense of replacing all your analogue cameras. If you have analogue cameras that are still working but want to expand your system with HD cameras and modern video management software this is possible with the use of the Avigilon encoder. This also means you can plan your CCTV upgrade over time spreading costs and making a modern system more affordable.

Managing the CCTV system remotely

Modern CCTV systems can also mean the ability to view images via a mobile device through the use of an app as long as you have an internet connection. This functionality will take your CCTV system into the 21st century although you do need to ensure any connection is secure in order to protect your data.

Avigilon Control Center, Avigilon’s video management system, is available through ACC Mobile 3 and allows for functionality such as seeing recording footage and viewing different views.

Security Group can help

Now that Security Group has become part of Ecl-ips, a well-established Avigilon partner, we are able to offer improved expertise in HD camera systems and can advise you on how to upgrade your system to get the most out of the technology. If you want to move to a more modern and reliable CCTV system contact us.