IP Video: It's Not Just About The Camera

By Yoav Stern, president and CEO, DVTEL

What is the most significant trend in video recording and storage that integrators should be aware of?

Improvements in compression technologies and H.264 are significantly reducing the total cost of ownership of one system over another. Because not all H.264 cameras are the same, integrators need to evaluate the cost savings derived from the storage and compression options delivered by different cameras as opposed to simply comparing camera prices. Integrators that recognize the significant differences in storage requirements between various H.264 cameras are making smarter choices in their camera selections. These integrators also consider pixel per bit as an important factor in selecting the right camera for an installation.

As compression technologies make significant improvements, such as H.264 with motion processing, and the cost of hardware storage continues to rapidly decline, the old adage that motion is an effective recording trigger becomes a less viable argument. Motion detection has been used to assure customers that their video will be stored for the desired retention period at half the cost, while ensuring all video is retained. This is untrue and unnecessary. When you factor labor costs for configuring motion detection for various conditions, there is little economic benefit.