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A Buyers' Guide to IP Surveillance Cameras

IP network-based surveillance cameras offer enticing possibilities. But do you want full or partial IP? How much bandwidth? We'll walk you through the entire process.

Resolution: Many users are moving toward megapixel cameras, which offer five times the resolution of video graphics array (VGA) cameras, according to Jim Gompers, founder of Gompers Technologies Design Group. Not only do you get a clearer image, he says, but because of the higher resolution, you can also reduce the number of cameras you need. On Gompers's recommendation, the Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland invested in megapixel cameras from IQInvision, and the images are much clearer than the previous analog system, according to Robert Hellmuth, director of security and safety for the school district. "Before, we'd see an incident and play back what we recorded, and we'd see two figures but couldn't identify them," he says.

Auto filtering: For image clarity in various lighting situations, it's important to get a camera with adjustable lenses to control the amount of light that is received. This is especially important, Vining says, when a camera is facing east or west. However, he says, some organizations will simply elevate camera mounts and then angle downward to view the horizon rather than incur the additional costs of adjustable lenses.

Open platforms: Look for vendors that comply 100 percent with industry standards, such as in the areas of security and video compression, Gartner recommends. Also look for open application programming interfaces and multiple supported software applications.

Scalability: Companies with large installations will want the equipment to be compatible with tools that locate, update and monitor the status of the devices and their IP addresses.

Service/support: Make sure the vendor or reseller is able to send replacement parts quickly and can readily offer engineering support. Many network camera manufacturers sell indirectly through channel partners, which is common in the IT industry but not in the security industry. This takes some getting used to among traditional security personnel. "The manufacturer doesn't provide the hand-holding of companies like Pelco and Bosch," McInturf says.

Dos and Don'ts
DON'T let cost be your guiding light. According to Hunt, most people buy cameras with cost as their highest priority and effectiveness as the second, which results in grainy, out-of-focus images. There are tools available, such as one on IQInvision's website, that help you choose the resolution and lens that fits your needs, based on factors like distance and camera height. "People don't do that calculation; they don't even know how," he says. "They assume all cameras are equal so they buy the cheapest one." Determine what you need to accomplish, he says, whether it's reading a license plate number or simply knowing whether cars are moving through a tunnel.