The choices involved in moving from an analog CCTV system to a networked IP video system (digital video) can be daunting. While the final design looks simple enough and is easy to comprehend, the number of design decisions to be made and the complexity involved can be dizzying.
You know that moving to a digital system is the way to move forward, but where do you start? Do you need to rip out everything and start from scratch? And if not, what part of your infrastructure needs to stay and what parts must go? Can an IP and analog systems be mixed?
The good news is there is a way to “stick your toe in the water” and move forward at a pace that meets your comfort level (and budget) — by creating a “hybrid” video system, which is a mix of analog and network (digital) technology in one solution. A well-designed hybrid system allows you to maximize the returns from the existing analog technology investment, keeping various analog technologies until it makes sense to replace them. Current and future expenditures can be applied to digital technologies, to move the video technology forward.
Technology overview
The easiest way to think of IP video-based surveillance systems is that they take what we think of as “video” and convert it to a format that computers talk in, which we call “data.” Data can easily be stored, manipulated and transmitted across a computer network in the same way that your e-mail, Web pages, etc. are sent to your desktop. So once the video information is in the form of data it is no longer bound by the restrictions we are used to for analog video.
The I and P in “IP video” stand for “Internet Protocol” — a standard that allows computers to talk across the world's largest network, the Internet, and is also the standard used by corporate networks. The big deal with IP networking is that every device on the network can talk to every other device (with permission) no matter how far away it is. And because you are using a universally accepted standard, integration between different systems and networks is possible. So there is no need to “home run” cables anymore. Viewing, recording and control can be done from any computer (or computing device like PDA or cell phone) connected on the network, even if the network is the Internet.
By using IP video, it's generally cheaper and easier to get new video cameras installed and recording, and it is very easy to get video data back out of the system. This means video is not locked away in your command center and if you choose you can start sharing the video with other parts of your organization (production, facilities, management, etc) and have them start sharing in the system costs while increasing security's overall value.
In a full IP solution, the video information is never analog. It comes out of the IP camera as data and goes straight across the network. In the hybrid scenario, we need to take the existing analog video and convert it to IP. What happens from here is based on what level of hybrid system you want to go to. For this article, I will take a CCTV system through three phases of hybrid integration and we can see how they tie in together.
Phase One (Insert Graphic – PhaseOne.PDF )
The first phase is just sticking your toe in the water — you are not ready to upgrade your analog head-end or DVRs just yet, but you have some applications that would be perfect for IP, such as:
* A remote site needs to be monitored and it would be great to view and record on your existing analog system. Running fiber the 100 miles is not an option.
* You need a local camera that will be very expensive to home-run, but there is a close-by network connection, and you want to save money on the install.
* You need a camera on the far side of a paved parking lot. There is an existing light pole that would be perfect to use, but there is no available conduit and the time and expense of digging up the parking lot and trenching is not viable.
For each of these examples, you can use the network as an extension of your analog infrastructure by installing an analog camera at each site as you normally would, and then attaching it to an IP Video Encoder — a device that takes the analog video, encodes it into a digital format like MPEG-4 or JPEG, and then sends it out across a network. In your head-end, you place a decoder that takes the video stream from the other end of the network and converts it back into analog.
From there, you run it into your existing camera system as if it is a coaxial run — thus, you are using the network as an extension of your coax infrastructure. The good news is that when you plan to take your hybrid system to the next level, almost all of the equipment you added can be reused as-is.
Phase Two (Insert Graphic – PhaseTwo.PDF )
In the second phase, you are now ready to upgrade your DVRs or VCRs to an NVR (Network Video Recorder) to get the full benefit of an IP system. An NVR is a computer that is running software that manages and records video streams (data) from IP cameras and Encoders. It takes the place of your DVRs or VCRs and enables you to access video from anywhere on your network (or the Internet if you choose), and you can add new IP cameras directly to the network, so there is no need for home-run cabling.
This also means the network becomes your multiplexer/matrix switch. Don't worry if you want to hang onto your matrix switch and still see cameras on your existing analog monitors — you can. Some NVR's will work in conjunction with your MUX and allow you to have the familiar look and feel you and your staff are used to.
This scenario is accomplished by leaving all of your cameras in place, but plugging their video feeds into IP encoders in your head-end — there is no need to replace existing cameras or change your analog cable infrastructure. It does not matter to the NVR if the video (data) is coming from an IP camera or encoder with an analog camera attached. Depending on the size and complexity of your existing system, this cut-over can be done all at once, or, if you are willing to live with two separate systems, over time — giving you implementation flexibility.
Phase Three (Insert Graphic – PhaseThree.PDF )
In the third phase, you have converted your main site to IP and are now ready to integrate multiple sites into your system. NVR software is available that enables a user to control multiple sites through one main interface. For this project, complete the same steps as phase two for each site, and then tie the sites and systems together using networking, such as DSL, T1, etc., and configure the system to manage all of your remote sites.
Important considerations in implementing a hybrid system
1. Have a plan: The most important piece in this process is to have a roadmap — a forward-looking document that you can use to make sure you are headed in the right direction when deciding what to keep and what to upgrade. Your roadmap should be driven by your needs — don't worry about budget or technology to start with, as they will be filled in along the way.
Start by making a long-term security roadmap (3-5 years) with video surveillance as a key section. Remember that with IP video, you are not limited to just your local site. Thus, if you have 10 remote sites you want to tie back into one coherent system — or if you want to open up the video usage to other parts of your organization (IE marketing, facilities, manufacturing), so they will help pay for it — then add that to your goals.
Once you see where video fits in your grand scheme, it's time to drill down and make a roadmap specifically for moving your CCTV system to IP. This will probably need to be done with your integrator, so you can get realistic timelines and pricing, which will help flesh out your plan of attack. Every time you are thinking of adding a new component to your system, measure it against your roadmap to see if it moves you closer to your goals. If a purchase does not move you in the right direction, then see if there is an alternative that does.
2. Find a good integrator: Someone who knows your analog technology inside and out may not be the best person to help you move into the IP arena. Network technology and design plays a huge part in the success or failure of any hybrid system — the network is the backbone. If your integrator has no experience with networking, or if your network integrator has no security experience, you may be in for a rough ride. Make sure your integrator of choice has experience in with IP video and have them talk to your IT Department. It is critical for them to be able to work together to design a solution that will work for you.
3. Get IT involved: If you have an in-house IT staff, or even a third-party that handles all your networking needs, it is very important to get them on the team. I cannot stress enough the importance of network design in the overall success of your project and these folks have a wealth of experience and knowledge specifically about your network. Additionally, parts of your system will be technology that they are intimately familiar with — so they will be able to support you for the long term. Start a dialogue and get them involved from the beginning.
4. Make sure your analog infrastructure is up to the task: This is common sense, but an often overlooked piece of the equation. An IP video system will not fix problems with your analog video. If you have cameras that are giving you poor or noisy video, dark or washed out images spend the time to fix them. Remember garbage in, garbage out.
Brendan Daly is the president and founder of Eye P Video Systems, a specialist in consulting, system design and integration of IP video and network technologies. Visit the company's Web site at www.eyepvideo.com. Mr. Daly previously held management positions at Axis Communications and IndigoVision , and he has more than 12 years of network video experience.
