A Brief Buying Guide for CCTV IP Camera
CCTV IP Camera technology is entirely different from Analog. It incorporates Internet Protocol, where it got its name from (IP Camera). These are a modern take on CCTV technology that offers better quality with a bit affordable price tags. If you are looking forward to by IP CCTV Cameras, then let the following guide sink in. It contains everything you need to know about these cameras.
Introducing You to IP Technology
The Internet Protocol Cameras, better known as IP Cameras and Network Camera were introduced back in the 1990s. The IP Technology is a communication protocol that was used for transmitting digital data network packets over a computer network.
How does it work?
The IP Camera plugs into the network router, and it transmits data via the network. A Network Camera needs a high-speed internet connection. Also, it also requires a router, Ethernet Cables and an IP address to work without a hitch. It connects to a network just like a printer and other network devices.
CCTV IP Camera is digital to every end. The benefit of using these is the video signal remains in digital form for the whole transmission process from the camera to the network itself. This helps to maintain the extremely high video signal quality that assures the integrity of Data. Despite that, the IP cameras allow remote viewing of the feed from even a different internet and network connection without the need for a video recorder.
What do you need to know before Buying One?
Before you go on to buy an IP Camera, you need to realize your actual requirements for your security. To help you out, the following are a few considerations for buying CCTV IP Camera:
- Which Factor will be best for you?
- Will you be monitoring indoors or outdoors more often?
- The level of details you are going to?
- How many cameras will you be installing?
- What are your plans for low light conditions?
- What about network bandwidth, do you have enough?
- Will your IP Camera be compatible with other IP Devices?
Benefits of Using CCTV IP Camera
Following are the advantages of using IP cameras over other types:
- These are digital cameras which use Progressive scanning to provide crisp high definition images
- The IP cameras transmit video, audio, PTZ commands and even power over the network cable. This ultimately reduces the overall bill
- These cameras provide you with future proof technology, allowing you to add more components such as cameras or lines without making any big changes
- The Video and Data are encrypted to make sure the transmissions are safe and well secured
- The IP cameras tend to be ONVIF and PSIA compliant and therefore, these are compatible with a broad range of devices
- IP cameras do allow remote viewing of videos from the cameras connected to a network
Seeing to these benefits, the CCTV IP Camera is used by Large Business Corporations, Transportation Services, Homeowners with more than one residences, law enforcement agencies, Educational Institutes, Government Agencies, Big box retailers and many others.
Adding up, following we are detailing the best places where you should put your cameras!
- Living room or the Family room, it needs to be in any room that is inside the main entrance of your home
- Anywhere you have stored something valuable
- Above your patios and in your backyard
- About the garage so you can have a clear view of your driveway
- Pointed at the Front Door
Standard IP Camera Troubleshooting
The CCTV IP Camera proves to be great for surveillance. However, they may encounter some problems. Following are some of the most common problems with their solutions. Have a brief look at these and make sure you stay safe from these.
- Web Browser Can not access the camera
Check if you are using the supported browser or Operating system to your camera. Afterward, you need to ping the IP Address to see if your IP is it is now accessible, or it conflicts with the CCTV IP Camera network. In case you are using a PC with LAN you need to very that the PC is on the same as the LAN to Video camera.
- The camera is not working properly
Check if you have power on the camera network. Make sure the network and power cables are connected to camera and router and all these devices are getting proper power. If you have a real connection but still your camera is not working, and then you have to present soft if by powering off the device and turning it on back again.
If this doesn’t work then, you will need a hard reset, this will restore the factory settings that will allow you to test each setting separately and see what is causing the problem after all.
- You are Unable to Log into your Camera as the Administrator
Before anything else, you need to make sure you have provided the right login credentials with the password.
- The camera is out of focus
For this, you need to rotate the camera lens counter slowly clockwise or clockwise until it’s right back in focus.
- Video Images are Not Clear
Check and see if the CCTV IP Camera is working in a low light environment. For this, the camera needs proper light for good image quality. Also, you also need to make sure that the lens is clean while the back focus is correctly adjusted apart from configuring the video settings properly.
IP Camera Compatibility
The CCTV IP Camera makers work with some software companies to ensure device compatibility. The IP Cameras are made with Open Network Video Interface Forum better known as ONVIF and Physical Security Interoperability Alliance better known as PSIA compliant.
This means these cameras are nonetheless adhered for setting standards to interface with other IP Security products as these are tested for their Interoperability. Also, these cameras can also communicate with other IP devices including a Network Video Recorder. It’s a sane idea to refer the recording software list of compatible devices and compliance for testing to ensure the operational compatibility.
Some of the best IP Camera options available in the market are Hanwha Techwin, Honeywell, and Axis. Your Options are not limited in these three brands. There are cost-effective quality IP CCTV Cameras from Hikvision, Dahua, and UNV.
