The quality of the images that can be captured by Full HD cameras is truly amazing compared to even the very latest analogue or standard resolution IP cameras but there is a price to pay in terms of file sizes of the images.

Typically, a standard camera will create images which have a file size of 0.3MB based on a resolution of 640x480, whilst images (1920 x1080) from a Full HD camera are 2MB in size. There is clearly therefore going to be a need for a large number of DVRs and backup storage capability if there is a requirement to record and store video from a large number of cameras. The cost of this could be prohibitive and prevent customers from the opportunity to capture the superb evidence grade images which can be generated by Full HD cameras.

The solution is simpler and requires a lower investment less than you may think. It involves the use of H.264 compression and the installation of servers or NVRs instead of DVRs. For inexperienced installers in IP/network methodology, the thought of installing a server may seem daunting but it is not as complex as it may first seem. The financial savings which can be achieved compared to the cost of recording onto a DVR is substantial and as a result the simultaneous recording of video from a large number of Full HD cameras becomes affordable.

Adjust the bandwith to your needs. A full HD camera image is made up of approximately seven times more pixels than that from a standard CCTV camera and as a result we can expect to see picture quality similar to what we have come to expect from our HD TVs. Do CCTV operators however need to observe and record Full HD images in real time all of the time? Even in VGA mode, Full HD cameras deliver very high quality images.
A further way to reduce storage requirements may therefore be to only record Full HD images upon Alarm, including motion detection, with images recorded in VGA mode at all other times. This would ensure that evidential quality video is available when required and would enable operators to simultaneously monitor live images in Full HD mode. This functionality is provided by the latest Dual and Quad Streaming technology which adds to the flexibility of viewing and recording IP Streams.