Subscriber Discussion

TVI Vs IP For SMB And Residential?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Oct 06, 2017

We had a discussion some time ago about the advantages and disadvantages of each technology. After all of these hacks and having a desire for reducing our COGS for small business and residential customers I have revisited using TVI cameras with encoders for small homes and businesses. 

Let's take a 16 camera system as an example, my cost is less than half if I am using TVI cameras with an encoder, server, and VMS vs. using 16 "low cost" IP cameras. 

Is there any real disadvantage of using TVI cameras? All I care about is the software and how our customers interact with the system. Most of our customers are medium-sized businesses with money to spend and they want higher quality systems. However, we've been slowly breaking into this small business and residential market. We lease most of these systems so keeping COGS low is really important.

This is sort of backward thinking for me, I thought I left analog behind on new installs 5 years ago. Now 5 years later I find myself wanting to go back. 

(1)
JH
John Honovich
•Oct 06, 2017
IPVM

Good topic.

The main arguments against HD analog including TVI are:

  • Coax cable - Coax is antiquated, organizations want structured cabling.
  • Less product options / less higher end products than IP camera.

For SMB and residential, I do not think these are typically important.

The lower product cost and the simpler setup / maintenance (e.g., no firmware upgrades, no network cyber security risks) are advantageous.

One marketing element that holds HD analog back is that even manufacturers who make / sell HD analog (like Hikvision and Dahua) typically treat it like a second class citizen and more typically promote IP.

UE
Undisclosed End User #2
•Oct 06, 2017
In reply to John Honovich

Coax cable does not have to be the issue as one can still use category cable with proper balun.

 

I would reiterate one advantage ov TVI is less IP Addressable Device foot print. In OP's scenario, the only IP Addressable devices would be NVR and Client for TVI, whereas IP Solution would be Cameras, NVR and Client.

JH
John Honovich
•Oct 06, 2017
IPVM
In reply to Undisclosed End User #2

Coax cable does not have to be the issue as one can still use category cable with proper balun.

Certainly, I think those opposed to HD analog would say, if you are going to add the cost and step of adding baluns, you might as well add IP.

That said, I do agree with you that reducing the IP addressable device foot print is a benefit. However, if your TVI or CVI encoder is from a company with a bad cybersecurity track record, you still have risks.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Oct 06, 2017
In reply to John Honovich

You’re right about coax, I would use (and we’ve started using) baluns with RJ45 jacks so we can run cat5e and make those final connections more easily and cleaner. 

To be clear this would be using a VMS not an embedded DVR. 

I’ve figured out that I can build an 8 camera system including sever, storage, cameras, encoder, licenses, cable and baluns for under $1,200. Installed with a licensed tech were looking at less than $2,000 our cost. These are small retail or office space with drop ceiling and ranch houses I’m talking about. Get $695 down, and $44/month and give them a free upgrade every 5 years with nothing down on the upgrade. I think we can really compete with DIY and truckslammers. When I demo the VMS we use compared to the DVRs/NVRs we have setup at our office I can always upsell them.

Just a few thoughts. I got this setup working today so I’ve got a lot of thoughts going on. One of my clients is in manufacturing, we have a pretty good sized system in there. They needed a station with 6 cameras for the operators to view with no delay but they wanted it to work with their VMS. So I put in an encoder that had HDMI out on it for the operators to view the TVI cameras in as close to real time as you’re going to get, and sent the encoder to go to the VMS for recording and viewing back at the main plant. After doing this I realized it was about half the cost of putting in IP cameras and started coming up with more ideas. 

MM
Michael Miller
•Oct 06, 2017

What TVI encoder and VMS are you using?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Oct 06, 2017
In reply to Michael Miller

In this manufacturing application were using the encoder from DW and Spectrum. 

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