New Full HD Height Strip Camera Reviewed

Getting clear facial shots is often one of the most critical tasks in surveillance. Doing so is hard because it demands the camera be mounted low, increasing the risk of vandalism or overtness.

Height strip cameras are one way to achieve this, though only Axis has offered a megapixel one - a very expensive 1MP model - the P85. Now, a rival manufacturer is offering a 2MP version at a much lower cost. In this note, we examine the offerings and competitive options.

Overview

ATV, an American company has released the IPCH2M43PB [link no longer available], a height strip with an integrated pinhole imager (~66% HFoV) and 1080p resolution. The camera is ONVIF Profile S. The MSRP is $734 USD and it is available on-line for ~$450 USD.

ATV also has an analog SD version, the CHVD37, with black and silver housing options, available on-line for ~$300 USD.

The premium for the HD IP version is obviously moderate, increasing the attractiveness.

[UPDATE: Costar Video reports having a similar 2MP height strip camera.]

Comparison to the Axis P85

Outside of the ATV's higher pixel count, the big difference is price. The Axis 720p P85 version is ~$925 USD, which is roughly double the cost of the ATV 1080p version and triple the analog version.

While Axis undoubtedly is a safer, more mainstream choice, the cost savings are massive. While it will always remain a niche, if IP HD height strip cameras are going to expand adoption, lower cost options (closer to the analog versions) will be key.

NOTE: For other wall mount camera options, see our Vivotek Cube Panoramic test and our survey on wall cameras.