A manufacturer is promoting a different architecture for networking IP cameras. Instead of all cameras connecting individually to a network switch, each camera is connected to the next closest one in a daisy chain, like so:
The manufacturer argues that:
"It saves cost of cables and PoE equipments. Suppose there are 12 IP cameras, and average distance between camera and switch is 200 meters. In a normal PoE connection, it requires a 12 ports PoE switch and 12 sets of PoE midspan, and total length of 2400 meters of CAT5e cables. With chain connection, it only needs a one port switch, a PoE injector, a total length of 500 meters of CAT5e cables."
One obvious limitation is that it is proprietary, and cannot support 3rd party cameras on the daisy chain. Also, it is from a small manufacturer, Sigrand, that most of you have likely never heard of nor used.
What do you think? Interested enough for us to test this or look into further?