Many years ago it was suggested that HD images could be transmitted over an IP network and reviewed and recorded using a PC. When this was first suggested and prototype cameras and NVRs produced so the marketeers could do their stuff, many CCTV professionals found this idea laughable. Most CCTV companies ignored the technology citing the fact that a company IT network would be overwhelmed with data and would simply crash as a result. They suggested no corporate company or any IT manager in fact would ever let these images on their network and suggested the technology was dead in the water before it even got off the ground.

Well, as we now know, although many of these networks have remained unchanged and the topology and infrastructure is as it always was, time has moved on and compression techniques employed by IP CCTV manufacturers have improved dramatically. Network switches have come on leaps and bounds and POE and codecs have made IP CCTV commercially viable. In addition huge PR campaigns by some of the large IP camera manufacturers have meant that an idea previously conceived as unworkable is now widely accepted as the way forward and the only feasible upgrade path for old defunked analogue CCTV systems.

Fast forward to 2009 HDCCTV is now available.

Fast forward to 2009 and a new technology is being talked about . This time it is suggested that HD CCTV images are to be transmitted using SDI interfaces over existing RG59 coax. Many CCTV professionals find this idea laughable. They suggest that this technology will never be able to become commercially viable and existing coax would never be able to cope with demands placed on it by HD image transmission. They have said HDCCTV is dead in the water and will not get off the ground.

However just two years later (2011), a blink off the eye in terms of development, HDCCTV manufacturers are now exhibiting their HD SDI DVR’s and cameras at such high profile shows as IFSEC in the UK and ASIS in the USA. It could be argued that the stand that received most attention at IFSEC this year was the Everfocus stand as crowds gathered round to watch a demonstration that many had predicted two years earlier as impossible. Many forums still mock the technology, some we have to say in a rude and quite unprofessional way and yet HDCCTV technology continues to push the boundaries. It has now been mooted that HDCCTV can be transmitted over UTP cable, now this really would set the cat among the pigeons if proven to be true. In addition every week claims of greater distances are being achieved over coax with better results and better HDCCTV images. Add to this more and more companies committing huge sums to research and development and the” third way” really is beginning to gain traction in the world of CCTV.

Big guns are now piling in to HD CCTV production. Why would Everfocus, VISTA, CalSys and Dahua to name a few be manufacturing HDCCTV products? Also why would big distributors such as Norbain and 360 Vision Technology be making noises about introducing HD SDI DVR’s into the UK before Christmas if they were not happy that HDCCTV will take off? After all it takes huge commitment and large sums of money invested to ensure these products are able to perform and then bring them to market at a price that will sell.

Once we see the TCO of HDCCTV become more competitive then many UK customers and CCTV manufacturers will start to consider their options. Do they dive into the HDCCTV market or go with IPCCTV? Perhaps they may wish for a hybrid solution? Many HDCCTV DVR manufactureres are expecting a mixture of analogue and HD SDI cameras will probably be the way forward here in the UK. We are sure HDCCTV, especially when supported by the HDCCTV alliance will make the technical strides necesary to ensure that any issues currently thrown back at them are overcome. Its going to be a very interesting year in the battle between HDCCTV and IPCCTV……………………that’s for sure.