Cost of Network & IP Video Surveillance Cameras
Interested in capturing the security benefits of the latest network and IP video surveillance cameras, but unsure about the features you might need and how much it might cost your workplace? Our blog explores the features and other factors that determine how much an effective video surveillance system is likely to cost your business. Read on to learn more.
IN THE PICTURE: IP & NETWORK VIDEO COSTS
If you’re serious about security in your premises, you probably know something about the benefits offered by both IP and network security systems, but how much do video surveillance cameras cost the average small to medium-sized business?
Let’s take a look at the differences between IP and network camera systems, the factors that go into determining how much your installation may cost, and some smart things you can do to get the security you need at an affordable price.
UNDERSTANDING NETWORK AND IP CAMERAS
Modern commercial and industrial surveillance camera systems are either network or IP-based. Here’s how these systems differ.
NETWORK SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
Network-based surveillance systems are those that use a dedicated digital network to connect your cameras to a monitoring station or control room. These days this is usually a fairly standard ethernet or coaxial wired connection, but the signal being carried is a digital one, rather than the raw analog video feeds of earlier-generation surveillance systems.
The cost of network video surveillance cameras is typically a little higher compared with similar IP systems, as these cameras tend to be more specialized. If your installation includes the cost of an all-new, dedicated system to support these cameras, that will add to your investment.
That said, once installed, network cameras offer more functionality than off-the-shelf IP systems, and their dedicated CAT6 networks provide both power and connectivity and are less vulnerable to disruption than the shared LAN or wireless connections used by IP cameras, which also each require their own power source.
IP SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
An ever-increasing range of IP (Internet Protocol) enabled cameras allow seamless, out-of-the-box integration with the existing Ethernet or wireless network you most likely already have installed in your building.
That makes it easier than ever to connect cameras to your monitoring station and to add additional coverage as needed. The cost of IP video surveillance cameras tends to be a little lower than those designed specifically for networked applications, and you may save on the cost of wiring too, unless you need to add additional power-source cabling for cameras.
This ‘convenience dividend’ comes with some caveats, namely that any disruption to your facility-wide data networks will affect your critical security video feeds. Slowdowns due to network traffic or disruptions as a result of port changes, IP-address confusion, or loss of power can lead to loss of monitoring capacity, often when you can least afford it.
IP & NETWORK CAMERA PRICING FACTORS
Now let’s take a close look at some of the factors that will affect how much you’ll pay for your surveillance camera system.
CAMERA RESOLUTION
The highest-resolution cameras use more pixels and bandwidth to make it easier to identify people and objects, especially in low-light conditions. If this is critical to protecting your staff or high-value inventory, it’s money well spent, but it’s important to be realistic about the level of identifiability you need.
FIELDS OF VIEW
Do you need to monitor large swathes of retail space to prevent shoplifting or vandalism? Do you want to be able to monitor intersecting corridors or both sides of a building’s corner? Both network and IP systems offer fish-eye, panoramic, and multi-sensor cameras designed to cover fields of view from 180º (hallways) and 270º (corner-mounted) to 360º (ceiling-mounted).
While today’s cameras offer an increasing amount of functionality for ever-lower prices, it’s essential to focus on “must have” rather than “nice to have” features to control costs.
ACTIVE CAMERA TECHNOLOGY
If you’re planning a system that will be actively monitored, you may want to provide cameras with the ability to move, tilt, or zoom in to assess potential threats. Both network and IP cameras now offer a wide range of active camera functionalities, including:
- Dome cameras: Ceiling-mounted unit housing a swiveling, fixed, or zoom camera
- PTZ cameras: Full pan, tilt, and zoom (PTZ) capabilities allow active threat tracking
- Multi-sensor cameras: Multiple sensors enable the same camera to offer different resolutions, angles, and zoom factors, letting you do more from one position.
SMART CAMERA TECHNOLOGY
Whether in-camera or added onto your monitoring back end, smart technology makes it easier for your security staff to track multiple video streams more effectively. Smart cameras detect movement before alerting staff and can be trained to identify and track specific threats.
AI or machine learning technologies are at the forefront of security spending today. These systems can add real functionality where fast and effective access control is paramount but may be far more than your company needs, at least for now.
ADD-ONS
Video surveillance is a specialized service, especially if you require high-resolution monitoring or advanced threat detection. Depending on your in-house capacity, at some point, it becomes more practical or economical to hand off some of the responsibility of operating, monitoring, or backing up material from your system.
Whether it’s an ongoing maintenance contract for your installed equipment or a fully outsourced, off-site monitoring agreement, add-ons like this are going to cost extra but may save you money over time.
UNDERSTANDING COST OF INSTALLATION
Along with the cost of your equipment and data backbone, as well as any ongoing and add-on services, you’ll need to take into account the cost of video surveillance camera installation.
Professional installation of your system helps ensure the money you have paid for your equipment is well-spent with optimal placement of cameras, proper wiring, and seamless integration with existing infrastructure. Other factors affecting your cost of installation include:
INSTALLATION SIZE
A key variable is the size of the installation you are planning, be it just a dozen well-placed cameras or hundreds of active surveillance units spread across a warehouse ceiling. In general, you’ll pay more for more cameras but bulk pricing can mean the cost of each camera will start to come down, as will the cost of connecting each unit to your data backbone.
EQUIPMENT TYPE
There’s also likely to be a significant difference here between IP-based cameras that can piggyback on your existing IT infrastructure and network cameras that require access to a dedicated digital video feed. IP technology is typically easier and cheaper to install and scale, but the largest installations may benefit from a dedicated data-transfer backbone.
‘BACKBONE’ COSTS
Remember that cameras are just one end of a connected video surveillance network. Installing additional mounting hardware or wiring will add to the cost per camera of your network. Even if you are tapping into your existing IP network, you may still find you need to pay for bandwidth upgrades, monitoring systems, and servers capable of recording and archiving hours of footage.
BENEFITS OF VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS
You must understand how the one-time up-front costs of purchasing and installing your video surveillance system and the expense of operating it month-on-month stack up against the benefits your company will receive over time.
Those costs can include hard numbers like:
- Reduced inventory ‘shrinkage’
- Lower insurance premiums
However, it can also include difficult-to-quantify or ‘soft’ savings that may arise from:
- Fewer accidents due to better safety protocol enforcement
- Less liability for injuries or security breaches due to security cam footage
- Improved retention and better hires because employees feel safer
The more benefits you can book before your security system needs a major overhaul or extension, the better the overall return on your original investment in surveillance technology.
CONTROLLING FINAL COSTS
Much of the expense of protecting your people, property, and inventory may seem baked-in’ into the overall cost of doing business, but there are things you can do to help control the expense of your video surveillance system.
NEEDS VS. WANTS
While more security is better, when it comes to business investments, it’s important to be realistic about what your operation actually needs. A warehouse stocking low-cost industrial components does not need the same level of protection as one holding high-value consumer goods. Neither do most smaller businesses need high-end facial recognition.
IN-HOUSE VS. OUTSOURCED
It’s also important to be realistic about the type of support services, from monitoring to maintenance, that your video surveillance requires.
Do you need live monitoring of multiple camera needs, and if so, is your on-site staff up to the task? Can you maintain your system in-house, or is it better to hand this task over to security professionals on an as-needed or contract basis? In many cases, perceived savings by keeping things in-house may end up costing you more.
WORK WITH SECURITY EXPERTS
Perhaps the best thing you can do to take control of costs and maximize benefits is to work closely with an experienced security equipment and services provider.
It takes experience to know how to balance the up-front costs and ongoing expenses of video surveillance equipment against the likely savings your equipment will bring or to know exactly what kind of equipment will benefit your business the most.
A seasoned security industry player, Richmond Security has years of experience and day-to-day practice in providing comprehensive, cost-effective video surveillance systems that outperform expectations while delivering measurable bottom-line savings and returns on investment.
We install high-quality video surveillance equipment tailored to your needs, including industry-leading Axis and Avigilon cameras. We also offer:
- Seamless integration with your existing security infrastructure
- Full integration with desktop, cloud, and mobile systems
- Hosting and monitoring services and ongoing system support
Click below to discover more about our powerful and effective video surveillance solutions tailored to your needs and budget.