Avigilon V HD CCTV over coax

One thing that is not contested in the CCTV market place today is that HD CCTV is inevitable. It is the natural upgrade path for pretty much every CCTV system out there and the results that can be achieved using HD cameras are superb. HD CCTV gives the end user what they want and to this end as Avigilon rightly say “the evidence is clear”.

What however is less clear is how this upgrade path to HD will be achieved. It has to be mentioned that when it comes to an IP solution Avigilon are clearly the market leaders. Their equipment is second to none but their approach to the market place is unique. Selling encoders and software is their number one priority. After all once they have their recording software in place the end user will not go back to a DVR and they will happily add their legacy analogue cameras into the system until the camera either fails or the budget can be put in place to take the next step and upgrade to HD.

The flexibility of their VMS solution is second to none and they appear to have left the competition in their wake. The HD cameras are well built, come in various formats that allow them to be sold into small as well as large system solutions. We have to question just who is their closet rival ?

The only rival we can foresee is in fact a completely different technology but one that still provides an HD solution. This is HD CCTV over coax. Perhaps the most interesting thing about HD CCTV over coax though is that no real market leader has yet to emerge. Yes Everfocus were probably first on the scene but they do not seem to have forced their advantage from the early days into actual sales.

This has allowed scores of new entrants to try their luck in the field of HD CCTV over coax. Calsys, Win4net, Ctring and the biggest name Samsung as well as other Chinese and Korean companies are all trying but none have emerged yet as clear market leaders. This gap in the market will be filled and soon but who can really grab the nettle. The efforts of the HD CCTV alliance to standardize the technology mean those who have subscibed seem to be getting more exposure. In addition once HD SDI can be transmitted over CAT5 and rumours persist the alliance expect this to be in the very near future, the scope for HD SDI becomes huge, so watch this space.

So where does this leave us with the question of HD IP and Avigilon verses HD CCTV over coax. Well Avigilon will find more and more willing participants in their HD revolution but price will still dictate that it will be bigger CCTV systems and IP projects that will more happily fit their profile. HD CCTV in the meantime is finding a niche in 2,4 and 8 camera systems. HD SDi DVR s seem to be most in demand for existing analogue systems in smaller retail, industrial estate type scenarios. To this end the take up on smaller existing systems is the market they are picking up. The technology of HD SDI is providing some great results and with it some happy customers.

There is a long way to go and we look forward to who will win the battle to become the number 1 supplier in HD CCTV over coax. In the meantime Avigilon have certainly laid claim to their place as the number 1 in HD over IP. Can anyone challenge that out their?