HD SDI CCTV, the broadcast HD technology that has recently been causing much discussion in the CCTV industry has started to see some recognised names bringing out products in Q1 2012. Samsung,Videcon, Grundig and Vista have all released products onto the market that is starting to recognise the importance of HD SDI CCTV. Unlike IP CCTV the existing coax infrastructure can be used , no new cabling is required to upgrade from analogue to HD SDI CCTV and this is proving attractive to installers. The UK is abundant in legacy coax especially in small to medium sized premises , this suits upgrade to HD SDI CCTV perfectly. Now as technology advances customers are asking for HD and they want to pay as little as possible for it. Many smaller to medium sized outfits do not boast large IT networks or have a requirement for IP systems but they do have CCTV with between 4 and 8 cameras on site. By using HD SDI CCTV we can replace these cameras and bring high quality HD images to the end user without a complete redesign involved to upgrade to IP.
- HD SDI DVR
So have the likes of Samsung, Videcon and Grundig made the right decision by trying to bring HD SDI CCTV to the mainstream CCTV market in the UK? Having seen seen some of the images that are being produced you would have to say yes. True 1080P images with no latency are impressive and compared to some analogue systems out there the quality upgrade is brilliant. HD SDI cameras and HD SDI DVR s will be on show at IFSEC this year as the industry decides if HD SDI CCTV is really going to be effective and if it can compete with increasingly cheaper IP HD solutions. The other question still being asked is will it be better to sell a hybrid DVR that is able to record both HD SDI cameras and analogue cameras as well? A partial upgrade may be preferable rather than upgrade the whole system to HD. Targeted areas for HD SDI cameras could prove the way forward.
So what are the major benefits of HD SDI CCTV. Well it really is the simplicity of the installation and clear sharpe images as well as the ability to zoom in on events without the loss of clarity, these are the main factors. In addition there is no need to re-train engineers and re use of legacy cable keeps costs down. It’s just plug and play. HD SDI CCTV has always been a goal within the CCTV industry. Now CCTV salesmen have a product that works and brings genuine benefits to the end user at justifiable cost. Having seen the HD SDI CCTV images and used an HD SDI DVR its safe to say customers will be happy with what they get, unlike some analogue systems out there. It should be mentioned that for low light scenarios IR is crucial in order to gain acceptable images.
As for functionality HD SDI CCTV is very flexible including the facility of remote connectivity. However we now have a zoom facility that can give us more detail post event.
So HD SDI CCTV as a solution has arrived and now we have real input into the market place from recognised names, it will be interesting to watch the growth of HD SDI CCTV and monitor if it helps produce more convictions and reduce crime as a result.