To start with the topic, let’s make clear the definition between PoE IP camera and analog camera. PoE IP camera, also called IP camera, is a digital video camera. It receives data over the Internet through Ethernet cable. Every IP camera has its own IP address in order to connect to network to transfer images. Analog camera captures analog video image and transfers it with coax cable. The analog camera needs to convert the video to analog so that video can be received by analog devices.
Actually the comparison of IP camera and analog camera is the comparison of the traditional and new technology.
4 main differences of these two cameras will be discussed in the following.
- Video Quality.
Undoubtedly, IP camera has higher video quality than analog camera. It offers wide or narrow field of view and better zoom-in capability. Since it uses digital signal to transmit the video, it can recognize the faces and numbers clearly. Compared with IP camera, analog camera has a overall lower video quality. Zoom-in capability doesn’t exist in the camera and the site range is limited. Not to mention the facial and number recognition.
- Distance
IP camera has 100 meters distance limitation with Ethernet cable. Because the IP camera sends digital image, the clarity of the image will be 100% percent maintained and sent back to NVR. Analog camera can be set up to 300 meters over coax cable. Although analog connection is longer, the clarity will lose as the distance increases.
- Cost
Building up IP camera system is expensive. The cost of IP cameras is higher than analog cameras.
- PoE capability
IP camera can be powered by twisted Ethernet cable instead of running the electrical wire. But analog camera is not PoE-supported.
Except for the different features below, PoE IP camera and analog camera are powered and connected to different devices. IP camera needs to be linked to Network Video Recorder(NVR) to record videos down. There is a product called PoE NVR which can provide both power and network solutions to cameras. To build the NVR system Cat 5e/Cat 6 Ethernet cable should be applied to transmit data. Besides, IP camera is not necessary to link directly to the NVR. As the camera is on the same network that connects to the NVR, the videos can be recorded down. However, analog camera can only be connected to Digital Video Recorder(DVR). Analog cameras connect to the DVR via the coaxial cable. In the DVR system, power will not be sent directly to cameras. So, if you choose to use the DVR system, you have to solve the problem of power.
Generally speaking, IP camera and analog camera has its own pros and cons. Hope this article would give you some tips on choosing the camera system. Click here to learn more about the differences between DVR and PoE NVR. Click here to know how to Set up Home IP Camera System with Power over Ethernet.