Video Surveillance – analog or IP cameras?

Video Surveillance – analog or IP cameras?

More and more companies are installing video surveillance systems.  Businesses want to protect their property against thieves and outside cameras are a deterent.  And any person foolish enough to commit a crime with video cameras installed will surely be caught.  In addition to protecting the business from intruders, video surveillance is also installed inside the office to prevent employee theft and false workmans comp claims.  So, the question is not should you install video surveillance, it’s what kind of video surveillance, analog or IP?

Analog:  An analog video surveillance system connects analog cameras to a DVR.  A DVR is much like the DVR at your home, its an appliance that records video for easy playback.  DVRs come in 4-camera, 8-camera, 16-camera or 32-camera configurations.  How much video you want to store will decide on the size of the hard drive you purchase for the DVR.

Analog cameras use coax cable to connect back to the DVR.  This coax cable can distribute power as well as video so the analog cameras do not need to be plugged into a power source.

Analog cameras are very high quality…about as good as today’s IP cameras.  Analog video is not compressed, its sent down the coax cable as is, therefore, the image is not going to be getting any better with advances of technology, but it is still very good.  The DVR can be connected to the LAN for easy viewing from a networked PC or smartphone.

Analog video surveillance is still the most cost effective method of installing video surveillance and still represents over 85% of the video surveillance market.

IP:  An IP video surveillance system connects IP cameras to an NVR (network video recorder), a server on the network.

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The NVR can handle any number of IP cameras, you simply purchase IP camera licenses for the NVR.  As with the analog solution, the size of the hard drive will determine the amount of days you can keep your video.

IP cameras require data cabling (CAT5e or higher) to connect back to the NVR.  To supply power to the camera you will need a power over ethernet (POE) managed data switch.  Data has a range of 350′ so any IP camera that needs to be installed further than that will require another managed POE data switch in between the NVR and IP camera.

Today, in my opinion, analog and IP camera quality are basically the same.  As technology progresses IP cameras will be better than analog.

An IP system is already on the LAN so it also can easily be viewed from networked PCs and smartphones.

Both analog and IP video surveillance systems can work with your business phone system for added security at the entrances.  The NEC unified communications systems has a door box that allows visitors at the entrance of a building to press the door box to talk to employees on the phone system.  The employee can view the person at the door using their PC which is connected to the video surveillance system.  Once they have a positive ID on the person they can choose to press a button on their phone to let the person in.

Price:  IP video surveillance systems are typically 30% higher than analog camera systems.  If you want a really good video surveillance system at a good value, install an analog system.  If you want to preserve the investment for the future because you feel you will need better camera technology later, spend the extra money now and install an IP video surveillance system.

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Free Trial of Cloud Backup Service!

Free Trial of Cloud Backup Service!

EarthLink is offering a free 30-day trail of their Cloud backup service.  Simply download their software and schedule it to backup your files after hours.

Never have to worry about your hard drive crashing, keep all your files safe in the Cloud!

This service is extremely affordable for a very low monthly fee.

The Cloud can be used for data backup, hosted VoIP, IP video surveillance and hosted desktop.

 Cloud Backup – Free Trial !

EarthLink, a $1 billion dollar IT services and communications provider, is offering a free 30-day trial of their Cloud Backup service.

Cloud Backup

Backup all your important data to the cloud.  You can backup your personal PC / Laptop or your entire server, no more tape backups!

Quick, Simple Backup and Restore:

  • Reduce business risk for lost data or downtime
  • Recover data rapidly anytime, anywhere
  • Eliminate capital expenditures for new storage units
  • Define your backup levels – incremental, full system, real time, full hardware
  • Access and control your backup online
  • Scale easily as your needs change
  • Gain immediate access to data in SAN disk environment
  • EarthLink’s SSAE 16 SOC2 certified data centers offer the highest levels of data protection.
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To get yourself up and running:

  1. Visit https://backup.earthlinkcloud.com/
  2. On the left side of the page, click Download EarthLink Backup Agent
  3. In the section beneath Download EarthLink Backup Agent, click the link to the EarthLink Backup Agent installation wizard
  4. In the window that opens, click “EarthLink Backup Agent” in the Download section.
  5. Install the program and launch the client
  6. When the client opens, click Next
  7. Enter your User Information and Email Address (Login Name and Email should both be your email address)

My suggestion for the trial is to backup a small amount of data to see how it works.  When you are ready to do a full backup EarthLink will send you a USB drive to perform the first backup. Subsequent backups will be only incremental.

Affordable!

If you wish to continue after 30 days, monthly cost is only:

$25     50GB
$50   100GB
Additional plans up to 50TB, call for details.

If you ever had a hard drive crash and you lost all your data, you know how important backing up your data is…be smart, backup your data to the Cloud!

Connecticut Communications Celebrates 40 Years of Service!

Connecticut Communications Celebrates 40 Years of Service!

Read this month’s newsletter from Connecticut Communications.  We are celebrating 40 years of service!  Connecticut Communications started in 1974 as the New Haven Telephone Company.  We changed our name to Connecticut Communications in 1976.

Connecticut Communications is the oldest private contractor of telecommunications hardware in the state of Connecticut.

Connecticut Communications installs VoIP phone systems, unified communications systems, video surveillance systems, voice/data/fiber cabling, and computer networking equipment.

See pictures of Connecticut Communications employees making wine.

40 Years of Service !

How do you celebrate 40 years of being in business?

You make wine, of course!

The business started out as the New Haven Telephone Company in 1974.  Two years later we changed our name to Connecticut Communications.

1974 – 2014

The wine is a Merlot.  The grapes are from California.  The workers you see are all Connecticut Communications employees and family.

203.985.1000

Unified Communications Consultant

Unified Communications Consultant

Every company needs technology in order to run their business.  And with technology comes the necessary infrastructure.  Voice and data cabling to each workstation provides workers with connection to the outside world for phones and computers.  Do you go with CAT5e, CAT6 or fiber?  The phone system needs phone lines, the computers need internet access.  That will require a voice carrier and, in some cases, a different carrier for internet.  Computers, do you install a premised based server on a Local Area Network, or do you subscribe to a Cloud service and get all your Microsoft licenses in the Cloud?  If you want to protect your business property you will also want video surveillance.  Smartphones and remote workers will require connection to the office from the outside, and it better be a secure connection so no one can steal your business secrets.

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How does one go about finding all the pieces to this puzzle?  There are so many options out there, how do you know what is best for your business?

Let Connecticut Communications be your technology consultant, and we do it all for FREE.

Connecticut Communications represents all the major voice & internet carriers.  We can give you many different options and explain the pros and cons of each.  Should you go with copper analog lines, a PRI, or SIP Trunks?  For internet, is cable best, fiber, T-1 or a combination?  We also represent the best phone manufacturers, NEC and Star2Star.  We will explain what a hosted phones system is and if you should consider one.  IP phones, digital, or a hybrid of both?

Let the professionals at Connecticut Communications help you with your technology needs, the consultation and recommendations are free.  203-985-1000.

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May 2017 Connecticut Communications Newsletter

May 2017 Connecticut Communications Newsletter

Video Surveillance systems have changed dramatically over the years.  Think of the iPhone and the camera improvements over the years, same goes for video surveillance cameras.  Video Surveillance has changed from analog techonology to IP technology and mega-pixel cameras.

IP Video Surveillance

IP Video Camera

Video Surveillance cameras have made the transition from analog technology to IP.  Just like the picture quality of the iPhone camera has improved, so to has the quality of surveillance cameras.

View the camera images from your office PC, home PC, iPhone, iPad or tablet.

TruVision Camera Brochure

Paying too much on your phone bill?

Email us your phone bill and we will provide a free cost analysis to show you how much money you can save with SIP trunks or changing service providers.

Email:  Scott@ctcom.com

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Maintenance

Our Maintenance customers enjoy free Battery Backup units to keep the phone system safe from brownouts.

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Wireless Headset

No more neck pain with this headset…add a lifter to answer away from your desk.

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Video Surveillance

Keep track of your office surroundings with high resolution video cameras.  Watch live from your smartphone!