Briefly speaking, there are 2 generations of technology for video surveillance systems.  They are the older analogue based system and the modern Internet Protocol (IP) based system respectively.  The demarcation of what constitutes analogue and IP is not clear cut and this article attempts to clear the confusion.  The biggest confusion is however on the costing of the two technologies and also the relative effectiveness of them.  This article attempts to provide a more precise picture of the cost benefits to people who are considering a video surveillance system for their organization. 

There are 3 major cost areas as far as the installation of a video surveillance system is concerned.  They are (a) cameras, (b) Cabling fabric and (c) Recorder.  System design is another cost area although some organizations apply common layman sense in lieu of engaging consultants for designs.  We have completed a good study and have found some interesting information as follows.  For the full article, please click
http://www.cnz.co.nz/content/view/63/36/

• Cost per camera goes up with the number of cameras.  This is a phenomenon most people do not expect.  In fact, the benefits also go up because larger systems provide a better economic basis for feature development.
• IP is more expensive than analogue if we ignore the maximum camera limitation and forget about benefits. 
• It is fair to say that analogue systems would be adequate for very small sites, and IP system should be given preference for bigger sites.