IP Cameras and Power Over Ethernet

"PoE will save you money. Installation is quicker and easier and there is no disruption while holes are cut into walls. You simply run an Ethernet cable from the camera to the switch or router and connect it to a PoE port, or use a one-port power injector. Either way, no AC contractor is needed, the camera gets all the power it needs and, the worst case scenario in terms of expense is a PoE port that might cost £30."

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• Power over Ethernet (PoE) deployment is currently difficult for external installations as the anti-condensation heaters in cameras can’t yet be powered via PoE. The IEEE is working on a new, higher wattage PoE standard (802.3at or PoE Plus) however, for possible release by the end of 2008. See http://www.techworld.com/midsizedbusiness /news/index.cfm?newsid=5224
• PoE can’t currently drive Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) camera motors either. Consider a camera that doesn’t use moving parts.
• Avoid self-installation unless you’re fully qualified. Work with qualified electricians and cabling contractors for larger cabling jobs.

A useful bandwidth calculator is available from Axis you can also call them on 0870 162 0047 to request a cd containing the tool."

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DO

• Consider the importance of cabling – Cat5e is ideal...
• ... as is wireless for campus environments and large external areas like car parks.
• Deliver 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) to the desktop...100 mbps at least.
• Increase your storage. A 10-camera system could generate 2TeraBytes (TB) of data when storing 28 days of medium compression video, if its cameras are running on motion detection only.
• Use medium compression to avoid image pixilation and blockiness.
• Collect data using MJPEG format if possible. It’s slightly more data hungry, but also more reliable than MPEG-4 with superior image quality.
• Check the light levels you expect cameras to work down to. Spec cameras that operate down to a minimum of two lux or offer day/night infrared-assisted capability once light levels slip to 0.2 lux or below
• Conduct a thorough site review – if cameras must be sited a long way from the areas they’re monitoring, high specification lenses may be required.
• Consider budget. Entry-level static network cameras can be a quarter of the price of PTZs (Pan Tilt Zoom cameras).
• Consider using Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs) to ensure smooth power supply to cameras. Surges can blow power supplies in video recorders and cameras, adding to overheads
• Consider deploying Power over Ethernet (PoE) cameras indoors. Savings on the installation of individual supplies to each camera can be as much as £100 per camera. PoE also enables central power control via a UPS and prevents cameras being disabled by removing the local fuse.
• Mount cameras to avoid casual vandalism. Poles are useful here. Alternatively consider vandal and tamper resistant models. Some now even alarm if obscured for any reason
• Apply username and password authentication for access to video images
• Consider demarcating surveillance data on a separate part of the corporate network – possibly establishing a new virtual Local Area Network (VLAN)."