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fonix

High end cams VS low cheap cams

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I tried to search for a similar topic but just couldnt find any.

I know there would be alot of price difference wrt material used and construction between a brand name high end cam and a cheap cam. But with respect to the video feed:

 

How much of a difference would there be between a high end (lets say) 420TVL vs a cheap 420TVL camera. Forget the ccd VS cmos discussion, lets say both are cmos or both ccd, what else is there that affect the high end cam pricing!?

 

And just incase a high end brand dont manufacture 420TVL cams. Simply change the comparison example to 540TVL cams. you can easily find $30 cams and $250 cams with he same 1/3 ccd/cmos and TVL specs and huge price differences.

 

What is DSP and how much of an affect does it have. Are the lenses that big of a cost difference? and if so, is it that obvious when comparing D1 video recordings?

 

Some things from a quick search bring up terms that vary greatly in pricing:

Ex-view, DIS, hdis, super had, interline, effio, pixplus....

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What you asked is analog camera. A CCTV Camera chipset have two core parts: Sensor + DSP

 

Different Sensor and different DSP make the price vary.

 

Sensor is to capture images, DSP is to process and convert the image into signal, like a CPU in a PC.

 

Just like 420tvl, cheap camera with bad image quality, but high end with good image quality.

 

1/3" or 1/4" is the size of sensor, the larger size the better images it captures.

How much of a difference would there be between a high end (lets say) 420TVL vs a cheap 420TVL camera.

High end ccd 420 TVL normally use Sony 3142 + 633 chipset (1/3"), and cheap use fake or Sony 3142 + 405 (1/4"), price only us$1-2 different with the same camera housing. 420 TVL CMOS please forget it, it almost the same price.

And just incase a high end brand dont manufacture 420TVL cams. Simply change the comparison example to 540TVL cams. you can easily find $30 cams and $250 cams with he same 1/3 ccd/cmos and TVL specs and huge price differences.

540 TVL is a big difference solution, there are too many chipset to select from Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, Nextchip, Sony is expensive and Nextchip is cheap, it could combine with different Sensor and different DSP, like Sony Sensor + Nextchip DSP. Of course the image quality different too especially in night vision.

 

What is DSP and how much of an affect does it have. Are the lenses that big of a cost difference? and if so, is it that obvious when comparing D1 video recordings?

As said above, DSP is the core part in a camera, it just like the CPU in a computer, different DSP cost big differences, lenses also is a big fator in camera, better lenses more clear images, but cost not too much. It is big difference in D1 resolution recordings.

Some things from a quick search bring up terms that vary greatly in pricing:

Ex-view, DIS, hdis, super had, interline, effio, pixplus....

Ex-view, Super HAD, Effio is a kind of CCD sensor from Sony

DIS, HDIS is a kind of CMOS sensor

Pixplus is a CMOS sensor manufacturer

Interline is a kind of CCD sensor technology

 

Normally CCD sensor is more expensive than CMOS sensor, with little noise and better night vision, and especially stable enough. But CMOS sensor is able to get higher resolution with very good price.

 

Finally I suggest you forgeting the Analog Cameras, High Definition (HD) is the trend: Analog HD (AHD, HDCVI, HDTVI) cameras, Mega Pixel IP Cameras.

Analog HD cameras price is better, even better than analog cameras, IP Camera price is expensive but higher image quality.

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Thanks Stanley for that detailed explanation greatly appreciated!! and makes sense. The problem these days is trust, there is no way us consumers can take the camera apart to verify as you said:

High end ccd 420 TVL normally use Sony 3142 + 633 chipset (1/3"), and cheap use fake or Sony 3142 + 405 (1/4"), price only us$1-2 different with the same camera housing. 420 TVL CMOS please forget it, it almost the same price.

 

We cant verify the sensor size nor brand nor chipset. Thats what makes difference buying from a brand name that has a reputation to keep like Dahua vs no name brands from aliexpress.

 

Some of the cheaper brand might have also reputation to keep but Im not sure how much they are trustworthy. I was looking at these brands as example: newsurway vivieye, mvteam, tayama...

 

As Sunny mentioned one of my primary concerns is real time viewing whether its via pc or mobile.

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Hello Fonix,

 

Yes some of cheap cameras also with reputation and good quality, even with the same specs and chipset compare to brand cameras like Dahua.

 

Brand cameras are expensive at the same specs as following reasons:

 

1. Brand cameras is able to provide local after sale service, so they are trustful.

2. Brand cameras often with their own patent design, cheap cameras often use common case where it can sourcing from market anywhere.

3. Brand cameras are well known, if you meet some probs, it's more convenience to ask for help. Maybe some people meet the same probs.

4. Brand cameras firmware upgrades is trustful, often can be download on their website.

 

As said before, I recommend you to select HD systems (Analog HD or IP HD), here is the differences of these two HD solution:

 

Analog HD: (AHD, HDCVI, HDTVI, HD-SDI), all of Analog HD are real time with no time lag.

 

AHD: max. 1.3 MP resolution at present, use Nextchip solutions, many manufacturers do it, quite cheap, signal transmit 500Meters over coaxial cable.

HDCVI: Designed by Dahua, max. 2.0MP resolution, mature technology, is able to transmit video, audio and RS485 signals in one coaxial cable, 500 Meters. cheap price.

HDTVI: Designed by Hikvision, max 2.0MP resolution, but can't transmit audio, RS485 signals in one coaxial cable, 300 Meters, cheap price.

HD-SDI: max. 2.0 MP resolution, the image quality is more sharp than AHD, HDCVI and HDTVI, but the signals limited to 100 Meters to 200 Meters by better coaxial cable. Price double than above.

 

Pros: easy for installation, no time lag, cheap price.

Cons: Resolution limited to 2.0 MP

 

IP HD solution:

 

Most of the IP cameras are real time preview from your pc or cellphone, but a little time lag.

IP cameras is able to provide higher resolution like 2.0 MP, 3.0MP even more, and together with good software for multifunction settings, including video analytics, it's more intelligent.

 

Pros: Higher resolution, full functional software.

Cons: a little time lag, require some network knowledge for managing the system. Price are expensive than Analog HD system.

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