If you have ever wondered what are the 3 types of CCTV systems, the answer is simple and practical: Analog, IP, and Wireless.
Each approach handles video signals differently, offers distinct features, and fits specific sites and budgets. This guide explains the differences, shows where each system shines, and helps business and property owners choose the right CCTV camera systems for clear video footage, reliable alerts, and confident incident response.
Analog CCTV Systems – use traditional cameras over coaxial cables that feed a Digital Video Recorder. They are cost effective, simple to maintain, and a solid choice when you already have coax in place. Resolution and advanced features are limited compared with digital options, but for basic surveillance they still work well.
IP CCTV Systems – use digital network cameras that transmit video as data over Ethernet to a Network Video Recorder or a video management server. They deliver high quality footage, powerful analytics, easy remote access, and excellent scalability. They are the modern default for sites that value image clarity and smart functions.
Wireless CCTV Systems – send camera streams over Wi Fi or point to point radios instead of a video cable. They are fast to install and perfect where cabling is difficult. They still need power, and performance depends on signal quality and cyber security, but they can be ideal for temporary areas and small sites.
Analog CCTV is the traditional workhorse of surveillance systems. Cameras output an analog video signal that travels along coaxial cables to a Digital Video Recorder. The DVR digitises the signal, stores the CCTV footage, and provides playback. Modern analog variants can reach 1080p and sometimes higher using AHD, TVI, or CVI technologies, which is why many older sites refresh rather than replace their cabling.
Analog is attractive when a building already has coax runs to key locations. Installation is straightforward, devices are widely available, and maintenance is familiar to many security personnel. For small retail stores, workshops, or offices that need reliable recording and basic live view, analog offers good value.
Because analog starts as a traditional signal, it lacks some of the advanced features common in IP systems. Deep analytics, granular motion detection zones, flexible bandwidth control, and easy multi site networking are limited. If you plan to deploy multiple cameras over time, or require high quality footage for identification at longer distances, IP will usually be a better fit.
Analog supports a wide range of cctv camera types, including dome cameras, bullet cameras, turret cameras, basic PTZ cameras, and rugged box cameras with C mount lenses. As with any system, pick the form factor to match the scene, not the label on the cable.
IP cameras are digital from the image sensor onward. Each camera encodes its own stream and sends it over the local network to an NVR or server. That simple change unlocks higher resolutions, smarter detection, and cleaner integrations.
IP systems are known for high quality footage. Full HD, 4MP, and 4K streams are common, and many models include wide dynamic range to handle harsh doorways and backlighting. Advanced features like motion detection, people and vehicle classification, line crossing, object left or removed, and digital zoom functions make a real difference for security surveillance. When an alert triggers, an operator can pull up the clip in seconds through remote access.
Using Power over Ethernet, a single cable supplies data and power. Adding cameras can be as simple as extending a switch and reserving storage. For large premises with multiple cameras, this is easier to scale than adding more DVR channels.
Digital strength brings digital responsibility. Use unique passwords, apply firmware updates, and segment cameras on their own VLAN. Enable multi factor authentication on remote access. A little network hygiene unlocks the best of IP without headaches.
Wireless CCTV systems replace the video cable with a radio link. Cameras connect over Wi Fi to an NVR or cloud service. Many models are outdoor cameras that run on mains power, while truly wire free units rely on batteries and often pair with a solar panel.
Heritage buildings, remote gates, pop up yards, or rental properties all benefit from wireless flexibility. You can reposition a camera to remove blind spots in minutes. Installation is faster and less disruptive, which is invaluable for busy sites.
Wireless performance depends on signal quality. Walls, metal shelving, and distance can reduce throughput and reliability. Plan coverage with a site survey, consider dedicated access points, and secure the traffic with WPA2 or WPA3. Wireless cameras still need electricity, whether by power adapter, battery, or solar, so plan for power just as carefully as you plan for bandwidth.
Choosing the right CCTV camera for each location is as important as choosing the system type. Here are the most common shapes and why they matter.
Dome CCTV cameras sit in a dome shaped housing that blends with ceilings and soffits. They are discreet CCTV cameras that do not draw attention in lobbies and retail stores. Many domes are vandal resistant and offer wide angle coverage for entrances and corridors.
Bullet CCTV cameras have a cylindrical body and an unmistakable presence. That visibility helps deter crime on perimeters, car parks, and access roads. Bullets often include long range lenses and strong IR for low light conditions.
Turret cameras use a three axis ball and socket to point the lens exactly where you need it. They combine a tidy look with powerful IR and are easy to aim during commissioning. For indoor or outdoor eaves, turrets are a practical, flexible choice.
PTZ CCTV cameras can pan, tilt, and zoom with a joystick or software. Security personnel can follow events across a yard or stadium in real time and zoom in for identification. PTZ is ideal when you have operators or automated patrols and want to reduce the number of fixed cameras.
Fisheye cameras use an ultra wide lens to cover entire rooms with a single device. Software de warps the image to show multiple views at once. Pair fisheye with spot cameras at doors for identification.
Thermal cameras detect heat, not visible light. They can spot movement at long distances, even in complete darkness, fog, or light foliage. On open perimeters, thermal devices excel at early warning.
For industrial sites and long corridors, box cameras accept interchangeable lenses. With the right optics, they capture clear identification at specific distances and can be paired with enclosures for the outdoors.
It is easy to get lost in buzzwords. Focus on the features that turn surveillance cameras into results.
Resolution is only useful if the lens fits the distance. A 4K camera with a very wide lens can still produce faces too small to recognise. For hd surveillance cameras, choose the focal length to place a person’s face at the right size for identification. For licence plates, match the angle and shutter speed to vehicle speed and lighting.
Good cameras use powerful IR arrays and sensitive sensors to capture clear video footage in low light conditions. Night vision cameras infrared and IR cameras illuminate scenes the eye cannot see. Look for even IR spread to avoid overexposed faces at the centre and black corners at the edge.
Day night cameras switch from colour to monochrome automatically and use extra sensitive imaging chips to hold detail from bright sunlight to evening shadows. Wide dynamic range helps with doorways and windows.
Modern CCTV security cameras include advanced features like person and vehicle detection, line crossing, and object left. These reduce false alarms from trees and pets and help staff respond faster. Integrate with access control to bookmark video when doors open or alarms fire.
Analog systems record to a Digital Video Recorder. IP systems record to a Network Video Recorder or a server. For multiple cameras, plan storage around resolution, frame rate, and retention days. Size disks so you can keep evidence long enough, and make sure you can export clips quickly for insurers or police.
Choose systems with secure remote access for managers and security teams. Use strong passwords, limit accounts to what users need, and update firmware on a schedule.
Choosing between the types of CCTV systems starts with outcomes. The technology should fit the scenes you need to cover and the evidence you need to collect.
List the key locations you need to monitor, such as the front door, loading dock, stock room, safe, or car park. Decide what matters at each point. Do you need a wide situational view, or a tight identification shot. That choice sets your lens and resolution.
If you already have coax to all cameras and only need basic coverage, analog can be the most cost effective path. If you have good Ethernet or plan to expand, IP camera systems scale more gracefully. If you cannot run cable, plan a wireless CCTV system with reliable power and a clean radio path.
It is better to have fewer cameras set up correctly than many cameras with the wrong lens. Place identification cameras where people must pass close to the lens, such as doors and reception, then layer wider views for context.
Many sites end up with multiple cameras. IP systems make it simple to add new locations as your needs change. Choose an NVR with extra channels, or a server that can grow with your fleet.
The best cameras fail if they are in the wrong place or pointed the wrong way. Careful installation turns equipment into evidence.
Mount cameras high enough to avoid easy tampering, but low enough to capture faces. Aim along the path people take toward a door, not straight down from the ceiling. Avoid direct sun in the frame for long periods.
Choose models built for their environment. Outdoor CCTV cameras need weather resistant housings and seals, while indoor cameras can prioritise discretion and aesthetics. In harsh climates, use housings rated for rain, dust, heat, and salt air.
Walk the scene after dark. If faces look like silhouettes, add motion lighting or tighten the lens. Test during rain and with headlights in frame. Capture trial clips and confirm that video looks good in real conditions.
For IP, PoE is reliable and tidy. For wireless cameras, plan battery replacement or solar exposure. Separate the CCTV network from guest Wi Fi, document addressing, and secure remote logins.
Aim at your property and avoid private areas. Post signage in workplaces and define retention periods in your policy. Treat CCTV footage as personal information and restrict access to trained staff.
Costs vary with brand, resolution, lens quality, storage, and labour. In general, analog offers the lowest entry cost, IP cameras offer the most capability per camera, and wireless saves on cabling at the expense of radio planning and battery maintenance. Many sites use a hybrid approach, with high resolution IP CCTV cameras at entrances and cost effective cameras for wide coverage.
Analog, IP, and Wireless. Analog uses coax to a DVR. IP uses Ethernet to an NVR or server. Wireless sends streams over Wi Fi or radio links. Each supports familiar forms like bullet cameras, dome cameras, turret cameras, and PTZ cameras.
They can be excellent for smaller areas and short hops, especially with strong radios and clean spectrum. For high traffic or mission critical monitoring, wired IP is usually more stable and delivers more consistent bitrates.
Yes, if you care about after hours incidents. Look for strong IR, good low light performance, and true infrared cameras or thermal cameras where lighting is poor. Always test at night.
A fisheye can show the whole room, but it will not give you identification at a doorway. Use a fisheye for awareness and a second camera at the door for faces. Where you need one device to do more, consider a PTZ that can patrol key angles.
In reception areas and customer spaces, low profile domes and turrets blend in. If you want visible deterrence, select bullets. Your mix should suit the audience and the risks.
A Network Video Recorder receives digital streams from IP cameras over Ethernet. A Digital Video Recorder receives analog signals over coax and encodes them. Some hybrid recorders can accept both.
Yes. Many IP platforms integrate with access control, alarms, and intercoms. Events from one system can trigger bookmarks or pop up relevant cameras for security personnel.
There are many types of CCTV, but nearly every system falls into one of the big three: Analog, IP, or Wireless. Analog keeps costs down for basic coverage and sites with existing coax. IP delivers the best images and analytics, scales smoothly, and integrates cleanly with other security systems. Wireless adds flexibility where cable is impractical. Choose the system that fits your building, your risks, and your budget, then match dome and turret cameras, bullet CCTV cameras, PTZ, thermal, or fisheye to each scene. Test at night, secure the network, and set retention rules. Do that, and your security cameras will monitor key locations effectively, deter incidents, and give you clear evidence when you need it.
Castle Security plans, installs, and maintains cctv systems across homes, retail, warehouses, and multi site businesses. We map your risks, model lens distances, right size storage, and deliver a clear, itemised proposal. Whether you need indoor or outdoor cameras, IP camera systems, wireless cameras, or an analog refresh, we help you pick the right CCTV camera for each location and configure your security system for dependable results.
Book a free assessment and get a design that fits your site today and scales for tomorrow.
