How to Alleviate the Demanding Transmission and Storage Needs of Video Surveillance with H.265
Since there are generally cameras located at various strategic points and the files must be stored for a long period of time, the information produced by a video surveillance system is truly colossal. If we take into account factors such as video resolution and frames per second and multiply that by the number of cameras available in a specific place, we immediately realize that the amount of data to manage is huge.
The challenge, because these cameras are collecting information 24/7, is not only to reduce the amount of data needed to move this information (Mbps) through the infrastructure (network) but also to decode that information to use the system’s storage in a more efficient way. This is when the evolution of video compression and its use in H.2865 IP cameras plays a very important role.
With cameras that adopt High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) or H.265, it is possible to stream UHD videos without consuming too much bandwidth and store events that occur in front of the camera in smaller files. Compared to cameras that only compress video with the H.264 codec, IP cameras with H.265 double the data compression ratio with the same and even higher image quality. In other words, an H.265 video surveillance camera reduces bandwidth consumption and storage use by 50%.
How do H.265 IP cameras work?
Unlike the H.264 codec that allows a maximum of 16x16 macroblocks to process the image, IP cameras with H.265 HEVC are capable of expanding that capacity to 64x64. Those larger block sizes are more efficient for encoding larger frame sizes like those offered by 4K and 8K video resolution. Other enhancements with the H.265 IP cameras, such as the improved unblocking filter and motion vector prediction, also contribute to their greater efficiency when encoding the image.
Why should you choose H.265 cameras if you have that possibility?
- To reduce the use of bandwidth and storage consumption: We have already talked a lot about this in this article, so we will try not to be redundant. However, this is one of the main advantages and we must put it to the top of this list.
- For the image quality they offer: Thanks to their efficient video compression encoding, H.265 cameras provide smooth video quality without image freezing. In the world of video surveillance, image quality can be the difference between capturing a thief or not.
- Higher quality remote playback and smoother streaming: By using lower bandwidth, H.265 cameras offer smoother live viewing with higher image quality, especially on mobile devices. This is a determining factor when it comes to monitoring spaces remotely with mobile applications.
- H.265 IP cameras offer other transmission options: if for some reason the speed of your network is as limited as the storage space, these cameras also allow you to lower the quality of streaming to 1440p or even 1080p.
Whatever your needs and preferences are, at Otter Video we have a wide variety of cameras available to start any type of project. Our cloud video surveillance software, Watcher, is perfect for launching an over the Internet video surveillance system for small, large or medium-sized locations. If you want more information, do not hesitate to contact us at info@otter-video.com or call us at +1 778 716 2080 if you are in North America.
