IP cameras
IP cameras send digital video over a network and are the foundation of most modern surveillance systems. The important subjects are resolution, sensor size, lens selection, power, network addressing, RTSP, ONVIF and codec configuration. Understanding these parameters is more useful than comparing cameras only by megapixel count.
CCTV and analog video
CCTV remains an important term because many installations still combine analog and digital technologies. Analog cameras, hybrid systems and dedicated CCTV monitors are still encountered in existing sites. Knowing how analog CCTV differs from IP surveillance helps when upgrading older installations.
AHD systems
AHD carries high-definition analog video over coaxial cable and is frequently used when existing cabling should be preserved. It occupies a useful middle ground between legacy analog CCTV and full IP systems, especially in modernization projects where replacing cable infrastructure would be expensive.
Home security
Home surveillance has different priorities from corporate systems. Simplicity, remote access, reliable recording and privacy are usually more important than very large camera counts. Existing smartphones and webcams can also be useful in small installations when paired with appropriate software.
Networking, recording and compression
A surveillance system depends on the network just as much as on the cameras. IP addressing, local networks, internet connectivity and stream protocols determine whether video arrives reliably. Recording capacity is then shaped by resolution, bitrate, frame rate and codecs such as H.264.
Brands and compatibility
Camera compatibility should be evaluated by standards support and real stream behavior rather than by brand name alone. ONVIF and RTSP make mixed-vendor systems possible, while the brands directory helps locate configuration information for a wide range of manufacturers.
What changed in practical video surveillance design
Camera resolution is no longer the only number worth comparing. Interoperability, metadata, network behavior, codec settings, low-light performance and the ability to search events now have at least as much impact on the useful result. ONVIF Profile T supports advanced streaming functions including H.264/H.265, metadata and events, while Profile M addresses analytics metadata and event exchange. That matters when a VMS must combine equipment from different vendors instead of relying on one closed ecosystem.
Use the guide as a system-design checklist
The reference pages below are organized in the same order in which a real system is usually designed: choose the camera technology, verify the network and stream protocols, calculate image quality and storage, and only then add recording rules and analytics. SmartVision is the software layer that connects these subjects in practice. Start with IP Security Cameras for network cameras, CCTV for legacy and hybrid systems, or AI Surveillance when the task is event detection rather than simple recording.