Full HD CCTV System helps immensely when there is an incident and the need to look up the recorded evidence. 1080p recording has great detail of video/imagery that helps recognise and understand the scenes better.
When compared to Standard Definition (SD), the video/imagery could be as much better as 4-6 times in greater detail in Full-HD (1080p) recorded media. While there are many models of Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) which claim to do the same, in fact, there is only a handful of them that actually records in 1080p, while most of them do in 720p or 1080n.
DVRs & their Numbers (1080p vs 1080n vs 720p)
Numbers such as 1080, 720, 360, etc., define the number of rows of pixels that are displayed on a vertical stack, and the alphabet (such as 'p', 'i', 'n', etc) next to it defines the method/algorithm used to record it. The alphabet 'p' is an abbreviation progressive method of recording, while 'i' uses interpolation, and 'n' is a special type used for CCTV recording.
The 'n' recordings have narrow horizontal columns of pixels using standard and compressed 4:3 screen aspect ratio, rather than in the progressive/interpolated methods that use the 16:9 screen aspect ratio. N is used to save on storage space usage while still trying to record in near HD clarity, however, when played back it shows the lack of high-definition clarity that comes with true-HD footage.
It is a compromise between investment and higher-quality recorded footage. This is used in low-priority, low-risk surveillance, and low-budget installations mostly with middle-class housing and small businesses.
Cameras & their Numbers (Mega-Pixels - 1MP, 1.3MP, 2MP)
CCTV cameras come with pixels/Mega-Pixels as their capability identifier. It is actually from the underlying optical sensor's specification which tells about its data collection capability. 1MP or 1 mega-pixel has roughly one million pixels, arranged normally in a 4:3 aspect ratio on the sensor, while 1.3 has 1.3 million pixels, and so on.
When considering of choice of these cameras, a sizing table would be helpful for ease of purchase.
| Term | Pixels (W x H) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1.3 MP | 1280 x 1024 | aka "1 Megapixel" or "1MP" |
| 2 MP | 1600 x 1200 | 2 Megapixel |
| 1080p HD | 1920 x 1080 | 1080p High Definition |
| 3 MP | 2048 x 1536 | 3 Megapixel |
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