CVI vs. TVI, What is the Difference?
When it comes to the “New” HD over coaxial market, there are a couple, some say a few, choices on the market. The 2 major players in the HD over coaxial market are HDTVI (High Definition Transport Video Interface) and HD-CVI (High Definition Coaxial Video Interface). There is a third lesser known technology, simply called AHD or analog High Definition. Now you are probably sitting there saying to yourself, WTF is the difference between these technologies and which one is for me. I will try to hopefully help give you some differences and benefits of the technologies
HDTVI (High Definition Transport Video Interface) and HDCVI (High Definition Composite Video Interface)
HD-TVI technology was created by a company called Techpoint in 2012 and backed by Hikvision around the same time. This was created by a third party company to compete with a technology coming out from the factory Dahua, who was about to release HDCVI. There have been rumors out there that someone planted spies inside of Dahua that learned what was coming and once pulled out they created the company called Techpoint. But, I don’t think any of it will ever be confirmed. Hikvision is the world’s largest surveillance manufacturer and backed by the Chinese Government and has backed Techpoint in this endeavor. It has brought us one of the biggest revolutions to the CCTV (closed circuit television) market since the creation of IP, internet protocol, cameras.
HDTVI like HDCVI both come from the same principles created by the TV industry with the government back mandate for a Higher Definition video transmission of all broadcasting. This spawned a surveillance type known as HD-SDI. In essence, SDI had major limitations with regards to the distance it could be transmitted. This limitation was eradicated with the creation of the two new technologies. HDTVI is able to send 1080p video approximately one thousand feet, whereas HDCVI can transmit 720p video upwards of sixteen hundred feet and 1080p video around the same distance (or as quoted by Dahua – three hundred meters). There are some other similarities and then again a few differences. I will go into and touch on the important, or better yet, more necessary information to know so you can have a better understanding of the two technologies.
With HDTVI recorders, all of them from their simple units up to their largest unit are capable of handling analog cameras, HDTVI cameras, Hikvision IP cameras and Prime IP/HDTVI cameras. Whereas HDCVI recorders from the base model all the way up to 16 channel recorders (also known as Tribrid DVRs) can also handle analog cameras, HDCVI cameras, Dahua IP cameras, ONVIF IP cameras, Prime IP/HDCVI cameras and Elite IP/HDCVI cameras. As you can see, both of the technologies recorders can handle three different technologies in one recorder making them Tribrid DVR’s. There are Tribrid recorders that can only handle their specific technology as well as the two other technologies. The major difference between the two technologies recorders are the Dahua recorders can also handle other brands IP cameras and the Hikvision TVI recorders can only handle Hikvision IP cameras.
Now both companies offer some basic camera models to go along with their technologies. For example, you can get a fixed or varifocal lens dome or bullet option from both platforms as well as a Pan Tilt Zoom. With HDTVI, there has been a slower development of a variety of camera models available from the major player. Dahua has a very wide product line available and backed by the factory. Now, both technologies have had third party companies that have stepped up to provide the wide variety of product lines that the factories have neglected. I personally like the standard housings from both factories, but am also a huge fan of some of the third party product offerings as they typically have a wider variety of colors and mounting options that the big boys have neglected to adopt.
I have always been a fan of third party cameras and typically find that you will get more options for a lower price point than you find from the major players. Now the major players will typically have stronger warranties than the smaller factories, but bang for buck the smaller factories give you a damn good product. I personally like the White Label Series cameras for both HDCVI and HDTVI for the options that they offer and some of the form factors are more appealing in my opinion. I have had and installed many of systems over the years, as I was an installer and integrator for several of years before coming on board. I have found these newer technologies are as simple to use as the original Closed Circuit Television systems, with the major advantage of much higher definition and quality.
Conclusion
As you can see, there really is not much of a difference between these two types of technologies, outside of the major players in the industry backing them. I have personally used both of their interfaces, applications for mobile devices, and CMS software and find them on a fairly level playing field. Some of the major differences between them come in the Graphical User Interface or GUI for short. For a first time user, they are both rather easy to get through, allthough I believe HDCVI has a slightly easier to use interface for the novice in the surveillance world. The reason is that the interface has a better simpler layout than you find in the HDTVI system. HDTVI has things nestled under different tabs, very similar to what HDCVI did in the beginning until the addition of the “Blue” user interface experience. I guess the bottom line on this is… if you are starting from scratch either system will work for you, or if you are doing an upgrade from an existing analog system either will work. Now if you have used HDTVI you would want to stick with that line, but if you are starting new, the HDCVI line would be a good place to look at as it is a very nice and solid platform and generally a little less money.