Encoder street pricing
55 to 100 dollars
Per channel. Budgeting range.
Nobody funds a rip and replace of a working camera system in a single budget year. The good news is that nobody has to.
The expensive part of an old camera system is not the cameras. It is the cable path, the conduit, the lift work and the labor. Any upgrade plan that preserves those is a plan that can actually be approved.
Encoder capability
Up to 5MP at 30 fps
Over existing coax with H.265 on modern units.
High definition over coax formats
3 incompatible
Identify the format before buying an encoder.
Typical hybrid example
40 kept, 12 replaced
52 cameras on one platform.
Identify the signal type first, because everyone skips this
Legacy standard definition analog is composite video. High definition over coax comes in three mutually incompatible formats, and a standard-definition-only encoder connected to a high-definition-over-coax camera records nothing usable. That failure looks like a broken camera and wastes a service call.
A multi-format encoder auto-detects the signal, which is why it is worth the small premium on a mixed site. Before you order anything, walk the site and record what each camera actually is.
What it costs to bring analog forward
Video encoders land around 55 to 100 dollars per channel at street pricing, which is dramatically less than replacing a camera and pulling new cable. Modern encoders support up to 5MP per channel at 30 frames per second over coax with H.265, which is a much higher ceiling than most people assume.
Compare that honestly against a new camera plus new cable plus lift time and you will see why encoders survive in this industry. Treat all of these as budgeting ranges.
Ethernet over coax is often better than encoding
There is a second path that gets overlooked. Ethernet-over-coax adapters keep the existing coax in the wall but put real IP cameras on both ends. You get modern cameras, modern codecs, current security posture and full platform features without opening the ceiling.
Where the coax run is good and the camera position still makes sense, this is frequently the better spend than encoding an aging analog camera.
The hybrid plan that actually gets approved
Here is a realistic example with numbers, because this is the version that gets funded. Keep 40 analog cameras in low-priority areas on encoders. Replace 12 cameras in identification-critical positions such as main entries, cash handling and the dock with new IP cameras at identification-grade pixel density. Put all 52 on one platform.
The result is one interface, one search, one retention policy, a defensible evidentiary posture where it matters, and a phased path to replace the remaining 40 as they fail rather than all at once.
Common questions
Can analog cameras work with a modern system?
Yes. A video encoder converts the analog signal to a stream the platform records and searches like any other camera, so the analog views appear alongside your IP cameras in one interface.
How much does a video encoder cost?
Roughly 55 to 100 dollars per channel at street pricing, as a budgeting range. Modern units handle up to 5MP per channel at 30 frames per second with H.265 over the existing coax.
Can I keep my existing coax?
Usually. Either encode the analog camera at the head end, or use Ethernet-over-coax adapters and put modern IP cameras on the ends of the same cable. Both preserve the cable path, which is the expensive part.
Should I replace all my cameras at once?
Rarely. Replace the identification-critical positions first, encode the rest, and retire the remainder as they fail. That keeps one platform, one retention policy and a budget your finance team will approve.
Keep reading
We would rather help you make a good decision than win a bad one.
Existing camera assessment
Usually yes. If your cameras are IP and were made after about 2012, they most likely support ONVIF Profile S and will work with a modern platform. If they are older, they may still work through a native manufacturer driver. If they are analog, we can bring them in through an encoder for roughly 55 to 100 dollars per channel without pulling new cable. The real question is not whether they will connect. It is whether they still give you enough pixels on target to identify a person, and whether they can still receive security firmware updates.
Read the full comparisonOpen architecture vs proprietary
Open architecture means the software layer supports hardware from many manufacturers, so you can change cameras without changing platforms and change platforms without changing cameras. Proprietary welds the two together, which puts the leverage with the vendor at every renewal. The real question is not what happens on install day. It is what happens in year seven.
Read the full comparisonCloud vs on-premises video
Cloud video removes the server, the storage array, the software licensing stack and the port forwarding that creates most of the risk in traditional recorder deployments. On-premises keeps recurring cost lower at large camera counts, keeps data in the building and does not depend on upstream bandwidth. Most real answers are hybrid.
Read the full comparisonTalk through the practical next step.
Send a camera list or a set of photos of the head end. We will tell you what can stay and what should be replaced first.
We'll get back to you ASAP
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- Phone
- 303 596 7819
- Address
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Aurora, CO 80016