“Resolution” is a function parameter that is not only basic but also very critical. When we talk about “resolution” however the meaning changes depending on whether it’s an analog or digital product. It's generally taken to mean the product’s “maximum resolution” (most widely accepted definition), or “supported resolutions.” Once a product’s value for “maximum resolution” is confirmed then the product’s class and other parameters are almost set in stone as well. “Resolution” is therefore a critical parameter among security and safety products. D1 and 960H were once resolutions commonly used in the market but the mainstream resolutions today are now 2MP (Full HD, 1080), 5MP (2K) and 8 MP( 4K). Higher resolutions mean better picture quality (e.g. 4K) but the trade-off is more storage space and transmission bandwidth. In terms of video performance, higher resolutions translate into higher customer satisfaction but the customer must also accept less recording time for the same amount of storage. We recommending going over the two conditions of “level of resolution” and “storage duration” with the end-customer to arrive at a suitable compromise and propose a security and safety system design that satisfies the customer’s requirements.

We noticed a product shift in recent market developments that we’d like to share with our distribution partners. Since 2015, the ratio between the market’s mainstream 2MP (1080p) products and 5MP products are showing signs of reversal. We believe that increases in the storage capacity and lower prices of individual hard disks, widespread support for 5MP cameras among mainstream DVR products (HQ4311/8311/6321), as well as support for the 5MP Lite format by software compression technologies will enable better real-time display quality and effectively reduce the increase in recording time. The advantages of such a configuration means the market is beginning to favor 5MP applications. The C/P sweet spot for product conversion is now beginning to materialize. This is an irreversible trend that we want our distribution partners to keep up with so we can enter the next mainstream market bloc together.