CCTV, or closed-circuit television, is a type of surveillance system that uses security cameras to monitor and record activities in a specific area. The term CCTV (closed-circuit television) is thrown around a lot when it comes to security cameras, but it isn’t a catch-all term. CCTV refers to an older type of technology in which camera video is stored locally, if at all.
Compare this to IP cameras, a more modern alternative in which video is sent over a local private network to be stored on an intelligent video server. This allows for cloud storage, higher video resolution, and even advanced features like video analytics. With IP cameras, video can also be accessed live remotely from a mobile app or desktop browser.