Upgrading Analogue CCTV to IP: Costs and What Can Be Reused

What your existing system can contribute

• Coax cable runs: usually sound — HD-over-coax cameras and recorders push 4K-class video down them, dodging the rewiring cost entirely
• Power supplies and positions: mounting points, conduits and (often) 12V supplies reused
• Monitors and network: typically fine
• What rarely survives: the cameras themselves (480TVL–1080p relics), the DVR (replace with XVR or NVR), and any failing BNC joints — re-termination is cheap insurance
• Mixed estates work: XVR recorders take legacy analogue, HD-over-coax and IP channels simultaneously — the key to phased upgrades

Choosing the route: HD-over-coax vs full IP

HD-over-coax is the pragmatic winner where cable routes are inaccessible (finished ceilings, long external runs, multi-storey risers): modern CVI/TVI cameras deliver 4MP–4K imagery, smart IR and even some analytics over the wire you already own. Full IP/PoE wins where you want the ceiling of capability — per-camera analytics, ColorVu-class night colour breadth, easier expansion, single-cable power — and where rewiring is feasible anyway. Many estates land hybrid: IP for new/critical positions, HD-over-coax conversions for the legacy bulk, one recorder presenting all of it in one app.

Worked costs and phasing

Representative installed pricing: swap 8 analogue cameras to 4K-class HD-over-coax with a new XVR and 2–4TB storage — £1,500–£3,000. Same estate to full IP with rewiring — £2,500–£5,000+, cable access dependent. Phasing that works: recorder first (instant app access and better recording even on old cameras), then entrance/till cameras to ColorVu-class units, then the remainder over following budgets — the XVR/hybrid approach means nothing is wasted at any stage. Every upgrade quote we issue states per-position reuse explicitly, so you can see exactly why it costs what it costs.