If it seems like security cameras are everywhere these days, you’re not imagining things. An estimated 1 billion surveillance cameras are now in use. Stores, offices, schools, and industrial and government facilities use cameras not just for security and crime prevention but for traffic flow monitoring and analysis.

While some surveillance systems are wireless, most are connected using cables. Cabled systems offer fast network speeds, are often more reliable than Wi-Fi signals, and are cheaper, widely available, and easy to install.

Two common cable types are Cat 5e Ethernet and Siamese RG-59. Cat 5E is for internet protocol (IP) security camera systems, which transmit a digital stream of data across a network Ethernet link. Siamese RG-59 cables are used in analog closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems.

Siamese RG-59 carries both data and power in HD-TVI, RGBHV, CAV, surveillance, and composite video installs. It is called Siamese because it combines two types of separately insulated cable into one housing. One of the cables carries video information from your security camera. The other powers the camera. Bundling both lines into one housing saves on installation time.

The RG-59 designation indicates the thickness of the cable. Siamese RG-59 is ideal for analog security camera systems because it is thick enough to carry a video signal across a property but thin and flexible enough to be easy to work with. If made of high-quality materials such as an aluminum foil shield and braided copper wire insulation, all housed in a sturdy PVC jacket, a camera signal will be well protected from electronic interference and suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

It’s cheaper to buy RG-59 cable in bulk, but if you do, remember that you'll need two different connectors for each end of the cable: a BNC video connector and a DC power connector.

Summary

We hope this helps you make decisions about how to wire your CCTV system. Cabled systems are extremely popular and have some benefits over wireless. Your cable choice will depend on whether you have an IP security camera system (Cat 5E Ethernet cable) or an analog CCTV system (Siamese RG-59 cable). Siamese RG-59 bundles a camera’s video feed and power wires into one housing for ease of installation.

You might start your search for CCTV cable right here. NavePoint offers 1,000-foot spools of Siamese RG-59 coaxial/power CCTV cable. Or if you need to wire an Ethernet-based security system, check out our offering of bulk Cat 5E and Cat 6 cable. For any additional help or advice on what product is best for you, contact the NavePoint sales team!