The 1000TVL Gimmick

1000TVL cameras are the best (or worst) example of this. At a glance, you might think that 1000TVL resolution is comparable to 1080p resolution, but there is a huge difference between the two.

Measurements in TVL refer to the horizontal pixels of the image, while HD resolutions measure the vertical pixels on the image. This means that 720p, which is 720 pixels tall by 1280 pixels wide, is actually a better image than 1000TVL.

This is a scheme with the goal of getting you to spend top dollar on subpar equipment. Even with “1000TVL cameras,” you can hardly recognize a face or read a license plate from more than 10 feet away, and what good is video footage if you can’t tell what you’re looking at?