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Guide
Rip-and-Replace vs. Camera-Agnostic: The Real Math
Alec Hemenway 8 min readUpdated February 2026
The Two Approaches
When upgrading to AI-powered video security, districts face a fundamental choice: replace all existing cameras with a single vendor’s proprietary hardware, or adopt a camera-agnostic platform that works with your existing equipment. The cost difference is dramatic.
Year 1 Cost Comparison (500 Cameras)
| Cost Category | Rip-and-Replace | Camera-Agnostic |
|---|---|---|
| Camera hardware | $375,000–$500,000 | $0 (existing cameras) |
| Installation labor | $125,000–$187,500 | $0–$15,000 |
| Software licensing | $60,000–$100,000 | $60,000–$100,000 |
| Network upgrades | $25,000–$50,000 | $15,000–$30,000 |
| Training | $10,000–$15,000 | $10,000–$15,000 |
| Total Year 1 | $595,000–$852,500 | $85,000–$160,000 |
Key Takeaway
The $425K–$685K difference in Year 1 is primarily hardware and installation costs. Over a 5-year period, the gap narrows but camera-agnostic still wins by $300K–$500K depending on camera refresh cycles.
When Rip-and-Replace Makes Sense
- Your existing cameras are more than 8–10 years old and need replacement anyway
- You have fewer than 50 cameras total
- You need capabilities that require specific hardware (e.g., on-camera AI processing)
- Your network infrastructure cannot support your current camera count at full resolution
When Camera-Agnostic Wins
- Your cameras are less than 5 years old and functioning well
- You have a mixed environment with multiple camera brands
- Budget constraints make a large capital expenditure difficult
- You want to avoid vendor lock-in for future flexibility
- You’re deploying across multiple sites with different existing equipment
Want a cost model specific to your camera environment?
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