模拟摄像机输出的是模拟视频信号，可以通过编码器将模拟视频信号转换成数字信号。整个视频监控系统分为前端视频采集设备、中端传输处理设备及后端显示查看设备。我们所说的模拟摄像机就属于前端视频采集设备，模拟摄像机输出的是模拟视频信号，通过编码器可以将视频采集设备产生的模拟视频信号转换成数字信号，进而将其储存在计算机里。
The output of analog camera is analog video signal, which can be converted into digital signal by encoder. The whole video monitoring system is divided into front-end video acquisition equipment, middle end transmission processing equipment and back-end display and viewing equipment. The analog camera we call belongs to the front-end video acquisition equipment. The output of the analog camera is the analog video signal. Through the encoder, the analog video signal generated by the video acquisition equipment can be converted into a digital signal, and then stored in the computer.