Since even well-engineered IP networks tend to have a small residual packet loss rate caused by low-probability statistical congestion events and amplification of bit errors in the underlying hardware, most professional solutions use some kind of forward error correction to ensure that the encoded video stream can be reconstructed even if a few packets are lost.
Added time delay over 250ms is particularly problematical with PTZ cameras as it makes operator control difficult.
This is typically solved by genlocking both ends of the system to external station sync signals, typically generated from sources such as GPS or atomic clocks, thus only requiring the extraction of coarse timing information at the receiving end in order to achieve high-quality video synchronization.
The Pro-MPEG Wide Area Network group has done much work on creating a draft standard for interoperable professional video over IP.
Within the security products industry, IP-based Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) has made gains over the analog market.
One key advantage of IP-based CCTV is the ability to use network infrastructure, providing adequate bandwidth and availability of switching and routing, rather than coaxial cabling.