Category Archives: CCTV

IFSEC – has it had its day?

Posted on by

CCTV insider is not very happy by the sounds of things, how does he know all this stuff? We don’t know…. but does he have a valid point below? You decide and let us know what you think.

IFSEC 2011 CCTV Exhibition

“Another big name not going to IFSEC

March Networks – disappointed with last years footfall and visitors – has decided not to exhibit

Has IFSEC had its day?

Is it just simply a ‘big boys club’ where the corporate giants show how big they can build their stands and how much they can put on their corporate credit cards?

does anyone care anymore if a company ISN’T exhibiting? It used to be quite a stigma……’Ooh, Norbain aren’t coming, are they in trouble’…..followed the year after by ‘Ooh, Norbain are coming, are IFSEC in trouble’……..

Who cares……there are plenty of more meaningful and specific expo’s to attend……Railtex, HOSDB, Counter Terror etc…..exhibitions that actually focus on specific issues, with specific attendees and specific exhibitors……no disrespect, but I am sick of visiting ‘Little Far East’ to see stall after stall (yes, I mean stall because it’s like a flea market) of ‘the Number 1 DVR’ manufacturer…………. there are more ‘Number 1 DVR’ manufacturers than Number 2……and that’s worrying at $49 a time……..

Nope, I’m staying away, nothing to see, nothing to learn, decent manufacturers will bring their technology to me, decent distributors should be already showing me their latest products…… I don’t need to travel to Birmingham and pay £8 car parking for the privilege!!!

Strong words but is he right??

Dallmeier CCTV equipment

Posted on by

Dallmeier, a name in the security industry that we all associate with quality. Dallmeier have provided CCTV equipment mainly for network-based video surveillance solutions for over 25 years. Dallmeier both develop and manufacture products such as the Netbox last years big hit at IFSEC. Their DVR solutions out in the field are renowned as some of the most robust in the market place, in addition their repairs really do get repaired, all components that need replacement are replaced on their service plus scheme and this leaves the end user with confidence and any failure is very unlikely to happen again.

So Dallmeier can offer cameras, NVRs  video analytics and video management systems. Check them out at IFSEC 2011 and be impressed by the sort of build quality that we all need in the CCTV industry.

Radar – ultra intelligent CCTV control from Navtech

Posted on by

Navtech Radar and integrated CCTV

Along with Thermal, there are other technologies that exist to enhance and empower CCTV systems

Radar is one – and, a very innovative UK company, Navtech Radar, have a number of excellent products designed to give CCTV, particularly PTZ CCTV, additional power and efficiency.

With detection of up to 800m and the ability to mount at ground level or several metres in the air, Radar offers the ability to ‘map’ movement of objects and plot the movement on OS map overlays……..at the same time, powerful software allows the tracking co-ordinates to be interpreted by leading PTZ cameras such as Bosch MIC, Ganz AllView and the Predator from 360 Vision.

So why Radar? Well, with perimeter protection of airports and ports/borders so very difficult to implement, Radar can be centrally mounted and offer 360° 800m protection……with multiple ‘nodes’ of Radar being deployed then triangulation of movement, as well as hand over to other cameras is highly possible.

Couple this with long distance Thermal technology, again from the likes of Bosch and 360 Vision, then zero light object movement is not only possible but also highly efficient.

Take a look today at Navtech’s website and maybe check out their cool technology!

 

CCTV Analytics? check the label !

Posted on by

CCTV analytics………..Ooops, looks like one of the most successful analytic software companies is on the litigation campaign!

Object Video, behind many if not most of the World’s analytic technology, and seen by many as the pioneers of true intelligent Video Analytics, has decided enough is enough and has started proceedings against quite a few Security big boys – namely Bosch, Sony, Samsung and others.

Over recent years, Object Video have appeared to step out of the limelight, but recently, in 2011, it appeared again with a reported $27m investment, surprising as it seemed that OV were on the slide backwards……….then, mysteriously, a new page appeared on their website that listed a new VP of Litigation…..sending rumours around that perhaps the funding was the method to go for some pretty major litigation

What does this mean? well, if it is Patent infringement, then basically OV will go for damages, but this could mean that the big boys are forced to stop selling their analytics until the case is settled……either way…..

Notable exclusions include Axis, Pelco and Cisco – looks like they are either protected by licenced patents or OEM/reseller agreements……..

So, take a look at how important your current analytic solution is and make sure you have a 2nd choice……..just in case!

 

We would like to thank IP video market for much of the content we were able to use for this article

CCTV Customer Service – or lack of it?

Posted on by

OK, i admit to being an Apple fan boy……..anything white or silver with the apple logo is going to get bought.

Honeywell HRDP iPhone

Recently, my expectations of their service hit an all time high……… my iPhone 4 developed a weird fault where I could hear the caller, but i sounded like a dalek to the caller!

Armed with the box the phone came in, i returned to a local Apple store and had an ‘appointment’ with one of their Genius staff at the Genius Bar (how cool is that!)

He checked the serial number, saw it was in warranty, and duly replaced the phone with a BRAND NEW UNIT…….no questions, nothing, just a new phone which he even activated so that it would work right away…….i hadn’t even bought the unit from Apple direct, but from a mobile phone provider (but we know how useless they are for repairs/returns)……..the Apple database (presumably through my iTunes account) knew who i was and how long the phone had been mine

Coupled with the excellent way iTunes backs up the phone, i plugged into my MacBook, ran the restore option and in under 30 mins, my life was restored to the shiny new iPhone 4 – complete with all texts etc

When we consider how much we rely on phones and how we are lost if they break, this got me thinking about our industry and how we serve our customers.

Say a PTZ dome breaks……..whats the routine to fix?

WV-NW960 panasonic IP dome camera

Some suppliers will want the unit back for repair – similar to the Currys or Dixons method of ‘we’ll fix it but YOU need to arrange to bring it back’

Some suppliers will send an advanced replacement to swap over, and then the option to send the faulty unit back for repair.

Some suppliers even know when there is a likely fault due, and they inform customers not only of the fault, but even sometimes when the product was bought, what invoice number and also their original PO number!!! (that’s showing off, but it is a practice by some!)

In a world where we need to not only minimise downtime, but also minimise restore time………saving the end user downtime that can leave them vulnerable

Facing facts, anything that has moving parts WILL break at some point – even a Ferrari will break and fail if not serviced, maintained and looked after……

So, take a look today at your CCTV Supplier – sure, they may be £’s or % cheaper than their competition, but take a look at their support service AFTER they have taken your money…….will you be looked after or left out in the cold when a problem occurs……….