Category Archives: CCTV

Hybrid CCTV camera solutions. The way forward!

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CCTV what’s next?

In today’s market it cannot be denied that the whole ethos of security and ideas of how customers protect their premises is changing. Many companies are looking to recycle existing security equipment or at the very least their current wiring  infrastructure. New equipment sales and complete upgrades are becoming more difficult to sell as budgets are tightened across all areas of business. Some security companies view this as a depressing fact and have resigned themselves to less sales cutting their staff accordingly. This may however be a little premature.

CCTV servicing.

Service opportunities are rising as existing kit slowly begins to fail and begs to be replaced but a whole new system is often a luxury that many companies just will not stomach. So it is now the time to think smart. Networks and IT technology is a an unstoppable fact of life and upgrades in this area are inevitable so camera solutions have to fit into this ever expanding frame work . The whole situation lends itself perfectly to a hybrid solution.

What is a hybrid solution?

Well a hybrid DVR is simply one that can handle both old analogue technology and the new IP cameras that are seen as the future of CCTV and security. Phasing IP in is less costly but still allows an end user to embrace the new products that can bring extensive benefits. The only proviso being, that the IP cameras  must be specified correctly. The right camera for the right application.

Hybrid CCTV systems.

Forward thinking Installing Companies prepared to use old analogue cameras together with a hybrid DVR will find the first step to new on going sales has been reached. As Hd and Megapixel cameras become more and more prevalent they can be integrated into a hybrid system over a period of time. This is more in the thinking of company accountants looking to find a solution, but one that suits his needs and budgets.

Be flexible, service all the  security solutions on a site!

To grow sales be flexible. Take on one or more of the security disciplines on site. Then, a customer will be more reliant on their installer and again this will give an opportunity for more sales and even integration between the CCTV, access control and intruder panels.

Sales to increase?

So lets not be gloomy about how we can grow sales of megapixel, HD, IP cameras and DVRs. This particular period  of difficult market conditions should really be re-thought as a chance for innovative and forward thinking installers to grow and enjoy the bright future that new IP camera solutions will soon bring.

IP camera 200 series from Bosch

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Bosch 200 series.

Bosch have recently brought onto the market the new IP 200 series IP camera range. The camera is an IP unit that comes in two versions, the IP camera 225 and the IP camera 255. Essentially the 225 is a fixed lens and the 255 is varifocal . The beauty of the 200 series is that you need no DVR. The camera is a networked solution and has recording ability on board within the camera using a 16 GB  SD card.

Clear crisp images.

The camera produces clear crisp images and all video can also be reviewed over the network using CCTV software that is supplied with the camera. The images are compressed using H.264 and this allows an additional 30% storage capacity over MPEG-4 . Both IP cameras are colour units and are ideally suited to reception areas or tills where they could be used in multi- site applications and accessed by 1 individual responsible for all sites such as car hire franchises or late night stores.

More benefits.

The IP camera 200 series has even more benefits, it is a single box solution and easy to set up. Simply remove the unit from the box, fix in the required position and connect to the network via an IP point. It has built in motion detection and also audio detection. As mentioned before with both on-site or remote viewing via PC and power over Ethernet this is a fantastic solution for those who have a problem on a single area of their site and need a quick easy security answer.

Conclusion.

Very competitively priced and simple, the IP 200 range can fit into many situations and will find many takers, especially for monitoring and recording sensitive areas where a full scale CCTV camera system quite simply is not required.

Arecont AV2805 Camera

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Arecont.
Arecont Vision manufacture and supply a range of high-performance megapixel IP cameras that have taken the industry by storm over the last 18 months in particular. Based in the USA they have seen some stunning expansion in the UK market.
Using clever features such as mega video and surround video they have made some dramatic steps away from what we are used to with analogue CCTV today. Using these technologies Arecont have brought a new way of thinking to the security industry about how to deliver HD and megapixel solutions to the end user. This brings us to their newest camera release the AV2805.
1080p full HD camera
The AV2805 is the new 1080p full HD camera that Arecont have recently released. One of the main benefits claimed by Arecont for this camera is the competitive price. This does however not detract form the performance Arecont claim.
The image quality is second to none and the camera is available in day /night as well as colour versions. Compression methods are selectable and can be either MJPEG or H.264,  this allows the camera to be used in a wide range of applications. As always the main benefits are picture quality that allows post event forensic zooming something that sets HD and Megapixel cameras apart from there analog predersessors. The unit produces HD video with 1920 x 1080 pixels for unrivaled clarity.
Conclusion.
Arecont continue to produce new products and new ideas that can only help megapixel cameras become a more accepted and well used in the IPCCTV solution  that is becoming more and more widespread by the day.

Perimeter Security CCTV Cameras

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Perimeter security camera.

Perimeter security has long been open to debate. Whats the best security solution to spend your money on? Lets face it for an intruder to get onto most sites they tend to pick the weakest  point . Often this is an area that is dark and difficult to patrol. Many methods exist to protect your boundaries . PIR sensors, often long range ones or maybe fixed beams? Vibration detectors buried under the ground have been used in the past to, also  Dome cameras driven by sensors are a popular solution. NOW however the most effective method to protect a perimeter is probably using a fixed camera complete with IR lighting and we have an additional tool to help us. This is analytics.

ZX55

The Bosch ZX 55 has been especially designed for this purpose. A well built piece of kit with a range of up to 300m. It comes together With a powerful integrated IR lighting system and is equipped with a 9-90mm lens. It certainly has all the tools requied for detection. However there is also an IP version vital to integrate into future CCTV software recording solutions. It is also the IP solution that gives the added benefit of analytics to help with the detection element that is so important  to ensure that the intruder is intecepted.

Costly?

It must be remembered that perimeter protection always comes with a price , not so much because of the equipment , but civil works, CCTV towers and the large amount of cable being required can put the price up. It is therefore crucial that the right solution is  well thought through and correctly specified because many companies rue the day when they thought that a cheap option would do!

Conclusion.

Think long and hard about external security, it can be a minefield if the design at the first stage is poorly concieved. Expert advice is very important and we have over 20 years in this particular field. So if you need feedback or advice on this subject we will be happy to help.

Dallmeier Netbox

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Dallmeier Netbox.

Dallmeier have been producing recording and transmission devices for over 25 years. They build top end security solutions and have an excellent reputation for quality within the industry.

Dallmeier Netbox.

This year at IFSEC  Dallmeier introduced the Netbox. This is a hybrid recording solution designed for temporary and permanent recording solutions . It has been built to be robust and flexible. Ideal for building sites but also  anywhere that it could be subject to a harsh environment. An 8 way unit, each camera input can be either IP or analogue. The usual quality is evident and the Netbox caters for a niche in the market that does not seem to have that much competition. So, should prove very successful.

We would appreciate feedback from anyone who has deployed the Netbox. Please feel free to pass comment.