CCTV – does it always need to be about Security?

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Interesting meeting during this week

An integrator was looking for ways to increase sales of Electronic Security Systems, mainly CCTV.

End user customer base is predominantly agricultural……not many cows get stolen methinks!!

But, it turns out that in fact, the farming community is actually a prime target for CCTV based system solutions……why?

CCTV farming
CCTV helps farmers

Well, during the breeding/birthing season, the farmer is practically living in the animal pens/sheds, waiting for that moment to leap into action!

So, instead, how about a decent static camera (or even internal PTZ for closer action shots !) connected via wifi, through to the main farmhouse……….connected into a decent DVR which the farmer can either view through his residential TV or a connected PC………..

Sophisticated motion and sensor alarms can be created to provide notification…..

Take it even further – add a text dialler or email notification and the farmer can even leave the premises, literally waiting for an SMS or email on his Blackberry or iPhone device, allowing him to connect back to the DVR and view the live image streams……

With cost effective leasing plans allowing low weekly payments and also tax deductible, the farmer can utilise the system as a part of his business!

CCTV – not always about Security !

Thermal CCTV – really will be the BUZZ word this year!

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Thermal CCTV but why?

Thermal CCTV
Thermal CCTV is here

Take a look at the news at the moment – there is an awful lot of political unrest around the world right now…….and that generally increases awareness for crime, violence and potential terrorism threats!

So what is so good about Thermal CCTV? Well, Thermal does not need light…….in fact, it does not need any light at all…………. So, in areas of black outs or darkness, Thermal imaging is amazing at creating crystal clear images in zero light and at distance.

Distance?

Yep, Thermal CCTV can provide movement detection of an object at over 700m………it can even recognise the type of movement (human, car etc) at over 100m……all in zero light

So, airports, borders, ports, electricity plants, sewerage plants, gas, oil, water treatment – in fact, anything that could potentially be a gateway for terrorist activity is able to benefit from Thermal Imaging

Many manufacturers are jumping on the Thermal CCTV bandwagon – some even choosing to develop Thermal solutions ahead of HD or megapixel – Flir, Bosch, 360 Vision etc

Just take a look at forthcoming exhibitions and shows such as IFSEC and ISC ……….. watch out for the latest solutions and you will no doubt find that Thermal Imaging CCTV is well up on most manufacturers list of developments!

Honeywell and Sureview join forces.

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Honeywell and Sureview have joined forced to enable Honeywell products to integrate with IMMIX video management software. The first of Honeywell’s products to be integrated will be WIN-PAK access control one of Honeywell’s premium products. The joining of these two companies will in time enable video and intruder alarms to be displayed on one single GUI when mixing different technologies from both Honeywell and other manufacturers.

Honeywell IMMIXIt is proof that open protocols are the way forward with many manufacturers realizing that integrated security requires the use of both new and legacy kit to be used when upgrading customers to fully integrated security systems .

HD cameras but no Video Analytics

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HD Camera manufacturers are struggling to offer Video Content Analytics on their HD / Megapixel IP cameras……… they don’t tell you why – it is simple, their hardware cannot cope with it and needs updating……….probably too much stock of legacy kit though

At least one company (VideoIQ) has cut out the middle man and gone straight to hardware that can support it – clever people

iCVR Video IQ camera
iCVR Video IQ camera

Megapixel IP cameras and Emmerdale Farm????

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Megapixel IP cameras show what they can do.

Dont worry Iam not going completely scatty and i need to make it absolutely clear I am not a soap fan!!. My family however are addicts and I get sadly exposed to snippets of Emmerdale, Coronation Street , Eastenders and so on a more than palatable daily basis. This blog though is not about soaps but an observation about a recent scene played out in an Emmerdale episode this week.

It  was based around CCTV footage of a guy leaving a shop, well the comments from one of the cast was that how was anyone going to recognise the face of the guy leaving the shop. Well  the guy who was playing with what we know now must have been some kind of VMS software cropped the image and zoomed in on the suspects face. Bingo a crystal clear image of the perpetrator .

What does this tell us though? It is the first instance I have seen on TV of Megapixel IP cameras in action and lets be honest its exactly what the CCTV industry has craved for for years. So slowly but surely the public will realize that megapixel IP cameras and VMS software is the way we have to go. Once this realization dawns upon  business traders then analogue CCTV will start to be replaced. So as we have said on this site many times before , we love megapixel IP cameras which to be fair is more than i can say for Emmerdale Farm!