AVIGILON HD PRO camera range.

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HD Pro Cameras

 

Avigilon are about to Introduce their new line of HD Pro cameras. Avigilon claim that these cameras are the industry’s most powerful and they also claim these are the most innovative line of high-definition cameras that the have been manufactured to date.

 

The new HD Pro cameras are available in three different versions. This is the 8 MP, 12 MP and 16 MP resolutions. Each camera has been completely re-engineered on Avigilon’s next generation H4 platform and designed to deliver the ultimate combination of performance, processing power and bandwidth economy.

Avigilon have achieved this through the seamless integration with Avigilon Control Center by using Avigilon’s proprietary HDSM 2.0 technology. Avigilon’s HD Pro cameras also come with onboard storage capabilities, allowing for the storage of footage directly on the device using a standard SD card. This is another step forward in edge recording.

Avigilon have deployed their technology in many different places from stadiums and airports to large-scale critical infrastructure projects and Avigilon’s new HD Pro cameras continue to provide vast coverage with unparalleled image detail.

KEY FEATURES BENEFITS OF  THE NEW AVIGILON RANGE INCLUDE

8 MP, 12 MP and 16 MP resolutions.

Capture high-quality, detailed images over vast areas, while providing maximum coverage options.

H.264 Compression H.264 compression allows for maximum image quality while minimizing impact on bandwidth and network performance.

Focus and Iris Control of SLR Lenses.

Remote focus for ease of installation and operation.

Plug-and-Play No external power required.

Flexible lens options Compatible with both EF and EF-S mount lenses for the best possible optical quality.

Onboard storage SDHC and SDXC card compatability for storage of video footage directly on the device.

LightCatcher TM Technology Collects significantly more detail from a low light scene, to deliver higher quality colour images with far less noise than other low light cameras.

 

The H4 platform and HDSM 2.0 Engineered using H.264 compression technologies, Avigilon’s next-generation H4 platform allows for improved overall camera performance, including faster processing power, more efficient bandwidth management and superior image detail.

So how is this achieved?

Its quite simple, by harnessing the strength of Avigilon Control Center and the second generation of our patented High Definition Stream

Management technology (HDSM 2.0), our H4 platform intelligently and efficiently manages your HD data, letting you view and search through high-definition video easier than ever before, with fewer strains on network resources. The combination of these two revolutionary technologies results in Avigilon’s most powerful cameras yet, which means your system can maintain optimal performance while still getting unparalleled image detail.

Vast coverage. Superior detail.

The HD PRO series is built to accomodate the coverage of  large areas such as Stadiums, carparks and airports, Avigilon’s HD Pro camera series are the ultimate camera for providing full situational awareness combined with crystal clear detail when zoomed in. Monitor a full stadium and capture fan disruptions to comply with mandatory government regulations. Cover a full parking lot and identify number plates. Or cover the entire tarmac of an airport while still being able to distinguish plane numbers. Regardless of your coverage needs, Avigilon’s HD Pro cameras provide the power and detail you need to keep your environment safe and secure. If you need security, need to monitor public spaces, reduce false injury claims, control crowds and prevent theft then look no further than the Avigilon HD PRO camera range for unimaginable detail.

 

DIY HD CCTV camera installation

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HD cctv can be carried over coax or across an IP network. The first option is great for CCTV upgrades to HD where you have an existing analogue system and want HD but do not wish to replace all your cable infrastructure. So could you install HD over coax yourself. Well, with the right guidance yes. After all you are just replacing ends and that’s what makes HD CCTV over coax such an attractive option for many.

 

The second route is HD IP perhaps this is a little more involved but there are  many IT professionals who would find designing and installing an HD CCTV camera system quite simple. The important point to consider is the initial design of the network is critical. It is also very important lighting is considered as well as the amount of cameras you will need once the system is at full capacity not what the system actually requires now. Each HD camera we add to a system will add a bit more pressure as to how the system as a whole will perform.

 

So firstly sit down and think where you want your HD CCTV system to be in 5 years’ time. Is the site/operation likely to expand ,if so build in suitable redundancy. Make sure the backbone of the system is up to spec. Sometimes fibre will be your only option. Use suitable switches anything substandard will affect the performance of the system and always ensure the NVR /software you choose can handle the cameras you need to install. ONVIF compliancy does not guarantee you can control or focus your cameras it just means you can see the image. So steer clear of too much mixing and matching of different manufacturers technology.

 

Finally the lighting. HD CCTV cameras are very light hungry. Much disappointment has greeted HD because no lighting consideration is given prior to an installation. IR illuminators form the main solution when designing an HD CCTV system however some manufacturers are now marketing high performance lowlight HD cameras as well HD cameras complete with IR illumination built in.

 

So is it easy to install a DIY HD CCTV system? Well the conclusion is that you will need some sort of experience with CCTV design but yes it can be done and with the help of sites such as HD CCTV solutions you can purchase the kit you need to ensure your system will operate to its full potential.

 

 

 

How important are IR illuminators when installing HD CCTV systems?

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Over the years CCTV as a product has managed to get itself a bad name. Sometimes this is due to trying to get too much out of the view meaning detail is lacking but mainly the problems start when specifiers refuse to advise their customers of the importance of lighting when installing their CCTV system. Ironically as technology has progressed and we now have HD images the need for correctly installed lighting has become even more critical. HD cameras are more light hungry than their analogue counterparts and the fantastic images we see during the day quickly deteriorates when the light starts to fade. The poorer image also has the effect of using more hard drive space as the noise on the screen is seen as movement and therefore worthy of recording.

So what is the answer? Well manufacturers have addressed the issue by integrating IR lighting into their products in the form of a ring of IR leds placed strategically around the lens. This can work well and certainly gives us better nighttime pictures but the biggest downfall of this method is the dreaded spider. We have seen several example of cameras that worked well until a spider decided to weave its web across the front of the camera . This has the effect of reflecting the IR back into lens and completely obliterating the images. The worse thing about this is that it can go unnoticed for many weeks and when the need arises to review the images they are are worthless.

Clarius - IS-8100

So what else can be done? Well good ambient light will help or sensor switched halogens are an option but these are expensive and what if the bulb blows? Sodiums burning all night perhaps but this is throwing money away. No the answer is more simple, it is IR LED lighting. An IR illuminator uses hardly any power they are reliable and effective and maintenance free. The level of investment is higher to begin with but ROI is swift and they solve the issue of picture quality. An IR illuminator is the only answer to lighting issues.

So what do we recommend. Well there are three main players in this market place. Raytec, Clarius and Iluminar. All make several models that can suit most scenarios taking into account distance and width of view. Advances in the manufacturing process have bought prices down dramatically so there is no excuse to compromise your CCTV systems for the sake of skimping on lighting.

Clarius IR illuminators what sets them apart from other IR products

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Clarius illuminators have started to get tongues wagging in the world of security and lighting. The Clarius product range has found a niche in the professional illuminator market place due to its design and build quality as well as a keen price in comparison to its big rival Raytec. With this in mind GJD a world renowned distributor of lighting and security  products have bought into Clarius led lighting with the intention of taking the products forward to challenge Raytec as the market leader.

As most security installers now acknowledge led lighting technology has many benefits over traditional lighting solutions such as sodium or Halogen. Lighting of course has always been important but good lighting saves hard drive space during night time recordings and dramatically improves picture quality. Sales are expected to increase exponentially in the coming years and for good reason.

35m Infra-Red LED illuminator - Clarius - IS-8120-P

 

Clarius IR is leading the way:

 

Clarius infra-red LED illuminators are designed to provide class leading performance, long life and ultra-low maintenance. Incorporating the latest surface mount LED’s with enhanced optical output and outstanding reliability, they deliver excellent night-time images. Each unit is fitted with integrated control circuitry to carefully control LED output, delivering consistent illumination and projected working life in excess of 10 years. Installation is quick and easy, requiring only a 12-32V DC /24V AC input.

New installations and replacement of old tired looking lighting is becoming a practice that will continue going forward and Clarius/GJD are very well placed to benefit from this change in lighting preferences. POE has added to the benefits we can list and this enables installations to be completed by people from a non-electrical background.

HD CCTV can save you money and that’s a fact!

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On the face of it when you compare HD CCTV product prices against analogue CCTV prices how can it be possible that HD CCTV can actually work out cheaper?. Well there are several factors we need to take into account when making this assumption. These range from power saving , better coverage supplied by HD, time saving on searches, false claims that can be dismissed, increased productivity and reduced crime.

An HD CCTV system brings many benefits over analogue and these in turn will bring an impressive ROI far quicker than anticipated in many cases.

megapixel cctv image

Below we list many of the factors that make HD CCTV cheaper compared to analogue.

1) If you are a large organization your CCTV system will often have grown with the businesses and this could well mean you have bank after bank of DVR’s, monitors, matrixes and associated power supplies piled up in your server room. This equipment will be drawing a large amount of current 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. HD CCTV is scalable and this means you are no longer restricted to 16 way DVR after 16 way DVR each time you need more cameras. HD servers are able to handle hundreds of cameras each so the current draw for this one server will be significantly less. Add to this the fact that you will need less cameras to cover the same area and over time your saving on power consumption alone will go a long way to paying for your new HD CCTV system.

2) As we mentioned above you will need less cameras. A 16 MP camera for instance with the right software will do the same job as up to 50 analogue cameras. Instantly you can see the savings mounting up.

3) In many organizations one of the most stressful, costly and annoying drains on the business can be false claims from employees or customers. The NHS is a classic example of this. With traditional analogue cameras and recording methods information is often difficult to find and when it is found the picture quality often means proving a false claim is impossible. HD CCTV software makes searching for information so much easier. Information can be discovered in seconds not hours and once found the detail in the image will often prove a claim to be false thus saving tens of thousands of pounds in some cases.

4) Productivity is something that is at the heart of every organization. Improve this and you improve your profit. HD CCTV systems can identify areas of the business that can be costing you money far more easily than analogue solutions. Once identified the information can be used to put in place changes and then ensure these improved procedures are adhered to.

5) Crime reduction is key to maintaining profitability. Sadly many who would chose to steal from their employers have now identified the weakness of analogue CCTV and exploit this to their benefit. HD CCTV is a real eye opener for those who think CCTV has had its day. Once images are shown to a few the word spreads fast to many. This helps discourage those who think it may be worth the risk to take on CCTV thinking its not good enough to catch them. Rest assured HD CCTV certainly is.

Just a few reasons that HD CCTV can be cheaper than analogue but finally there is one further benefit. It does the job that you expect CCTV to do!