Is the CCTV industry lazy?!

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We got talking to a reputable Manufacturer recently…..one who was pulling his hair out over the increased amount of Technical calls his Support team were taking

There was nothing wrong with the product – it was just new and the installing engineer had simply not seen it before.

This happens….an installer will have an enthusiastic team of sales/marketing/commercial guys all choosing products because of price, bells, whistles, days out (did we say that?!) but the first the installation team see it is when they have 1 day to fit it !! And train the end user

We have sympathy with the engineers……. particularly as it falls on them to sort the ‘problems’ that perhaps the over enthusiastic sales guy has, er, um ‘created’ !!! (Yes, we really did hear once that a camera down a shopping aisle, with a mirror at the end, could see around the corner!!)

But….in this age of instant email and mobile phones, is it REALLY easier to just call the manufacturer rather than take a look at the enclosed instructions? Sure, a life on the road is a lonely one and the engineer must miss the interaction of the office…….but if the supplier/manufacturer has only a handful of Support staff, employed to answer REAL technical problems, then it is understandable they can sometimes be tied up answering OTHER engineers questions……

‘How do I turn it on?’
‘How do I program presets?’
‘What’s the code to get into the menu?’
‘How do I set up the record schedule?’

Engineers – these manufacturers will not leave you in the dark…….they will always help you with difficulties…….they will always try to assist….but help them to help you, take a look at the Manual before ringing !!

We think Technical Support response will increase no end if the calls are valid !

What do you think?

CCTV Software replacing Hardware?

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We’ve seen a huge increase in IP specifications of late

But what about the back end? The recording side of things? The control interface?

We are all bamboozled with the latest megapixel this and HD that, but what about the ‘heart’ of the system?

Recent moves, from companies such as March Networks, involves taking the hardware away and offering a software based solution…….VMS…….Video Management Software…..Video Management Solution……Video Management Security…….call it what you wish, but it is software that is gathering pace in the recording and management arena….

Allowing the installer and end user the ability to select their own hardware – Server based PC’s with industrial components built to the specification recommended by the software manufacturer – we think this is a really interesting way forward.

Most reputable Server suppliers – and we mean the Dell’s, HP’s and Sun Microsystems of the world – can offer excellent additional on site repair and replace support……often within the same working day……

The software manufacturer is pleased, because profit is not eroded in ever increasing hardware costs…..

The end user is pleased because additional, sometimes same day service is offered within the system cost…..

VMS……this could catch on !

What do you think?

Overtis Vigilance Pro integrated solution.

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Overtis active management solutions.
In today’s market place the big retailers are still turning in some good profits despite hard economic times. The question though that could be is asked is could they do better? Well arguably probably not, business models have led them to sharpen their axe, run meaner and leaner and generally drag profits out of a depressed economy.
Reduce shrinkage.
One thing though that they have been unable to address effectively is shrinkage. Figures have shown that many of the big retailers still suffer losses of up to 15% per annum. Huge amounts of money when you consider 50 million a year turn overs are not rare in the high street.Retailers still find it impossible even when using security deterrents such as access control and CCTV to prevent this shrinkage. Criminals have leant that using insiders is now the most effective way of stealing goods. Paying for one item while the person on the till turns a blind eye to a second item leaving the store means criminals not only have one free but have a receipt to return the second item for cash. Easy money for organised gangs and almost impossible to stop.
Stop the rot!
Overtis are a company who have seen this floor in security and by using an active management solution claim to be able to reduce shrinkage by a significant amount. The key to this is integrating CCTV, Access control and epos systems. By using information from all the systems, intelligent software is able to analyse shrinkage against transactions and attendance. With the integration of CCTV, real events of theft can be proven beyond doubt and the criminal element cleansed from the organisation. In addition Overtis are able to prevent IT security breaches especially within data centres, again by recognising keystrokes on the PC and generating alarms to bring unauthorised or irregular events to the attention of management. In doing this they are preventing losses/breaches before they start to cause substantial loss. The level of integration can also include mobile tracking devices to ensure every aspect of a companies IP based operation is micro managed in the finest detail.
Huge savings.
It does not take a great mathematician to work out that if an organisation is suffering from shrinkage in the order of 10-15% it actually cannot afford not to look into what Overtis can offer with the new Vigilance Pro software solution.

MIC series 412 thermal camera

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So the Metal mickey has gone thermal. The new MIC series 412 thermal camera has hit the market place.

The camera is a high quality thermal solution designed to to offer the very best performance in security operations that go beyond the standard CCTV solutions

The camera has been precision engineered to provide dual optical/thermal images and has been designed to be installed in areas that offer harsh environments that require a ruggedized solution.

The metal mickey camera contains two camera modules the first produces day/ night images of the highest quality , while the second is the 412 thermal imaging module that will work in total darkness and provide information that is impossible to glean from any other solution.

The MIC 412 offers advanced viewing options such as spectral heat variance and hot and cold spot highlights.

The thermal Metal Mickey camera is compatible with all the bracketry and ancillary items within the MIC range making it easy to supply upgrade opportunities and retro fitting

In summary the main benefits include

The integrated wiper unit

The dual camera option

Robust and precision design

Brush less motor technology.

As you can imagine the solution is not cheap but there are always times when security needs will mean this camera will need to be specified in order satisfy certain scenarios.

CCTV to go iPhone crazy!

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The world is buzzing about anything that is related to Apple!

Queues form at the slightest hint of new iPhone stock landing in the stores

Around 2million iPads are sole EVERY SINGLE MONTH!!!

We love our Apple devices here at Integrated CCTV…..don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a sales pitch for Apple, they really don’t need it!!

But…..our industry is really slow in catching on to the Apple train….

Ask any decent DVR or IP provider and they will tell you ‘yes, our iPhone app is coming’….. Well so is Christmas!!!!

Now I am sure Apple don’t help with their Draconian app store red tape……but really, the SDK has been around for a while, surely the DVR bods can see the benefit in releasing software for the global leader in smart phones??

And let’s not forget Android……predicted to have a 17% share of the mobile OS by 2011…..up from under 5% last year!!!

We did stumble across a fantastic alternative though…… Live Cams HD in the app store for both the iphone and the ipad…… Barry Egerter has done a great job in creating a multi platform app that will talk to a variety of IP cameras and NVR devices……. and with an app that is so low cost and a device list that is constantly updated via an Internet connection to the Live Cams server, this offers a really great way to access your CCTV system…… Barry promises to add new devices, free of charge, in return for customers downloading his app……. a great way to ensure commercial success…… we’ll keep our eye on this one we think !!

what mobile platform would you prefer to view your CCTV? ! let us know