Tag Archives: IP cameras

360 Vision Technology tell us how IP CCTV will develop in the future.

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360 Vision Technology Review.

One the things we were hoping to achieve at IFSEC this year was to get some feedback from the exhibitors and leading manufacturers on the future of IP CCTV and what it holds for installers and end users alike.

Mark Rees is the regional sales director of 360 vision technology. He has been associated with the security industry for over 20 years. So Integrated CCTV took the opportunity to ask Mark some questions about how he sees the CCTV industry developing over the next 5 years , what we all have have in store and what IP cameras and megapixel camera solutions will mean for all of us in the future.

The interview.


Mark, what do you see as the most important product to have effected our industry in the last 10years?

“Probably the DVR……….it allowed high quality images to be stored in a way that did not degrade over time (as with tape) but fundamentally, it allowed individual scheduling of cameras based on priority….this is important when the application requires a mixture of static and PTZ/Dome cameras because additional ips may be required for the moving cameras in order to produce meaningful recorded data………plus, we are seeing the importance of DVR/NVR capabilities in other areas of the system such as PTZ control, remote diagnostics/maintenance and also video intelligence through analytics, all of which benefit and enhance the products we make”.

When it comes to product development do 360 vision lead or do they prefer to follow the market trends?

“Probably a bit of both!!! We developed the worlds first truly serviceable product (Clip2Fit) with our dome products…….this completely changed the perception of customers and end users alike in that we wanted to empower the installer with the ability to repair or maintain PTZ dome products right out there in the field……something that previously (even for us) meant a return to factory scenario………… we have followed that philosophy even through to 2010 where our dome remains still the only truly installer repairable product in the industry……. but in other areas, I guess we monitor the market, spot the trends and with us having our own in-house Design, Software, Production and Technical staff, we can very quickly bring a ‘trend’ product to market, often with the ‘360 twist’ !!! an example is our newly launched Vision IRDome……. answering the common problem of IR requirements on PTZ Domes, we haven’t launched the first IR Dome, but we have put over 20+ years of Dome manufacturing experience and knowledge into manufacturing a great product that is backed with our quality and reliability standards”.

How has the downturn focused your strategy over the last two years?

“We have taken our core strategy, Customer Service, and really pushed that through our customer base………..when times are tough, it is not always about the cheapest price but bottom line profit and customers enjoy the ‘extras’ we can provide that effectively add the few extra digits on the bottom line…………we actually took on additional Technical Staff to answer the need for commissioning and training that we offer, as well as providing future assistance for the new products we are launching……… we are lucky in that, as a privately owned UK based manufacturer, everything was under our own control and we have emerged probably stronger and more efficient than when we entered the recession.”

What sort of growth do you expect to see as we emerge from these difficult times  ?

“Believe it or not, we still saw double digit growth through 2009/10 which I think is testament to the strength and quality of our products and services…………with new products launching (and they are the best products we have ever produced!) then we have high hopes of replicating that feat for 2010/11”

Is the inevitable move to  IP camera solutions  good for our industry or is it just playing into the hands of the big IT integrators?

“I think that is a question for the installation industry really…………..we see smart, switched on independent installers either re-training in IT or employing IT specialists and these installers will always be favourable to win Security Projects than an IT organisation that is entering into the Security Industry………… I also think that Manufacturers and Suppliers need to take responsibility to ensure that training and support is paramount in the transition to IP…..which is inevitable” !

The predator camera has taken off in a big way …you must be very proud and pleased…..? did you have personnel input into the development of the product?

“I wish I could take some credit on this one, because it is simply the best product we have ever made! However, no, our MD, Phil Burton, locked himself away for around 6 months and brought this product to life……….we launched the product back in January and so far we have had wonderful success with it……….helped by very low lead times to supply and also UK support and back up” !!

Megapixel or HD or is it going to be both?

“My personal opinion is that HD would be the best way to gain volume acceptance because people ‘get’ the concept of HD through the domestic market i.e. Sky HD, HD Ready TV’s etc…….. mention megapixel and most people mist over as they comprehend the myriad of megapixel digits and options………… plain and simple, high quality images sell systems and if we can produce HD images that are affordable, installable and understandable then I think the transition will happen quicker……… I heard recently about an emerging technology called HDCCTV where HD images are sent over existing coax cable……this is exciting because it means little disruption to existing infrastructure but beneficial enhancements to the system…..end users appreciate upgrades at minimal cost & disruption”!!!

These cameras and the associated storage is still quite expensive do you see prices coming down in the near future?

“Of course…..look at HDD prices alone……problem is, there is a phase out period for manufacturers on current technology before the transition to the new technology……both in terms of support and also stocks….. so, mass production in volume reduces prices once the demand has been created”…….

Will there be any analogue cameras around in 5 years time?

“That question was asked 5 years ago as well!!! I think there will be an analogue presence in part, even if only for service supply, but I really do anticipate ip doing to analogue what dvrs did to vcr’s” !

DVRs have been a big part of 360 vision sales do you see them being replaced by CCTV software solutions in the near future?

“Take a look at most new IP based cameras and you will see some form of on board storage – whether it is an IP camera or encoder, typically support for Compact Flash or SD cards is becoming more and more prevalent……we are embarking on a very exciting project with one of our Technology Partners, March Networks, whereby we are fitting a full hard drive into the camera head ! the camera then becomes both camera and NVR all in one and with mirror/shadow archiving, then the concerns over network failure is taken away, because the camera is the intelligence…………add in analytics and really, all you need is a software front end to draw everything together to view and control”…………

How did your association with March Networks come about will it help you increase sales both here and abroad?

“Some years back, I met with their UK Sales guy who wanted to integrate one of our domes into their analogue DVR………we spent some time with their Technical guys and vice versa and it was quickly apparent that both companies could benefit from each others strengths and products…..we are both customer and supplier to each other! It has meant that new exciting products can be developed that utilise both companies skills and that offers the installer some major unique products to go to market with (such as the HD Predator seen at IFSEC)”

Analytics….your thoughts on generating alarms to central stations using this technology?

“Analytics are becoming more powerful and accurate – the autotracking analytic that March Networks have developed for our Predator and Dome products is amazing and really shows where the benefit is to the end user operator…….for central stations, to be presented with the live footage of a camera automatically tracking something or someone is very powerful, it leaves the central station operative with a pair of hands to engage audio challenges, telephone assistance and any other activity that would normally be paused whilst he/she moves the remote PTZ camera around……… I still think analytics should be complementary though in an alarmed environment……..utilising analytics and physical alarms can allow for ‘double knock’ safety and reliability”.

Where do you want 360 vision to be in 5 years time?

“Looking back at the last 5 years probably gives an insight into the direction we are heading……….with a great in-house team combined with great Technology partners, then I would like to think that we would be enhancing existing technologies and continually developing technologies for the future………..and still having fun”!

Conclusion.

Integrated CCTV would like to thank Mark for his time and insight, a very interesting look into the future and how the IP CCTV market place will develop. From what we have just heard it is very apparent 360 vision technology will be at the forefront of IP CCTV and innovation for many years to come.

Integrated security system

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Next week we write about all the things seen and talked about at IFSEC this week. In the mean time below we list all the parts that can be integrated together to give us a complete integrated security system and links to our blogs for details of suppliers.

Access control.

Card readers.

Biometrics.

Facial recognition.

IP cameras.

Thermal imaging cameras.

Video analytics.

Dome cameras.

DVR’s.

Intruder alarms.

Monitoring and transmission equipment.

VMS software.

Megapixel cameras.

and many more……..

Ifsec ip cctv

Ifsec integrated cctv

Ifsec ip camera

Ifsec predator camera

Ifsec march networks

Ifsec bosch camera

Ifsec Emizon communicator

Ifsec video sphere

Ifsec ip security

Ifsec megapixel IP camera

IFSEC 2010 Integrated CCTV wish list.

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What’s new in 2010?

What are we at Integrated CCTV looking for this week at IFSEC 2010? We have set this out in our wish list below.

Megapixel camera.

Well we would be very interested to find a megapixel camera with wide dynamic or back light compensation. We know that megapixel cameras do struggle at times in challenging light conditions. We believe Panasonic are about to release their new i-pro range of IP megapixel/HD cameras and these boast this particular feature. March Networks have the Videosphere 1080p that has been recently tested by us and the pictures were simply stunning. In addition we would also like to find a megapixel solution that properly supports IR.

Analytics.

As we know analytics are currently only available in standard IP cameras or with an analogue camera that has been converted to IP via a codec. So we are interested to see the progress any manufacturers have made with megapixel cameras that support or are capable of processing analytics and generating alarms.

IP delivered externally over 100m.

With more external IP cameras being specified, we realize the limitations of trying to deliver IP over distances of more than 100m. Of course we can use fibre but this is expensive, so, a cost effective way other than powered switches would be interesting to us.

Thermal camera solutions.

Thermal cameras are a brilliant solution for external detection especially when combined with analytics. Are they however priced competitively enough to sell?  Several companies are now looking to bring this type of security solution to the commercial market place and we will be looking hard for the most cost effective solution out there. FLIR as we know are the market leaders.

Storage solutions.

Megapixel cameras means massive storage issues , before this type of technology can be used to its full potential storage prices need to drop. As we know many Terabytes of storage are needed and so any company that can supply this at a competitive price could find business taking off this year.

Dome camera.

Auto tracking domes have been about for a while but has anyone been able to integrate this technology into a Megapixel version of their dome? We know March Networks have an excellent version of a megapixel dome surely they are close to being able to give us this feature? Can anyone else?

Dome camera with IR.

Dome cameras with integrated IR solutions are growing in popularity. We did a feature on the predator dome and we know the IR version is out shortly. This is something we have wanted to be able to Spec for some time and has many applications externally. We will be checking out all the dome suppliers to see if they are able to provide this feature at the best possible price of course.

Case study.

Features and benefits of all the products that we think you need to know about will be following on this site after IFSEC. So, if you would like us to write an article on your product or carry out a case study especially if you think it fits into our wish list then please contact us here at Integrated CCTV and we will be happy to help.

Mayflex.

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Mayflex

Within our industry we need reliable distributors. Mayflex is one of these companies that specialises in providing a broad range of IP security solutions for installers. Mayflex is dedicated to providing a broad range of IP cameras together with CCTV software, lighting and storage solutions.

Any budget.

Mayflex have produced a security product guide that gives in depth detail into all the products they can supply and the benefits of each of these integrated security solutions. They aim to cater for any budget.

Mayflex.com

The website is extensive. They have a competitive pricing structure together with a dedicated projects team to help with quotations and delivery. Orders will be taken on line up until 8pm.

Products.

Mayflex  sell products produced by many manufacturers including:

ACTi.

Bosch.

GE Security.

Milestone.

Mobotix.

Panasonic.

Raytec.

And many others.

The web site is well worth a visit to introduce yourself to all their product ranges. Most of the above manufacturers will be exhibiting at IFSEC 2010.

Samsung v Videosphere-Wide dynamic v Megapixel

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Case study.

Integrated CCTV were recently asked to carry out a very interesting camera comparison in order to establish prior to an installation the effectiveness of  two different types of cameras and how they performed when used for two different applications.

Solutions must be found.

The customers main issue was that he needed to identify if stock became damaged on his premises while being loaded or unloaded onto his vehicles. The problems he had encountered in the past was that while looking out from his warehouse into the rear of the lorries the sunlight adversely affected the camera picture and his ability to view the stock inside the trailer. In addition, when replaying any events, when he zoomed in to get more detail, the picture became pixelated and unusable. Also cameras inside his warehouse viewing staff, never gave him the detail required for the wide angle view he wanted and so incidents frequently were either missed or when replayed, offered no real information that he could use.

Wide dynamic or Megapixel IP camera.

With this in mind, we chose to trial two cameras, the SCC-b2335p Samsung wide dynamic static camera and the Videoshpere 1080p Megapixel IP camera from March Networks.

Camera lenses.

To get the best comparison we used very similar lenses, the 2.8 – 8mm on the wide Samsung camera and the 2.2-6mm on the 1080p Megapixel IP camera. We set both cameras up on a tripod and powered the 1080p with POE as designed. The Samsung camera was converted to IP using the March Networks encoder so we were able to bring both cameras back into the Videosphere VMS CCTV software for recording purposes and then after the trial, demonstration of our results to the customer.

The test.

Firstly we positioned our vehicle in the loading bay and pointed both cameras out through the warehouse door. The boot of the vehicle was left open so all the goods inside could be seen. Or at least we hoped they could be seen but on initial power up, both pictures proved to be very disappointing. It was a very bright day and the warehouse had limited natural lighting and no artificial light at all . As a result, we could see little or nothing of the contents within the car, the reason of course was the huge difference in light levels between inside and out. We then turned on the back-light compensation feature within the Samsung wide dynamic camera. This made a huge difference. The Samsung camera then gave us a clear, crisp image of the boot contents and we were considerably impressed. We looked for a similar feature within the Videosphere 1080p but there seemed no adjustment we could find that would improve the picture and despite the progressive scan that we had hoped would help, the images had  to be classed as un-useable.

Playback.

We then played the Samsung images back on the VMS CCTV software we found we could zoom in to the boot contents up to 2x before any pixelation occurred and we deemed that with the camera position we could attain using brackets hanging from the warehouse roof ,we would be able to deploy the Samsung camera successfully.

Looking at movement inside the warehouse.

Onto our next issue, this was getting detail from a wide angle view of staff movements inside the warehouse. The areas that needed to be covered by each individual camera were approx 25m by 50 meters and the number of cameras had to be kept within reason to keep costs within budget.

Looking into the dimness!

Both cameras were turned round to take in the view described above. We identified a few distinctive objects at certain distances to help us compare the pictures. Both cameras offered up good pictures but the image quality from the Videosphere Megapixel IP camera could only be described as stunning. The clarity was incredible considering how low the light level and the distance we were asking it to look. However we were to be even more impressed when we looked at the playback . Even when zooming right to the back of the warehouse the pictures were of superb quality.

Image storage issues.

We must not however forget that with this quality comes certain issues. Data storage when using IP Megapixel cameras runs in several terabytes and this pushes up the cost.

Customers opinion.

We then took the opportunity to show the customer the results of the trial he was very impressed with the results of the Samsung B2335P. For a long time he has been looking for a camera that can cope with extreme lighting issues and he now finally has a solution. With regard to the Videosphere Megapixel IP camera the pictures quite simply sold themselves as he said “it’s a no brainer I have got to have these in my warehouse”. Of course there are price issues, this sort of quality cannot come without cost implications.

Conclusion.

In conclusion the review and testing highlighted the fact that there has never been a clearer example of the fact that there is always the need for the right camera for the right job. Careful testing and specifying will ensure we get a happy customer at the end of the day. The Samsung wide dynamic camera definitely performed as designed and as for Megapixel Ip camera technology the picture quality was fantastic . This can only help to make these cameras a very popular choice with  forward thinking customers.