Samsung HD-SDI

Well its been a while coming but Samsung are finally starting to promote their Samsung HD-SDI CCTV solutions to the wider market. We have seen the SCB-6000  HD-SDI camera before and this is well priced at around £370 . A full box camera, with day/night operation has been enhanced thanks to the new WiseNetII DSP chipset . This helps deliver a noise reduction system that eliminates noise without causing ghosting . In addition the SSDR super dynamic feature increases detail in dark areas. Also within the Samsung HD-SDI range is the SCD 6080 full HD dome camera.

The Samsung HD -SDI recording solution is currently in form of a 4 channel HD -SDI DVR . The SRD-480D is again a full HD resolution recorder that gives us clear sharp images on playback. A price of around £1875 means that it competes well with other HD-SDI DVR’s in its class.

Available from most leading distributors such as AASSET, ADI, Norbain and Provision, Samsung are finally begining to advertise and push HD SDI as great way to get HD CCTV over coax the perfect solution for upgrades to analogue CCTV systems.

Avigilon V HD CCTV over coax

One thing that is not contested in the CCTV market place today is that HD CCTV is inevitable. It is the natural upgrade path for pretty much every CCTV system out there and the results that can be achieved using HD cameras are superb. HD CCTV gives the end user what they want and to this end as Avigilon rightly say “the evidence is clear”.

What however is less clear is how this upgrade path to HD will be achieved. It has to be mentioned that when it comes to an IP solution Avigilon are clearly the market leaders. Their equipment is second to none but their approach to the market place is unique. Selling encoders and software is their number one priority. After all once they have their recording software in place the end user will not go back to a DVR and they will happily add their legacy analogue cameras into the system until the camera either fails or the budget can be put in place to take the next step and upgrade to HD.

The flexibility of their VMS solution is second to none and they appear to have left the competition in their wake. The HD cameras are well built, come in various formats that allow them to be sold into small as well as large system solutions. We have to question just who is their closet rival ?

The only rival we can foresee is in fact a completely different technology but one that still provides an HD solution. This is HD CCTV over coax. Perhaps the most interesting thing about HD CCTV over coax though is that no real market leader has yet to emerge. Yes Everfocus were probably first on the scene but they do not seem to have forced their advantage from the early days into actual sales.

This has allowed scores of new entrants to try their luck in the field of HD CCTV over coax. Calsys, Win4net, Ctring and the biggest name Samsung as well as other Chinese and Korean companies are all trying but none have emerged yet as clear market leaders. This gap in the market will be filled and soon but who can really grab the nettle. The efforts of the HD CCTV alliance to standardize the technology mean those who have subscibed seem to be getting more exposure. In addition once HD SDI can be transmitted over CAT5 and rumours persist the alliance expect this to be in the very near future, the scope for HD SDI becomes huge, so watch this space.

So where does this leave us with the question of HD IP and Avigilon verses HD CCTV over coax. Well Avigilon will find more and more willing participants in their HD revolution but price will still dictate that it will be bigger CCTV systems and IP projects that will more happily fit their profile. HD CCTV in the meantime is finding a niche in 2,4 and 8 camera systems. HD SDi DVR s seem to be most in demand for existing analogue systems in smaller retail, industrial estate type scenarios. To this end the take up on smaller existing systems is the market they are picking up. The technology of HD SDI is providing some great results and with it some happy customers.

There is a long way to go and we look forward to who will win the battle to become the number 1 supplier in HD CCTV over coax. In the meantime Avigilon have certainly laid claim to their place as the number 1 in HD over IP. Can anyone challenge that out their?

Trium HD SDI DVR from win4net FD02

Win4net have finally made their entrance into the HD SDI DVR arena with their new 2 way HD-SDI recorder. This compact unit is the first 2 way unit in the market place and is looking to pick up on the upgrade business of HD CCTV over coax. Win4net have added the FD02 to their Trium range and this unit is designed to work on the NVMS software platform that has done so well for them with their traditional analogue DVR. In fact the plan for this little 2 way HD- SDI unit is to use two analogue outputs to link it up with existing systems currently running the software. This means the end user gets local HD quality recordings but still has the ability to have the cameras monitored remotely in an analogue format, meaning images stream easily to the central station not restricted by huge data bundles.

The Trium FD02 2 way HD SDI DVR has space for two 3 TB hard drives giving it capacity for over 20 days recording space for both cameras at full def and 30FPS. The playback quality is quite simply stunning. Detail is crisp and clear and objects, number plates and faces can be clearly picked out in playback mode. The FD02 has the ability to be able to zoom in at up to 8x and lose minimal definition.

The best part of the HD CCTV solution is the price. HD CCTV at budget prices. Win4net have taken a risk with this unit in terms of the fact that its only going to be able to record 2 HD SDI cameras. Is this enough? Well if you are just looking to record a gateway and an entrance doorway this is the DVR you want. More cameras just means the units get stacked and a staged upgrade is the best way to improve your existing analogue CCTV system and control costs and target key areas to deploy HD CCTV.

So Wn4net have made their commitment to HD-SDI CCTV and judging by the feedback its a very good product.

Trium FD02 HD SDI DVR

Norbain’s loss but who’s gain?

The shocking news that Norbain have found themselves in such a difficult situation over the last few days is lesson to all in the industry. The reasons given for the the demise of old Norbain were clear and unequivocal. Quite simply the industry has taken a downturn. New projects are on hold and new sales are just not materializing from any other source.

Some time ago now Norbain chose to take the route away from analogue products and “focus” on IP security equipment. This was based on industry predictions that all CCTV and security would be IP based in the very near future , tipping point has been predicted by Norbain as 2013. This has simply not happened and the evidence is clear that for the CCTV industry to cope with both a downturn in demand and new competition from IT integrators it has to learn lessons and change very very quickly.

Products need to be cutting edge, sales techniques changed with more online sales and support being a move forward but one that must be mixed with a good old fashioned voice on the end of a phone when its needed. More than this though the public have been let down too many times by poor results when video evidence is required. The frustration felt by small business as well as the public in high profile cases is immense when they are seeing poor images with the chance of any type of  identification laughable. That’s the weakness of course of analogue and why Norbain were keen to move to IP and with IP comes HD video.

This is the way forward, HD CCTV solutions must be sold in future if the industry is regain the faith of the UK public. Cheap analogue solutions are killing the industry. IP and HD was Norbain’s vision and with true integration achievable between all IP security products such as CCTV, access control and intruder alarms the idea was definitely a good plan. The problem is the adoption of IP by the CCTV industry itself has been slow to non-existent.

We advocate that HD is the way forward to. HD however over coax is a simpler and cheaper solution in many cases than IP. Using existing coax and still achieving HD images is highly beneficial to the end user where a new IP infrastructure is not practical.

So the lesson that needs to be learnt is to give the end users crisp clear images, give them evidence they can use. Make CCTV a desirable purchase once more, after all everyone agrees the concept is a good one. This goal can be achieved but it can only be achieved with the deployment of  HD in as many applications as possible.

Norbain in trouble, spells the end of Distribution as we know it?

Recent news of Norbain’s administration  has sent a shock wave through the security industry.

We have seen many figures banded around the internet this week, some have reported some astounding loses, it would appear only a matter of time before the set up of Norbain had to change.

Norbain’s 4 of the last 5 years trading has reportedly been recorded as losses and with the influx of very low cost products flooding our shores from the Far East, it once again raises the question as to the value of the distributor in our industry?

With the news of the Norbain ‘pre-pack’ agreement (a method of having a pre-arranged buyer before the company enters into administration, thus reducing the image impact and also ensuring hopeful continued business flow) a number of suppliers, presumably left very exposed by the Norbain situation, have stated very different messages. Paxton and Tyco have expressed support, whilst DM have taken the opposite route.

Norbain have reported ‘business as usual’ but even they must be slightly disbelieving of that with concerned customers and even more concerned suppliers asking searching questions.

As for the customers? Several have expressed deep concern regarding regular and consistent supply – stock is in the warehouse but presumably, negotiations between suppliers and the ‘newco’ are still taking place so stock will certainly be precious – no mad discounting or ‘fire sale’ presumably.

So, what is the potential future for Distribution?

What do they offer?

Sure, Norbain were (potentially will be again) best of breed – long credit terms, high credit limits, big discounts, 7pm ordering with next day delivery………

But this may well have contributed to their undoing.

Cash is king, cash flow valued far higher than anything – the old saying, ‘turnover is vanity, profit is sanity’….. Something has to crack and with a global economic hardship, orders reducing then sustenance of such services were obviously going to cause massive strain to any revenue based business.

The problem with Distribution is that it relies solely on turnover – very rarely are there service or maintenance agreements in place for product sold (unlike the installation level of the industry) and as such, recurring revenue, often seen as a lifeline in times of lean new installations, is not something Distributors can fall back on.

Indeed, it would appear that Norbain had considered this with recent moves to introduce charged services – but that really was a bold and brave move in an industry that has enjoyed technical support, project design assistance and after sales support as part and parcel of the product sale – at no extra cost.

So what way forward for the likes of Norbain? Their purchasers have a number of outlets within the group…. Electrical outlets with local branch representation….. Perhaps the model of regionalising the operation, with local deliveries and a local ‘hub’ for sales and operations to base themselves from?

Maybe an online presence? Take the very best parts of Norbain and put it online – reducing overhead, road staff etc – the brand is strong and certainly an online presence would be well used.

The concern though, probably more importantly, is the domino effect this has within the industry. Could we see suppliers financially struggle due to lack of new orders from Norbain and its customer base and also lack of payment for orders already supplied?

Could we see installers decide to not take the risk, particularly on large roll out projects that require ongoing consistent product supply?

It is going to be a very interesting time for our industry…… It might actually change the way the industry works…. We will see….and monitor!

Let us know what you think…..

 

Why did they fail? Was it their tunnel vision approach to IP? We asked this question back in November.