Why is HD the new buzz word in CCTV

For a long time now many people have asked why the images  they see on crime watch are so poor. If you come from outside the CCTV community its hard to understand what is so difficult about producing a set of images that will actually be able to identify a criminal who is taking part in some kind of burglary, vandalism or any kind of illegal event that is captured on CCTV.

The truth is analogue CCTV was never going to cut it, well not unless you put hundreds of cameras into a system and recorded at ridiculously high frame rates. Memory has only recently become available that would allow the sort of length of recording time most consider necessary anyway.

So over the last few years the CCTV industry has taken short cuts. It has failed to sell enough cameras to cover a scene . It records but electronically throws away most of the information and worse of all we scimp on lighting and quality lenses. This adds up to gross mis-selling and customers who find that when they really need CCTV evidence it actually has never been captured beyond a set of jerky fuzzy images that make a laughing stock of CCTV installers.

To be fair though CCTV has actually worked to a degree over the years. It has deterered crime , it has led to convictions , confessions and resignations so the concept of CCTV cameras is a sound one.

Now the exciting news, We have the concept and now HD CCTV solutions can actually deliver images that will be not only be crystal clear but will be what most would consider excellent in quality. Of course with quality comes deterrent. HD CCTV solutions can deliver images that will be able to show criminals features and crimes taking place in addition HD cameras can also see number plates when sited and focused correctly as well as view processes such as scenes within a factory such as a  production process.

HD cameras are here now and we can deliver HD through IP or over coax the opportunity for clarity now is just beginning but with a few short years HD CCTV cameras will have transformed the CCTV industry beyond recognition. Those fuzzy unusable CCTV images of the past will be resigned to the history books

Redwall IP sensors

Optex the sensor manufacturer has become the first major supplier of detectors to introduce IP into their sensor range. Optex are taking a bit a of leap into the unknown here. Alarms and IP are not new but normally we would expect to convert a set a clean contacts from our sensing device into an IP format through IP converters and having them built into the sensor device itself certainly negates the need for this conversion process. A possible benefit and cost saving,  perhaps?.

Will this work? There are only certain VMS platforms that can accept the alarms directly and with so many end users keen to take advantage of existing equipment these days we can only see the sensors being specified on totally new installations.

However as IP becomes an ever greater influence on security system designs IP sensors are a logical step but will the demand live up to the expectation?

Below are the list of the Redwall devices available from Optex

 

 

REDWALL IP Products Overview


Laser Technology Detector   REDSCAN Series   

REDSCAN is an innovative and award-winning laser sensor for both vertical and horizontal applications (indoor/outdoor). It can identify the size, speed and distance of moving object and functions in effect like an invisible wall: 4 linked outputs for PTZ camera control

Product codesRLS-3060L-POE  RLS-3060SH-POE

Features:

  • 4 to 8 independently adjustable detection areas
  • Scene selection
  • Unique detection algorithm
  • IP66 housing

Passive Infrared Detector    REDWALL-V Series

REDWALL–V series is a cost-effective range of PIR detectors especially designed to work with CCTV systems and trigger an alarm for a camera, Network Video Recorder or Video Management Software. Covering a detection area from 30m wide angle to 100m long range the REDWALL-V series is equipped with OPTEX’s latest sensing technologies to reduce false alarms, enable quick and reliable installation, and protect from vandalism.

 

               Product codesSIP-3020-IP  SIP-4010-IP  SIP-404-IP 

SIP-3020/5-IP  SIP-4010/5-IP   SIP-404/5-IP

SIP-5030-IP    SIP-100-IP

    Features:

  • Volumetric detection area
  • Intelligent PIR detection system
  • Automatic sensitivity management
  • Anti-masking and anti-rotation function

Photo Beam Detector     REDBEAM Series

REDBEAM is a  series of photo beam detectors that consists of a pair of transmitter and receiver units for line protection.  It can also offer a line detection area similar to a trip wire for video analytics.

 

           Product codesBM-60QN-IP RBM-100QN-IP RBM-200QN-IP

Features:

  • Quad beam with aspherical lenses
  • Sniper viewfinderTM with 2X magnification
  • Vivid interior colour
  • IP65 water proof structure

 

Fence Protection   REDFIBER Series

The REDFIBER™-IP is a series of networked fibre optic sensor kits to be mounted on a fence or a wall and detect any intrusion attempt. The ready-to-deploy kits include everything from the fibre optic cable in conduit and the Alarm Processing Unit (APU) with the IP adapter to the enclosure box and the wire ties. This makes the REDFIBER-IP series a very reliable and cost-effective fibre optic perimeter solution for small and medium-sized sites.

                       Product code: REDFIBER

                                  Features:

  • One or two zone APU
  • Sophisticated algorithms to reduce false alarms caused by wind, small animals etc
  • Optical fibre cable resistant to EMI and corrosion included
  • Enclosure box
  • Wire ties
  • Integration with major VMS providers
 

The security industry and the perfect storm

No industry in the country has seen margins cut quite like the security industry. Anyone who operates within the security environment are victims of what in effect is a perfect storm. Cheap imports, suicidal pricing, the electrical industry, IP technology and mis-selling have all combined together, all at the same time in a way that may yet sink many. What makes things worse is there does not seem to be an answer to this. However lets look at each factor one by one and see if there is anything we can do as a group of professionals to restore our industry back to where it needs to be.

1) Cheap imports: Over the last 5 years we have seen DVR and camera prices decline at a rate that many have found difficult to adjust to. Lets be honest this is real deflation. The process to install a DVR is the same as is the wages of the engineer who installs it. The cost of  his van has risen so has the price of fuel. Add to this all the red tape and health and safety he has to comply to before he even steps on site and you can see the problems starting to mount. As installers we are dealing with an increasingly knowledgeable clientele. Not that this is a problem in itself but the ease with which prices can be compared online leaves us all open to question about our prices.

2) Suicidal prices: So as prices drop some companies have passed these on. Buyers have keenly been seeking out installers who are effectively giving away security equipment to the detriment of the industry as whole. A vicious circle has now been created and this means margins have disappeared. Worse still some of the big FM companies have given away security in order to secure guarding or cleaning contracts leaving those who trade in security alone completely unable to compete.

3) Electricians: Electrical companies have always offered some competition to the security industry but now they are seeing security as a crucial part of their revenue stream. The lack of standards now being required by end users means electricians are easily picking up business.

4) IP technology: This has proved a bit a sticking point for CCTV installers. Although many have tried to embrace IP as a way forward, competing with IT companies has proved difficult. Pricing seems poles apart and the industry also needs more understanding of where and when to actually specify IP.

5) Mis-selling: Over the years we as an industry have done nothing to help ourselves. As competition has become greater temptation to spec lesser quality goods has become far too common.Standards have dropped and end users are not getting what they require or deserve from a CCTV system.

What then is the way forward? Well we need back up and help from our regulator. We need to act together as installers to keep prices at a level that will allow us all to survive this downturn and deflationary pressure that has undermined our margins. Quality should be a minimum requirement and low priced substandard goods need to be expelled from our industry. Its not long ago a DVR would cost upwards of £2000 . Now those days will never return but selling cheap is not the answer either. Keep up the standards of the industry act together, buy quality goods only and we may all come out of this in the end with everyone benefiting.

Why you should install HDcctv approved products rather than just any old HD-SDI.

Everyone today enjoys the benefits of analogue CCTV products from any installer or wholesaler. The reason is simple. When we put all the various components of the CCTV system together,  it just works! We are so used to this concept that we don’t even have to think about it. A DVR from Dahua will work with a camera from JVC. Equally an analogue CCTV system installed by Chubb can be serviced by engineers from ADT. We have been blessed with a technology that interacts at all levels with any other analogue product.

Its not always been this way though. Many will not remember but some years ago Panasonic developed an integrated Monitor/multiplexor/video all in one package. It looked smart and it fitted in well to peoples requirements, it was equally easy to install. It sold well to start with and slick marketing ensured many in the industry installed it. Its downfall however was quick and painful and the reason was simple. It only worked with Panasonic cameras !! What Panasonic failed to realize was that many installers liked the integrated MUX/monitor but did not want to spend out on the more expensive Panasonic camera range.

A second example of innovation that soon died a death due to lack of interoperability was the Phillips mini kit. A great idea of an integrated camera package but it had to be Phillips cameras or a Phillips monitor, nothing else would work with it. In the end no-one wanted to touch the stuff and again the frailties of trying to tie in the customer to a single manufacturer became apparent.

IP CCTV has encountered issues of interoperability and as a result all involved have got round the table to develop the ONVIF protocol. This is a way to ensure all IP cameras will work with other manufacturers IP products. This has so far showed results but the limitation is ONVIF only addresses video compatibility and there is still a long way to go on ensuring features within software packages can operate “others” cameras.

So onto HDcctv compliant products. Although “some HD-sdi products will work with “others” HD-SDI DVR’s this is by no means a guarantee. Installers need to realize that by buying HD SDI products with the HDcctv logo they assure themselves a long term future in the world of HDcctv over coax. The reasons are simple. If their supplier of HDcctv approved products lets them down or wants too much money or worse still goes to the wall, the installer themselves remains unaffected . He just goes elsewhere and purchases his HDcctv approved equipment.

It promotes competition and it ensures the future of HDcctv over coax as a technology that can be trusted and one that offers a real alternative to IP cctv with regard to HD installations. New innovation such as better faster chips and HD over CAT5 mean the HDcctv alliance is offering excellent HDcctv solutions specifically to established security companies rather than IT integrators.

So when you see a cheap HD-SDI DVR before you rush to buy it , think of how you will service this in the future. Think of how your customer can expand his system in the future and be assured it will work.

Finally interoperability has proven highly successful over the years for analogue CCTV. Those with vision and with the technology at heart will know that encouraging the installation of HDcctv approved products is very much the way forward for the future