IDIS DirectIP. A high quality HD CCTV solution.

IDIS DirectIP is system that has been developed to seriously address some of the issues with installing IPCCTV. Below is the review of  the DirectIP offering from IDIS, a combination of equipment that makes installation simple and brings HDCCTV solutions to many.

Below is feature from the  IFSEC website listing the reasons why IDIS are now challenging in the marketplace when it comes to high quality HD CCTV over IP.

 

“Produced in IDIS’ state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, DirectIP resoundingly meets these challenges.

Surveillance solutions are rarely developed, designed and manufactured by a single company. Comprising all necessary cameras, recorders, video management software and accessories, DirectIP is a one-stop, end-to-end HD surveillance solution available from a single vendor.

Cost-effectiveness

Complexity, cost and time: overwhelmingly the biggest installation, maintenance and usage challenges facing installers and end users of surveillance solutions.
Installers struggle to absorb the cost of training staff or hiring IT engineers. Expensive, convoluted installation and maintenance, lengthy personnel training and burdensome annual software license fees, meanwhile, deter end users from upgrading their analogue systems.

Small wonder that IP-surveillance adoption was slower than first predicted.

DirectIP solves these problems: it’s quicker to install and maintain – and therefore cheaper, because time equals money – and requires little training and no software licences, bundling Video Management Software (VMS) for free.

DirectIP cuts costs and frees up time and resources – for both installers and end users. Installers, who can service clients with fewer man hours and less training, become much more competitive in the price-sensitive SME markets.

End users will relish the simplicity of DirectIP, as it’s so similar to their analogue systems that there’s little to no training required, making networked and HD surveillance possible without setting up a router or server, or configuring the network. IT expertise is not required.

Performance

Until DirectIP, HD surveillance systems fell woefully short of home TV experiences, with real-time viewing scuppered by network latency. Early HD systems lacked recording, playback and simultaneous viewing capabilities too.EASY TO INSTALL_02

DirectIP simultaneously performs multiple, full-HD, two-megapixel, 30ips, real-time streams per channel for up to 16 connections with live monitoring, playback and recording. Seeing is believing, so IDIS offer demos and training for end-users and installers at their dedicated training and demo facilities in Brentford, London as well as their other sites across the globe.

Storage and reliability

End users often view IP storage solutions as risky or expensive. SD cards and cloud storage are seen as vulnerable, while most organisations begrudge having to buy additional servers and IT equipment. At the same time, HD CCTV recording platforms are often sluggish in retrieving recorded footage because Windows file systems usually operate on a random access and random writing basis.”

Mindful of this, IDIS leveraged 17 years’ of recording expertise to develop a robust, resilient and compliant recording and storage capability through its DirectIP NVRs. Using patented technology, DirectIP NVRs achieve unprecedentedly rapid footage retrieval through its multimedia database, iBankDB. A highly optimised database designed for video footage, iBankDB uses very high input/output throughput combined with proprietary algorithms, to access data faster and operate even in the event of 90% damage to hard disks, ensuring recording and playback continues on the remaining 10%.

The suite of DirectIP NVRs provide 6TB of storage for the 4-channel range and up to 18TB for 32-channels expanding to 66TB with DirectIP eSata devices. Featuring a patent-protected anti-shock and vibration design, combined with high-performance ventilation systems, DirectIP NVRs have a failure rate of below 0.5% per annum, making them financial institute level security standards, no less.

Data security

The integrity of footage is a paramount concern when organisations upgrade to network surveillance. A package of innovative security protections, such as “Chained Fingerprint”, a proprietary encryption algorithm, SSL encryption and password encryption protects data from tampering and unauthorised access.
For more information on IDIS and DirectIP solutions, go to www.idisglobal.com or e-mail info@idisglobal.com.

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The Predator PTZ camera, Jack of all trades and master of all of them !

Thermal predator
Jack of all trades

Sometimes in the Security arena a product arrives in the market place that really captures the imagination of those in the industry. The Predator CCTV camera with all its variants is one of those products.   Launched to compete with the Bosch MIC product range the Predator ruggedized PTZ camera has been able to morph into a camera that really can fit into most applications.

The 360 Vision PRED can be fitted at airports, harbours, military sites. Schools university’s and hotels. It can be purchased as an HD camera, have built in IR, A white light that gives a fantastic deterrent feature and this camera can even come with thermal capability.   There is so many ways to use the Predator CCTV camera. Those who deploy mobile security are mounting these cameras to their vehicles and harbour masters are utilizing the thermal aspect of the cameras to give them a distinct advantage when monitoring our seaports.

The PREDATOR CCTV camera is designed to work on a multitude of recording platforms and it will integrate seamlessly into existing systems. It comes as standard with Multi Protocols including Pelco, Ultrak and DM. This allows complete integration with most DVR’s. If your existing set up is an IPCCTV system then there is an IP version of the Predator and because this is ONVIF compliant any video management system can be integrated into quite easily.This includes Avigilon and Milestone two of the most popular VMS systems out there.

Perhaps the largest untapped source yet of sales within the security world is thermal. 360 vision have recognized this and the Predator Thermal is available in either 320 or 640 pixel resolution. This definition is more than enough to pick up heat sources at distances of 2.5K in absolutely zero light conditions. When used by on-site security guards this is an extremely powerful tool. One feature that has been asked for by many is temperature sensing from the thermal core that will lead to an alarm condition. This can be particularly useful in the waste industry and in areas where expensive plant needs to be protected against fire. The new 320S offers temperature sensing with up to 10 ‘Temperature Alarms’ to monitor Preset positions. This means that if the temperature rises or drops below a pre-defined temperature range, then an alarm condition that can be created and transmitted to a central station triggering a reactive response and hopefully limiting any damage that may be caused.

Predator thermal security camera

To complement the Thermal range there is also another offering that gives fantastic pictures at night. The IR version of the Predator now has 125m of IR illumination. Added to this camera is also the Ultra Bright White Light LEDs meaning images can be produced in both monochrome and colour. A great feature but we believe the white light offers much more than just colour images at night. It brings a whole new deterrent value to your security system. Imagine as this light follows an intruder, either automatically through the use of alarm presets or manually as a guard is able to follow every move an intruder is making. It really does hand the advantage to the guard and business owner and remove any doubt for the intruder that he is being watched, recorded and more than likely going to be caught committing any crime he may be considering.

One final feature that highlights 360 Vision’s sense of fun as well as a clever commercial tool is that you can buy the Predator camera in just about any colour you may want. Add to this a new innovation where by you can get any pattern transferred onto the camera. It maybe camouflage or perhaps need to fit with the brickwork pattern of the building it is being fitted to. This now means you can have a camera that will either stand out or blend in to any situation that maybe required, this it has to be said is quite brilliant! predcolours220x190 The HD predator is just the latest addition from 360 vision so in essence we can say the Predator is colourful, practical and effective, most of all though, it is a camera that is proactive NOT reactive, something we all want and need these days.

Why buy the Clarius IR illuminator ?

For many years, infrared lighting for surveillance has been defined by huge IR lights hanging off the bottom of a camera and generally beyond the realms of affordability to most. As a result it has only been used to enhance images where a site is considered to be of extreme high risk. Recently however LED lighting technology has advanced so quickly and as a result costs have plummeted. This means IR lighting is now available to pretty much anyone who realizes the benefits it can bring to your CCTV system. The Clarius IR illuminator range from Advanced lighting is a classic example of how a product manufactured here in the UK has been able to make deep inroads into the CCTV marketplace.

A whole new opportunity arose in this field when technology allowed the use of surface mount LEDs. The result was a unit capable of producing tremendous light output meaning we no longer have to rely on the cumbersome IR bulbs of the past. The advancement and wide usage in all areas of LED technology has ensured that the cost of surveillance illuminators has reduced rather dramatically in the last 3 years.

The main area of competition for The Clarius IR illuminator apart from other illuminator manufacturers is the bullet cameras with integrated IR LEDs. Often a cheaper option, many installers jump to put these cameras in rather that consider a camera and IR illuminator option. This often proves a very costly mistake. The reasons are simple. A spiders web spun on the housing of one of these cameras will effectively render it useless as all the IR simply reflects back into the camera and flares out the image. Trust us when we say that a Clarius IR illuminator and separate dual chip camera is the best way forward.

Clarius also produce a white light option and this is the preferred option when colour detail needs to be preserved. Another big benefit of Clarius white light illuminators is it can be used as a working light as well as enhancing our CCTV images and might be considered by some as a better option. However when used overnight issues such as light pollution do need to be considered at the point of survey.

The Clarius brand has in recent times been tested and compared to other similar products and it is to Advanced lightings’ credit that it is being mentioned alongside other market leaders such as Raytec and AXIS. The price also is extremely favourable against its rivals.

The Clarius range is extensive and illuminators are made up of short, medium, long and extra-long range versions. Perhaps though one of the most important features is the options that we can use to power the Clarius illuminators. As well as the traditional 12/24v option there is also the ability to power over the Ethernet better known as POE. In a world where IPCCTV is gaining more traction every day the POE option fits perfectly for a surveyors during the process of designing a CCTV system. Simple ,easy and cost effective.

The Clarius IR illuminators can be controlled via a telemetry input in addition an  integral photocell is included. To ensure the lights are not switching on and off at dawn and dusk the photocell is adjustable for sensitivity. If required it can also be disabled.

Another benefit we need to consider is that power output can be adjusted. This can be varied between 10 and 100 per cent.Add to this the fact that the Clarius IR illuminator is a good looking unit to boot as it is housed in extruded aluminium. The toughened polycarbonate protective lens is vandal-proof,  giving the unit the ability to be installed anywhere. Brackets are available or if you prefer your own design can be used.

One of the claims made by advanced lighting that makes them unique from others is the self-cleaning lens. When we consider that one of the big costs of lighting is ongoing maintenance this feature gives Clarius IR illuminator an edge in the market place that cannot be ignored.

Installation is made simple as the unit comes with a pre-made cable. This reduces installation time and eradicates any connection errors  The illuminator is fitted with a pressure release valve as standard and one of the features that separates Clarius illuminators from others in the market place is its excellent build quality. This is apparent as soon as you open the box.

The light distribution has been extensively tested and the spread is even and meets the specification. It is simple ,well-built and “does what it says on the tin”. Overall it is meeting the increasing needs of 24 hour surveillance on CCTV installations that may not fall into the high risk category but certainly needs the sort of quality images that the Clarius IR illuminator can help to provide.

Clarius illuminators If you need lighting that is going to work and last

Why would you spend £150 on something that you could buy for £15 from B&Q?  That’s the question facing everyone who has or wants to have outside lighting around their homes or businesses.

What are we talking about you may ask?  Well we currently have our traditional halogen 500 watt light fitting. You will see these on just about every house and every industrial unit in the country. They have provided lighting for security, health and safety, deterrent and working light for all of us over the years.

Around 20 years ago the Tungstan halogen light was a hard wearing reliable piece of of kit. For around £45 you could buy a fitting that would last perhaps 5 years if subjected to “normal” working conditions. Although the fitting was of exceptional quality the bulbs themselves can only realistically be expected to survive a year or so. This meant annual maintenance and ongoing cost.

Then came the era of the ultra cheap halogen light fitting. This unit was manufactured to a low standard, it was cheap and it burnt out quickly. The nipples that spring onto the bulb disintegrated after just a few weeks or months. It made a very poor security light as it never seemed to work and the cost of replacing both the bulb and the fitting was prohibitive. Not such a cheap option in the long run. what was worse is it made the good quality halogen lights extinct!

Of course the problem with both the good halogens and the bad halogens is that however long they lasted they are very expensive to run. Half a bar of an electric fire for those old fashioned ones of you reading this and you could have several of these lights burning away all night long. Not efficient or very clever, add to this the  light pollution they cause and nobody is happy really!

So what is the solution? Well it’s simple. White light LED illuminators. This technology uses ultra bright LEDs to achieve the same level of brightness or LUX level as our old 500 watt halogen and at a fraction of the running cost. Yes currently white light LED illuminators are more expensive in the first place but you will get a return on your investment within a year and the lights can self clean and go un-maintained for up to 10 years so no more cherry pickers at £300 a time just to replace your bulbs.

 

White light LED illuminator Clarius

 

We strongly recommend the Clarius white light illuminator. With patented self cleaning lenses and high quality parts used in the manufacturing process, you don’t just get good value for money you also get a unit that looks atheistically pleasing to the eye and looks good on any building. With Heath and safety playing a major role in all business today the directional light satisfies the needs for working light, safe light, light pollution campaigners and those who foot the bills for cherry pickers (a real hidden cost for industry today). Add in the real money saver in the form of reduced electricity cost and it seems like a no brainer.

Taking in consideration that halogen lighting is in sharp decline (1000watt bulbs are not even made anymore) it makes.

thanks to HD CCTV solutions for this article