Tag: IP CCTV solutions

Emerging Video Technologies – Pt4 IP Based Storage

continuing our look at IPVideoMarket.info’s ‘Emerging Video Surveillance Guide 2010’, today we look at IP Based Storage (SAN)

Ok, Potential Benefits?

Traditional video surveillance deployments combine video management software and hard drives inside a single appliance (usually a DVR). In larger systems, this can result in hundreds of hard drives inside of dozens of DVRs. This can be difficult to manage, inefficient and difficult to upgrade. Also, DVRs often do not provide redundancy for storage.

IP based storage provides centralised storage clusters that offer built-in redundancy and simple expansion. Each video recorder transmits surveillance video from the recorder to the storage cluster. This also reduces wasted storage as all video is ‘pooled’ in a central repository.

Cost:- For larger systems (20TBs or more), IP Based storage is often cheaper than storage inside of DVRs. However, the startup costs for purchasing a SAN often make it significantly more expensive than simply adding an extra hard drive inside a DVR, For isntance, SANs usually start at around £3000, far more than the incremental cost of adding a few hard drives inside DVRs or NVRs.

  • End User Risks:
    Overall risk is quite low. Some DVRs do not support external storage (usually as a business policy rather than a technical restriction) so that should be checked. Using a SAN that is remote from IP cameras or existing DVRs (essentially the source of the video streams) can be a problem. Specifically, it is generally not feasible to use a SAN to store video from remote offices/branches. This is due to limited and costly bandwidth connecting facilities to each other (WAN Bandwidth)
  • Installer Risks:
    Setting up a SAN (depending on the supplier) can be significantly more complicated than storage on-board DVRs. At least one person on staff should be trained in installing and maintaining SAN systems.

Taken from the ‘Emerging Video Surveillance Guide 2010’ from http://ipvideomarket.info/

Have you any opinions on this? leave a comment for us!

CCTV Over wifi

we have blogged before about sending CCTV data over wireless ‘units’

today, we take a look at Silvernet, a great little UK company specialising in Professional Wireless solutions.

Silvernet offer various products to take a straight forward ethernet connection and send it wirelessly over to a receiver and back out to join a LAN setup.

Offering short range LoS (Line of Sight) solutions such as the Sprint A5 1Km LoS (54Mb Link) and also long range (20km+) solutions mean that Silvernet can offer great kit for a variety of installations

We’ve seen some of these units in action and cannot fault the ease of installation, ease of set up and ongoing reliability of their kit…………

let us know if you have used Silvernet’s kit before and how it has helped in applications where cabling is impossible!

About the Company
SilverNet Ltd is a UK company that specialise in the design and manufacture of rugged, high performance cost-effective wireless networking devices.

Over the past 10 years SilverNet has gained an excellent reputation in the Wireless market as a leading innovator in the design, manufacture and supply of broadband wireless solutions.

Product Range
Over the years our product range has been developed to meet the demand for high bandwidth applications for the police and local councils.

Products range from 2.4Ghz to 5Ghz with throughput speeds of up to 300Mbps.

Sales and Marketing
SilverNet are always focused on supplying the very best wireless products and support to our customers. Our sales in the UK are either via distributors or via a number of system integration partners that we have.

The company has grown rapidly and has received its ISO 9001 certification.

Product Development
SilverNet has a dedicated team of development engineers that focus highly on the constant improvement and development of our equipment.

This has enabled SilverNet to maintain their position as one of the UK’s leading innovators in the design, manufacture and supply of broadband wireless solutions.

Production and quality
At SilverNet we are dedicated to ensuring the highest possible product quality and reliability. Our products are built to the highest standards and most products are housed in rugged enclosures.

Every radio that is built goes through a very intense testing process, this ensures that reliability issues in the field are kept to an absolute minimum.

Our products can boast a system uptime of at least 99.999%, thus proving our dedication to providing the highest quality components and design in our equipment.

Technical Support

For Pre-sales support, we offer path profiling, usually advisable for longer links where LOS (Line of sight) is unsure. System design, additional component testing, on site surveying and a host of other free tools are available to assist you.

For Post install support, we offer on site commissioning, so you know the system is operating reliably at its optimum. We also supply bandwidth testing and system monitoring software free with every system.

We have an online Troubleshooting guide and support ticket system as well as telephone and onsite support so every call can be logged and followed up on, thus putting us in a position to provide excellent technical support for our entire range.

We encourage as much end-user feedback as possible to help us design in the features and functions that really make a difference to our users in the field.

Delivery and Warranty
All UK orders placed before 2.30pm are usually dispatched by next day delivery courier*. We use Interlink Express to ensure prompt and safe delivery of all stock. As standard, we provide an extendable 12 month return to factory warranty.

*Lead times can sometimes take up to 2 weeks depending on the size of the order.

Silvernet Limited is a registered company in England and Wales with company number 5386276

Silvernet Limited is a VAT registered company with VAT number 860 776 496
Silvernet Limited is an ISO 9001 registered company with certificate number GB2003090

HD cameras – can they be the same?

An interesting demo came up recently…..

we took a few cameras, HD 1080p to be precise, from a very renowned IP Manufacturer,,,,,,,,,,,

a couple were mini dome based, the type you see in the analogue arena, you know, Vandal Resistant with varifocal lens, 3 axis, day night etc etc

the others were ‘boxed’ cameras……..the type where you fit the lens, usually (and recommended) a high quality lens designed for Megapixel use………

putting them side by side, adjusted to look at exactly the same picture………….both 1080p cameras from the same manufacturer………..

The Result

well, both were excellent pictures – it cannot be denied – but, they were not identical……….not by some margin………. the mini dome was ‘softer’, a little more ‘noise’ in the picture whereas the ‘boxed’ camera was sharper, more ‘vivid’ colours………….electronically zooming in revealed that actually, the mini dome, despite the ‘noise’ was actually a sharper picture, the ‘boxed’ camera had a degree of ‘pixelaion’ which detracted away from the initial sharpness………….

turning the lights off to test the day/night function highlighted the difference again………..the mini dome wiped the floor with the ‘boxed’ version camera!!! that puzzled us !

talking with the manufacturer, the mini dome is a smaller lens, smaller sensor, limited in optics to fit inside the dome………..that we can understand……….but how was it better under low light??

Lesson learnt

so, it is imperative that when specifying a system, particularly with IP MEgapixel, be aware that even with the same manufacturer, you will sometimes see a difference in picture rendition………..

what are your experiences?!

Emerging Video Surveillance Technologies – PIXC revolution! Pt1

An interesting guide has just been issued from http://ipvideomarket.info/ entitled ‘Emerging Video Surveillance Guide 2010’

it details ‘What to Look for and what to Look Out for’ so over the next few days we will detail some of their opinions – for the full guide, head over to their website and simply sign up to receive the free PDF!

Emerging Technologies

  • IP Cameras
  • Megapixel Cameras
  • IP Based Storage (NAS / SAN)
  • Storage on-Board IP Cameras
  • Mesh Wireless IP Networks
  • Panoramic Cameras
  • Video Analytics
  • Business Intelligence
  • Remote Video Monitoring
  • Managed Video / Hosted Video Surveillance
  • Physical Security Information Management

they are keen to point out that the directory is purely meant as a survey of key risks for the ‘non-expert’

we think it is a great discussion document in this emerging Security arena…………………more to follow…………….

IPCCTV over WIFI

CCTV over Wifi……saving cash on analogue RF !

The scenario.

Picture the scene (pardon the CCTV pun!)

Building A is 500 metres from building B

There are 4 cameras on building A, one on each corner (don’t you just love perfect worlds!) and they need to be viewed, recorded and controlled (did I mention they were PTZ?) all from building B

THE PROBLEM

The two buildings are separated by a river – a very nice river, big boats coming up and down, delivering stuff to dockside delivery points.

No chance of cabling then….. Until recently, the answer was to use free range wireless transmission solutions, such as RF, Microwave, Laser etc……… but, history shows that each has it’s positives and negatives but they all share one common negative….. expense.

ANOTHER WAY?

With the upsurge in IP, there is another way………..Wifi…………ok, professional wireless is what all the proper ‘wifi’ consultants will call it, but wifi nonetheless.

You see, Wifi does not have to be a one to one transmission solution…………. with typical bandwidth of 54Mbps, even if we halve it (because clever network guys will tell you that there is always a drop over distance etc), we can expect a 27Mbps bandwidth allowance……

So, take our building A and B scenario…. cable all the 4 cameras to a central point (it is a perfect world after all !) and either convert to IP from analogue using encoders (or, if we are to get this industry into the 21st century let’s push the boat out and go true IP cameras!) and connect to a regular 4 port network switch…

Take the output of that switch and insert into something like the Silvernet product range….. 1Km line of sight, pre-configured to create a point to point connection…..go to building B, position the receiving unit line of sight to building A and either decode back to analogue or bring one, neat, simple CAT5/6 cable out and introduce to the network for full control and view of the system ! simples !

THE THEORY AND THE PRACTICE

Ok, we don’t always have a perfect world, clearly, however, using the above solution, we have sent 4 cameras over the one link….saving a LOT of money:-

RF/Microwave/Laser = at least £2000+ for EACH camera

WIFI = under £1000 for a 1Km link with the ability to run a good few cameras – typically a PTZ IP camera would be around 5Mbs and a static at around 2Mbs

But, just like RF/Microwave/Laser, if the Wifi states ‘Line of Sight’ or LoS, then it REALLY means that…..so much as a leaf on a overhanging tree, or, in the case of our River separating the two buildings, boats that might momentarily ‘interrupt’ the signal, it is imperative to ensure that the TX and RX units are positioned so as to enjoy clear and uninterrupted transmission!

The cost savings are impressive and just might give this industry the excuse to use IP !!