Month: May 2010

DualCom GPRS

CSL DualCom GPRS.

CSL have always actively challenged Redcare when it comes to dual path signalling solutions. With Dualcom GPRS they have produced a hardware platform that can monitor any grade of security installation. Each grade has a sliding scale of charges to ensure you only pay for the monitoring you need depending on the grade of install.

Vodaphone.

The dualCom uses the Vodaphone network in conjunction with the main telephone path to transmit alarm signals. This is the case even if the the telephone path is IP. Many customers find much comfort in dual path signalling and most insurance companies insist on it , whats more it helps confirm alarms in the event that one of the signalling paths is deliberately attacked. This technology has been continuously improved since its development in 1996.

Partnership.

DualCom formed a strong partnership with Vodaphone because of its reliability , speed and above all its integrity. Other benefits include a fixed tariff so this allows unlimited transmissions from either path but with no additional cost. It is not beholden to the BT network so it can be used on any line providers signalling path. If there is no phone line on site the GPRS can be deployed to at least give one route to the central station.

Can it share lines with existing communication equipment?

It can share existing telephone lines with no interference to the operation of other signalling or communication equipment. All in all DualCom has become recognised as a very stable and cost effective solution for alarm signalling to your central station.

Conclusion.

With insurance companies now fully on-board and DualComs reliability accepted as second to none, the product will continue to challenge in the monitoring market place very strongly.

The Shield security camera

The Shield security camera.

At IFSEC this year we spent plenty of time looking at The Shield security camera. The camera is a testament to the technology partnership between March Networks and 360 Vision. It combines the best of what both companies are about  and we believe it is soon to hit the American market place. This unity of technology means we predict it will take it by storm.

External security solution.

The hardware side of The Shield security camera is manufactured by 360 vision technology and fits seamlessly together with the clever software solutions developed by March. The Shield has been designed to fit into the needs of customers who mainly have external security issues but need a camera that can operate in the harshest of environments.

March Networks,The CCTV software side.

IP, POE, and analytics have all been cleverly integrated into the camera design and and help to make it attractive to CCTV installers and IT integrators alike. March Networks have fitted all these features together and with their codec at the heart of things it means that videosphere CCTV software acts as the ideal recording solution to compliment this camera.

ONVIF.

The Shield security camera is ONVIF compatible  and this means that it will integrate with other manufactures CCTV software as well. However March Networks and 360 vision also have other ideas they wish to add to this already loaded security solution. An on board hard drive will soon compliment the software recording and this will make it attractive where recording continuity is essential.

Robust design.

The Shield PTZ camera moves beautifully, is fast and quiet and built to last, this makes it ideal for any external needs but don’t rule out using it internally . It will come to the fore when installed in docks , ports airports and sports stadiums to name just a few applications but hangers and warehouses could also suit. When installed outside it has a wiper to ensure weather does not become a factor and is extremely robust in design, resisting all the elements can throw at it.

Megapixel IP Camera.

Could there be any more developments round the corner? There are plans to integrate Megapixel  technology into the package and this will add just one more benefit to what is already a very loaded CCTV camera.

Conclusion.

Having seen how the Shield camera works, big sales are inevitable, upgrades of  PTZ cameras are the ideal target market for this product and viewing the Shield Security camera on the web is highly recommended.

FLIR PT-series thermal IP cameras

FLIR release new range.

The popularity of thermal imaging cameras has increased steadily in recent times as the CCTV security industry find more and more applications for them.With the advent of IP and analytics, together with a reduction in cost, means that suddenly solutions exist that were not there before.

The new FLIR PT-Series.

 The new FLIR PT-Series has been specifically aimed at this market place. Programmable scan patterns and slew to alarms  gives this range of cameras some interesting extra features. The ability to see in total darkness and in any weather, along with easy integration to either analogue or TCP/networks are all valuable selling points.

More Pixels.

By incorporating a high resolution 640 x 480 pixel detector the camera can give up to 4 times the image clarity of previous cameras. It also gives better performance over longer ranges. More pixels mean more detail and the ability to detect smaller objects that would previously have been missed. This all comes with the savings that can be made when expensive lighting systems can be shelved.

On site repairs and upgrades.

Flir have also introduced the interchangeable camera cassette that allows you to upgrade existing FLIR cameras. This can be done in the field and takes only a few minutes, keeping installers and end users happy and no break in camera coverage while the unit is returned to the factory.

Conclusion.

It would appear FLIR are now developing their cameras to fit more and more into security applications in the commercial market place. This has been achieved with more competitively priced cameras that come with more choice of lens size and more built in features.

Outreach Max/Lite

Going beyond the 100 meter mark.

With IP CCTV becoming ever more popular, some camera installers are finding a need to extend Ethernet networks beyond the standard 100 metre or 328ft range.

Bigger IP camera installations.

As installations become bigger and external compound security requires longer cable runs, Outreach have come up with a solution. If you install the Outreach Max every 100meters then full capacity 100base tx or 10 base-t can be maintained across the entire network the device can give 70 watts POE forwarding depending on the standard with a maximum of 0.7 amps on data pairs and 1.5 amps on spare pairs.

Makes things easier.

A big help when specifying installations knowing that it is now very easy to extend the distances we can put the cameras away from the POE source.