DVRs – good value or commodity throw aways?

DVRs at IFSEC.

Ok, so I had an outburst about IFSEC..…. a bit harsh perhaps, but I get annoyed ……..in particular, the quantity of ‘Number 1 DVR manufacturer’ there are populating our market.

cheap dvr

But, and this is a big but, are we heading towards a scenario whereby the ‘historically’ most expensive part of the CCTV System is now considered as a commodity product? A throw away product?

In the consumer market, flat screen LCD TV’s were over £1000 NOT VERY LONG AGO……….yet now, go to a supermarket and check out a 32 or 37″ Full HD TV……sub £400 !!!!!!

With DVRs regularly priced at under £200 (without detailing quality/spec etc here) that is less than some of the cameras being used on the system!

Mind boggling to think that THE most important part of the system – you know, the bit that will play back the image of the baddie breaking in – is now considered with such little respect as to install the cheapest possible unit that can be found.

Imagine you had a Ferrari, but felt aggrieved at replacing the engine with a Ferrari unit, instead, fit it with a XYZ from the Far East – sure, it will still drive, but for how long? and with what quality? and do you actually care when it is a fraction of the price of the Ferrari?

Personally, I am amazed that SO many people entrust their installed systems on DVRs that quite frankly are here today, gone tomorrow – and leaving the playback availability to a game of chance…….

AND…….end users……..you paid for it, USE IT…….because the law according to Murphy says you’ll only know you have a problem when you damn well want to play back an incident!

Cheap DVR’s are they worth it?

CCTV news, Global MSC encourage End user involvement

We talked sometime back about the need for Installers and End Users to involve Manufacturers in the supply/decision chain.

Recently, a great one day seminar pretty much did that…………… organised by Global MSC, a security consultancy from Bristol, put together  a one day event in Newcastle that was attended by all kinds of key decision makers from Councils, Local Authorities, Education, Medical and Police organisations………….a series of keynote speeches on current, relevant topics within our industry, were accompanied by refreshment breaks and a superb lunch!

At the same time, a rather well packed conference room was brimming with new Technology from all sorts of Security Manufacturers – CCTV, Intruder, Access Control etc…………and these seemed to focus on Megapixel and HD technology

Talking to the Manufacturers, they commented on the value of being close to the right people, with a captive audience to demonstrate their Products and Services…………….End Users appreciated the focused approach to keeping it local, personalised, the right size and the right layout – unlike IFSEC !

Installers were able to exhibit with their partner Manufacturers safe in the knowledge that everyone knew everyone in the chain!

We believe this should be repeated more often throughout the UK (Global MSC have already announced another Seminar for March 2011 in Bristol) – it may not replace IFSEC, but it just might allow the triangle partnerships a chance to flourish!

End User, Installer and Security Manufacturers

Avigilon talk to Integrated CCTV about their company and the future.

Avigilon logoare now well known throughout the CCTV industry as quality manufacturer’s of Megapixel IP cameras and software. We were lucky enough to get the opportunity to ask Rick Ramsay the product manager with Avigilon some in- depth questions about their megapixel cameras, the company and the future.

Below Rick is able to explain why Avigilon are such a respected name in the industry today.

Avigilon Rick Ramsay Product Manager

1. Rick, what is your role within Avigilon and how long have you been with them?

I am a product manager, responsible for both Avigilon‘s hardware and software products. I joined Avigilon in 2007.

2. How long has the company been trading and how quickly have you been able to grow now megapixel is the buzz word in the security surveillance industry?

Avigilon was founded at the end of 2004. In 2010, Avigilon was ranked among the Deloitte Technology Fast 50™, a ranking of the 50 fastest growing technology companies in Canada, based on the percentage of revenue growth over five years. Avigilon’s revenues increased 33,664 percent from 2005 to 2009—making it among the top five fastest growing companies in Canada. Avigilon was also named to Red Herring’s North America 100 list in 2010, a prestigious list honoring the year’s most promising private technology ventures in North America.

Avigilon Camera HD Pro

3. The 16 megapixel hd professional camera is quite a talking point. For what applications have you seen it used and how would you measure its success so far?

The Avigilon 16 MP HD camera delivers the highest resolution possible and exceptional detail for monitoring very large areas — the equivalent resolution of more than 50 VGA cameras. Leveraging JPEG2000 compression and High Definition Stream Management (HDSM,) the Avigilon 16 MP HD camera can capture extremely high quality image detail, but requires little bandwidth and storage. The Avigilon 16 MP HD camera is being used in stadiums and public venues, parking lots, transportation systems, and cargo terminals. Avigilon’s online system design tools including the camera resolution and lens estimator facilitate the selection of the correct resolution camera for each location’s requirements. So far, the camera has been a tremendous success as it offers a solution unique in the industry for delivering high resolution and exceptional detail covering very large areas.

4. Having seen your offerings at IFSEC this year, build quality is obviously very important to you. Do you believe this helps you sell your product over cheaper mpix cameras on the market?

Avigilon is committed to delivering prompt service and support, and offers a three-year warranty on all parts, adding to the solution’s overall reliability and we believe that this does differentiate us in the market.

Avigilon maintains all of its development and manufacturing in Vancouver, Canada, and has invested more than $2 million in state-of-the-art equipment to automate the production and assembly of sub-components and finished goods to boost its production capability. With in-depth experience in the life science/microscope camera field, the company’s core development team has worked together for almost a decade to develop a high-performance and reliable HD surveillance solution based on proven technologies.

5. Arecont look like your nearest competitors – how does the recent price reduction news from them impact or influence your roadmap?

Arecont is one of our partners. In fact, their cameras can be used within the Avigilon Control Center NVMS, so we’re certainly pleased to see moves in the industry that are advancing the adoption of HD and megapixel cameras. Avigilon continues to be the performance and value leader and recently introduced its HD H.264 line of cameras that deliver industry leading H.264 image quality and fully motorized lenses for remote zoom and focus to improve ease of installation at pricing designed to give the broad market access to HD quality surveillance video.

6. What is the Avigilon roadmap?

Avigilon’s recent decision to offer two editions of the award-winning Avigilon Control Center software — Enterprise and Standard — reflects our road map as we expand our portfolio to include effective solutions that deliver greater access to HD surveillance to all parts of the market. Avigilon is committed to remaining the performance and value leader in HD surveillance systems, driving innovation to improve video surveillance quality, reduce investigation times, and deliver better video evidence.

7. Some in the industry have shed a little doubt about how successful megapixel cameras will be. What is your best answer to critics of high megapixel bandwidth ?

Avigilon Control Center was engineered from the ground up to intelligently manage HD video, delivering both situational awareness and complete image detail while efficiently handling bandwidth and storage. High Definition Stream Management (HDSM) makes the Avigilon Control Center engine the most powerful and efficient Network Video Management platforms on the market because it intelligently manages HD video transmission, sending only requested portions of the captured video to monitoring stations. HDSM results in immediate savings in transmission bandwidth and reduces costs by requiring less powerful workstations.

Effective management of HD video is the only way to ensure the system as a whole can handle the higher demands placed by HD video and deliver details needed to reduce investigation times and improve success.

8. Will a megapixel camera replace a dome PTZ camera?

Depending on the scope of coverage and desired level of detail required, a megapixel HD camera can replace a dome PTZ. We have developed a unique set of online system design tools including a camera resolution and lens estimator to help our customers choose the correct camera resolution for each scene to get the detail level expected.

9. When will the industry completely embrace IP? is it cost related?

Cost is certainly a factor, but the ability for an IP system to truly outperform an analog system has also been an important factor in the industry’s move toward full HD performance. The introduction of HD cameras and purpose built HD NVMS platforms has provided the benefits and needed incentive to accelerate the transition.

10. DVRs….are they dead? VMS and servers are the future right?

Analog encoders are designed to integrate legacy analog cameras into a High Definition IP surveillance system, facilitating the transition from analog to full HD over time. The Avigilon analog encoder seamlessly integrates with Avigilon Control Center, using only a single camera license for all 4 ports, creating a network based surveillance solution with unmatched performance, ease of use, and ease of installation.

11. Security installers or IT specialists – who do avigilon favour? And where do you see the industry going in the next 5 years?

Avigilon works with both security installers and IT specialists. We believe that both groups are expanding their knowledge and expertise in security and IP technology to take advantage of new opportunities. Over the next five years , we’ll see more security installers expanding into areas conventionally performed by IT specialists and at the same time, IT specialists will begin to offer more integrated security applications.

Avigilon ACC-4.6 Range12. Finally Rick can you give us 3 reasons why customers should consider Avigilon products over your many competitors out there?

1) Avigilon Control Center was engineered from the ground up to intelligently manage HD video, delivering both situational awareness and complete image detail. Featuring HDSM, Avigilon Control Center is the industry’s only truly open NVMS, allowing system designers to integrate Avigilon solutions with existing assets including analog and IP cameras, access control, and other intrusion systems. HDSM intelligently manages HD video transmission, sending only requested portions of the captured video to monitoring stations, resulting in immediate savings in transmission bandwidth and reduces costs by requiring less powerful workstations.

2) Avigilon designs and manufactures the industry’s widest range of high quality HD cameras in resolutions from one to 16 megapixels, which seamlessly integrate with the Avigilon Control Center Network Video Management system to create a network-based surveillance solution with unmatched performance and ease of use. Avigilon cameras exploit the benefits of both Onvif-compliant H.264 and JPEG2000 compression standards to provide system designers with maximum flexibility in order to meet video resolution requirements for each location in the most cost effective manner.

3) Avigilon backs all of its products with a 3 year warranty and industry leading 24×7 technical support. With a focus on prompt delivery and service, Avigilon’s global network of partners provides rapid access to equipment and accessories. Our brand promise is to be #1 in end-user satisfaction by providing greater performance, value, ease of use, reliability, customer service, and market innovation.

We would like to thank Rick Ramsay for his time, a great insight into where the industry is heading and why Avigilon are leading the way.

Arecont v Avigilon Battle of the HD Camera Giants!

Arecont vs Avigilon.

Both HD camera experts….both American….both high quality product offerings….both begin with ‘A’…….!

So which one?

Well, like most system selection questions, it is pretty much always down to a question of taste…

But, we think there may be enough differences to perhaps make the selection easier

Arecont….

Out and out IP camera manufacturers…..take a look at the extensive list of different products, almost to the point of exhaustion! But, there is no doubting that their products are awesome…. we tested their 2megapixel AV2110 Megapixel IP camera….and quite simply, it was stunning……sure, there are higher megapixel PIXC offerings out there, but put simply, when a camera produces a high quality image, is there a limit reached that does not need to be extended??

On an earlier post, we discussed the trade off between high quality vs bandwidth and really, with pictures as pin sharp and easy to set up as the Arecont AV2110, then it is a struggle to look elsewhere……

But…..

Avigilon….

Same selection of camera offerings……and boy, some beauties in that range – we checked out at IFSEC 2010 the 16megapixel 16-PRO-HD-C unit, looking at a section of crowd at a football match (ok, ‘soccer’ for our Atlantic friends!)……..

The thing that perhaps starts to separate these guys is that Avigilon are perhaps a little more ’rounded’ in the complete system solution offering…..they offer the software, NVR, encoders etc etc to enable a complete end to end solution….and lets face it, most installers appreciate the ease of dealing with one supplier – March Networks springs to mind……

Don’t get us wrong, Arecont have worked VERY hard to get themselves integrated into pretty much everyone – and that gives credence to their mentality that they want to concentrate on simply making brilliant cameras…….. on the other hand, Avigilon are showing that they can offer complete systems that rival other CCTV software, NVR and encoder manufacturers, taking away the need to have to shop around or re-train….

Interesting choice…….more will be heard from these 2 great companies no doubt.

Why buy IP CCTV Cameras?

IP CCTV.

IP CCTV has suddenly come to the fore in the last couple of years . It was particularly noticeable at IFSEC this year where analogue cameras seemed to be no more than an after thought . However what are the reasons that a CCTV camera format that has served the industry for so long should now so suddenly become a technology that will soon be confined to museums or very short sighted end users?

Life in the old dog?

Well perhaps that last statement was a little unfair. It will still take a while before we see analogue cameras disappear completely off the scene, perhaps long as 10 years, but in the meantime megapixel IP cameras will start to produce results that many organisations will find hard to resist. What results you may ask? Well for so many years every CCTV administrator has just wanted to zoom in on captured images and blow them up to prove an event has occurred. Up to now there has rarely been enough definition to achieve this goal . Any blown up or artificially enhanced images have been blurred or pixelated to the point where they are useless.

Why HD CCTV or Megapixel cameras.

Mega pixel especially does not however suffer this problem. The images remain clear and crisp as they are zoomed into on the played back recordings . Add to this stunning live images and you will understand why analogue is effectively dead. Examples of camera manufactures who have taken this technology and produced some excellent camera solutions include Avigilon, Arecont, 360 vision technology, Bosch to name but a few.

What is the catch?

So as the camera technology improves are there any drawbacks? Well of course there are . Due to bandwidth and processing limitations some of the 10 mp cameras can only deliver images at 3 frames per second. Slow to say the least but with such crystal clear images it is still better than 12 fps on an analogue alternative. Of course the camera technology may be slighty ahead of the networks that they need to deliver them to their recording solution ie CCTV software. However as CCTV software gets better and the speed and flexibility of networks increase as well as the processing power of the camera chips, we will eventually see the utopia in terms of megapixel technology and this can bring to the end user the ultimate CCTV solution.

Conclusion.

Are you an end user who is considering an upgrade? Perhaps you have upgraded already and are either impressed or disappointed in what you have purchased? Let us know your thoughts and we will be happy to publish them in order to help other organisations to make that important decision, to upgrade or not to upgrade?