Video management software the battle has begun – Price War

Video management software, we guessed it would happen – for IP to really take off, prices have to fall, certainly to a comparable level of analogue, before mass acceptance can take place

We learned recently that Milestone, long the main pioneers of video management software, have halved the cost of their entry level VMS……and at the same time, released a completely brand new version for absolutely FREE !

VMS

We like free…..free stands for FREEdom to try, use, decide……and Milestone have been an established brand in this market arena for some time

So what has this done for the price range for VMS systems pricing?

Well, beginning of 2010 average camera price per licence was around £70-100 – this latest buzz by Milestone changes that to a price range of FREE to around £30……if you are selling video management software… that will help gain traction!!

CCTV installers face competition from everywhere!

CCTV the big  Squeeze!

CCTV installers have found it tough over the last couple of years. The
reason of course has been the recession and the lack of spending on new
equipment as a result. But is this the full storey? Careful analysis is
beginning to show that the security industry is being squeezed  from
several directions and the question has to be asked is how can this be
addressed and how can the security industry as a whole fight back to
profitability .

CCTV sales on the internet

The first issue we all have in business is the Internet.
Gone are the days that prices were kept between the manufacturer the
distributor and the supplier. Look anywhere on line and you can find
comparative prices. Even if an end user has no idea where to look for
kit he can always find what he is looking for on EBAY and unfortunately
as with any auction site, the prices never really reflect the true cost
of actually installing CCTV. This is forcing prices and margins down. If you are a
CCTV salesman you will have heard more times than you care to remember how
cheaply your prospective customer can purchase exactly what you are
trying to sell him online for a fraction of the cost. We currently have a
culture in this country now for cheap cheap cheap and everyone has forgotten
the importance of quality ..most frustrating. The Internet also provides
heaps of information and this has led to the second problem facing the
sales within the security industry.

The second problem.

Electricians are no longer scared of CCTV. In the past their workload would have seen them happy to pass this sort of business onto the professionals, not anymore…….Any electrician worth his salt can install a simple analogue CCTV system and now they are doing so. CCTVHowever their lives have been made easier because insurance companies , themselves struggling for clients have loosened some of the strict criteria they used to apply to CCTV installations. No longer do they insist that a NACOSS gold installer is responsible for installing and servicing CCTV equipment. BS8148  the British standard for monitored CCTV has fallen flat on its face and insurer’s have been unable to enforce their customers to take up this option, an option that would exclude anyone outside the security industry carrying out the installation.

CCTV monitoring at home

In addition  to this, customers seem happy to monitor CCTV systems themselves bypassing the
need for affiliated central stations, add to this the fact that we have seen a
huge shift to self insuring, some people seem to have worked out that
their losses incurred during a break-in are less than the combined cost
of  CCTV cameras and insurance.

IP CCTV.

All this is bad , but it gets worse. The security industry manufacturers have made a seismic shift into the world of IP CCTV. In theory a fantastic opportunity to upgrade customers from
analogue to IP and at the same time dramatically increase quality,
functionality and ease the grunt of the installation. This move has
however opened up the market place to a whole new breed of camera
installer. Telecoms and IT integrators have suddenly seen the light. A
discipline that held no interest for them previously has suddenly become
easy, in addition they are always on the spot to include security at the
new build point and offer this service when upgrading telephone exchanges or
installing a new cat 5 infrastructure. Building firms are now even
starting their own divisions dedicated to CCTV and security. Integrated
security is also now common and the whole job of installation is now eased by IP Access control that can fit seamlessly together on the network so no security company is required.

The big fight back!

So how can the security industry fight back? Well they need to look
towards their existing clientele for starters. Treat them like gold dust
and keep them informed of new developments involving IP, HD and
megapixel camera solutions. We need to up the level of service that we
provide. The one thing that cannot be offered by a sparky and even many of
the big IT integrators is the sort of response required when a CCTV
security system goes wrong . This is the trump card and should be used
time and time again.

Cost of a break in?

In order to address the insurance issues we talked
about earlier, prospective customers need to be told what the real cost
of a break-in can mean. Disruption of business, lost clients
embarrassment and cash flow issues. The most important point though is
that we from the security industry know about security, far more than
any builder , electrician, IT  integrator or end user and we must get this
point across. As long as we train our engineers properly, inform our
sales staff and price to compete then there is plenty of scope for
expansion in the future….once of course this recession is finally over
!!!

CCTV POE enabled IR illuminators

ANVS is a U.S. based manufacturer of professional infrared illuminators for security applications, distributed under the AXTON brand name. Axton have now released a PoE enabled, wide-angle, long-range professional infrared illuminators for CCTV and security applications.

The new PoE enabled infrared illuminators simplify system design and speed up installation by using a single PoE enabled cable to power up both the IP camera and  the IR illuminator. Each unit is designed with an IP input and two outputs for power and data. Connecting the power injected Ethernet cable into IR illuminator, and then connecting the two output cables to the IP camera power and data inputs and you have a fully operation camera and illuminator powered over the Ethernet (POE).

Standard features include an integrated photo-cell,the units are IP66 rated for external applications and ease of installation is the key to this product.

Please contact us for more information on the unit and where you can buy.

Dahua CCTV, DVR solutions

Dahua is a manufacturer of CCTV and IP video surveillance products.With 15 years of experience in development. A leading supplier of CCTV and surveillance equipment. Modular design gives flexibility and allows easy expansion of CCTV systems whether it is analogue or IP CCTV

Dahua launched their first the 8- channel real time embedded DVR in 2002 and a year later released the 16 channel version. Dahua has since added top quality domes to its portfolio

ISO 9001 approved and well known across Europe, America and the Far East for quality products that have helped to protect the banking sector as well as industrial facilities and commerce. Dahua boasts a workforce that contains over 800 engineers and 10% of its yearly budget is re-invested in research and development.

Training is important and much of their time is invested in their customers ensuring familiarity with their products this ensures that the best solution is found to every security application

Dahua also sell an application that allows you to connect into their DVRs from your iPhone The MSS application a popular feature now for those who like to monitor their property remotely

The two most popular DVRs in the Dahua range are the 8000LE-A series this is a 16 channel DVR that incorporates high def 1080P recording and the DH-DVR 0404LE is the base level 4 way record


The real cost of CCTV security Systems

Over the last few years during the good times, many companies especially in the UK have used surplus funds to beef up their security systems. As a result they have seen losses reduced and enjoy the benefits of cameras and access control for management tools. Things though have changed over the last couple of years and especially after the events over last weekend when the bomb was discovered on the freight airliner . Cut backs have meant that new spending on security has reduced or stopped and ongoing maintenance has been neglected. It is only now that some are beginning to regret this lack of investment and are starting to realize the true value of having security in the first place. Global forwarding springs to mind!
The trouble is that with CCTV and access control systems we have no way of actually measuring their effectiveness, it is only when they are removed or left to go into decline that the real cost effectiveness is suddenly obvious. Imagine the disruption to a business if a break in does occur worse still a plane is bought down over the skies of the UK . It is not just the damage that is obvious i.e. the smashed up doors or the stolen lorry, the total disruption to air travel!!! but when your business is totally bought to a halt or a vital piece of kit goes missing for your most important customer then the embarrassment of telling them your security system did not work becomes apparent. To lose an important client because they have had to go elsewhere creates far more problems and costs more than if the security system had been maintained and upgraded in the first place. So next time you think about cutting back on security think about the cost savings that CCTV and access control really bring to your business. Dont they say spend a little now and you will save a lot later?