Tennessee rehabilitation center keeps recovering residents in check

Editor / Provider: Sponsored by Qnap Security | Updated: 5/20/2013 | Article type: Commercial Markets

Recovery Ranch, located in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., is a special rehabilitation center for clients with addictive, eating or mood disorders, or in need of psychosomatic recovery for improved quality of life. The ranch employs 160 therapists and administrative personnel, serving more than 75 clients at a time, with 24/7 care for different treatments; hence, it is a large facility with residents of diverse backgrounds.

The ranch encompasses two sites: the main campus with two buildings and a new campus with six buildings, individually located one mile apart. On land stretching over 2,000 acres and multiple campuses, it is necessary to have a powerful surveillance system to secure the community and archive records of any incidents that occur. The two original buildings, dated back to late 1800s, were not designed with network wiring. Also, they had unstable power supplies due to the age of the buildings and the location in a rural area, where bad weather could easily cause a power outage. Therefore, wireless became very important, and a good mechanism to sustain system power supply was essential, too.

Moreover, Recovery Ranch required 16 to 18 cameras installed around the campuses and a system able to store videos for two to three months. Prior to the installation, Recovery Ranch surveyed CCTV and DVR solutions, but all lacked advanced management functions and did not have sufficient storage capacity.

Road to Recovery
In the end, Recovery Ranch turned to the Qnap VioStor NVR surveillance system because of its robust, IP-based design and the many unique management features. Two units of VioStor NVR VS-6020 Pro, powered by dual-core Intel Atom processor, were installed on each campus, monitoring 25 VIVOTEK fixed domes and Mobotix fisheye cameras. “Qnap NVRs definitely play a central role in the video security for Recovery Ranch, as this is a one-stop solution that is well-integrated with multiple brands of IP cameras and hence can fulfill very diverse indoor/outdoor monitoring requirements,” said Jeff Chase, IT Manager. “Moreover, the system is very scalable in camera deployment, and with free software updates, it is open to more features at no additional cost, making it a future-proof investment for many years to come.”

The VS-6020 Pro supports high-quality H.264, MPEG-4, M-JPEG and MxPEG recording, and can efficiently stream videos wirelessly while maintaining high-megapixel image quality. In addition, the 6-bay VS-6020 Pro accommodates up to 24-TB storage capacity to satisfy Recovery Ranch's needs of storing videos for up to three months. The VS-6020 Pro also solves the problem of unexpected power outage. With support for UPS devices, the VS-6020 Pro is programmed with USB-connected UPS to ensure 24/7 service. Detailed event logs of system warning, network disconnection and the UPS status are also recorded for diagnosis. What Recovery Ranch favored most was the intelligent video analytics. By using the motion detection algorithm in playback mode, the security administrator can set up areas of interest and time frames for the NVR to automatically find events of interest. It is, overall, less labor-intensive than manually watching each channel at 16x fast-forward play. It is quick to review — for example, an individual, in a specific area, at a certain time of the day — the day's video, and reviewing evidence is more efficient than ever.

Since the two units of VioStor NVR VS-6020 Pro were installed, the ranch has required little maintenance. The Linux-based operating system and RAID storage volume are very reliable; at the same time, it is more power-efficient than running the VMS server on a PC. Therefore, Recovery Ranch does not have to keep the PC running 100-percent of the time. It shows power consumption changes from 200W to 43W (with six HDDs installed) in average, resulting in up to five times of savings in utility. “The VS-6020 Pro is an easy-to-use and intuitive product, enabling the security administrator to fully utilize the features of the surveillance system. We can spend less time on IT, and more time on running the center,” Chase concluded.

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Do more with less

Editor / Provider: By Tevin Wang, a&s International | Updated: 5/14/2013 | Article type: Tech Corner

Fisheye cameras have been around for years, but real-life adoption seems to be limited, due to a limited number of offerings and VMS integrations. Things are changing for the better, as more camera manufacturers and management software providers pay more attention to the optics and user benefits. a&s looks into the latest developments.

Panoramic and hemispheric lenses have been used by photographers for decades. Nowadays, one can literally shoot images with panoramic or fisheye effects with smartphones. Still, what is common in the consumer electronics industry may be exotic in security.

The panoramic camera offers both the 180-degree and 360-degree panoramic view using a single fisheye lens or several normal lenses. “For a panoramic camera using several lenses, the panoramic image is produced by stitching the images shot by each of the lenses,” said Osborne Fang, Marketing Manager at Brickcom. “On the other hand, the fisheye camera provides the panoramic image with a single lens. Due to the extremely wide viewing angle of the fisheye lens, the image is distorted and dewarping technology is needed to turn the image into a normal one, readable to the human eye. Hence, dewarping is one of the keys to the final image quality of the fisheye camera.”

Petra Bennermark, Product Manager at Axis Communications, added, “A panoramic camera refers to either a camera that is mounted on a wall and gives a 180-degree view from the wall or a ceiling-mounted camera that gives a 360-degree view of the area below the ceiling. A camera with a 180-degree fisheye lens constitutes one technical solution to such a camera. So I would say that a fisheye camera is a subset of panoramic cameras.”

One way to envision a 180-degree view is to imagine standing in the center of an alley with your back against a wall. “Cameras mounted where your head is would be able to see the whole alley including both ends and the wall that your head is against,” said Ellen Cargill, Director of Product Development for Scallop Imaging (a division of Tenebraex).

Pluses & Trade-Offs
It is important that user s understand what they get and what they do not get from fisheye cameras. Fixed cameras, however mounted, cover narrow fields of view and multiple cameras are required to give adequate coverage of wide areas. PTZ cameras, on the other hand, require manual control and are therefore most often pointing to the wrong place at the wrong time. “A fisheye camera mounted on a wall or on the ceiling in the center of a room or area can cover a vast area with no blind spots, no moving parts, and no manual control required,” said David Myers, CTO at AMG Systems. “While not totally replacing fixed and PTZ cameras, fisheye cameras provide total coverage and reduce both the number of cameras required and the infrastructure required. The ability to follow a subject on a single camera is also of great benefit in forensic analysis”

Some trade-offs still exist for fisheye cameras. As a fisheye camera uses a specialized lens that distorts the image of a scene to fit it into a single view, circular fisheye images do not use all the pixels on an image sensor. Also, image magnification diminishes as the subject moves toward the edges of the scene despite that megapixel image sensors and digital image processing have improved fisheye performance on the edges of the field of view.

Distortion & Pixel Check
Fisheye lenses project a circular footprint and have constant or linear distortion from the center to the edge. Objects closer to the camera appear bigger, while they reduce rapidly in size as the distance from the camera increases. In other words, users could have an unavoidable drop-off in image quality at the edges. These issues might be “magnified” after dewarping. It is similar to the difference between a globe and a map of the world when attempting to provide a two-dimensional representation of the three-dimensional world. Both poles are squished, like oversized representations of Antarctica and Greenland on some maps. The same goes for a fisheye lens: the farther an object is from the center of an image, the more distorted it becomes.

Image distortions and pixel drops of fisheye cameras are hard to read from technical specs. The best way is to actually test the cameras and check the details. “When comparing, make sure that you compare ‘apples to apples' — that is, the same part of the scene, the same field of view, same distance and direction angle from the camera,” Bennermark said.

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to representing the true resolution of fisheye cameras as they, compared to fixed cameras, have a smaller optical image sensor. Greg Alcorn, Director of Global Sales at Oncam Grandeye shared some simple mathematics that can help end users and integrators check exactly what resolution they are getting. “Most manufactures use a 5-megapixel sensor, or 2592 by 1944 pixels, and the image is then cropped to the size of the lens, or a circle within a rectangle. The circle, therefore, has a diameter of 1944 pixels and the following equation is used to calculate the true resolution. The actual resolution equals the area of the circle. [In this case, the actual resolution is 972x972, which is 2.9 megapixels.]"

Dewarping
Human eyes are not used to optical distortion and dewarping is created for this purpose. Dewarping can be done on fisheye cameras or on the client application. “The achievable optical resolution of the lens and the achievable resolution of the image sensor play an important role on the image quality of the dewarped image,” Fang said. “For example, a high-optical resolution fisheye lens with the 5-megapixel image sensor can provide more detail than the same lens with the 1-megapixel image sensor. Meanwhile, the computation power of the processor determines the time it takes for the dewarping function to process the raw optical image.”

In-camera dewarping offers direct dewarped views based on user's need. User can choose the number of dewarped views of the scene and the camera will do the rest. “Dewarping on the camera lets the customer create virtual views or narrow-field windows that create blind spots similar to conventional cameras. The windows may be moved using PTZ commands over the network, and will then have latency similar to what is currently associated with mechanical PTZ cameras,” Alcorn said. “[However], dewarping on the camera does not allow the ability to retrospectively view the 360 image, which is one of the biggest advantages of using 360-degree cameras.”

Dewarping on the client side, on the other hand, allows for retrospective viewing, which enables the user to go back in time to view the total scene in its original form and then pan, tilt, and/or zoom within the 360-degree image as desired. “An additional advantage to dewarp on the client side is the ability for multiple clients to view the same image with different perspectives concurrently. There is no time slicing required as with traditional PTZ cameras or 360 cameras with dewarping onboard the camera,” Alcorn added.

However, Alf Chang, Senior Consultant at a&s held a different opinion. ”In-camera dewarping may also allow multiple clients to view the same image with different perspectives. This relates more to NVRs than where the dewarping occurs. Indeed, the mode or numbers of dewarped views can only be set by one user at the front end. These dewarped views and footage are stored at the NVR. Via NVR, it is still feasible for multiple clients to view the same image with different perspectives. ”

Dewarping in the camera or on the client side have their pros and cons. When cameras are capable of dewarping themselves, installers or integrators have fewer concerns regarding the loading on the client side because the camera is doing the processing. Dewarping on the client side, on the other hand, offers comparatively more flexible and retrospective viewing. There are many dewarping methods. “Some well-known dewarping methods include stereographic projection, equidistant projection, and cylindrical projection. Each method has its own advantages, and the implementation details of the dewarping methods have to adapt to the optical characteristics of the fisheye lens used,” Fang said. “The key is the popularity and compatibility with the VMS.”

VMS Interoperability
Most fisheye manufacturers require a separate SDK for dewarping and e-PTZ controls. This makes integration to V MS systems challenging. In order to enhance the algorithm to the fullest of fisheye cameras, a VMS with full support is crucial. Limited VMS integration will block immersive fisheye cameras from being used effectively. VMS which support multiple manufacturers or even an established standard are key for broader adoption of fisheye cameras.

Oncam Grandeye is optimistic about the potential of fisheye cameras and increased integration with VMS platforms. “Technology moves forward and image quality gets better. VMS, like everything else, is advancing. We have developed an SDK for multiple platforms that can be integrated into any clientside application. It comes with our patented dewarping technology using OpenGL and 3D modeling techniques to project a texture map of the image onto p-surface (a 3D object, generated by a computer graphic system). This takes advantage of current state-of-theart GPUs (graphic processor units), which reduces the load on the CPU. Performing dewarping on the CPU could use as much as 20 percent of the CPU's performance, based on the size of the image and frame rate,” Alcorn said.

Myers agreed. “We provide the software to our VMS partners which allows fast dewarping of the high resolution fisheye live and recorded through their viewing software.”

Brickcom is also eager to increase its technology partners. “Our fisheye camera is compatible now with more than 40 VMS solutions thanks to the open ImmerVision 360-degree viewing standard,” Fang added.

If cameras are capable of dewarping, VMS interoperability is not a concern. “As Axis does dewarping in the camera, VMS is subscribed to the already dewarped images. These dewarped images can be dynamically controlled to make it a digital PTZ camera. There is no need for VMS applications to deal with dewarping,” according to Bennermark.

Future Development
Some manufacturers are launching day-night fisheye cameras for 24-hour coverage. Also, they can be deployed outdoors. The goal is to allow fisheye cameras not to be limited to indoor installations but to wider outdoor areas.

For the past few years, the greatest advances in IP-based video surveillance have been in compression and megapixel technology. These technologies bring panoramic and hemispheric cameras up to a new level, and they can be used in more applications than before, said Steve Ma, Executive VP of VIVOTEK. “With today's sensor and lens technologies, manufacturers are able to provide high quality 360-degree cameras. We will bundle fisheye cameras and speed dome cameras as a solution for great perspectives and details, which allows users to simultaneously monitor both an overview and a detailed regional view of any given scene.”

Arecont Vision appoints VP for Europe

Editor / Provider: Arecont Vision | Updated: 5/14/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Arecont Vision has appointed surveillance industry veteran Ivo Drent as VP for Europe. Drent joins the company after more than two decades in the video security industry in positions responsible for sales management, marketing, customer support and business development.

Drent will manage Europe for Arecont Vision and will also take personal responsibility for strategic accounts, building on the company's top level relationships at key distributors, systems integrators and technology partners. Arecont Vision's European headquarters is located in Frankfurt, Germany.

Ivo Drent has spent more than 20 years in the video surveillance industry working for manufacturers such as Dedicated Micros, Pelco and IndigoVision. Drent led Pelco's EMEA operations from their office in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, managing a team of nearly 100 people who were located in various offices across Europe and the Middle East. For IndigoVision, he managed their EMEA sales, marketing and support operations. More recently, Drent has been Worldwide VP for DataDirect Networks, a manufacturer of high end storage solutions, where he was responsible for their Government and Digital Security division.

“Arecont Vision is very excited to have Ivo Drent join our management team. Ivo is a proven leader in the Europe security market and we are looking forward to even faster growth under his leadership,” said Scott Schafer, Executive VP of Arecont Vision. “Key European distributors, systems integrators and technology partners are embracing megapixel IP cameras for their ability to improve image quality, boost system functionality, lower system costs and improve the return on investment for their customers. Ivo will strengthen our relationships with these important selling partners and drive business growth throughout Europe.”

Storage specialist grows ecosystem to target surveillance applications

Editor / Provider: Sponsored by Seagate | Updated: 5/16/2013 | Article type: Tech Corner

From April 24th to the 26th, 2013, the 16th Secutech International Exhibition and Conference took place in Tapei, Tawain, once again offering a venue for security professionals to present their business value.

Alongside an array of other exhibitors, Seagate teamed with eight industry-leading surveillance vendors to display storage solutions that address a variety of surveillance usage requirements:
● IP Surveillance
● Video Analytics
● Centralized Storage
● Embedded DVR
● Video as a Service
● Surveillance in the Cloud

These demos addressed the major technological advancements that continue to change the storage industry. According to forecasts from IMS Research (recently acquired by IHS), 2013 will be the year when global network video surveillance equipment sales surpass analogue video surveillance equipment sales. Centralized storage is gaining prominence as well for its scalability and easy management. Cloud computing in surveillance is also rising, due to its relatively low cost, while Managed Video as a Service (MVaaS) and Hosted Video as a Service (HVaas) are often part of the package.

As technologies converge and surveillance architectures improve, surveillance needs and usage models also evolve. To meet client demands, surveillance storage will need to be purpose-built with the following key capabilities:
1. Video accuracy, which ensures maximized data integrity, in addition to accurate read-and-write metadata and control data
2. Sequential writing performance, enabling more HD and megapixels video feeds are supported and more bandwidth is available for higher resolutions
3. Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), without compromise to reliability, scalability and power efficiency in the long term
4. Video data security, including data encryption and secure erase technologies

In collaboration with renowned providers of surveillance services at this year's conference, Seagate demonstrated a wide range of surveillance-related products in different capacities, with Seagate HDDs as the core technology.

Each demo station established the importance of using the right hard drive in the particular surveillance application displayed. This lesson can vastly influence a provider's ability to offer distinguished surveillance systems with improved reliability, performance and affordability—all key elements to differentiate from competitors' offerings.

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For more information, please visit the company website.

A mission with a vision

Editor / Provider: Sponsored by VIVOTEK | Updated: 5/13/2013 | Article type: Government & Public Services

The Hajj Organization in Tehran, Iran has been organizing the Hajj Mission since 1991, providing services to Hujjaj, who are Muslim pilgrims from Iran, with the aim of promoting Hajj and serving Hujjaj by facilitating and organizing all aspects of Hajj. With its pivotal role and sizable scale in Iran, the organization requires high-security surveillance to ensure the overall safety of the Hujjaj and the daily operation of the Hajj Mission. The manager of the organization decided to install several IP cameras, and VIVOTEK cameras, with excellent quality at a reasonable cost, became the organization's first choice.

Pooya Fara Negar, VIVOTEK's distributor in Iran, provided the professional consultation and design. A total of 178 cameras were installed indoors and outdoors. Outdoor areas are covered by 11 SD8323E, 12 IP7361 and 53 IP8362 cameras, while 73 FD8161 and 27 FD8162 cameras were installed indoors. Two IP8162P cameras were installed in the official area.

The SD8323E, a network speed dome with several superior features — such as the ability to capture clear video even in environments with high-contrast lighting conditions, a weather-proof IP66-rated housing, and 360° continuous pan and 90° tilt — is an ideal camera for monitoring open indoor/outdoor spaces. Equipped with a powerful 36x zoom lens and WDR technology, the camera is also able to capture sharp images at a great distance even under challenging lighting conditions. The SD8362E was thus installed outside of the organization for monitoring the grand square in front of the building.

Bullet cameras IP7361 and IP8362, with 2-megapixel resolution, weather-proof IP67-rated housings, removable IR-cut filters and IR illuminators for superior image quality around the clock, were chosen for a wide range of outdoor applications. The IP7361 was installed in the outdoor corridor, while the IP8362 was chosen to monitor the parking lot, taking advantage of its WDR enhancements, which allow users to identify image details in extremely bright as well as dark environments.

For monitoring the building halls, the FD8161 and FD8162 were used. Featuring a 2-megapixel sensor and ePTZ functionality, these cameras are able to provide extremely wide coverage with the finest details and enable users to focus on close-up shots of different areas. Moreover, the FD8162, which also incorporates WDR capability, is able to capture clear footage even when both bright and dark areas are present in the same field of view.

As for the official area, the IP8162P — a 2-megapixel camera with several advanced features like a P-iris lens, built-in Focus Assist button for precise focus adjustment, WDR Enhanced technology for an unparalleled ability to capture detail in extremely bright and dark environments — is able to monitor a much more comprehensive area than can a standard VGA camera, allowing users to fully enjoy the HD video.

Sacred, Secured
Access to all of these cameras is via a private Intranet. VIVOTEK's stand-alone NVR enables the Hajj Organization to record, monitor and manage video data simultaneously through the Internet. Both live video feeds and recorded video footage are centrally managed.

William Ku, VP of International Business at VIVOTEK, stated: “We are so glad to have the chance to enhance the security of the Hajj Organization. I believe that VIVOTEK cameras with their superior quality are able to meet the client's needs by providing clear footage and accurate event tracking around the place. Also, the Hajj Organization can monitor the status of all cameras and storage in real time and manage videos in a centralized way. We are expecting to provide more security support to the Hajj Organization in the future.”

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Danish visual arts museum turns to discreet IP-based surveillance

Editor / Provider: Axis Communications | Updated: 5/8/2013 | Article type: Government & Public Services

The Danish government's main museum for visual arts, the National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen, upgraded its CCTV system in 2012 consisting of 60 analog cameras to a discreet IP-based surveillance comprised of Axis Communications one-megapixel HD cameras and Mirasys NVRs to prevent priceless artworks from theft and damage. The solution was developed jointly between Axis and partner G4S in Denmark, while the product supplier and distributor of the project was EET Europarts.

The gallery has approximately 115 employees and 60 students who occupy the building. Extremely valuable and priceless artworks are on public display in the galleries. Art pieces must be protected from theft and damage, and the safety of the employees and the thousands of people visiting the gallery daily must also be secured. In 2012 the entire CCTV system was extensively upgraded. An important consideration was that the cameras should be discreet and not distract attention from the paintings, and that they should also be easy to move, as the building is reorganized up to two to three times annually.

The museum still has a large number of analog cameras in the system, but the plan is to replace even more of these with IP cameras. The remaining analog cameras are currently connected and integrated into the system using Axis video encoders. “All you need to do is install the camera, program the IP address and run the cable. And then it takes a couple of minutes to adjust the camera angle and the lens,” said Claus Bjerg, G4S. Moreover, one cable per camera is sufficient, as the cameras are powered via the network cable. (This is important as SMK is a listed building in which running cabling, drilling and structural alterations are strictly limited).

Visitors do not even notice the cameras, and for designers the cameras are easier to locate, due to its HD images. “I've not heard any of the designers complain about the cameras,” said the museum's Security Manager Mike Coffman.“On the contrary, several have actually praised the decision to make the conversion.”

As the entire system is based on an open platform, it can be simply upgraded in line with technological development. There are also plans to exploit the opportunities of using intelligent applications, for example, to calculate the number of visitors and analyze how they move around the building. “Apart from using them to calculate how many people are in the building, it's possible to see how visitors move around and between the galleries,” said Coffman.“This is very useful information when planning exhibitions. It would also be good to be able to use intelligence in case of an evacuation, to know whether there are people left in the building and in that case, their location.”

What's trending in 2013?

Editor / Provider: Judy Lin, asmag.com | Updated: 5/8/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

Secutech International 2013, one of the largest trade shows in the security world, successfully concluded on April 26. Here are some of the key findings from the show floor interviews.

1. IP Rocks
IP-based video surveillance products accounted for the majority of items displayed at the exhibition, while HD-SDI products remained a minority. Of the 23 video surveillance manufacturers sampled, 16 companies featured IP products at the show, including Dynacolor, Dahua Technology, Itx, Mobotix and others. Hikvision Digital Technology and four other companies were promoting analog cameras, while Hi Sharp and Win4net were the only companies highlighting HD-SDI products. Most manufacturers are still promoting IP cameras, due to a smaller demand for HD-SDI cameras, and few related products and accessories, said Ray Chan, Director of Sales for APAC, Infinova. HD-SDI also requires larger storage, and the required frame rate is still playing catch-up, Chan continued. A technician from Fuho Technology echoed the sentiment, stating while HD-SDI products offer better image quality than analog cameras, market demand has remained low because of the lack of supporting appliances and hardware compared to analog or IP systems. Some manufacturers are trying to compensate this by promoting new HD-SDI cabling products, such as Win4net's Clebo HD-SDI PoC solution that can extend HD-SDI data transmission for more than 2 kilometers.

2. Light Sensitivity
The majority of low-light network cameras displayed at the show came with 1.3-megapixel resolution; only a few were 3-megapixel models. Shany's SNC-WD2131MSA and Yoko Technology's RYK-IPBX010 featured 1.3-megapixel low-light cameras, while Zavio's D7320 was a 3-megapixel camera. The limitations of network bandwidth and market demand are driving the sales of 1.3-megapixel low-light cameras, said Steven Mao, PM for Digital Surveillance Product Planning, Yoko Technology. Two trends in WDR network cameras were also observed, with some manufacturers such as Brickcom using software to enhance images and others, including Zavio, developing their own WDR sensors.

3. High and Low
Of the analog cameras displayed, a large number were of 700 TVLs and above. For instance, Hikvision's Picadis Exir Camera and Pishion's BRX-99P84WR were 720-TVL cameras, while Fuho's Vacron-P was a 1,000-TVL camera. The cameras target cost-conscious consumers that want better image quality close to IP cameras, but at a much lower price point, said Ian Ma, Overseas Technical Support Engineer, Hikvision. The cameras offer better images than traditional analog, and ideal for clients who are reluctant to say goodbye to their coaxial cables.

4. Easy to Install
Four- to 8-channel NVRs for SMB and home applications are mostly designed with easy setup procedures that are user-friendly. Whether its Nuuo's 8-channel NVR, that enables setup to be completed in six minutes with a click of a mouse, or Dynacolor's 4-channel NVR that automatically detects the company's cameras, the idea is to make installation hassle-free. Manufacturers are trying to make their products appealing and adoptable to the average home owner or shop keeper, who may not be tech-savvy or have the resources to hire IT specialists. Another interesting find was iCatch's latest NVR that enables consumers to use QR scanners to connect their IP cameras to the NVR.

5. Scalability Reincarnated
Installer-friendly products were not easy to miss. For example, Etherwan's ED3638 PoE switch can transmit data and electricity up to 1.8 kilometers, said Alvin Hsu, PM; Planet's BSP-300 solar-power switch is particularly suited for integrators struggling with outdoor cabling. Brickcom's FocusEasy makes life easier for installers, by beeping loudly when the camera is correctly focused; it is aimed at the hotel industry or large-scale projects that require many installations, said Anchi Chen, Marketing Administrator. All these products are designed with convenience in mind, by saving installers or system integrators valuable resources. These products are also ideal for large-scale projects and applications.

6. Value Adds
More camera and NVR manufacturers are teaming up with VCA companies to increase the added value of their products. To target the retail sector, Nuuo teamed up with Vit to add on people-counting features onto its NVR, while VIVOTEK has been cooperating with Cognimatics to add on similar people-counting features onto its IP cameras. Other common VCA features include people counting, item removal detection, and virtual fences that are targeted for retail market applications.

7. Mobility
From remotely monitoring video surveillance cameras to opening doors via NFC technology, mobile applications are increasingly prevalent. The popularity of smartphones and tablets is pushing this trend in the security sector. The majority of NVR manufacturers, such as iCatch and Nuuo, have matching mobile apps to enable remote monitoring, while newer access control systems from WFE Technology allow smartphones to open doors using NFC. Nearly all NFC access control systems are RFID-based at the show, with the exception of Hundure Technology that has promoted a Bluetooth NFC reader.

8. Hot Access
Access control manufacturers such as Pongee and WFE were promoting multicredential readers with four to five credentials targeting the banking or hotel sector. End users can choose which credentials they want to use. According to Johnson Wu, PM of Waferlock at WFE, markets that require high security, such as the banking sector, are more likely to use a combination of credentials or utilize all credentials offered.

9. Gaze Downward
Manufacturers are aiming for the mid- to low-end market with hopes of tapping into retail, home, hotel and banking applications. This was reflected with the promotion of affordable retail solutions with fewer functions, but easy installation, such as VIVOTEK's Counter Cam, a small 180-degree panoramic camera with very basic functions. Even Flir, which had traditionally manufactured high-end thermal imaging cameras, was promoting its first commercial camera, the VT602, at the show (which still costs US$190,000).

10. Emerging Opportunities
Most video surveillance manufacturers agreed that sales are particularly well in emerging markets. Dali Technology and Merit  LILIN both responded sales were particularly well in Middle East, while NVR manufacturer Qnap noted sales were particularly well in Central and South America.

Australian pharmacy cures surveillance ailments with networked video

Editor / Provider: Axis Communications | Updated: 5/7/2013 | Article type: Commercial Markets

Australia's largest pharmacy retailer, Chemist Warehouse, rolled out an IP-based video surveillance system consisting of 5,500 Axis Communications network cameras and Milestone Systems enterprise VMS at its 240 stores nationwide to monitor prescription drugs. The retailer had used the cameras and VMS for more than five years. Camera models deployed include fixed domes, outdoor vandal resistant HD domes, HD network cameras, 3-megapixel HD cameras.

The Australian pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated, with a raft of stringent compliance criteria that must be satisfied on an ongoing basis. The security of prescribed medication is paramount and maintaining a reliable security network is an industry regulation. In order to remain at the forefront of pharmacy services in Australia, Chemist Warehouse, needed to work with a solution that was reliable as well as scalable to keep up with their expansion.

“As with all Australian pharmacies, we stock a large variety of sought-after prescription and over-the-counter medications,” said Ryan Calvert, IT Operations Manager, Chemist Warehouse. “Because of this, we cannot afford to have even one camera down.”

“Our blind testing revealed that Axis' cameras have a less than a one per cent failure rate, compared to cameras from other vendors which generally had a failure rate of between four and five per cent,” explained Calvert. Chemist Warehouse chose an IP-based system because of its open platform, infrastructure to support evolving software applications and network integration, such as adding software applications onto its existing network as they develop. In addition, the system's scalability could provide for future surveillance needs in a way analog solutions could not, thus investments could be futureproofed, hence reducing total cost of ownership and increasing long-term ROI.

Axis cameras' compatibility with Milestone software was also a bonus for Chemist Warehouse, according to Angelo Salvatore, Manager, Australia, Milestone. “Milestone enterprise VMS enables Chemist Warehouse to manage, control, view, search and export the live or recorded image feed from the latest Axis new generation network cameras, over hundreds of sites without complex networking and design considerations,” said Salvatore. “By choosing the non-propriety, open platform Milestone IP video management solution, Chemist Warehouse has the ability to customize the system to ensure it fits both the current and future needs of the organization's security and business goals.”

“With so many different stores and thus so many different layouts and traffic figures to contend with, it was important that we used software that could be tailored according to the demands of each store,” said Calvert. Calvert pointed out the company did not have to hire additional IT specialist to view recorded footage over the network. Summing up the Axis solution, Calvert said he has been extremely happy with the reliability and scalability of the Axis Network cameras for many years.

EverFocus wins IP Camera Excellence Award at Secutech International 2013

Editor / Provider: EverFocus | Updated: 5/6/2013 | Article type: Security 50

EverFocus awarded the camera Excellence Awards in IP camera contest at 2013 Secutech in Taipei World Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall last week.

2013 Secutech, International Security Expo held from Apr. 24 -26, attracted over 520 manufacturers and professional visitors from 19 countries to Taiwan. EverFocus - an a&s 2012 Security Top 50 manufacturer -- received 2013 Secutech Camera Excellence Awards with their EAN3300― a 3 Megapixel IP Camera. With this award, the well-known CCTV manufacturer made a clear announcement to the world that they are ready for the IP battle, and once again proved their continuous hard work in IP producing is paid-off.

Earlier this year, the EverFocus EPN4220 IP speed dome received this year's Taiwan Excellence Award. Winning another IP camera Excellence Award at Secutech shows that the expansion of their product line is continuing successfully. The award proved their R&D engineers have also developed an extensive expertise in IP products.

During the contest, organized by Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media, cameras of various brands were set up to monitor the color saturation and restoration, effective frame rate, camera shutter speed, and resolution performance. The contest also had an on-site live demo component, that not only served as a clear buyer's guide for IP Cameras but also a big encouragement for EverFocus and its business partners.

The EverFocus EAN3300 is a box-type IP camera delivering 3 Megapixel image resolution. It features WDR functionality, which can provide clear images even under back light circumstances where intensity of illumination can vary excessively. H.264/M-JPEG multi-stream output is available for simultaneous live monitoring and high-resolution recording. The EAN3300 is designed for simple installation and supports all types of indoor mounting applications.

The HD-SDI Demonstration was also a highlight of the Secutech. HD-SDI cameras and DVRs were installed to monitor banking activities in a simulated environment. EverFocus showed off their EPHD04 DVR and EQH5202, providing a total banking solution and achieved resounding success in this demonstration.

The EverFocus EPHD04 DVR supports 1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720 resolution HDcctv cameras and offers real time HD recording and playback for all cameras at 1080p resolution. At the same time, all cameras are available for remote live display with reduced bandwidth. The built-in HDcctv DVR web server enables live display and playback of video footage without the use of specific software - a PC with web browser is all you require. Users can search video by date, time and event or filter by type of recording quickly and efficiently.

VIVOTEK wins IP Camera Excellence Award at Secutech International 2013

Editor / Provider: VIVOTEK | Updated: 5/6/2013 | Article type: Security 50

VIVOTEK is honored to announce that it has won the Camera Excellence Award at Secutech Taipei 2013 for the past three consecutive years. This year, the award was bestowed on the new IP8371E 3.1-Megapixel Bullet Camera, complete with brand-new features such as Smart Streaming.

Secutech Taipei, an annual international security expo promoting global security solutions, is held each year by Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media, at the Taipei World Trade Center, Nangang Exhibition Hall. The Camera Excellence Award, a competition event held at Secutech this year on April 24-26, 2013, has not only been regarded as a platform for leading camera manufacturers' product showcases, but also as an index of outstanding IP cameras and technology achievement.

VIVOTEK's IP8371E, a bullet type network camera especially designed for outdoor use, is equipped with a 3.1-Megapixel CMOS sensor, enabling the camera to capture 1920x1080 resolution video at 60 fps. By supporting high-performance H.264/MPEG-4/MJPEG compression technology, the IP8371E guarantees extra-smooth video quality while reducing the file size and saving the bandwidth and storage. With the addition of 30-meter IR illuminators and WDR enhancement, the delivery of superior image quality around the clock is assured, with images great distances under challenging lighting conditions captured precisely. Furthermore, being designed with a weather-proof IP67-rated housing and wide temperature range capacity, the IP8371E is protected against rain, dust and extreme weather, ensuring the camera's operation in all types of challenging weather conditions.

Steve Ma, VIVOTEK's Executive VP, indicated: "I would like to thank Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media and the honorable judges for their support and recognition. It is a great honor for us to be granted this prestigious award three years in a row. VIVOTEK will continue our commitment to the product excellence and technology development based on a foundation of profoundly innovative R&D."