Genetec and HID Global on the Mideast Market

Editor / Provider: John Shi & Jill Lai, a&s International | Updated: 4/11/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

The two leaders in their respective fields share with a&s their take on developing business and sustaining growth in this exciting market.

Genetec
The Middle East is a fertile and growing market for Genetec, and we are happy to be providing our unified security software services to a number of airports in this region. A good example is the Genetec deployment at the Dubai Airport. We had an on-site engineer that stayed on the project for 18 months to work with integrators, helping them with technical information and tasks, and to transfer knowledge about our products to the support teams that would be permanently on-site. Our dedicated support person was also crucial in helping the integration team address and solve specific requirements and challenges that came up, which are inherent in the Middle East market. We have built Genetec to be much more than a software development company — not simply focused on designing software — but also on anticipating challenges and finding solutions that offer the best unified security, access, and license plate recognition (LPR) systems and services to the Middle East, and all throughout the world.

In the Middle East initially, our biggest customers were large public infrastructures and government properties, such as airports, seaports and police facilities. We have recently begun to aggressively expand into banking and transportation markets. With our LPR offering, we are also making headway into security for highways, law enforcement, and traffic & parking management as well.

A crucial goal of Genetec is to select and certify its integrators so that we can develop close working relationships with them, and help them cultivate a specialization in our tools. Genetec integration partners can work as security experts and quickly adjust to any project, independent of the size of the customer or project. Very similar to general contractors, our local integrators maintain many partnerships with skilled teams that can run cabling or perform many of the manual, physical tasks related with installing cameras, for example. It is very important for Genetec to maintain a comprehensive roster of integrators, skilled to address the unique needs of the different vertical industries we serve. This focus ensures we limit conflicts within our integrator channels, and avoid wasted time.

HID Global (Assa Abloy)
HID Global's go-to-market strategy is via channel partners, and as a result, we have successfully built a comprehensive ecosystem of channel partners in the region. HID's solution portfolio is structured across four main business units: access control including network access solutions; secure card issuance that includes Fargo card personalization solutions; identity assurance, which comprises of credential management and strong authentication products and services; and the government sector that includes highly secure ID cards and passport inlays.

HID's key vertical focus in the Middle East is within the government, oil and gas, aviation, enterprise and commerce sectors, with increasing importance in the health care sector within this region.

Typically, HID has different types of channel partners that include system integrators, OEMs and distributors/resellers. For example, system integrators are companies who buy products from HID and integrate them in end-user solutions. This could be for access control or IT security, or a combination of both. Distributors/resellers tend to work with smaller integrators or installers, predominantly in the physical access control area and for secure card issuance distribution.

Our Advantage HID Channel Partner Program is designed to develop and maintain a long-term value proposition with channel partners. We provide a comprehensive set of benefits to enable our partners to extract significant value from these long-term customer relationships. From industry leading margin on product resale, deal registration benefits, training, market development funds (MDFs) and leads, through to joint marketing activities, HID has a deep understanding of how to build mutually beneficial partner relationships. For example, MDFs support channel partners' sales and marketing initiatives.

Lead generation is vital to any successful program. We find that the most effective lead generation activities are achieved from an integrated marketing approach constituting online and offline, outbound and inbound activities across multiple media. Through our partner program, we are committed to helping our partners develop revenue opportunities and secure new business.

We have a strong and growing team in the region, tasked with supporting our partners and helping drive joint business with end users. Adding in the investment we make in events, such as Gitex and Intersec, as well as private events, such as our soon-to-be announced online banking seminars, we have a comprehensive approach to the sales channel strategy in the Middle East.

Milestone strengthens XProtect interconnectability

Editor / Provider: Milestone Systems | Updated: 4/10/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Milestone Systems announced expansions to the Milestone XProtect VMS portfolio with the addition of a new product called XProtect Expert and a new system concept, Milestone Interconnect. New versions of XProtect Corporate and all client interfaces will also be released in May. With a greater focus on delivering products optimized for customer needs, the new offerings in the XProtect VMS line will give increased flexibility and centralized management for dispersed locations.

At a Press Briefing held last night, Milestone founder and Chief Product Officer John Blem described the brand-new XProtect Expert 2013 as specially designed for medium and large installations. “We are strengthening Milestone's offering in the mid to high-end market. The central management interface allows large systems with multiple recording servers to be efficiently managed as one uniform system. With features for sophisticated live monitoring, centralized management and high-performance video recording, XProtect Expert provides scheduled and event-driven rules to make it easy to automate security actions and control external systems, reducing the number of manual tasks.”

The new XProtect Expert 2013 gives instant feedback on system performance, enabling proactive system administration. Configuration reports enable system integrators to document the system and provide detailed listing of all configuration settings, too. Highly efficient 64-bit recording servers help save money on total system costs because customers can run more cameras with fewer servers. Edge storage furthermore can provide a level of reliability for installations with unstable network connections: the software can use camera-integrated storage as a safeguard function for uninterrupted audio and video recording in the event of network or server failure.

XProtect Corporate 2013 also now provides high availability support for high-security installations, enabled by the new hot standby recording server that maintains video viewing and recording capabilities with minimal interruption and video loss in the event of system hardware problems.

Both XProtect Corporate and XProtect Expert come packaged with the latest suite of client viewing applications: the full-featured XProtect Smart Client 2013, the easy-to-use XProtect Web Client 2013, and Milestone Mobile 2013 for users on the go. These provide a flexible choice of access to live and recorded video for situational overview, alarm handling, multi-layered interactive maps and the ability to flag suspicious incidents for later review. In addition, the new release of XProtect Smart Client is a true multi-screen application enabling security operators to work more efficiently with several floating windows across multiple monitors.

Milestone has also introduced a new system concept called Milestone Interconnect, a cost-effective way to connect different XProtect VMS products with XProtect Corporate 2013 to manage centralized surveillance across geographically dispersed sites. Milestone Interconnect is designed to enable efficient branch rollouts with easy installation and system cloning possibilities, combined with optimized daily operation where proactive alarm detection and remote management reduce the need for costly on-site visits.

Three examples were described:
1. Milestone Interconnect is a very cost-efficient solution for large-scale retail chains, where headquarters can use XProtect Corporate while each store selects other XProtect software that best suits its needs. The video recordings can be retrieved from remote sites outside business hours to optimize use of system bandwidth, and system settings can be copied and applied to all stores to reduce installation costs.
2. For the transportation sector, vehicles can record video to onboard cameras, not needing constant network connection. The recordings are transferred to the central system on demand or by schedule with seamless upload, eliminating the need to manually gather video.
3. For partners running alarm centers, Milestone Interconnect creates new business opportunities through its ability to connect with a wide range of customers. Operators use maps and alarms to quickly verify and respond to incidents, reducing costly on-site visits. It is a cost-effective solution for the customers because they can choose the right XProtect software for their budget and needs.”

Axis and Milestone on the Mideast market

Editor / Provider: John Shi & Jill Lai, a&s International | Updated: 4/9/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

In this feature, the dynamic duo share with a&s their vertical and channel development efforts in the thriving region.

Axis Communications
Banking, retail, education and transportation are our top four vertical markets in this region, and we also have critical infrastructure projects that are usually government-driven. Our channel partners program based on loyal and long-lasting relationships has been the role model in the industry, and was designed to help channel partners capitalize on Axis' market leadership in the fast-growing network video market. Our academy is another value-added tool for our systems integrators and end customers to share the knowledge that we have gained in the market since we first introduced the technology in 1996.

Based on our market outlook, we feel that it is critical to have a bigger physical presence in the countries we are focused on. We are now underway with a big recruitment strategy, which will lead to a substantial increase of personnel across the region in the short- and long-term to best serve our markets.

Milestone Systems
Throughout the five years Milestone has been in the Middle East, we have grown to cover all the countries in the GCC and high-end market sectors. For example, we have developed a partner channel that has been focusing on retail, and we've seen a very healthy business with the large retail sites. What we are planning to do in 2013 is to focus on expanding the partners with the distributors we have in the region to work with us on growing the mid- to low-end markets.

One of the things we see in the Middle East is that we have a great potential in the mid- to low-end markets with our wider variety of product offerings for these segments. The high-end market is dominated by two to three manufacturers in the Middle East, and Milestone already has a majority presence. What we aim to achieve now is a majority presence in the professional to low-end market. Milestone definitely has software products that are designed for these parts of the market. What we can do is make them more appealing to those users. We basically plan to strengthen our position in those markets, making it easier and more attractive to do business with our entire product portfolio.

Milestone has multiple distribution channels working with the main camera brands that our software supports, and the same applies to the mid- to low-range camera brands that cover the market's full range of needs. Some of our distributors are able to focus on the mid-market, and we have global partners like Anixter, Network Information Technology, Norbain, Westec and Cerebra, as well as some good local installing partners and distributors since 2002. Milestone also has a decent base of systems integrators who are certified to sell and implement our solutions in the region.

Nice Systems rolls out easy-to-deploy PSIM

Editor / Provider: NICE Systems | Updated: 4/8/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Nice Systems announced the roll out of Situator Express, an easy to deploy solution for security situation management which adds an advanced layer of management to the NiceVision IP video surveillance system. The solution enables organizations to effectively monitor, manage and correlate data from four principal security systems - video, access control, intrusion, and fire detection - at a low total cost of ownership.

Situator Express is an open solution that fuses video data from NiceVision with incoming data from additional security systems to provide a unified, holistic operating picture with an intuitive display of maps and images. Using smart sensor correlation, video analytics, and automatic adaptive workflows, Situator Express enables organizations to manage security situations in real time and coordinate the most effective responses according to predefined security procedures. With it, meaningful information is shared with all relevant stakeholders and collaboration is promoted with other departments and external agencies. The solution also has an integrated reporting tool that provides information for later investigation, debriefing, and proof of compliance.

Nice's Security solutions help organizations capture, analyze and leverage big data to anticipate, manage and mitigate security and safety risks, improve operations, and make the world a safer place. The Nice security, intelligence and cyber offerings provide valuable insights that enable enterprises and governments to take the best action at the right time by correlating structured and unstructured data from multiple sensors and channels, detecting irregular patterns, and recognizing trends. Nice Security solutions are used by thousands of customers worldwide, including transportation systems, critical infrastructure, city centers, banks, enterprises and government agencies.

Identive expands NFC online portal to address the Japanese market

Editor / Provider: Identive Group | Updated: 3/29/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Identive Group, a provider of solutions and services for the identification, security and RFID industries, announced that it is expanding support for the fast growing near field communication (NFC) market in Japan with the launch of a Japanese language version of its popular NFC online marketplace.

"With localized language and product support through our office in Tokyo, www.IdentiveNFC.com/jp now provides Japanese businesses, developers and consumers with direct access to the industry's widest selection of NFC tag types and personalization options," said Dr. Manfred Mueller, COO of Identification Products for Identive. "In addition to an array of tags in the globally accepted NFC Forum Types 1, 2 and 4, for the Japanese market Identive also offers Type 3 tags based on Sony Corporation's FeliCa Lite chip technology."

Similar to NFC, contactless card-based FeliCa technology has been widely deployed in Japan for many years for public transportation, customer loyalty programs and payment applications. With 70 million NFC-enabled smartphones and other devices now deployed in Japan, there is a growing need for NFC infrastructure products that work with these NFC devices as well as with FeliCa cards.

Getting good vibes from the Mideast

Editor / Provider: John Shi and Jill Lai, a&s International | Updated: 3/28/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

In this feature, a&s collects feedback from active channel players in the Middle East, in an attempt to share best practices in business development with solutions providers interested in expanding in the thriving region.

Al Taaraf Group of Companies
Al Taaraf set up its operation in the Middle East region in 1985 under the brand name of Proline UK, associated with Proline UK Electronics. Al Taaraf is extensively involved in supply and installation of security systems in the Middle East and Africa. We mainly work with the brands from Korea, Taiwan and the U.K. to cover the products from CCTV, access control, intrusion alarm and support local system integrators to compete with some multinational brands as well.

Al Taaraf supplies security systems via several outlets in Dubai, followed by a group of highly qualified technical staff. Having several sub distributors in each country of this region, Al Taaraf extensively concentrates on the Middle Eastern market including Iran, African countries and Pakistan. Al Taaraf is privileged to achieve many industry firsts in the Middle East — the first member of BSIA (UK) and HDcctv Alliance, and the first company certified with ISO 9001:2008 in security trading. We supply our customers with analog products, which account for approxi?mately 50 percent of our total sales volume, and IP as well as HD-SDI products, around 35 percent. We have held a very strong market share since the first day we were established.

We see high potential in IP and HD-SDI products, for their high-image quality and real-time performance, and fiber optics, the solution for the long-distance transmission. We also launched fire alarm systems so that our buyers can have one single source to buy all the security equipments.

Business Automation & Security Systems
The good thing or advantage of Samsung products is that the products are so flexible that you can easily uses them to approach all market sectors. Samsung Techwin is strong enough in commercial & hospitality markets, especially hospitals, hotels, school buildings, residential buildings, and retail. To meet the demands of those markets, the products should have high performance and competitive prices. Samsung Techwin is able to meet both requirements. Samsung has launched a full range of products targeting end users such as in small shops, villas, construction offices and any other personal use in very low cost — they come in one simple package, where cables, brackets, outdoor weatherproof IR cameras and DVR are already connected inside. Users don't need any technical background for installation. What users have is like basic connection. This helps them save on high installation fees and achieve security.

IP TEC General Trading
The hospitality and banking sectors are the first to demand HD video quality in the Middle East market, followed by the medical sector. Our policy is always to be at the forefront of technology and once again, we are focusing our recourses to provide first hand support and training to our customers in the HD CCTV evolution.

We have two divisions within our group — traditional stockist master distributor setup created for large-scale sub distributors who have already penetrated their market and constantly rely on our efficient deliveries from our huge stokeholds, and a value-added distributor who provides business development support for new comers in the market, or exiting sub distributors who want to venture in new fields of security. Our customers combine our two structures with their own local knowledge to gain an edge over their competition and excel in their business.

Johnson Controls
In the Middle East region, Johnson Controls operates through a multi-channel strategy in the market. We have our own Johnson Controls offices in various countries across the Middle East as well as authorized partners in others. Our goal is to serve customers in the most effective way for us to meet and exceed their needs. Historically, Johnson Controls operated through channel partners and selected direct presence. In 2005, we acquired York International, a major equipment provider with a strong presence in the Middle East. This launched a new chapter for Johnson Controls and allowed us to extend our presence, get closer to our customers, and serve them throughout the lifecycle of their buildings. The Emirates Towers, a famous project here in Dubai, was one of the largest prestigious building management system (BMS) projects that Johnson Controls completed in the late 90s. In later years, another opportunity rose from the ground as Johnson Controls completed the complex security on the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. As our business grew, so did our presence, and Johnson Controls is continuously expanding across the Middle East region.

As we look to be closer to our customers, Johnson Controls is not only strengthening our own offices, but also growing and expanding the capabilities of our partner distribution channels. Through this approach we will be able to strategically align our expertise in the market and deliver solutions to customers which are built around their needs. Our ability and expertise to deliver everything from chillers to complex security integrations and technology contracting is a differentiator which sets us apart from our competitors.

Our strength grows even further specifically in transportation, healthcare, and commercial buildings. We've also worked closely with government municipalities and maintain strong relationships with ministries across the region. These entities value Johnson Controls expertise and frequently approach us as a trusted advisor in helping to design the highest level of complex security in their geographies. Johnson Controls recognizes that integration is core for complex security, and this is where our strength lies. We have thousands of integrations and multiple custom development teams which allow us to create operational and energy efficiencies, ultimately leading to a greater return on investment for our customers.

Norbain
Norbain has been active in the region for approximately 18 years. However, we began our investment in the region in 2005 with an office in Dubai and have continued with that investment; in December 2012, we opened a new office for the Saudi market. This is a continuation of our strategy, to not only invest in the U.A.E but the Middle East region. The Middle East region, as well as our other regions, is covered by an experienced multilingual international sales team that has unrivalled experience in a wide diversity of sales and regulatory environments, and political, cultural, economic, and social situations.

As a value-added distributor and solution provider, we are a specialized security one stop shop. For sure the fact of having a wide portfolio of security products with well trained personnel to support our sales team helped us in this market by allowing us to add value to our partners' businesses, and enabled us to tackle most of the projects with complete turnkey solutions.

Schneider Electric
Our primary focus will be on the enterprise segment market that includes airports, seaports, marine, oil and gas, as well as upscale shopping complexes, and hotel properties. Public infrastructure and hospitality will serve as key drivers of our business. The rapid technology convergence has seen video emerge as an integral part of the network infrastructure of enterprises. Consequently, integrators are becoming increasingly involved with building related technology, leading to an IP-centric business model. Schneider Electric specialists are highly skilled with a complete understanding of both the hardware and software of complex, customized, and integrated systems that must be implemented to meet the needs of different facilities.

At Schneider Electric, we benefit from working closely with specialist system integrators in various areas such as security, building automation, access control, and video management among others. Our manufacturing capabilities are further complemented by a particularly strong channel partner network that forms the framework of our distribution operation. As part of efforts to support our channel partners and end users, Schneider Electric is committed to providing them with ongoing training. Towards this end, we have established a dedicated training center in Dubai offering courses, workshops, and certification.

Undoubtedly, major projects require the resources and network of a multinational company such as Schneider Electric. Our relationship with our partners ensures that projects are managed and executed according to specific schedules. For mega projects such as airports, it is often a prerequisite of the client to work directly with Schneider Electric.

Siemens Building Technologies
The Siemens Building Technologies division offers a comprehensive portfolio of products, solutions and services for building automation, fire safety and security. This offering ensures that buildings are energy-efficient and that any kind of critical infrastructure is protected. We address our customers in two ways: Through our own channel, using the local Siemens branches for installation as well as service and maintenance afterwards. The other channel that is especially important in this region is by working together with our value-added partners. We are looking for strong local partners to provide our Siemens fire safety product range to the customers and enable them to be successful through proper local support, e.g. training, application, and product launch support.

In many emerging countries, our customers prefer working with local companies to collaborating with multinational companies from somewhere abroad. You see this, for example, in Brazil right now, where they are preparing for the Olympic Games and the soccer world championships. They prefer local companies and value adding partners to install and maintain Siemens fire safety products. By doing so, we create added value in the country. In terms of the capabilities of local partners to do the job, we see a strong development in emerging countries, too. Especially here in the Middle East region, our local Siemens partners do a great job, really adding value with their highly skilled and competent engineers.

Identive smart tickets for skiing

Editor / Provider: Identive Group | Updated: 3/26/2013 | Article type: Security 50

While waiting for spring to bloom, many across the North are still hitting the slopes. A number of ski resorts have adopted RFID so lift tickets can be kept in skiiers' pockets enabling lift gates to open automatically. Though a fixture at many European slopes, RFID tickets are beginning to emerge in Aspen, Solitude, and a handful of other US resorts.

Identive RFID tickets are increasingly being employed for authentication and access control in transportation and other environments, improving efficiency and convenience while helping to quickly and safely process high volumes of travellers or visitors

Axis strengthens N. American business development in financial and gov sectors

Editor / Provider: Axis Communications | Updated: 3/26/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Axis Communications announced the addition of two security industry veterans to its North American business development team: Stephen Joseph becomes Axis' first North American business development manager for Banking & Finance, while John Merlino was appointed as business development manager for Government Programs.

Additionally, to fortify the business development team and plan for continued future growth, Robert Muehlbauer was promoted to Business Development Programs Manager and John Bartolac to Business Development Segments Manager.

Stephen Joseph – Business Development Manager, Banking & Finance
The banking and finance industry has one of the lowest convergence rates from analog to digital video surveillance. Stephen Joseph will leverage more than 30 years of industry experience to drive Axis' educational efforts with banking and finance integrator partners and end-customers to impart the security and operational benefits of migrating from analog CCTV to IP video.

"With the considerable rise of physical attacks in banking and finance, the industry is primed to learn how the adoption of network video and intelligent analytics can expedite investigations while providing new methods of increasing operational efficiencies through system integration with other IP-based platforms," Joseph said. "With the increased pace of technological advancements, I'm excited to be part of an organization that is truly innovative and consistently striving to properly educate the market on IP security."

Since 1981 the New York-based Joseph has worked closely with banking and finance customers while at Tyco Integrated Security. He began his career as a field service technician and was promoted through the ranks to numerous customer-facing positions, including national account manager and, most recently, regional relationship manager.

John Merlino – Business Development Manager, Government Programs
John Merlino joins Axis following two decades of active and reserve Military service in the United States Navy and more than twenty years working in the physical and logical security industry, most recently in a global business development role at Lenel Systems International.

"It's not a matter of if but when the government sector will go all IP," said Merlino. "As the global market leader, Axis has been driving the shift away from outdated analog CCTV since inventing the network camera in 1996. There really couldn't be a more perfect time to join this team and help bring quality products and expertise to a domain already dedicated to protecting our communities and country." 

Business Development Team Organization
Due to increased activity and growth of the North American business development team, Robert Muehlbauer and John Bartolac will manage the Axis programs and vertical segment teams, respectively. Both will continue to report to Scott Dunn, director of business development, and assist with long-term strategic direction and day-to-day team management.

Muehlbauer, who has been with Axis since 1999 and business development manager for the Axis Application Development Partner (ADP) Program since 2009, now also leads the Technology Partner Program (TPP) and Architect & Engineer (A&E) Program teams. Muehlbauer will work together with Vince Ricco, business development manager TPP, and Jack Meltzer, business development manager A&E Program, to drive joint network video solutions with Axis partners.

Bartolac, who joined Axis in 2009, will lead the vertical segment teams in retail, transportation and banking & finance while continuing to work closely on all government initiatives with Merlino. Jackie Andersen and Hedgie Bartol, retail business development managers, Anthony Incorvati, transportation business development manager, and Joseph will continue to drive their respective segments and work with Bartolac on strategic initiatives.

Asia Update: Truen stays ahead with IP speed domes

Editor / Provider: Truen | Updated: 3/25/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

Founded in 2005, Truen's products are used in transportation, broadcasting, security, and city surveillance. Some of its important clients include the highway authority of Korea, the Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC), and major television and radio network Korean Broadcasting System. With various network solutions to satisfy the needs of system integrators (SI), the company is able to form good working relationships with more than 100 local SIs. Aside from possessing high tech development skills, Truen's focus on the domestic market allowed the company to achieve a better understanding of local user requirements.

Though considered a late entrant of the industry, Truen acted as a pioneer in developing advanced technology. Not only was it the first Korean manufacturer to launch H.264 products in 2006, it was also one of the first in the industry to release a series of cameras and servers with 1,080p resolution at 60 frames per second in 2012, providing even higher resolution images in real time, and also surpassing current industry standards. Staying true to its innovative ways, Truen is also one of the first companies who are able to develop thermal IP cameras compliant to ONVIF and PSIA standards. As thermal cameras usually require higherstandards, in terms of algorithm and computing power, very few companies are able to achieve that. Upon the development of this thermal camera, the company is able to create new verticals as different industries realize its use in various applications. Being one of the first ONVIF members, Truen joined the organization in 2010. Within a year of joining, all of Truen's products became ONVIF-compliant.

Truen entered the foreign market in 2007 to market its own brand name, also with small ODM orders. With growing competition from China, Oscar Yoon, Overseas Sales Team Manager at Truen, believed targeting high-end megapixel network speed domes to be the best way to counter Chinese products saturating the low- to mid-end sector. Truen will continue the expansion of its network HD speed dome products portfolio, NVR, and 128-channel VMS. The company also plans to add intelligent functions to its cameras, so it will simultaneously possess both VMS and VCA functions.

In the upcoming years, Yoon said DVR sales will continue to drop and SDI products will face a similar fate. After all, IP surveillance products are the mainstream, with unlimited potential and room for development. Yoon also had high hopes for 3G-SDI, believing it will also have widespread adoption, as it can provide faster transfer rates of uncompressed HD video. Truen's network cameras are capable of transmitting both HDMI and HD-SDI, fitting the standards of the KEC. This user-friendly flexibility is also why Japanese customers select Truen products.

What makes IP cams tick

Editor / Provider: Tevin Wang, a&s International | Updated: 3/21/2013 | Article type: Tech Corner

According to IMS Research's (part of IHS) 2012 forecasts, the global market for IP-based video surveillance equipment is expected to surpass US$5.4 billion this year (overall video equipment market at roughly $13.6 billion). As competition continues to intensify, a&s looks into how mainstream megapixel cameras differ and differentiate in terms of features, promotion, and after-sale warranties and services.

Today's mainstream IP cameras are 2-megapixel (MP) ones. “Even if a camera captures images in higher resolution than 2-MP, major displays support full HD only and the whole image cannot be shown in one display,” said Alex Iida, Senior Manager of Visual Security Solutions for APAC, Sony Electronics.

As more pixels do not necessarily translate to clearer and more usable footage, features that need to be highlighted and compared lie elsewhere. “In fact, the higher the resolution, the significantly less the sensitivity is. This is one of the most important considerations in security applications, especially in low-light environments,” Iida elaborated. “Capturing images with higher resolution means data sizes will be larger, which cause problems in network bandwidth and storage, and result in higher expenses in integration and implementation.”

Sensitivity & Bandwidth
Image sensors are the deciding factor between good and excellent megapixel cameras, as light sensitivity becomes tricky with more pixels crammed onto the same piece of silicon. Sony has dedicated significant R&D efforts to this area. “The aspect ratio of our image sensors in the 2-MP cameras we have developed and adopted is 16:9 native. Compared to conventional 4:3 or 5:4 image sensors, 16:9 ones enable a larger pixel size for each pixel.” Thanks to this bigger pixel size, even with full HD resolution at 2-MP, sensitivity improvement is clearly visible.

As a pioneer of network cameras, VIVOTEK has also invested significantly in optimizing image quality, with respect to brightness, contrast, gamma and sharpness. “We have many parameters for image tuning and testing,” said Steve Ma, Executive VP at VIVOTEK. “Another difference would be bandwidth control. For more efficient bandwidth allocations, we advise our clients and integrators on ideal camera settings, such as SVC, CBR, cropping and local storage.” SVC provides more effective bandwidth and processor resource management by simultaneously dividing video data into multiple layers at different resolutions, picture sizes and frame rates, to meet the requirements of different client devices and network conditions. CBR offers flexible bit rate control in terms of maintaining stable bandwidth and allows users to simultaneously set an upper-bound mode for live viewing and choose an average mode for recording.

Multistream
Multistreaming means a number of video streams with different types of compression, such as H.264 and M-JPEG. These streams facilitate bandwidth-efficient viewing and recording. Streaming capability is highly dependent on the camera's processor and brand. Some make the most out of this feature as a key differentiator, while others do not believe it is a game changer.

Most manufacturers offer at least two streams, with some supporting three or even four independent streams. “Currently in our high line portfolio, we have three image sensors representing 720p and 1,080p resolutions. The sensor defines the maximum resolution for four streams and the type of streams that can be generated in HD streams; SD or HD streams, as a copy of the first stream; i-frame only streaming for recording; and MJPEG streams,” said Ad Biemans, Product Marketing Manager for Video Systems in EMEA, Bosch Security Systems.

Avigilon has a proprietary HD-stream management feature. “The feature enables users to manage video signals through the transmission and storage phases, without losing any of the visual quality of the signals,” said Rick Ramsay, Senior PM. “With this feature, only the requested portions of captured images are sent to operator workstations, optimizing the amount of bandwidth required. In addition to reducing client bandwidth usage, the feature also greatly reduces the processing load on the remote client, offering a unique way of working with multiple streams of H.264-compressed video to overcome many trade-offs. When a single stream is zoomed in for more detail, that stream will be automatically sent in full resolution while other streams are kept in low resolution for an overview version of the image.”

Verticalized Approach
Vertical segments such as commercial buildings, education, retail, transportation, city surveillance, traffic monitoring, airports and banking have specific demands for image clarity. “We have a range of cameras that are designed to be used in the most demanding conditions. One example is a vandal-proof corner-mount camera which is specified for prisons, hospitals and elevators,” Biemans said. Another example would be its ALPR line for vehicle surveillance and intelligent transportation applications.

Others like Axis Communications and Brickcom design and manufacture cameras for desert-like environments. “In desert areas — which make up about one-third of the earth's land surface — there are mining sites, oil and gas fields, pipeline installations as well as cities that need surveillance cameras that can withstand extreme heat and harsh conditions such as sandstorms,” said Erik Frannlid, Director of Product Management at Axis Communications. “It is critical for cameras with moving parts to have a high enough operating temperature to ensure optimal and reliable performance. The reason is that a camera with direct exposure to sunlight can be heated to a temperature of at least 15 degrees Celsius over the surrounding temperature, so an air temperature of 45 degrees may mean that the camera has to operate at 60 degrees. Our climate control system can handle rapid temperature changes to eliminate condensation.”

Similarly, Brickcom has launched cameras exclusively for places such as Russia, the Middle East, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, for their volatile weather conditions. These cameras are IP67-rated with built-in fan and heater to cope with outdoor environments, said Max Fan, Sales Director for Brickcom.

With the rapid growth of cities, Hikvision is eyeing the opportunity of traffic monitoring. “With detailed recognition and fast image capture speed, our solutions bring smarter surveillance and relief to traffic monitoring,” said Adler Wu, PM at Hikvision Digital Technology. “The improved resolution allows authorities to not only assess situations more quickly, but to allow them to respond in a timely manner.”

Regardless of the countless opportunities that megapixel cameras bring, manufacturers are advised to look at creative service models and solution offerings, to stay in business amid difficult trading conditions. Although reliability has always been key, it is financially and operationally sound to think outside the box to cater to the needs of customers of different verticals, regions or even cultural practices.

Making a Sale
The HD benefits are clear. What is not clear is how users should approach this new technology and what they should expect from it. As seeing is believing, live demonstrations are gaining popularity.

Brickcom started out as a network gear provider and prefers using toy trains to display full HD images via wireless transmission in real time. “We also designed an interactive demo of 2-MP cameras to highlight the plug-and-play, easy-to-use and auto-focus features,” Fan said.

With the omnipresence of the Internet, Secubest puts detailed product information and live demonstrations of its 2-MP cameras online. “Customers can experience live HD footage, along with the durability and design of our cameras through online demos anytime,” said Eva Chu, GM of Sales and Marketing at Secubest.

Sensing the proliferation of social-media marketing, LILIN has readjusted its marketing and promotional strategies to better cater to local taste and unique requirements, with the help of its seven subsidiaries worldwide, said Steve Hu, PM at Merit LILIN.

Securing the Investment
Customers do not want to purchase disposable cameras that need to be replaced or require maintenance constantly. Camera maintenance can be a huge expense, which is why end users pay attention not only to specs, features and algorithms, but also to warranties and after-sale support. Most manufacturers provide two- or three-year warranties. If other types of warranty are requested, some solution providers offer extension programs.

To further differentiate itself, IQinVision offers an all-inclusive five-year warranty on the majority of its products. “The only products which come with our shorter, three-year warranty are those with auto back focus or motorized zoom and focus lenses,” said Alex Doorduyn, Director of Product Marketing. When certain models are no longer manufactured, “we charge for repairs but still offer free telephone support for cameras outside of warranty.” IQinVision believes that customers should not allow manufacturers with poor-quality products and manufacturing processes to dictate the life span of a technology, especially in such a vital industry like security.