Technology & Trends - CCTV cameras

Event-driven video for surveillance and recording involves using a video recorder or video management software system that is triggered by movement in the areas where cameras are located. Event-driven video can be achieved by using intelligent motion detection or video contents analytics (VCA) on the camera, recorder or PC server. Recently, performance of VCA has improved; however, some conditions can still affect detection using the camera image. Tomo Ito, Business Development Man...

If a security or video surveillance / CCTV system isn’t working, who’s to blame? Or more to the point, what’s to blame? Is the problem the malfunction of a specific device on the edge of the IP network, or is it a network or other system failure? How can an end user or dealer / installer know what the problem is? How can a camera manufacturer know if a call to their overworked tech support department is really about the manufacturer’s camera or cau...

Editor's Note: HDcctv Alliance has announced that Dahua has opened its patented HDCVI technology to the global video surveillance industry as the basis for HDcctv's AT 2.0 standard. For additional elaboration on what the move means to the growing market for higher-resolution CCTV, we approached Todd Rockoff, chairman and executive director of HDcctv Alliance. SourceSecurity.com: How is HDcctv AT 2.0 superior to HD-SDI or other previous approaches? Todd Rockoff:  When i...

On April 16, 2013, snipers fired for 19 minutes on PG&E Corp.'s Metcalf electric power transmission station near San Diego, California, knocking out 17 giant transformers that supply electricity to Silicon Valley. At least 100 rounds were fired from at least one high-powered rifle. The power grid was rerouted to avoid a blackout, but it took 27 days to make repairs and get the substation back up and running. The incident got the attention of regulators and security prof...

In a highly competitive marketplace, where organisations need to ensure they are contracting for the best possible services, value must be visible. This starts with aligning with the right service provider – one that is dedicated to the organisation’s success and has the people and processes to make an impact. Certainly most, if not all, service organisations say that they strive to exceed client expectations and meet the highest standards in their industry &ndash...

When comparing specifications among a range of similarly featured video surveillance cameras, NVRs or monitors, it can be difficult to ascertain which of the devices truly has the best performance and/or quality. John Grabowski, National Sales and Marketing Manager of JVC Security Division, poses some questions for consideration: Can the human eye actually see a difference in image quality between one camera that offers 700 lines of resolution and another that offers 600...

Significant technological advancements have created endless possibilities in how security is not only deployed, but also leveraged by the end user – the customer. For example, customers can now view surveillance at eight different offices in eight different states from a single, central location. A security director can manage an enterprise-wide access control system, including revoking or granting access control privileges, for 10,000 global employees from a company’s...

A Managed Service solution ensures continuous system availability and functionality Managed Service methodologies have a proven record of improved operations, reduced ownership costs and the ability to migrate technology over time. Head of Enterprise Solutions for Siemens Building Technologies, Tony O’Brien, examines how this approach could impact the security and fire safety industries. How robust is your security and fire safety technology roadmap? A recent global sur...

Thermal cameras provide images that reliably show the presence of people in any lighting situation FLIR Systems broke a historic threshold in thermal camera pricing when it announced a thermal camera for $499 at the ISC West show in April. Before that announcement, the lowest-price thermal camera was $2,000, which was itself much lower than the $10,000 price just a few years ago in 2005. The price decrease resulted from FLIR’s R&D efforts specifically aimed at loweri...

Traditionally, security systems have been designed with the cameras in mind first then with added consideration for the infrastructure and cabling components. But this is old-school analogue thinking. Milestone Systems CEO Lars Thinggaard states that a security system can be designed for more than just protecting assets by starting with specifications for digital video management software (VMS) at the core of the solution. By thinking 'digital', an IP network video system can...

Pelco is making its big comeback with renewed vigour and new lines of surveillance products to set it apart from the rest Working to Regain Momentum in a Changing Market: Most observers agree that Pelco lost momentum in the video surveillance market after the acquisition by Schneider Electric in 2007. Hervé Fages, senior vice president of Schneider Electric's video business, is looking to regain that momentum, guiding the surveillance giant in new directions as the mark...

In China and Russia ONVIF Profile S compliance is becoming mandatory for smaller systems The familiarity and widespread use of ONVIF interfaces in the market are evidence of the success of ONVIF, which was created in 2008 by three manufacturers, Axis, Sony and Bosch. More evidence of success is a growing number of new members and compliant products. All over the world, ONVIF is being embraced – in China and Russia, as examples, ONVIF Profile S compliance is becoming mand...

 H.265/HEVC coding format will bring major benefits to IP video cameras offering a new level of video quality at an economic price The emergence last year of a new format for High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) is poised to have a huge impact on IP video surveillance cameras over the next few years. Among the benefits of the new H.265/HEVC coding format over the legacy H.264/MPEG-4 is a 40 percent or more bit rate reduction at the same visual quality. Therefore, a camera...

A U.S. economic forecast of 2.3 percent growth in real gross domestic product (GDP) bodes well for security businesses to thrive in a healthy economy in 2014. The Conference Board’s 2.3 percent growth prediction for 2014 is higher than its 1.7 estimate for 2013. Globally, both the physical access control and video surveillance markets are forecast to record healthy growth rates this year. Conference board predictions on housing starts (up 1.16 percent in 2014, compared...

A systems integrator can guide the selection of appropriate technologies to accomplish set objectives, leaving nothing to chance In this article, Laurie Smock-Jackson, Vice President of Sales at North American Video, explains that an experienced and knowledgeable system integrator is a valuable partner who can help casino management make the best choices for security and surveillance and get the most from its budget. It used to be that closing a sale simply entailed c...

High definition (HD) megapixel cameras can help in the surveillance of larger areas with fewer cameras while delivering superior detail and improving overall security operations. This translates into lower infrastructure costs and improved overall return on investment (ROI), enabling users to deploy less expensive video systems with megapixel cameras and achieve better performance and functionality. In this article, Scott Schafer, Executive Vice President of Arecont Vision ex...

Companies that have developed a culture of openness can provide and receive feedback at all levels The nail that sticks out gets hammered down” is an old Japanese saying that encourages an unspoken rule of conformity combined with an authoritarian hierarchical structure. Brent O’Bryan, SPHR at AlliedBarton Security Services, explains that a winning formula for both the organisation and an individual is a culture actively exhibiting healthy behaviours and practi...

72% of British consumers express preference for HD CCTV over standard CCTV systems According to a survey by YouGov and Avigilon, 38 percent of people feel safe in areas where they know CCTV is being used because it acts as a deterrent, and a further 41 percent attribute the feeling of safety to the fact security forces can use the footage if anything were to happen. The presence of CCTV in the UK makes people feel safe, but the images captured by today’s CCTV cameras are...

Video surveillance software now allows retailers to monitor a location from anywhere Beyond loss prevention, video surveillance can also boost operations and business intelligence. Gadi Piran of ONSSI details how surveillance video can be a powerful management tool for retailers which they can use to monitor and improve operational efficiencies, personnel productivity and save costs by integrating it with other important applications. Almost every retail location uses a...

One alternative purpose for a 360-degree camera is the ability to provide a panoramic view in a wall-mounted orientation Surveillance cameras that capture 360-degree images are unique. However, cameras with technology that enables a user to retrospectively track an incident back in time are even more unique. This combination provides customers with total situational awareness—a field of view much larger than the capability of narrow-field, fixed-view cameras. In this art...

Thermal video analytics identify intruders despite background water movement or glare off the water Ports represent a major point of vulnerability that could have potentially devastating effects on a nation’s economy. Securing a nation's ports is essential, and port perimeter security is the first line of defence against disruption to global commerce. In this article, SightLogix CEO, John Romanowich, explains how thermal cameras with embedded video analytics have bec...

Acquiring emergency phones is an effective way to improve security and safety How to maximise security capabilities of call boxes and emergency phonesFrom embedding a security camera to adding video surveillance capabilities to a call box to using emergency phone towers to provide enhanced perimeter security, some simple tips can significantly improve the utility of an emergency phone system for security applications. Here, Sam Shanes, Chairman at Talk-A-Phone, enumerat...

IT networks are expanding to include more users and applications The use of corporate IT network infrastructure for physical security applications such as video surveillance presents unique challenges. Jack Fernandes, President & CEO of American Fibertek, makes a case for separate networks using specialized equipment and technologies specifically designed for video surveillance which could also integrate other physical security functions. In today’s business world,...

Designing a surveillance system that is accurate and cost-effective for the outdoors has been a significant challenge for the security industry. However, time-proven technologies are now available that are specifically designed to accurately detect security breaches in a wide range of outdoor environments while addressing the core issue of nuisance alarms. In this article, John Romanowich, CEO of SightLogix, lists some of the typical challenges with outdoor surveillance as well as...

End users should consider the cost of anentire surveillance system rather than the cost of a single megapixel camera There is a misconception in the security industry that megapixel cameras are more expensive than conventional surveillance cameras. However, to understand real value, it's important to focus not on the price of a single camera but on the overall surveillance system cost. Looking at the cost holistically and contrasting it with the benefits will clearly demonstra...

As per DHS, Tier 1 facilities will go through a preliminary round of site inspections called pre-authorisation inspections (PAI) In October 2006, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2007 became law in the US. Section 550 of the Act ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to “...issue interim final regulations establishing risk-based performance standards for security of chemical facilities and requiring security vulnerability assessments a...

The choice of the right security technology is one of the primary considerations for implementation or upgrade of a video surveillance system or other security system. Industry professionals making this critical decision often have to choose between a ‘bleeding edge’ technology, i.e. one that is in its infancy but offers great potential, and a leading edge proven technology. In this article, Stephen Malia - Vice President of Engineering Services and Marketing at North A...

An integrated security system needs to fulfil user's security objectives and needs To meet a user’s specific needs, a truly integrated security solution must include video surveillance and other security systems on a single platform. Although this is a high criteria for any system designer to meet, it is now becoming increasingly possible. Integration solutions require a commitment and expertise on the part of systems integrators as well as security product manufacturers...

Ambient lighting in hospitality environments pose major challenges for video surveillance Variable lighting conditions pose a persistent challenge in video surveillance applications such as large retail locations, banks and financial institutions, and hospitality environments.Challenges to lighting quality Typically, retail locations, banks and hospitality venues include an abundance of windows. The resulting excessive light can damage video image quality, by flooding the ima...

New Norbain paying "compensation" to a select number of creditors Following the Administration and pre-pack sale of Norbain, it is now apparent that the new company (also called “Norbain”) has been paying “compensation” to some suppliers for the debts owed by the old company.  However, it is cherry picking which suppliers it chooses to compensate – some have received a significant proportion of their debt with old Norbain, while others have...