Technology & Trends - CCTV cameras

With security, as with any business cost-centre, business leadership wants to find savings where they make sense. As a result, one of the trends we are seeing is that security departments are teaming up with other departments - IT, operations, marketing - to maximise their investment in security systems and leverage the data collected by their physical security sensors to inform their business strategies. Rise in cyber-attacks We have also seen a worrying increase in cyber-attacks, like the hi...

The past year has seen growth in the deployment and use of edge analytics, plus a significant emphasis placed on robust cybersecurity. The expectation for 2017 is that these two trends will continue to be a driving factor for value-based decision making of large, influential customers. IP camera product lines from reliable and well-regarded brands that include edge analytics and offer a trusted, secure platform will be at an advantage over those that don’t. Looking back at the expectation...

The single largest group of consumer IoT devices being deployed is for home automation and residential security Business and technology analysts are in unanimous agreement that the number of IoT devices will explode into the many 10’s of billions within the next five years. These billions of new computing devices will produce enormous volumes of data about ourselves, our society, and our physical environment. The security industry is at ground zero of this upheaval. In f...

The holiday season generates 34% of annual sales for retailers but accounts for 37% of annual losses It is that time a year again, when shoppers and shoplifters converge on our retail outlets looking for that all important deal or steal. Peak shopping season This year, the National Retail Federation estimates holiday spending will rise 3.6% from 2015 to more than $655 billion. While the peak shopping season used to be defined as the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas Ev...

Innovation is not an end goal but an ongoing process that must be sustained Regardless of market, the challenge of commoditisation is very real for manufacturers as companies producing lower-end products continue to imitate the most advanced technologies. This creates a perception among customers, and the marketplace in general, that even leading-edge products with greater features, functionality, and value are indistinguishable from others on the market. As a result of commod...

Merging objectives into a business relationship requires ongoing communication along with a shared vision and values A myriad of books has been written on business relationships. From establishing and maintaining business relationships to compensation issues and contract terminations, there’s a how-to book out there on most every aspect of business. While I have never published a business “how-to” book, I do have the benefit of experience in successfully navi...

Thermal cameras see heat rather than light, so they are a perfect “human detector” Safeguarding outdoor assets in a reliable and cost-effective manner often comes down to a single requirement: Accurate intruder alerts and timely information about the unfolding event. While there are many technologies available for outdoor security, smart cameras with video analytics have emerged as the solution of choice for detecting intruders in real time outdoors. Yet the best...

As the trend from analogue to IP continues to progress, more and more security devices are IP-enabled for seamless network integration With rising concerns over organisations’ physical security and potential network vulnerabilities, it has become more important now than ever for security professionals and other decision makers to take actions that will guard against potential problems and help prevent system failures. One specific area of heightened focus is the implemen...

If all the components within a security and wider IT network have the ability to interact together, they can offer so much more than their individual capabilities The widespread use of open protocol systems is one of the most important developments in the security and safety sector for decades. With a heavy reliance upon various security softwares (even for physical security), using open systems has gone from being a desirable selling point to a necessity in the security indus...

Visitor management refers to the methods organisations use to admit and track visitors to their facilities. The concept is not new. Many facilities use some form of visitor management, ranging from simple sign-in sheets to high-tech approaches that scan government IDs to capture relevant data. But visitor management is more than a sheet of paper or a technology. It is also a policy that governs the how, why, and who of visitors. Increased security driving VMS upgra...

Panoramic cameras enable an operator to assess a wide field of view at a glance and to zoom in to view additional detail as needed. Providing this capability are a single camera, a single mounting location, and often using a single cable. Complete 180-degree or 360-degree coverage brings total situational awareness of the area being viewed. Panoramic cameras can also enable you to record everything in the field of view, all the time, and to zoom in for detail, wheth...

If one component within the infrastructure changes, other components may need to be changed too Developing a bill of materials for an infrastructure is not difficult if you have the right information. One word of caution: Infrastructures are unique. Each is individual, so don’t depend on drop-down menus; it simply will not work. If one component within the infrastructure changes, take the time to check and see if the rest of the components need to be changed, too. Let&...

The global market for security as a service is set to grow from $921 million in 2016 to $1.49 billion by 2020 The global security as a service market is made up of video surveillance as a service (VSaaS) and access control as a service (ACaaS). With video surveillance as a service, the user pays on a yearly, quarterly or monthly basis for the ability to view live or recorded surveillance data. Using access control as a service, the customer pays a subscription to have a server...

Hikvision has been in the news in the United Kingdom recently, including a front page news story in The Times. SourceSecurity.com offered Keen Yao, Vice President at Hikvision’s International Business Centre, a chance to set the record straight regarding concerns expressed about hacking of cameras, the company’s ties to the Chinese state, and its role as the biggest video surveillance equipment manufacturer in the world. Hikvision has come a long way in the past few ye...

If you want to cultivate new ideas among your employees, it is important to let them know that they are allowed to challenge the status quo The Americans asked for horses – Henry Ford gave them cars. In the beginning of the 20th century, he disrupted the transportation industry. He created a new market outmatching established leading companies, products and alliances. And he got the idea himself. Many of us want to disrupt our industries with new innovations that...

The use of multiple wires has advantages for network transmission Network connection to a remote device begins by considering the type of cable. In some cases, installed cable may already be present and available for reuse, or you may have the option to install a new cable. Let’s review the major types of cable used for most security applications, their advantages and disadvantages. Types of cables In general, there are four major types of cable. First is coaxial cab...

Deploying audio solutions would flag incidents not caught on camera With the increasing number of campus shootings and lockdowns, security is a top priority for schools. Decision-makers are looking to repair the inefficient security measures on campuses by either upgrading their current systems or installing state-of-the-art technologies to enhance situational awareness. Traditionally, security personnel have relied on video as the primary method of monitoring. However, this...

Better-performing video systems provide better security. Today’s end users demand systems with optimum performance, providing smooth video streams, higher resolutions, efficient storage, better analysis and quick access to stored images. Here are several technologies driving greater video surveillance capabilities: Innovations in image processing to boost system performance Higher resolutions are a challenge for video management systems, but new tools are mee...

48% of U.S. judges say they are not adequately prepared to deal with the range of “scientific or technical evidence” presented in court Over the last decade, the video surveillance security industry has morphed drastically in attempts to keep pace with both the consumer electronics and enterprise IT markets. This has created a steep learning curve for law enforcement as well as individuals in the judicial system. A 2012 survey titled “A national survey of ju...

The field of artificial intelligence known as machine learning or cognitive computing has in recent years become highly popular The field of artificial intelligence known as machine learning or cognitive computing has in recent years become highly popular. The meteoric rise of “deep learning” technology over the past several years has been truly dramatic in many industries. Industry giants from Google, Microsoft, Facebook, IBM and many others have been pouring mass...

For more than a decade, Verint Systems, Melville, New York, has been developing and redefining the phrase the company pioneered: actionable intelligence. Today, its real-world specifications provide an in-depth analysis of video and integrated physical security data, deepening the gathering of intelligence and lessening risk at the protected premises. The entire realm of situational awareness continues to transition as intelligence is gleaned from new points, with this trend only...

In our world we make mobile security equipment for surveillance on-the-go in moving vehicles There are too many moving parts to a mobile system to think we could just predict hardware innovations. In our world we make mobile security equipment for surveillance on-the-go in moving vehicles. To make it work it takes a village of components vendors to bring it all together into a system that will keep civilians safer in the future. Possibly to the point of preventing an event fro...

Part 6 of our Robots in Security series Later this year Universal Protection Service will begin offering a new autonomous robot to customers in California The next security guard you see may look more like R2D2 than Paul Blart, Mall Cop. Robots are starting to make their way into the offerings of security companies, and they may give guards a whole new image. Later this year Universal Protection Service — a division of Universal Services of America — wil...

We will examine the question of the increasing technicality of the closed circuit video industry from three perspectives; The Manufacturer, the Specifier, and the Integrator.   History of Closed Circuit Video industry  Before we begin examining this subject, let's take a look briefly at the history of the Closed Circuit Video Industry. 1920s: Tubes were invented (Cathode, Image Dissector, Iconoscope) 1940s: CCTV first introduced to monitor rocket launches 1970s: The...

One obvious benefit of an NVR appliance compared to software VMS system is ease of configuration and installation A quality networked video recorder (NVR) and software-based video management system (VMS) both do an excellent job of safeguarding valuable video data. But there are a number of pros and cons for both, along with specific applications that will do better with one option over the other. These can easily be broken down into five topics: ease of setup/install, suppor...

Many end-users shell out the cash to acquire the newest high-end devices, plug in, and expect to be wowed A well-developed surveillance system can give a single security guard the power to see what otherwise might take a hundred pairs of eyes to see. But what happens when all the components are all connected and powered up, and the resulting image on the screen is, well, indiscernible, or, at the very least, terribly pixelated? Many end-users shell out the cash to acquire the...

  Winning full engagement from your prospects is tougher today than ever before thanks to the Internet   For months, maybe years, you’ve worked to secure an appointment with a prospective customer.  You’ve utilised your network, and shown persistence. You’ve consulted with your boss, brainstormed with your peers, and even asked for advice from your friends. You’ve given it every ounce of energy you have, and finally… finally, the...

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) in the United States fosters health insurance coverage for workers and their families, and requires national standards for electronic health care transactions.   The law’s privacy provisions include protection of information related to any individual’s health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care. There are also additional health privacy laws specific to California. Inter...

IT access control offers significant cost savings per unit or door as less hardware is required to cover a large area Over the last several years, there has been a revolution in access control methodologies including increased integration with video management software and video surveillance capabilities that better protect businesses and enterprise applications. But nowhere is the integration space more progressive in scope than the collaboration between the IT department and...

Dennis Sage Home Entertainment, Phoenix, is a best-in-breed audiovisual contracting services firm that gradually began expanding its offerings to security several years ago. After testing the waters, hiring experienced technicians and learning about the parallels with its current business, the company made a successful transition. Now, Dennis Sage, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), is also counting on heightened customer engagement and stickier clients as he moves into the role of t...