Technology & Trends - CCTV

   Analogue and digital resolutions are worlds apart Resolution in an analogue or digital world is similar, but there are some important differences in how it is defined. Phil Doyle, Managing Director (UK & Ireland) of Axis Communications, outlines these key differences. In analogue video, an image consists of lines or TV-lines since analogue video technology is derived from the television industry. In a digital system, an image is made up of square pix...

What are the benefits of remotely monitored CCTV? Alan Collinge, Operations Director at RemGuard Visual Management, details the key advantages of adopting a remotely monitored CCTV system. As previous slowdowns have amply demonstrated, economic hardship tends to drive- up crime and, as a consequence, attacks on A remote monitoring CCTV system offers cost-effective security solution premises with resulting unplanned downtime. So now, more than ever, I would contend t...

  Museums facing growing security challenge with rise of armed robbery  It only takes a shocking 58 seconds to steal a painting. Jonas Rehnberg, writer at Assa Abloy Future labs, speaks to former museum security chief Ton Cremers about the safe-keeping of precious artefacts in museums and art galleries. In 2004, armed, masked robbers stormed into the Munch Museum in Oslo and stole two masterpieces - "The Scream" and "Madonna" - before the eyes of shocked spectators....

New technology now means that security cameras can be used over an IP network, Sony Professional Solutions Europe explore the benefits of IP based security technology. The world of IP-based technology is constantly evolving and the video security market has leaped forward in tandem with this. In light of both cost and ease of installation, we   Move towards Power over Ethernet encouraging use of network IP products are seeing a huge technological shift towards video&nb...

   IP connectivity featured in the latest access control products provides extra flexibility If it's been a while since you last looked at access control systems, be prepared for a surprise, says Matt Haynes of Siemens Building Technologies. For very little extra cost, the latest systems deliver a whole lot more functionality than their older counterparts. Let's be honest, even the most basic of access control systems are likely to perform some useful functions,...

Which video management software platform is the right solution? Markus Kissel of leading CCTV distributor Videor, provides a summary of the most important selection criteria. The number of commercially available software solutions for IP-based video surveillance is increasing. But the complexity of systems, numerous features and the required IT skills  Choosing the "right" video management software solution is key make it difficult to choose the "right" product. Th...

How do video compression standards affect the encoding process? Katharina Geutebruck, managing director of Geutebruck GmbH  which manufactures and develops intelligent video security solutions, explains. It's probably fair to say that few buyers of video security systems are experts in video encoding. And why should they be? It's enough to The encoding process is defined by the developer's expertise rather than the video compression standard know that data...

Yu Kitamura of Sony Professional Solutions Europe explains the benefits of H.264 - the latest video compression technology.   Video compression as a subject matter may seem really dull, but the real-world benefits of using the latest technology can radically increase the flexibility of your IP network. Put simply, better compression means greater flexibility - the more efficiently data  H.264 requires less bandwidth, while delivering better quality is handled, the m...

Axis Communications is seeing strong demand for its network video products in the retail sector following an extended period of engagement with a range of retail solutions providers.  Phil Doyle, managing director of Axis Communications (UK), points out some of   Network video provides ideal solution for retailers faced with rising shrinkage the more successful and practical applications of network video in the sector. The natural focus of any discus...

To reduce costs, many organisations are switching to converge IP networks to transport both data and voice. Some early adopters are now adding CCTV feeds to these converged networks but are running into problems. Mike Lewis, UK & Eire Country Manager for MOBOTIX believes that a move to an "intelligent" distributed CCTV architecture will help solve the growing network bandwidth  An intelligent distributed CCTV solution provides a low network load bottleneck. Network...

Kevin Shahbazi, CEO of Avocado Security explains the growth and advantages of new Business Intelligence (BI) technologies. Society is constantly striving for better security, especially with the heightened concerns for safety in both the public and private sector.  Whether those concerns include protecting your business, securing your work environment or home, each of these concerns are contributing to the ongoing demand for video surveillance technologies that are simple, reliable an...

A lot has changed since VHS tapes were the universal medium for CCTV recording, with digital systems now starting to predominate. But what's the current state of the art in digital recording - and what new developments are just around the corner? Siemens Building Technologies, Security Products Jon Hill has the answers.Today, there would be very few, if any, CCTV Preference for digital recording systems is significantly increasing specifiers who would choose anything other th...

Milestone Systems' Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Eric Fullerton, outlines clear advantages of choosing an open platform IP video solution to deliver a video surveillance system that has room to grow and expand in any direction with the lowest cost of ownership. Choosing surveillance camera management solutions It is no surprise that  A camera management application limited to one camera vendor is high in risks, low in rewards   security camera vend...

Simon Nash, European Product Manager, Network Video Monitoring, Sony Europe, explains the key benefits and potential impact of the new generation of groundbreaking intelligent cameras. It has long been known that there are inherent weaknesses in the process of manually scrutinising security  Intelligent cameras offer proactive network video monitoring monitors hour after hour, in the hope of pinpointing all possible risks.  The challenge has been to find a robust te...

Jeremy Kimber, Honeywell's EMEA Marketing Leader, analyses the rising phenomenon of video analytics in the security industry. Like the pharmaceutical industry, CCTV is always unveiling a new wonder cure.  Given the rapid pace of technology development, it is inevitable that new  Rapid growth predicted for analytic software market within the next two to three years solutions are constantly being brought to market.  However, in many cases these new solu...

SourceSecurity.com recently caught up with Jonas Andersson, business development director at Axis Communications, to talk in more detail about Axis' ground-breaking co-operative agreement to work collectively with Bosch and Sony on the development of a standard network interface for network video products.  The resulting collaboration, now called Open Network Video Interface Forum (ONVIF), will strive to develop an open industry standard and is inviting would-be participants to register via...

FLIR Systems' Christiaan Maras highlights the benefits between cooled and uncooled thermal imaging systems. The demand for thermal imaging to enhance the CCTV environment is increasing markedly.  Thermal imaging provides 24-hour, all-year-round, long-range asset and personnel protection.  Unlike other cameras thermal imaging cameras require no lighting that may draw unwanted attention to a facility or site.  They provide vivid, high-contrast images of intruders even whe...

When it comes to the application of sophisticated security techniques in the banking environment - to keep assets, staff and customers safe and secure - financial institutions are looking carefully at how they can seamlessly integrate advances, such as High Definition CCTV and the monitoring of their cash machines, into their existing infrastructure.  Pauline Norstrom, Director of Worldwide Marketing at Dedicated Micros, discusses the challenges. A key issue for banks is to ensure that the...

D-Tec's MD, Ian Moore, explains the importance of smoke detection systems in the early detection of tunnel fires. Fire in the context of tunnels has been brought into sharp relief in recent years, as a result of a number of high profile tragedies.  Most notably the Mont Blanc Tunnel in 1999, which claimed the lives of 39 people.  As a result, there has been increasing interest in the application of CCTV cameras in conjunction with video analytics technology, specifically Video Smoke D...

Security analysts IMS Research have charted a 65% annual compound growth in the video analytics market since 2004 and predict that the sector will be worth £215 million in 2009.  Here, Chris Gomersall, Chief Executive Officer of London-based analytics provider Ipsotek, outlines the technology, describes on-site challenges and considers likely developments. Referred to variously as "intelligent video surveillance" or "intelligent scene analysis", video analytics employs algorithm...

Edward Troha, Director of Marketing for ObjectVideo, questions the actual intelligence of some video analytics packages. While roaming the halls of the seemingly endless stream of security and surveillance trade shows, have you ever asked yourself if all of the devices and software and solutions that claim to be "intelligent" really are?  No way.  Perhaps the more important question is "what can you do today to most effectively educate yourself on the fact and fict...

In this article, Oliver Vellacott, CEO of IndigoVision, warns against setting too high an expectation for what video analytics can deliver. Analytics will detect 'suspicious movement' from people walking along a street.  Analytics will detect terrorists walking round a hillside a mile away.  Analytics will pick an offender out from a sea of faces.  These are just some of the misconceptions about analytics today.  Was there ever a technology that was so 'over-promised and und...

"You, in the black jumper.  Put that traffic cone back where you found it." A reasonable statement.  But slightly unnerving if spoken from the heavens at a great volume.  Just as John Reid would like it. "Talking CCTV" - a system allowing control room operators to speak directly to those being watched - is the new black, the must have for the latest season of surveillance.  Making its way to a council near you. The system, Reid says, is a sensible means of dispelling such...

Simon Hall examines the problems of retrospectiveness and poor observation inherent in CCTV systems with manned control rooms.  Artificial intelligence (AI), he contends, could be the answer. We are living in a time in human history where the words ‘security' and ‘prevention' are becoming synonymous.  There exist a new wave of criminals, expert in new forms of weaponry and destructive technologies and more insidious and more ingenious in their designs.  This frig...

Dr Oliver Vellacott, CEO of IndigoVision, outlines how investment in existing CCTV systems can be safeguarded when migrating to an IP Video solution. The IP Video market is growing rapidly, having been accepted as a mature technology with a field proven record.  IP networking of CCTV, access control and intruder alarms will eventually penetrate the majority of the market - it has too many cost and performance advantages not to do so.  But what does this mean for legacy systems? How ca...

Martin Roberts of NICE Systems discusses current and future security challenges of processes, people and technology. The political, social, business and technological environment is changing the mandate of the modern Security Manager.  Recent events have placed security firmly in the spotlight and are forcing everyone from the board down to ask the following questions: Do we have the security processes, people and technology in place to meet current and future challenges?  A...

Oliver Vellacott, CEO of IndigoVision and Ronan Smith, CEO of Wavesight discuss the many advantages that wireless technology brings to IP Video Solutions In the last decade there has been a massive growth in the use of license-exempt radio technology to carry data, voice and video across networks, moving away from the traditional cable route. Inside many organisations, wireless technology is being deployed as extensions to traditional wired infrastructures - e.g. wireless access points connect...

Each day, as you go about your life, it's likely you'll make a guest appearance on at least 300 different CCTV screens.  Britain now has more security cameras than any other country, yet their impact on crime rates is negligible, while our fear of crime is still rising.  So have these screen saviours been a flop?  Jay Rayner of The Observer goes behind the cameras to meet the men who watch our every move. I am walking through London Bridge Underground station when a pub...

Jon Hill, Video Product Specialist for security manufacturer Bewator, a Siemens business, discusses the issue of security for British firms operating in hostile environments abroad, and looks at what companies in these situations can do to improve security.  In an age of war, terrorism and unequal distribution of wealth, British firms operating in sectors, such as the petrochemical, aerospace and offshore industries need to ensure they secure their businesses and provide a safe working envi...

Jeff Kitching, ADPRO Sales Director, encourages the security industry to give Video Motion Detection another look. Video Motion Detection (VMD), three words that arrived on the scene in the late 1980s to herald the start of a detection revolution.  Only the hype did not quite match the reality. Much was written at the time and subsequently about the potential for VMD.  It was, we were told, not just an alternative to PIRs, fence vibration systems and other detection technologies, but...