TDSi News

The way we purchase services and products is changing. The traditional concept of buying and owning a product is giving way to the idea that it is possible to purchase the services it offers instead. This approach has come from the consumer realisation that it is the outcome that is important rather than the tools to achieve it. For example, this approach is evident with the rise of music streaming services as opposed to downloads or physical products.   With the physical...

Among its many uses and benefits, technology is a handy tool in the fantasy world of movie and television thrillers. We all know the scene: a vital plot point depends on having just the right super-duper gadget to locate a suspect or to get past a locked door. In movies and TV, face recognition is more a super power than a technical function. Video footage can be magically enhanced to provide a perfect image of a license plate number. We have all shaken our heads in disbelief, and yet, our indus...

Integrated security manufacturer TDSi has announced that Internal Account Manager, Daniel Clark has graduated the Dale Carnegie Sales Training course and was awarded star performer. TDSi’s Managing Director, John Davies commented, “We are proud of Daniel’s achievement, which is a credit to him and his hard work. As a business, we encourage and support our staff in professional and personal development to ensure we offer the very best service and expertise.”  Reflec...

How much does a security system cost? We all know that total costs associated with systems are substantially higher than the “price tag.” There are many elements, tangible and intangible, that contribute to the costs of owning and operating a system. Taking a broad view and finding ways to measure these additional costs enables integrators and users to get the most value from a system at the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO). However, measuring TCO can be easier said than done. We...

In tidying up after a year of Expert Panel Roundtable questions and answers, we came across some previously unpublished responses from our panel. These interesting responses address some of the hottest topics in the industry, from robots and deep learning to the “race to the bottom.” Taken together, the varied comments offer their own range of insights into the evolving physical security market. This week, we highlight some of these assorted Expert Panellist comments submitted over t...

Enterprise customers provide a large, and very lucrative, business opportunity for the physical security market. These customers include big global companies with plenty of revenue to spend and employees and facilities to protect. As a group, enterprise customers also tend to be a demanding lot, requiring systems that are large, scalable, that can operate across a wide geographic area, and that provide top-notch system performance. Enterprise customers set the standards of performance for the en...

TDSi launches its eagerly anticipated GARDiS software solution at Intersec 2018, held in Dubai from 21st to 23rd January 2018. The company will also be showcasing its broad range of integration capabilities with other security systems. Business-specific access control security John Davies, Managing Director of TDSi commented, “We are very excited to be formally unveiling our new GARDiS software solution in Dubai. GARDiS is a web-based application that offers even greater flexibilit...

Integrated security manufacturer TDSi, is pleased to announce that its software analyst and developer Ian Hoare has graduated with a Master’s Degree in Cyber Security and Human Factors from Bournemouth University. Ian’s qualification demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to research, education and training. TDSi’s Managing Director, John Davies commented, “We are very proud that Ian has earned his Master’s Degree, having worked extremely hard to stu...

SourceSecurity.com’s Expert Panel covered a lot of ground in 2017 about a variety of topics resonating in the security market.   The most-read Roundtable discussion in 2017 was about a familiar and ongoing debate: What is an open system? Other hot topics that made the Top-10 list of Roundtable discussions included smartphones, buzzwords, standards and product life cycles. Here is a listing of our Top 10 Expert Panel Roundtable discussions posted in 2017,...

The end of the year is a great time to take stock of one’s accomplishments during the year, and to reflect on successes and failures, where we are and where we’re going. 2017 brought a lot of change to the physical security market, but were the changes positive or negative? Our Expert Panelists tend to be a thoughtful and reflective group, so we wanted to get their thoughts and insights at year-end about 2017 in the security market. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable:...

Body-worn cameras are becoming more common every day, driven both by needs of the marketplace and technology developments. However, questions remain about the usefulness of the devices, and their future role in promoting safety and security. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the challenges of body-worn cameras for the security industry?

In recent years, information technology (IT) departments at end user companies have often been seen as adversaries of traditional security departments – or, at least, as a thorn in their side. One of the issues is territorial: As physical security products have migrated to use of Internet protocols and the network infrastructure, the IT and security departments have clashed – erm… make that interacted – more and more often. New realities such as cybersecurity have made i...

TDSi, a UK manufacturer of integrated access control systems, offering an extensive range of readers, controllers and software systems, integrates with GEMOS, a physical security information (PSIM) platform from ela-soft. The integration allows access control events to be viewed alongside other security applications on one comprehensive user interface. Comprehensive user interface Combining more than 750 existing applications, GEMOS adv. PSIM layers the physical position of each alert and all...

The threat of international terrorism has changed the way the domestic security industry thinks about protection, just as much as it has for national security services. Whilst violent attacks and terrorism were once predominantly aimed at government, military or political establishments, an uncertain global political climate means the ability to rapidly lock down facilities has risen to the top of any organisation’s security wish list. In reality though, just how easy is it for most organ...

It seems there are more “bad things” happening than ever before. We hear news every day of workplace shootings and terrorist attacks, of smash-and-grab thefts and child abductions. Beyond the possible human tragedy involved, such events pose a persistent question to anyone involved in the realm of security: Could we have prevented it? The first step toward prevention is to predict or foresee an event before it happens. Too often, technology enters the picture after the fact, most com...

Integrated security manufacturer TDSi is pleased to announce it has appointed new Technical Author Rob Twine. Rob joins the team to help create new technical documents and literature, as well as ensuring existing documentation meets the needs of customers and partners. Expert documentation TDSi’s Managing Director, John Davies commented, “We are delighted to welcome Rob to the ever-expanding TDSi team. Expert documentation is a key part of our product offering and a vital support f...

Industry standards make it possible for systems and technologies to connect and work together. Standards enable today’s integrated systems. But does adherence to standards stifle innovation? Does the necessity to interface using an industry-wide standard slow down the implementation of newer (and possibly not standards-compliant) capabilities? Or do standards eliminate extraneous variables, empower more integration and encourage greater innovation? We asked this week’s Expert Panel R...

Video surveillance specialists Hanwha Techwin and access control experts TDSi, have successfully integrated Wisenet SSM video management software (VMS) with the EXgarde PRO Access Management PC software application. Real-time security alerts The integration has been achieved via a transaction server module which is part of the Wisenet SSM VMS solution and links access control activity with related video captured by Wisenet cameras. Any unauthorised person attempting entry into a sensitive area...

They call it “critical” for a reason. The so-called “critical infrastructure” is composed of the basic services that citizens have come to depend on, and which are necessary to support society and ensure national stability. The term includes high-visibility segments such as airports, refineries, transportation, wastewater, nuclear reactors, electric utilities, pipelines, and more. Because these functions are so critical, the stakes of providing security are higher than fo...

Products are the building blocks of systems and solutions. How those products are combined, and where the integration happens, is a variable in the physical security market. Before the advent of open systems, a single manufacturer typically combined his own products, using proprietary connections, into end-to-end solutions for customers. Open systems undermined that paradigm to some degree and made it possible for customers to pick and choose products from multiple manufacturers to be integrated...

Tina Baker, Software Development Manager at integrated security manufacturer TDSi, is celebrating 13 years of service with the company. Having reached this impressive milestone, Tina has also been reflecting on the developments and evolution of the security software industry and where it could lead in the future. The move to fully integrated software Tina commented, “Since I joined TDSi there have been enormous changes in the security industry, especially in the software systems and appl...

Companies in fast-moving industries tend to want half or more of their revenue to come from products released in the last three or so years. The logical extension of that philosophy is the demise of product "cash cows" that remain in a company's portfolio for many years. Where better to witness the shortening life cycles of technology products than in the smart phone market, where most of us buy into the hype of the "latest and greatest?" But does acceleration of new product introductions transl...

“Don’t try this at home.” It’s a common warning, but how does it apply to security systems? With today’s systems becoming easier to install, and with customers becoming more tech-savvy, there is a growing market for “do-it-yourself” or DIY home security systems. The trend also extends beyond the home security market: Business end users may also think they can forgo a professional installer and handle installation in-house. The customer may save money by...

Integrated security manufacturer TDSi is pleased to announce the appointment of Alex Rumsey as Director of UK Sales. Alex’s promotion sees him take on the new role having previously been Channel Partner Manager at the company. TDSi plans for growth in UK Reflecting upon the promotion, TDSi Managing Director John Davies commented, “We are very excited to announce Alex’s appointment to this critical role. This promotion is very well deserved - Alex has proven time and again tha...

As the new school term begins, awareness of security at all levels of educational institutions is higher than ever. Technology plays an important role in protecting educational facilities and their students, faculty, staff and visitors. Specific security challenges drive which technologies and other measures are used, and those challenges are evolving, along with the dynamic institutions security is tasked with protecting. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the security...

Even the most effective technologies usually require some level of human involvement. What new technologies do, generally speaking, is change the nature of a human’s role. Most jobs in today’s world are vastly different than 50 years ago, in many cases because of the changing role of technology. In the physical security world, what specific impact does technology have on the human element of systems? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Have recent developments in secu...

There’s a huge cloud hanging over the physical security market, but in a good way. Cloud-based systems, whether for video, access control or another category, are on the verge of taking the industry by storm. The benefits of that mythical “cloud” are well-known, or certainly well-touted, in the market. It’s almost as if the word “cloud” has become a buzzword that can mean different things, or at least whatever the customer wants it to mean (as long as they buy...

Integrated security manufacturer TDSi announces the appointment of its new Internal Customer Care Advisor, Madison Read. Madison’s new role will see her assisting customers from across the company’s international export markets. Madison is the latest new member to join the team at TDSi’s headquarters in Poole, Dorset. In recent months, the company has also appointed new Finance and Operations Director, Paula Warburton, Marketing Manager, Francesca Meyrick and Finance Assistant...

The obvious reason to buy security systems is to promote greater security. But in some cases, there are more specific and/or immediate motivators that lead to a security purchase. Everybody wants more security in the abstract, but how willing are we to pay for it? Security is sometimes seen as a “grudge purchase,” competing for tight corporate dollars with other investments that may seem more appealing or urgent. But other times an event occurs that moves security to the top of the l...

There has never been closer integration between physical and logical security systems, so there has also never been greater importance when it comes to defining and maintaining the security culture within an organisation. Unfortunately, with increasingly complex security protocols required on a daily basis (and used by every employee), a security regime can easily become lax through apathy – which offers the perfect opportunity for potential intruders to take advantage. Whilst security t...