Teleste Switchers & Switches

In 2017, DITEK saw how power surges from the many natural disasters that took place damaged many businesses. In a natural disaster, or even everyday business operations, a facility’s entire investment in security, life safety and surveillance systems technology can be disabled or rendered useless in a few seconds. Surge protection solutions can mitigate those risks and protect security investments. Proactive Approach To Risk Mitigation Throughout 2017, we also witnessed a change in how enterprises view surge protection, which included how investments are being made in surge protection to protect valuable security, life safety and surveillance systems, while also reducing downtime, manpower costs, liability vulnerabilities, and possibly compliance issues that can force businesses to actually cease operations. Effective security management is about mitigating risks. But risks cannot be mitigated without a proactive approach. Enterprises and integrators, who take the time to assess risk and to develop a strategy to incorporate effective detection, deter and response criteria to protect physical assets will be successful in 2018. 2018 And Beyond That strategy includes designing surge protection into new security systems, while also adding surge protection to existing systems. Enterprises and security integrators who implement a surge protection strategy during security planning processes – or after – will be exercising prevention and mitigation, and they will be successful in 2018 and beyond.  Surge protection devices have an untapped potential for enterprise surveillance and security systems In 2017, Ditek continued to offer security end users a solid surge protection solution. We also successfully educated system integrators, who are seeking value-added products or services to incorporate into their portfolios, on the importance of surge protection devices. Educating Security Integrators We believe that surge protection devices have an untapped potential for enterprise video surveillance and security systems, because they can and do meet safety and security challenges that have been rarely identified in the past. We are looking forward to 2018, when we will continue to develop new surge protection products – including a new product engineered to protect up to twelve individual fuel dispensers, which is critical to the financial operation of convenience stores. We will also continue to educate security integrators about the importance of including surge protection in the design/build RFP, to not only secure an enterprise’s valuable security equipment, but also to help integrators to differentiate their capabilities and knowledge from the competition.

Technology is changing the look and function of today’s security control rooms. Old-school CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitors are giving way to the thinner, flat screen monitors in the control room environment, but the transition is gradual. Randy Smith of Winsted still sees many control rooms that need to make the conversion, which is a boon to his company’s business. Furniture today is designed differently to accommodate the thinner monitors, often with larger screens. Need For Integrated Rack Systems With the increase of IP-based systems comes the need for integrated rack systems that include advanced functionality such as cable management, adds Jim Coleman, National Sales Manager, AFC Industries. Server rooms are environmentally controlled by cooling systems and power systems monitored on the IP network. Low-profile flat screens allow centers to utilize space vertically, thus creating a smaller footprint for the consoles. Additionally, with IP-based systems, workstations will have a smaller footprint because there is less cumbersome equipment. In most cases the servers are stored in a secured, climate controlled environment to eliminate overheating of the servers and maintain their security, says Coleman. This environment also helps with cable and power management. AFC builds technical furniture racks that adhere to the precise needs of computer network server room operators. The company designs and fabricates LAN workbenches with versatile functionalities, and server room workstation racks that are scalable. There is a complete line of IT workbenches, IT computer racks and computer server rack mounts with flexible mounting options. In most cases the servers are stored in a secured, climate controlled environment to eliminate overheating of the servers and maintain their security Flexible Control Room Designs Matko Papic, Chief Technology Officer of Evans Consoles, says the transition from bulky CRT equipment to flat-screen (lower profile) monitors was a major disruption in control room design; it changed the whole dynamic. Another evolution is the use of IP video streaming, which allows more flexibility in manipulation of audio-video content, and requires more flexible control room designs. Another shift, driven by larger, higher-definition monitors, is a shift to fewer monitors that display more information. Instead of a smaller monitor for each information stream, larger monitors now consolidate that information into “dashboard” displays. Looking ahead, control rooms will need to be more flexible, both in the initial design and the ability to adapt to changing technology, says Papic. Legacy customers who are currently using PCs may be moving to more remote applications. Sit-stand equipment will continue to be increasingly prevalent. “There will be more emphasis on flexibility, technology integration, and the ability to change over the life of the system,” says Papic. Consolidation Of Multiple Operations Into A Single System A trend in security is consolidation of multiple physical operations into a single system, says Papic. As a result, more customers are taking more interest in alarm management and situational awareness. How is the technology being used in terms of alarm triggers? How can the systems react rapidly and provide information to a larger audience in the control room? These questions impact how control rooms are designed, and Evans Consoles can adapt lessons learned from other markets to these trends in the security arena. Greater use of technology is inevitable, says Coleman of AFC Industries. “It is virtually impossible for humans to monitor all security data at the street level in our cities,” he says. “As computers become more powerful and their programs more all-encompassing, we will see a greater shift to robotic and technology uses that will provide enhanced monitoring capabilities and safety reactions.” Read our Control Rooms series here

The security industry will continue to see consolidation through acquisition in 2017. At the advent of IP camera adoption, we saw a great decline in large vertically integrated companies, which spurred a new era of innovation within smaller IP camera manufacturers, VMS providers and other hardware companies for storage and managed switches.   We are now living in a new era of consolidation that is taking us full-circle back to vertical integration. Ultimately, the industry as a whole suffers because this consolidation will stifle innovation until the next big technology disruption takes shape. Interoperability Across Different Verticals  This time last year, we noted that the marketplace was moving toward converged technologies and the need for alarm management across multiple platforms into a common interface, turned out to be a popular request. If anything, we are only seeing just the beginning phases of this transition. The biggest surprise is that interoperability is not only confined to security technology, but also extends to parallel systems such as building automation, safety and environmental controls, and even Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. Using Video Event Management Software (VEMS) alongside these intelligent platforms proves to be a valuable verification process for many new and exciting vertical markets. Arteco plans to continue the revenue growth and brand awareness achieved in 2016 Event-Based Video Security Software At Arteco, our highest growth sectors tend to be slightly insulated from economic fluctuation in the sense that we focus on securing critical infrastructure (electrical utilities and communications) as well as corporate and education campuses. Unfortunately, the continued growth in active shooter incidents have made physical security concerns top of mind for many organizations regardless of economic impact. The unexpected repercussions are that many new security technologies are emerging that cater to real-time event notification on both the macro and micro level. The exciting part of this trend is that users are leveraging a layered approach with multiple autonomous applications working together toward a common goal to improve security, which will hopefully ensure a high level of protection.  Business Growth And Challenges Business has continued to grow year-over-year, and 2016 was a huge step forward for Arteco not only in terms of revenue growth, but also increased brand awareness in the United States and abroad. Our biggest challenge continues to be the crowded VMS market, which is filled with lower cost or even free substitute products. We are making great strides in overcoming this challenge by having a wonderful team of people, both on the technical and sales side of the organization, who are focused on finding new and innovative ways to advance intuitive, open and affordable event-based and intelligent video security software into 2017. See the full coverage of 2016/2017 Review and Forecast articles here

Teleste's end-to-end rail solution is ideal for demanding onboard rail systems APTA's Annual Meeting & EXPO 2014 took place on 13-15 October in Baltimore, USA. The annual event is public transit's premier showcase of technology, products and services, and again, it turned out to be a huge success. Teleste was present at APTA Expo highlighting its IRIS certified end-to-end rail solution that is ideal for demanding onboard rail systems and offers customers everything they need for their  infrastructure. Enabling advanced installations such as onboard camera deployment of 4000 cameras to Chicago Transit Authority, the solution has proven to fulfill even the highest requirements of mass transportation. In addition, Teleste showcased Command&CaptureTM application that offers easy, fast and cost-efficient integration of any modern and even legacy video surveillance systems.

Teleste VMX video management, recording and storage solution is the heart of the CTA video system CTA, the second largest public transportation system in the United States, provides nearly two million rides every day. Since 2005, Teleste has helped the CTA build an IP video transmission, management, recording and storage system that allows operators to view and control cameras during daily operations and to respond quickly in the case of any type of emergency.  As of today, the CTA system contains approximately 9600 cameras throughout the 146 station platforms, rail lines, garages, bridges, river crossings and on-board rail cars. The latest addition on the security video platform is an on-board and mobile video network recorder (mNVR) for rail cars. Results are indicating that Teleste’s technology is helping, as statistics for 2012 indicate even a 21% drop in robberies.  Objectives  As of today the CTA system contains approximately 4000 cameras throughout the station platforms, rail-lines, bridges, and river-crossings. At completion the system will accommodate nearly 4000 cameras for 250 clients. The latest addition on the security video platform is an onboard and mobile video network recorder for metro rail cars.  The key objectives for the CTA system are:  Ability to stop criminal activity as it is happening Optimising crime investigations Interagency video content exchange Easily scalable and maintainable system  Solution  Ability to view live video and control cameras across the network, search and view recorded video across the network, access both live and recorded video over the Internet, receive alarms from third-party systems, such as SCADA, respond to alarms in an automated/predefined manner, export encrypted & authenticated video for the prosecution of criminals, share video with other agencies.  MPEG-4 and H.264 video streaming devices include a comprehensive video recording and storage capacity. System arbitration for fluent multi-client operations at several control sites. Teleste MPX series MPEG-4 encoders for digitising, compressing and migrating video from analog CCTV cameras to the IP network  Field-hardened, fully managed Ethernet edge switches that provide network connectivity. Teleste MPX series MPEG-4 encoders for digitising, compressing and migrating video from analog CCTV cameras to the IP network. All cameras whether analog or IP are seamlessly integrated into the Teleste video management system.  An onboard video system in rail cars is provided by IP cameras, a PoE switch and a Teleste mobile network video recorder that is specially designed to meet strict vibration requirements.  Use of video multicasting: only video streams that are being viewed are transmitted over the network (reducing network bandwidth requirements). Additionally, multiple authorized users can simultaneously subscribe to the same streams (as opposed to sending separate stream to each user).  The heart of the CTA video system is the Teleste VMX video management, recording and storage solution. The VMX solution is based on a distributed architecture, which makes it possible to place servers and other components at any location within the network.  Benefits achieved:  Ability to view live video and control cameras across the network, search and view recorded video across the network, access both live and recorded video over the Internet, receive alarms from third party systems such as SCADA, respond to alarms in automated/predefined manner, export encrypted & authenticated video for prosecution of criminals, share video with other agencies.  Onboard video system in rail cars is provided by IP cameras, PoE switch and Teleste mobile network video recorder which is specially designed to meet strict vibration requirements.  Use of video multicasting: Only video streams that are being viewed are transmitted over the network (reducing network bandwidth requirements). Additionally multiple authorized users can simultaneously subscribe to same streams (as opposed to sending separate stream to each user).  As result to increased policing and expanded crime prevention measures, CTA has reported even a 21% drop-down in serious crime in 2012.  “Teleste was selected for the project based on technology, integration of third-party systems, willingness to meet the CTA needs, and proven track record of delivering complex, large-scale systems.”, Representative, Chicago Transit Authority

Sentry360 360-degree fisheye ultra HD cameras are integrated into the CTA’s existing video management system Sentry360, a USA-based manufacturer of advanced ultra HD surveillance cameras and systems, announced the successful deployment of the largest 360-degree surveillance camera system in mass transit history. The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) operates the nation’s second largest public transportation system, servicing the city of Chicago and 35 surrounding suburbs. On an average weekday, approximately 1.7 million rides are taken on the CTA. In 2010, Sentry360 cameras were implemented under a CTA pilot program, funded by a Department of Homeland Security grant, to retrofit the existing rail car fleet with an on-board video surveillance system. As the cameras would be exposed to harsh environmental conditions, such as extreme heat/cold, humidity, and vibration, as well as unregulated electrical power sourced from the 600 VDC third rail, the pilot program focused on the effect of these dynamics relative to the video technology. With over 800 potential rail cars to retrofit on a full-scale, the CTA needed a technology solution that was not only environmentally robust but one that also maximized the field of view with minimal cameras per car, supported by an open-standards IP architecture that allowed for integration with other systems. Traditional video surveillance cameras have an inherent flaw – blind spots. Simply put, if a camera was pointed left and an incident occurred on the right, the camera was useless. To achieve full coverage within a CTA rail car, up to six legacy fixed field-of-view cameras would be required, also resulting in six video streams to be recorded. During the extensive multi-year evaluation, Sentry360’s solution matched that coverage, with no blind-spots, using only two Sentry360 FullSight™ 360-degree fisheye ultra HD cameras per rail car, each with an all-seeing eye, delivering full coverage in every rail car, while substantially reducing the bandwidth for recording and streaming to two video streams while retaining all virtual pan/tilt/zoom functionality for both live and post-recorded video. "The benefits we realised from the immersive 360-degree technology of the Sentry360 cameras and the ease of integration far exceeded our expectations for any IP mobile camera solution” The success of the pilot enabled CTA to retro-fit the Sentry360 solution to the remainder of the fleet. The unintended efficiency of the design allowed the CTA to add two additional 360 cameras per car, one within the railcar to provide redundancy for the initial two-camera solution and one outward facing camera to view the right-of-way as the train travels down the tracks. Elimination of fixed field-of-view cameras inherently created extra recording capacity within the video surveillance system to allow the additional 360-degree cameras while keeping the project under budget. The final project included 3,600 Sentry360 cameras on nearly 900 rail cars. Thomas Carnevale, Sentry360’s CEO explained, “This project sets a new standard in public transportation video surveillance. Our solution will be examined and modeled in mass transit systems all around the world.” The ceiling mounted, low-profile, Full Sight cameras have an omni-directional vantage point, giving security investigators a complete story of a potential incident even in the heavy traffic of the transit system. The Sentry360 cameras are integrated into the CTA’s existing video management system platform, made by Teleste Corporation. Teleste was able to integrate Sentry360’s intellectual property, through a software development kit, into the CTA’s existing video management system allowing the correction of the fisheye view, and delivering the capability to pan-tilt-zoom in all directions both live and forensically, in recorded video. Herb Nitz, CTA Director of Technology Engineering, stated: “Our end users were increasingly frustrated having to view video across incompatible video systems. For years, we had searched for open- standards based and scalable IP video solutions suitable for mobile fleet use that were compatible with our current fixed video management system. Our initial goal to find an IP camera that could operate in a challenging mobile environment led us to Sentry360. The benefits we realised from the immersive 360-degree technology of the Sentry360 cameras and the ease of integration far exceeded our expectations for any IP mobile camera solution.” This effort complements other CTA initiatives to bring video coverage across the entire fleet of rail cars, delivering the highest quality of security to millions of commuters on a daily basis. Future real-time wireless communications will allow the CTA’s Control Center and the City of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications to view live feeds from the rail cars on-demand, adding a vital resource for comprehensive incident management and response. This project has proven to be the most sophisticated rail car surveillance camera system in operation today, with a revolutionary American-made product solving real world problems for one of the nation’s largest mass transit systems.