South Africa News

A building development can fairly be described as ‘iconic’ when it changes the very skyline of a city. That was the case in Islamabad, Pakistan, for Centaurus, a three-skyscraper complex –the tallest buildings in the city – all linked by a prestigious shopping mall. When the four-story mall housing over 250 shops needed a powerful and effective surveillance system, they turned to Hikvision for high quality IP security video. Centaurus is a mixed use real estate developme...

Gaps in video from dropped video frames are a common problem. A web search on the phrase “dropped video frames” turns up links oriented towards gamers, YouTube videographers and even the world of video surveillance, discussing why frame drops happen and providing advice for coping with them. On Windows computers, video frame drops are a fact of life. Much of the advice can help reduce the number of frame drops, though never completely eliminate them. If you are an amateur filmmaker,...

One leading company has developed an identity management system using patents that verify the identity of an applicant Most enterprises rely on background screening providers to report accurate and complete information without understanding the litigious landscape. Security executives often have little input in how background checks are performed or by what provider, as this has become the domain of human resources (HR). A growing trend finds employers and their background scr...

By drawing data from a number of different sources and subsystems, including building automation, it is possible to move towards a truly smart environment Security solutions should be about integration not isolation. Many organizations are considering their existing processes and systems and looking at how to leverage further value. Security is part of that focus and is a central component in the move towards a more integrated approach, which results in significant benefits. G...

Technology is a valuable tool for increasing security, but occasionally technology can create a threat. An example is the threat 3D printing technology poses to one of the most mature security technologies, mechanical locks and keys. The ability of 3D printing to duplicate keys presents new challenges for lock manufacturers, and new vulnerabilities to end users. Keys that could previously only be duplicated by skilled thieves can now easily be copied using off-the-shelf technologies and informat...

As security industry buzzwords go, “convergence” is perhaps the best known and most pervasive. We have been hearing about convergence in our market for almost 20 years. We have heard it’s happening soon. We have heard it’s inevitable. And yet, for all the talk of convergence, it has sometimes seemed there has been more talk than action. We wanted to check in with our Expert Panel Roundtable and get their latest takes on this most enduring of industry buzzwords. We asked t...

 Part 1 in our Intercoms in Security Series Lambert-St. Louis International Airport uses Code Blue intercoms Organizations are demanding a new level of interoperability among mission-critical security systems. Intelligible audio, the ability to hear, be heard and be understood, is critical to communication, which is essential to the core security processes within an organization, as well as to emergency situations. Intelligible audio provides a platform to optimize v...

Part 2 of our Intercoms in Security Series The 2N Helios IP family intercoms present a comprehensive portfolio of security offerings for businesses and individuals Some integrators and end users may think of intercoms as older technology that isn’t required as part of a robust security system. Not true. Intercoms include innovative technologies that have developed rapidly, keeping pace with other categories. Just as cameras and access control systems have made techn...

Customers want and expect quality service, whether it is searching for an answer online or speaking to a live person via telephone or face-to-face How do you provide unparalleled, personalized customer service and support in a high-tech, self-service world? This blue ribbon is achievable by fusing the human component of superb customer care with user-friendly, cutting-edge solutions that are available around the clock. Technology has made it possible for customers to get assi...

Once again, ISC West has come and gone. The show continues to please exhibitors and attendees. Reviews are generally glowing and enthusiastic. For all its successes, however, there is a certain repetition from year to year – a lot of the same players, the same technology trends (not to mention the same venue every year, but who doesn’t like Vegas?) But even among the repetition, there is usually at least one element that is surprising. Perhaps it’s the unexpected elements that...

  Demand is increasing rapidly for more video, higher quality video, and increasing use of video for innovations like video analytics that provide enhanced security and operational intelligence.   The growing demand is driving higher resolutions, larger camera counts, and longer retention times, which have all contributed to the growing importance and higher profile of data management and storage systems in the video surveillance industry.   Customers need...

The Deutsches Theater is a Berlin landmark of 19th-century Classical architecture. Built in 1849, it is among the most prestigious theatres in the German-speaking world. It has an elegant, classical façade, 3 stages inside and with the help of CLIQ® technology from ASSA ABLOY, its building security and access management is now flexible, reliable and future-proofed for its 21st-century audience. CLIQ Mechatronic Locking System Security managers at the Deutsches Theater chose CLIQ®...

Over the years, video analytics has gained an unfavourable reputation for over-promising and under-delivering in terms of performance. One of the biggest complaints regarding video analytics has been its inability to correctly identify objects in situations which appear trivial to the human observer. In many cases, this has resulted in a tendency to generate substantial numbers of false alarms, while not detecting actual events accurately. This, together with a propensity for complex set-up proc...

Fredrik Nilsson is Vice President of the Americas for Axis Communications, overseeing the company’s operations in North and South America and serving on the global management team. In his 20-year career at Axis, he has undertaken various roles in both Sweden and the United States. Since assuming responsibility for the Americas in 2003, revenues have increased from $20M to over $450M. Nilsson has also been instrumental in leading the surveillance industry shift from analog closed circuit te...

Lower equipment prices (with less margin) are one industry trend leading more integrators to seek out new sources of revenue. With margins shrinking on lucrative, but unpredictable, “project-based” business, integrators are looking for more revenue stability. One solution is recurring monthly revenue (RMR), which is already common in the related field of alarm monitoring. But where does RMR come from? Creating more RMR also requires that integrators change how they do business, from...

The enthusiasm of ISC West 2017 continued through to the final hours of Friday, reflective of a show jam-packed with new technologies to address industry trends. Exhibitors seemed happy enough with booth traffic, which held up even on the final day. Security Industry Trends Industry trends drove much of the technology. For example, cameras are getting less expensive, which means it’s more cost-effective to specify systems with higher camera counts. Also, cameras are providing more...

Having a quality video surveillance solution to provide a safe and secure environment in shopping centers is more important than ever given the turbulent world we live in. That’s why Norway’s Olav Thon Group turned to March Networks certified partner, Focus Security, to recommend an enterprise-class video surveillance solution to replace an aging system at the Gronland Basar, a shopping center in downtown Oslo. The Olav Thon Group is one of Scandinavia’s largest real estate en...

PVcomBank, one of Vietnam’s fastest growing and most progressive banks, has acquired a cutting-edge March Networks video surveillance system.   Established in 2013 through a merger of PetroVietnam Finance Corporation and WesternBank, the Hanoi-based financial institution is a joint stock commercial bank with 115 branches throughout the country. Shareholders include Petro Vietnam with a 52 percent stake and Morgan Stanley with a 6.7 percent strategic interest. Prior to s...

For all its value in the security market, one has to wonder: How much captured video is actually used for security? Among hours and hours of video, only brief segments here or there are ever actually viewed or used for security applications, such as to review an incident or to provide evidence in court. But what about all that other video, much of it stored for 30 or 90 or 120 days or longer? Does it have to be merely a costly consequence of providing the security benefits of video? Not necess...

CCTV security deployments require high reliability and availability in order to prove truly effective In recent years, there has been incredible growth in the security video surveillance market with law enforcement agencies embracing video surveillance to enhance security in problematic areas across cities. But these projects require connectivity to carry video feeds from multiple deployed CCTV cameras distributed over one or more sites, to the control room for viewing and rec...

ISC West in Las Vegas kicked off Wednesday with an expanding focus on new technologies and new applications, including some that go beyond any narrow definition of “the security industry.” Qognify QBlock And Cloudscann “Technology is disrupting the market and executives are taking our solutions beyond security,” says Moti Shabtai, CEO and President of Qognify. “They are starting with security and quickly moving to other risk and business continuity issues in the...

Kenneth Hune Petersen has a simple plan for every day: “Get out of bed. Be awesome. Go to bed.” That’s how the upbeat Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Milestone Systems described his typical day during the interview for his current position. Before coming to Milestone (and the video surveillance industry) in 2014, he was senior vice president and head of global sales at SimCorp, a global provider of investment management software and services. SourceSecurity.com Editor Larr...

Due to the high volume of traffic that airports generate, they are a popular target for terrorism, smuggling and theft Airports and ports are some of the world’s busiest environments, making safety and security a primary concern for the sector. By their very nature, these facilities need to be open, efficient and accessible, but due to the high volume of traffic that these areas generate, they are a popular target for terrorism, smuggling and theft. These kinds of incide...

The minutes are counting down to one of the biggest security industry trade shows of the 2017 calendar. Expectations are high going into ISC West 2017 in Las Vegas: Last year’s show was very well attended and highlighted lots of new technologies. Looking ahead to this year’s show, we wanted to get the Expert Panel Roundtable’s take on what news will dominate the show. So we asked our panel: What do you expect to be the big news at ISC West 2017?

Using an asymmetric approach to perimeter security is more efficient and cost-effective. The approach, advocated by Applied Research Associates (ARA), involves strategic deployment of the company’s Pathfinder seismic-acoustic sensors. Asymmetric placement of the sensors is in contrast to typical perimeter security systems, which are linear: Sensors are distributed at specific intervals along a perimeter and require infrastructure to communicate back to a control center. Instead, asymmetr...

It is critical to be able to clearly outline the end user’s potential return on investment Smart buildings are on the rise around the world, not only because a growing number of companies are considering their environmental impact, but also because of the dramatic cost savings that can be realized through integration. In every building that has an integrated security and access control system, an opportunity awaits to also integrate the building’s energy use, water...

“Mixed reality” may seem like a strange term to apply to the physical security industry, but it describes a new approach to enable the features of access control and video surveillance systems to be used by operators in the field. Mixed or augmented reality technology combines a real-time view of the world through Microsoft’s HoloLens headset, with placement of virtual devices and controls as holograms in a three-dimensional space. Virtual Devices And Controls In effect, a s...

Organizations are moving to align their physical and digital security initiatives, especially in today’s more connected world Organizations must address growing security threats using fewer resources in an increasingly challenging regulatory environment. They are looking to ensure data security while also protecting their facilities’ physical security. At the same time, their users are demanding more choices of smart cards, smartphones, wearables, and other mobile...

The top influencing trends in the security industry at ISC West 2017 will be big data, cyber security and the Internet of Things More than a thousand companies will be showing off their latest and greatest technologies and services at this year’s ISC West in Las Vegas. With so much to look at and experience, will you be able to pinpoint the next big thing or things that will dominate the security market in 2017? A good way to predict those upcoming trends is to look at w...

The Aurora Server Series offers a long-term, enterprise-performance solution at a small-budget price The retail security market buys almost exclusively on price; however, with higher-quality camera resolution being the new norm, there has been an increase in storage requirements. Simply put, white-box solutions that may have been sufficient a few years ago can no longer support modern surveillance demands. Video Surveillance SolutionsThe short-term savings associated with whi...