Security cameras - Expert commentary

Wong was the first Asian woman to obtain the Alarm Contractor License Mun C. Wong, PSP and president of VinTech Systems Inc. in Chicago, is a successful entrepreneur who has brought new technologies and a knack for superior service to her integration business.  In fact, at the age of 29, she was the first Asian woman to obtain the Alarm Contractor License from the State of Illinois and its Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. But she doesn't focus on gend...

Employees are the front line of defense — as well as the most economical defense — against shrinkage losses The financial cost of retail shrinkage is huge. The latest Annual Shrink Report issued by Dr. Richard Hollinger and Dr. Read Hayes at the University of Florida puts the total at $36 billion annually. Shrinkage has several causes: customers shoplifting , employee theft, supplier fraud and administrative errors. Frequent inventories and accounting audits coun...

Layering as applied to computers is a made up term having no relationship to any particular standards When it comes to setting the criteria for network switching, we often hear “I only want a layer 3 switch.” We naturally assume that since the number 3 is bigger than the number 2, a layer 3 switch must be better than a layer 2 switch. It may surprise you, but when it comes to video security applications, this may not be the case. In fact, just the opposite may...

Too often a valid assumption turns out to be the opposite in practical operation It’s easy to misinterpret product specifications of IP video transmission products to the detriment of system functionality. We have seen how this problem relates to port speed, power over Ethernet (PoE) and transmission media. Now let’s look at some additional aspects of product specifications – and how they can be misinterpreted. Importance Of Temperature Rating What about te...

Misreading specifications of transmission products can lead to making the wrong selection Manufacturers’ product specifications are the main source of determining product purchases for video security users. In many cases, the ability to pretest a product under the actual operating conditions is almost impossible. Often the choice is between several different product manufacturers. The time and expense it would take to install and evaluate each one in the actual applicati...

A comprehensive security assessment will tell how to plan and manage security in the facility A comprehensive security assessment will tell you how to plan and manage security in your facility. Without an assessment, you can only guess about security. For facilities with existing security programs, an assessment can also reveal whether the pieces of the system are working as they should. As a security director, can you do the assessment yourself? Sure, although a large school...

Access control and video surveillance technologies are expensive to buy and install. So it’s important that end users make sure they get a system that works the way it is supposed to work and the way they want it to work. To that end, the principles of project management can help end users find an integrator and to manage the work of installing or upgrading security systems. If you are experienced with security technologies, you might consider managing the project yourself. If not, consi...

Differences between standard data applications and the requirements of networks designed for IP video security applications are critical for your system's performance When the need to purchase a network switch arises, many IT directors immediately turn to two favorites, HP or Cisco. They have become to the networking environment what IBM was to computers: “No one ever got fired for buying IBM.” Certainly, switches play a crucial role in enhancing your network by in...

Standards for camera manufacturers presented a new challenge with the introduction of security cameras that require more than 30 Watts of power Standards for camera manufacturers presented a new challenge with the introduction of security cameras that require more than 30 Watts of power. Many of these involve pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) domes and heaters and blowers that require additional power. This development created two areas of confusion which is highlighted in this article by N...

A true IoT platform is the confluence of Internet, business and sensory data The era of IoT - the Internet of Things - is upon us. A deluge of urban sensory data is flowing into data centers every minute, putting pressure on data-center resources and accumulating at a rate faster than anyone can process. Is the proliferation of sensory data simply evidence of an increasingly intrusive world, or can IoT be used for the improvement and development of intelligence-equipped cities...

Milestone Interconnect provides a cost-efficient and flexible way to have central surveillance operation across geographically dispersed sites The transportation vertical is embracing the open platform for video systems. In the past, manufacturers required transportation end users to purchase the camera, the recorders and the software all from one manufacturer. Now, with IP, organizations in the transportation vertical can use off-the-shelf cameras, servers (recorders) and sof...

Analytics at the edge provide the ability to process what is happening in a field of view and discern if a relevant alert is triggered There are multiple benefits to using video analytics at the edge (i.e., near or inside the camera). For one thing, analytics at the edge provides the ability to process what is happening in a field of view and discern if a relevant alert is triggered. This can be faster and less expensive than the original video analytics model of using a separ...

Compliance with regulatory requirements are not enough to protect the US electric grid  Many companies use compliance and best practices to assist in their fight to protect the U.S. electric grid. They rely primarily on what three groups say – FERC (Federal Energy and Regulatory Committee), CERT (U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team) and NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation). These groups issue advisories, standards and guidelines for the industr...

The better the sensors, the better the analytics Garbage in, garbage out. The familiar cliché is just as applicable to the area of video analytics as any other field of computing. You simply must have a high-quality image in order to achieve a high-functioning analytics system. The good news is that video cameras, which are the sensors in video analytics systems, are providing images that are better than ever, offering higher quality – and more data – for us...

The advent of IP security cameras has resulted in the need to maintain existing coax cable for networking applications Transmission of video and PoE power for IP security cameras over infrastructures can be confusing. Network infrastructures are designed using twisted pair cabling that we refer to as CAT (short for Category) cable, also referred to as UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair). Security systems, coming from an analog environment, have historically transmitted over coax cab...

CPTED focuses on designing crime prevention into buildings and campuses In recent years, jurisdictions across the United States have enacted ordinances or codes requiring the use of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). Enforcement of these measures arises through required jurisdictional review and approval of CPTED measures in the design drawings. CPTED has emerged in recent years as an effective crime prevention and security technique that focuses on design...

Any part of a transmission infrastructure has a dramatic impact on system performance We often view network switches as transparent transmission products. What goes in comes out. In reality, nothing is further from the truth. In this article, Neil Heller - Vice President, Vigitron, Inc. highlights that any part of a transmission infrastructure has a dramatic impact on transmission and, therefore, on system performance. At the very least a network switch can be viewed as a piec...

Camera apps ensure that surveillance systems meet specific needs, provide compliance, and deliver enhanced versatility Of the many benefits offered by new and advanced IP video surveillance cameras, the ability to easily customize these devices with third party apps has the potential to change the landscape in video surveillance system design and implementation. By providing the ability to customize individual cameras with the specific functionality desired for every specific...

Good security basics enabled a security response before the shooting started Mass shootings by emotionally disturbed individuals and terrorists have led authorities and security professionals to search for means of prevention. “Analyzing an actual incident in which a potential shooter was stopped seconds before becoming active can illustrate how solid security basics can help prevent catastrophe,” says Drew Neckar, CPP, CHPA, regional director of security with the...

A growing number of users look to add cloud-based functionality to their surveillance toolkits In today’s market, both end users and resellers seek new technologies to make security programs more effective, while also helping business and employees be more efficient. Cloud-based monitoring services are gaining a significant amount of attention as an emerging solution to meet these needs. Maria Cambria, Vice President, Technical Center of Excellence, DVTEL says that end u...

Security cameras can earn a return on investment (ROI) that goes beyond security Today’s security camera technology can help speed entrance screening and provide video under very low light conditions. In each case, security cameras can earn a return on investment (ROI) that goes beyond security. One difference between today’s security cameras and older generations of camera technology is something called wide dynamic range or WDR. It is a feature that enables a ca...

Observers say improved analytic technology and better support technologies are making video analytics effective Video analytics and biometrics entered the security technology market some years ago accompanied by great expectations. Both generally disappointed security directors and end users. Manufacturers oversold video analytics as a tool that could monitor video for hours on end without losing concentration — something human security officers couldn’t do. Analy...

Companies embracing new cloud-based technologies will be among the winners, those with legacy business models will struggle Vision Security Technologies 2014/2015 Review & ForecastThe year 2014 was somewhat flat due to a still recovering economy and building industry in our Southern region of the United States. We saw a greater expectation for higher quality video surveillance throughout the mid-market sector. Vision Security Technologies also saw an increase in campus...

Over the past year Sony has expanded its product lineup to include a range of capabilities Sony 2014/2015 Review and Forecast: Many would agree that one of the most important trend in 2014 has been the emergence of 4K. We’ve already seen the first 4K security cameras hit the market, at a premium price. Sony is already a champion of 4K technology, which offers a resolution that is four times greater than Full HD (1080p), making for a sharp and detailed visual image. 4K w...

Time will tell regarding how fast public cloud applications will be fully adopted in the security space Sureview 2014/2015 Review and Forecast:  The continued movement to “cloud” or “distributed” applications will further impact how security manufacturers and integrators market and position their solutions and offerings. To the traditional security organization, this brings an entirely new go-to-market and pricing strategy as well as a completely...

The SIA Security Market Index rose to 74.6 in November 2014, up from 72.3 in September SIA 2014/2014 Review and Forecast: The Security Industry Association (SIA) has begun to conduct a bimonthly survey of select SIA members to measure confidence in the security industry through the SIA Security Market Index. Using a scale of 1-100, the SIA Security Market Index reflected growing confidence among security industry business leaders throughout 2014 and into 2015. The SIA Securi...

There was significant growth in the video surveillance market in 2014 for Hikvision Hikvision 2014/2015 Review and Forecast: In 2014, we saw a great deal of economic growth in North America, and in correlation, significant growth in the video surveillance market. We’re observing a lot of greenfield projects as well as upgrades to existing security infrastructure across multiple vertical markets. Particularly we’ve seen a significant uptake in education, banking/fi...

How will the industry address the confusion about competing HD surveillance local-site transport solutions? HDcctv Alliance 2014/2015 Review and Forecast: 2014 was another good year: Video surveillance equipment unit sales continued to grow slightly above the 7 percent compound annual growth rate of recent years. Notably, 2014 was the first year that HD cameras that are as reliable, as convenient, and as affordable as sub-HD NTSC cameras became widely available. As a result,...

Companies will resort to cooperation in a mutually beneficial and complementary way Dahua 2014/2015 Review and Forecast:The global economy is in recovery, and China’s domestic market keeps its strong momentum. Politically, the terrorist attacks and uncertain factors still exist; and with years of market cultivation, people’s safety awareness continues to grow. Important trends include the popularisation of HD, intelligence, integration and...

With the entry of more manufacturers and mergers and acquisitions in the security industry, the competition is undoubtedly getting fiercer VIVOTEK will seek to add value and increase return on investment for customers VIVOTEK 2014/2015 Review and Forecast: Total solutions have become more important than individual products in the industry. Security brands are starting to turn themselves into solution providers instead of product manufacturers. Moreover, with...