Tennessee rehabilitation center keeps recovering residents in check

Editor / Provider: Sponsored by Qnap Security | Updated: 5/20/2013 | Article type: Commercial Markets

Recovery Ranch, located in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., is a special rehabilitation center for clients with addictive, eating or mood disorders, or in need of psychosomatic recovery for improved quality of life. The ranch employs 160 therapists and administrative personnel, serving more than 75 clients at a time, with 24/7 care for different treatments; hence, it is a large facility with residents of diverse backgrounds.

The ranch encompasses two sites: the main campus with two buildings and a new campus with six buildings, individually located one mile apart. On land stretching over 2,000 acres and multiple campuses, it is necessary to have a powerful surveillance system to secure the community and archive records of any incidents that occur. The two original buildings, dated back to late 1800s, were not designed with network wiring. Also, they had unstable power supplies due to the age of the buildings and the location in a rural area, where bad weather could easily cause a power outage. Therefore, wireless became very important, and a good mechanism to sustain system power supply was essential, too.

Moreover, Recovery Ranch required 16 to 18 cameras installed around the campuses and a system able to store videos for two to three months. Prior to the installation, Recovery Ranch surveyed CCTV and DVR solutions, but all lacked advanced management functions and did not have sufficient storage capacity.

Road to Recovery
In the end, Recovery Ranch turned to the Qnap VioStor NVR surveillance system because of its robust, IP-based design and the many unique management features. Two units of VioStor NVR VS-6020 Pro, powered by dual-core Intel Atom processor, were installed on each campus, monitoring 25 VIVOTEK fixed domes and Mobotix fisheye cameras. “Qnap NVRs definitely play a central role in the video security for Recovery Ranch, as this is a one-stop solution that is well-integrated with multiple brands of IP cameras and hence can fulfill very diverse indoor/outdoor monitoring requirements,” said Jeff Chase, IT Manager. “Moreover, the system is very scalable in camera deployment, and with free software updates, it is open to more features at no additional cost, making it a future-proof investment for many years to come.”

The VS-6020 Pro supports high-quality H.264, MPEG-4, M-JPEG and MxPEG recording, and can efficiently stream videos wirelessly while maintaining high-megapixel image quality. In addition, the 6-bay VS-6020 Pro accommodates up to 24-TB storage capacity to satisfy Recovery Ranch's needs of storing videos for up to three months. The VS-6020 Pro also solves the problem of unexpected power outage. With support for UPS devices, the VS-6020 Pro is programmed with USB-connected UPS to ensure 24/7 service. Detailed event logs of system warning, network disconnection and the UPS status are also recorded for diagnosis. What Recovery Ranch favored most was the intelligent video analytics. By using the motion detection algorithm in playback mode, the security administrator can set up areas of interest and time frames for the NVR to automatically find events of interest. It is, overall, less labor-intensive than manually watching each channel at 16x fast-forward play. It is quick to review — for example, an individual, in a specific area, at a certain time of the day — the day's video, and reviewing evidence is more efficient than ever.

Since the two units of VioStor NVR VS-6020 Pro were installed, the ranch has required little maintenance. The Linux-based operating system and RAID storage volume are very reliable; at the same time, it is more power-efficient than running the VMS server on a PC. Therefore, Recovery Ranch does not have to keep the PC running 100-percent of the time. It shows power consumption changes from 200W to 43W (with six HDDs installed) in average, resulting in up to five times of savings in utility. “The VS-6020 Pro is an easy-to-use and intuitive product, enabling the security administrator to fully utilize the features of the surveillance system. We can spend less time on IT, and more time on running the center,” Chase concluded.

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Do more with less

Editor / Provider: By Tevin Wang, a&s International | Updated: 5/14/2013 | Article type: Tech Corner

Fisheye cameras have been around for years, but real-life adoption seems to be limited, due to a limited number of offerings and VMS integrations. Things are changing for the better, as more camera manufacturers and management software providers pay more attention to the optics and user benefits. a&s looks into the latest developments.

Panoramic and hemispheric lenses have been used by photographers for decades. Nowadays, one can literally shoot images with panoramic or fisheye effects with smartphones. Still, what is common in the consumer electronics industry may be exotic in security.

The panoramic camera offers both the 180-degree and 360-degree panoramic view using a single fisheye lens or several normal lenses. “For a panoramic camera using several lenses, the panoramic image is produced by stitching the images shot by each of the lenses,” said Osborne Fang, Marketing Manager at Brickcom. “On the other hand, the fisheye camera provides the panoramic image with a single lens. Due to the extremely wide viewing angle of the fisheye lens, the image is distorted and dewarping technology is needed to turn the image into a normal one, readable to the human eye. Hence, dewarping is one of the keys to the final image quality of the fisheye camera.”

Petra Bennermark, Product Manager at Axis Communications, added, “A panoramic camera refers to either a camera that is mounted on a wall and gives a 180-degree view from the wall or a ceiling-mounted camera that gives a 360-degree view of the area below the ceiling. A camera with a 180-degree fisheye lens constitutes one technical solution to such a camera. So I would say that a fisheye camera is a subset of panoramic cameras.”

One way to envision a 180-degree view is to imagine standing in the center of an alley with your back against a wall. “Cameras mounted where your head is would be able to see the whole alley including both ends and the wall that your head is against,” said Ellen Cargill, Director of Product Development for Scallop Imaging (a division of Tenebraex).

Pluses & Trade-Offs
It is important that user s understand what they get and what they do not get from fisheye cameras. Fixed cameras, however mounted, cover narrow fields of view and multiple cameras are required to give adequate coverage of wide areas. PTZ cameras, on the other hand, require manual control and are therefore most often pointing to the wrong place at the wrong time. “A fisheye camera mounted on a wall or on the ceiling in the center of a room or area can cover a vast area with no blind spots, no moving parts, and no manual control required,” said David Myers, CTO at AMG Systems. “While not totally replacing fixed and PTZ cameras, fisheye cameras provide total coverage and reduce both the number of cameras required and the infrastructure required. The ability to follow a subject on a single camera is also of great benefit in forensic analysis”

Some trade-offs still exist for fisheye cameras. As a fisheye camera uses a specialized lens that distorts the image of a scene to fit it into a single view, circular fisheye images do not use all the pixels on an image sensor. Also, image magnification diminishes as the subject moves toward the edges of the scene despite that megapixel image sensors and digital image processing have improved fisheye performance on the edges of the field of view.

Distortion & Pixel Check
Fisheye lenses project a circular footprint and have constant or linear distortion from the center to the edge. Objects closer to the camera appear bigger, while they reduce rapidly in size as the distance from the camera increases. In other words, users could have an unavoidable drop-off in image quality at the edges. These issues might be “magnified” after dewarping. It is similar to the difference between a globe and a map of the world when attempting to provide a two-dimensional representation of the three-dimensional world. Both poles are squished, like oversized representations of Antarctica and Greenland on some maps. The same goes for a fisheye lens: the farther an object is from the center of an image, the more distorted it becomes.

Image distortions and pixel drops of fisheye cameras are hard to read from technical specs. The best way is to actually test the cameras and check the details. “When comparing, make sure that you compare ‘apples to apples' — that is, the same part of the scene, the same field of view, same distance and direction angle from the camera,” Bennermark said.

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to representing the true resolution of fisheye cameras as they, compared to fixed cameras, have a smaller optical image sensor. Greg Alcorn, Director of Global Sales at Oncam Grandeye shared some simple mathematics that can help end users and integrators check exactly what resolution they are getting. “Most manufactures use a 5-megapixel sensor, or 2592 by 1944 pixels, and the image is then cropped to the size of the lens, or a circle within a rectangle. The circle, therefore, has a diameter of 1944 pixels and the following equation is used to calculate the true resolution. The actual resolution equals the area of the circle. [In this case, the actual resolution is 972x972, which is 2.9 megapixels.]"

Dewarping
Human eyes are not used to optical distortion and dewarping is created for this purpose. Dewarping can be done on fisheye cameras or on the client application. “The achievable optical resolution of the lens and the achievable resolution of the image sensor play an important role on the image quality of the dewarped image,” Fang said. “For example, a high-optical resolution fisheye lens with the 5-megapixel image sensor can provide more detail than the same lens with the 1-megapixel image sensor. Meanwhile, the computation power of the processor determines the time it takes for the dewarping function to process the raw optical image.”

In-camera dewarping offers direct dewarped views based on user's need. User can choose the number of dewarped views of the scene and the camera will do the rest. “Dewarping on the camera lets the customer create virtual views or narrow-field windows that create blind spots similar to conventional cameras. The windows may be moved using PTZ commands over the network, and will then have latency similar to what is currently associated with mechanical PTZ cameras,” Alcorn said. “[However], dewarping on the camera does not allow the ability to retrospectively view the 360 image, which is one of the biggest advantages of using 360-degree cameras.”

Dewarping on the client side, on the other hand, allows for retrospective viewing, which enables the user to go back in time to view the total scene in its original form and then pan, tilt, and/or zoom within the 360-degree image as desired. “An additional advantage to dewarp on the client side is the ability for multiple clients to view the same image with different perspectives concurrently. There is no time slicing required as with traditional PTZ cameras or 360 cameras with dewarping onboard the camera,” Alcorn added.

However, Alf Chang, Senior Consultant at a&s held a different opinion. ”In-camera dewarping may also allow multiple clients to view the same image with different perspectives. This relates more to NVRs than where the dewarping occurs. Indeed, the mode or numbers of dewarped views can only be set by one user at the front end. These dewarped views and footage are stored at the NVR. Via NVR, it is still feasible for multiple clients to view the same image with different perspectives. ”

Dewarping in the camera or on the client side have their pros and cons. When cameras are capable of dewarping themselves, installers or integrators have fewer concerns regarding the loading on the client side because the camera is doing the processing. Dewarping on the client side, on the other hand, offers comparatively more flexible and retrospective viewing. There are many dewarping methods. “Some well-known dewarping methods include stereographic projection, equidistant projection, and cylindrical projection. Each method has its own advantages, and the implementation details of the dewarping methods have to adapt to the optical characteristics of the fisheye lens used,” Fang said. “The key is the popularity and compatibility with the VMS.”

VMS Interoperability
Most fisheye manufacturers require a separate SDK for dewarping and e-PTZ controls. This makes integration to V MS systems challenging. In order to enhance the algorithm to the fullest of fisheye cameras, a VMS with full support is crucial. Limited VMS integration will block immersive fisheye cameras from being used effectively. VMS which support multiple manufacturers or even an established standard are key for broader adoption of fisheye cameras.

Oncam Grandeye is optimistic about the potential of fisheye cameras and increased integration with VMS platforms. “Technology moves forward and image quality gets better. VMS, like everything else, is advancing. We have developed an SDK for multiple platforms that can be integrated into any clientside application. It comes with our patented dewarping technology using OpenGL and 3D modeling techniques to project a texture map of the image onto p-surface (a 3D object, generated by a computer graphic system). This takes advantage of current state-of-theart GPUs (graphic processor units), which reduces the load on the CPU. Performing dewarping on the CPU could use as much as 20 percent of the CPU's performance, based on the size of the image and frame rate,” Alcorn said.

Myers agreed. “We provide the software to our VMS partners which allows fast dewarping of the high resolution fisheye live and recorded through their viewing software.”

Brickcom is also eager to increase its technology partners. “Our fisheye camera is compatible now with more than 40 VMS solutions thanks to the open ImmerVision 360-degree viewing standard,” Fang added.

If cameras are capable of dewarping, VMS interoperability is not a concern. “As Axis does dewarping in the camera, VMS is subscribed to the already dewarped images. These dewarped images can be dynamically controlled to make it a digital PTZ camera. There is no need for VMS applications to deal with dewarping,” according to Bennermark.

Future Development
Some manufacturers are launching day-night fisheye cameras for 24-hour coverage. Also, they can be deployed outdoors. The goal is to allow fisheye cameras not to be limited to indoor installations but to wider outdoor areas.

For the past few years, the greatest advances in IP-based video surveillance have been in compression and megapixel technology. These technologies bring panoramic and hemispheric cameras up to a new level, and they can be used in more applications than before, said Steve Ma, Executive VP of VIVOTEK. “With today's sensor and lens technologies, manufacturers are able to provide high quality 360-degree cameras. We will bundle fisheye cameras and speed dome cameras as a solution for great perspectives and details, which allows users to simultaneously monitor both an overview and a detailed regional view of any given scene.”

Danish visual arts museum turns to discreet IP-based surveillance

Editor / Provider: Axis Communications | Updated: 5/8/2013 | Article type: Government & Public Services

The Danish government's main museum for visual arts, the National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen, upgraded its CCTV system in 2012 consisting of 60 analog cameras to a discreet IP-based surveillance comprised of Axis Communications one-megapixel HD cameras and Mirasys NVRs to prevent priceless artworks from theft and damage. The solution was developed jointly between Axis and partner G4S in Denmark, while the product supplier and distributor of the project was EET Europarts.

The gallery has approximately 115 employees and 60 students who occupy the building. Extremely valuable and priceless artworks are on public display in the galleries. Art pieces must be protected from theft and damage, and the safety of the employees and the thousands of people visiting the gallery daily must also be secured. In 2012 the entire CCTV system was extensively upgraded. An important consideration was that the cameras should be discreet and not distract attention from the paintings, and that they should also be easy to move, as the building is reorganized up to two to three times annually.

The museum still has a large number of analog cameras in the system, but the plan is to replace even more of these with IP cameras. The remaining analog cameras are currently connected and integrated into the system using Axis video encoders. “All you need to do is install the camera, program the IP address and run the cable. And then it takes a couple of minutes to adjust the camera angle and the lens,” said Claus Bjerg, G4S. Moreover, one cable per camera is sufficient, as the cameras are powered via the network cable. (This is important as SMK is a listed building in which running cabling, drilling and structural alterations are strictly limited).

Visitors do not even notice the cameras, and for designers the cameras are easier to locate, due to its HD images. “I've not heard any of the designers complain about the cameras,” said the museum's Security Manager Mike Coffman.“On the contrary, several have actually praised the decision to make the conversion.”

As the entire system is based on an open platform, it can be simply upgraded in line with technological development. There are also plans to exploit the opportunities of using intelligent applications, for example, to calculate the number of visitors and analyze how they move around the building. “Apart from using them to calculate how many people are in the building, it's possible to see how visitors move around and between the galleries,” said Coffman.“This is very useful information when planning exhibitions. It would also be good to be able to use intelligence in case of an evacuation, to know whether there are people left in the building and in that case, their location.”

What's trending in 2013?

Editor / Provider: Judy Lin, asmag.com | Updated: 5/8/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

Secutech International 2013, one of the largest trade shows in the security world, successfully concluded on April 26. Here are some of the key findings from the show floor interviews.

1. IP Rocks
IP-based video surveillance products accounted for the majority of items displayed at the exhibition, while HD-SDI products remained a minority. Of the 23 video surveillance manufacturers sampled, 16 companies featured IP products at the show, including Dynacolor, Dahua Technology, Itx, Mobotix and others. Hikvision Digital Technology and four other companies were promoting analog cameras, while Hi Sharp and Win4net were the only companies highlighting HD-SDI products. Most manufacturers are still promoting IP cameras, due to a smaller demand for HD-SDI cameras, and few related products and accessories, said Ray Chan, Director of Sales for APAC, Infinova. HD-SDI also requires larger storage, and the required frame rate is still playing catch-up, Chan continued. A technician from Fuho Technology echoed the sentiment, stating while HD-SDI products offer better image quality than analog cameras, market demand has remained low because of the lack of supporting appliances and hardware compared to analog or IP systems. Some manufacturers are trying to compensate this by promoting new HD-SDI cabling products, such as Win4net's Clebo HD-SDI PoC solution that can extend HD-SDI data transmission for more than 2 kilometers.

2. Light Sensitivity
The majority of low-light network cameras displayed at the show came with 1.3-megapixel resolution; only a few were 3-megapixel models. Shany's SNC-WD2131MSA and Yoko Technology's RYK-IPBX010 featured 1.3-megapixel low-light cameras, while Zavio's D7320 was a 3-megapixel camera. The limitations of network bandwidth and market demand are driving the sales of 1.3-megapixel low-light cameras, said Steven Mao, PM for Digital Surveillance Product Planning, Yoko Technology. Two trends in WDR network cameras were also observed, with some manufacturers such as Brickcom using software to enhance images and others, including Zavio, developing their own WDR sensors.

3. High and Low
Of the analog cameras displayed, a large number were of 700 TVLs and above. For instance, Hikvision's Picadis Exir Camera and Pishion's BRX-99P84WR were 720-TVL cameras, while Fuho's Vacron-P was a 1,000-TVL camera. The cameras target cost-conscious consumers that want better image quality close to IP cameras, but at a much lower price point, said Ian Ma, Overseas Technical Support Engineer, Hikvision. The cameras offer better images than traditional analog, and ideal for clients who are reluctant to say goodbye to their coaxial cables.

4. Easy to Install
Four- to 8-channel NVRs for SMB and home applications are mostly designed with easy setup procedures that are user-friendly. Whether its Nuuo's 8-channel NVR, that enables setup to be completed in six minutes with a click of a mouse, or Dynacolor's 4-channel NVR that automatically detects the company's cameras, the idea is to make installation hassle-free. Manufacturers are trying to make their products appealing and adoptable to the average home owner or shop keeper, who may not be tech-savvy or have the resources to hire IT specialists. Another interesting find was iCatch's latest NVR that enables consumers to use QR scanners to connect their IP cameras to the NVR.

5. Scalability Reincarnated
Installer-friendly products were not easy to miss. For example, Etherwan's ED3638 PoE switch can transmit data and electricity up to 1.8 kilometers, said Alvin Hsu, PM; Planet's BSP-300 solar-power switch is particularly suited for integrators struggling with outdoor cabling. Brickcom's FocusEasy makes life easier for installers, by beeping loudly when the camera is correctly focused; it is aimed at the hotel industry or large-scale projects that require many installations, said Anchi Chen, Marketing Administrator. All these products are designed with convenience in mind, by saving installers or system integrators valuable resources. These products are also ideal for large-scale projects and applications.

6. Value Adds
More camera and NVR manufacturers are teaming up with VCA companies to increase the added value of their products. To target the retail sector, Nuuo teamed up with Vit to add on people-counting features onto its NVR, while VIVOTEK has been cooperating with Cognimatics to add on similar people-counting features onto its IP cameras. Other common VCA features include people counting, item removal detection, and virtual fences that are targeted for retail market applications.

7. Mobility
From remotely monitoring video surveillance cameras to opening doors via NFC technology, mobile applications are increasingly prevalent. The popularity of smartphones and tablets is pushing this trend in the security sector. The majority of NVR manufacturers, such as iCatch and Nuuo, have matching mobile apps to enable remote monitoring, while newer access control systems from WFE Technology allow smartphones to open doors using NFC. Nearly all NFC access control systems are RFID-based at the show, with the exception of Hundure Technology that has promoted a Bluetooth NFC reader.

8. Hot Access
Access control manufacturers such as Pongee and WFE were promoting multicredential readers with four to five credentials targeting the banking or hotel sector. End users can choose which credentials they want to use. According to Johnson Wu, PM of Waferlock at WFE, markets that require high security, such as the banking sector, are more likely to use a combination of credentials or utilize all credentials offered.

9. Gaze Downward
Manufacturers are aiming for the mid- to low-end market with hopes of tapping into retail, home, hotel and banking applications. This was reflected with the promotion of affordable retail solutions with fewer functions, but easy installation, such as VIVOTEK's Counter Cam, a small 180-degree panoramic camera with very basic functions. Even Flir, which had traditionally manufactured high-end thermal imaging cameras, was promoting its first commercial camera, the VT602, at the show (which still costs US$190,000).

10. Emerging Opportunities
Most video surveillance manufacturers agreed that sales are particularly well in emerging markets. Dali Technology and Merit  LILIN both responded sales were particularly well in Middle East, while NVR manufacturer Qnap noted sales were particularly well in Central and South America.

US hospital prescribes unified security

Editor / Provider: Tyco Security Products | Updated: 5/1/2013 | Article type: Commercial Markets

One of the largest hospitals in U.S., the Yale-New Haven Hospital (YNHH), has chosen an integrated security solution from Tyco Security Products. The solution that incorporates products from two Tyco brands, Software House's security and event management system and 22 American Dynamics NVRs will be used to secure the hospital's 1,500-bed flagship teaching hospital and more than 12 sites as part of its parent organization, Yale New Haven Health System. The system was implemented by system integrator Johnson Controls.

In selecting Software House's security and event management system and American Dynamics NVRs, YNHH will now be able to centralize the management of its security systems, both access and video, from the hospital's individual sites on the network. “This new system not only provides critical information to our department so we can make timely, strategic decisions, but it also offers system intelligence to provide data to the rest of our organization,” said Marvin White, Manager of Physical Security, Protective Services.

Working with Johnson Controls, YHNN's multi-tiered access control migration plan includes updating the access control credentials for more than 12,000 workers in the network, impacting more than 1,000 doors and readers. YNHH chose Software House's controllers, which are space-saving, time-saving tools in its small data closets because of the products' remote programming capabilities. The hospital also deployed Software House's business intelligence reporting suite to produce customized reports from the security and event management system .

Additionally, the hospital is migrating some of its DVRs to American Dynamics NVRs during the transition, YNHH will manage its IP and analog systems through one single interface using the American Dynamics VMS.

Once the transition is complete this spring, YNHH will have a system that will grow along with the hospital for years to come because of the scalability of the security and event management system and NVRs.

Hungarian telco beefs up security with networked solution

Editor / Provider: Hikvision Digital Technology | Updated: 4/29/2013 | Article type: Commercial Markets

Hungary's telecommunication services provider Magyar Telekom (akin to AT&T in the U.S.) recently improved security at its shops in Budapest, with the deployment of an IP-based security system. Local system integrator Riel Elektronikai implemented the system consisting of Hikvision cameras and NVRs.

Magyar's T-Pont stores throughout Hungary provided a special security challenge, due to its function as a retail outlet, and the nature of the product, IT intensive facilities that required separate security systems. A unique NVR was needed to address the telecom's needs of separating its surveillance system network from its IT network.

Bernat Solyom, Technical PM at Riel chose an embedded NVR to achieve the goal. “There were a number of important requirements, but the NVR's dual Ethernet ports allowed us to utilize two networks – one for T-Pont's video surveillance system and one for its IT needs,” said Solyom. Another challenge presented was storage and live streaming, due to the many cameras connected to the NVR. Solyom also noted the NVR's internal storage capabilities offered cost-savings and increased efficiency.

"This NVR allows management and security staff at Magya's headquarters to access the live video stream and view/save/download all of their Hikvision-integrated T-Pont stores throughout the country,” explained Solyom. “This streaming capability is critical to this particular solution and Magyar needs.”

For monitoring of the retail shops, the integrator chose 2.0-megapixel anti-vandal IR domes and 2.0 megapixel CMOS-based network cameras. The anti-vandal domes were used primarily for overall surveillance at the stores and installed on the main floor, entrances and cashier areas. Since each T-Pont store had multiple cashier locations, the domes were deployed adjacent of the areas to provide coverage of these vulnerable areas. “The anti-vandal domes work well with our chosen NVR unit and the two-megapixel resolution is very important for the cash area,” explained Solyom. “Not only can we can we monitor the actual transaction in great resolution, we can also identify individuals, should any future problems arise.”

Additionally, the domes design provides discreet monitoring, as its white appearance blends in well with the shop's ceilings. The dome is installed in the ceilings making it less visible, and providing an overall friendlier customer shopping experience. Complimenting this dome is the CMOS-based network camera that has a primary objective of deterring shoplifting. Due to these differing goals, this network camera is prominently placed in areas that historically have had high theft issues.

Since most T-Pont stores are located in large Budapest shopping malls, surveillance of back doors becomes extra important. Not only is this the main entrance or exit for employees, it also serves a variety of logistical needs. On top of this, the server room also plays a vital role at these stores. To cover these areas, another 2.0-megapixel anti-vandal dome with low light sensitivity was deployed to cover surveillance for these areas. The camera is capable of functioning in zero-light environments and provides is fit for outdoor or dark room environments.

Samsung Techwin updates VMS

Editor / Provider: Samsung Techwin | Updated: 4/29/2013 | Article type: Security 50

A recently introduced updated version of Samsung Techwin's SmartViewer Central Management Software is able to support the company's IP network video surveillance devices, as well as its analogue cameras, domes and DVRs

SmartViewer V4.0 is designed for video surveillance systems with up to 36 cameras and enables any authorised user with access to the Internet to view live or search for recorded video captured by connected cameras via a Samsung DVR or NVR.

Users can choose to simultaneously display images from up to 16 cameras in various split-screen modes and can save a ‘favourite' configuration for future use.

A key feature of SmartViewer V4.0 is a device manager which automatically scans for connected IP cameras, encoders and NVRs and enables the importing/exporting of device settings. It also facilitates the remote updating of a device's firmware and can therefore save time and money by negating the need for an installer to carry out a site visit. Other user-friendly features include drag & drop camera selection, H.264, MPEG-4 and MJPEG support, a real-time event list and a 24 language display.

"Customers will find SmartViewer V4.0 very easy to use,” said Peter Ainsworth, Senior Product Manager for Samsung Techwin Europe. “Our software engineers have given it the look and feel, and in many respects it is a simplified version of, our SSM (Samsung Security Manager) software which we know from customer feedback is helping users worldwide achieve maximum benefit from their video surveillance systems.”

Asia Update: Qnap targets SMB segment

Editor / Provider: The a&s Editorial Team | Updated: 4/23/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

Qnap, a NAS supplier, unexpectedly entered the video surveillance industry after inspiration from one of its customers. David Chiang, GM of Surveillance Business Division at Qnap, recalled Qnap's first NVR for a Japanese client who requested a customized NAS with Qnap enhanced surveillance functions. This request later led Qnap to launch its own NVR.

As a pioneering NVR manufacturer with a strong background in NAS, Qnap is able to meet specific surveillance requirements for product design and reliability. “Video surveillance equipment should serve as a useful and reliable tool for security guards, especially in forensic investigations,” Chiang said. “Product reliability should be key, instead of product specifications.”

Therefore, Qnap takes several considerations seriously to ensure reliability. For example, the most common cause of system failure of NVRs is from overheating. To ensure NVR performance and IT efficiency, Qnap adopts a fanless thermal heatpipe CPU cooling system. Other features are designed with usability in mind, such as a VGA/HDMI local display in a series of Qnap's NVRs. Solution for long-term recording is also taken into account.

Qnap will support its own NVR with a NAS device via network for storage expansion this April, and release more new high bay models, including 16-bay in the second half of 2013. In 2009, the company began to provide free multi-server monitoring that can support up to 128 channels by grouping multiple NVR servers for simultaneous monitoring. For large scale projects, Qnap will unveil a new easy turnkey CMS solution to manage a maximum of 1,024 channels collectively in May 2013. By connecting multiple NVR servers to a central management system, Qnap brings the convenience for surveillance and efficiency for system management over the network.

The strength of Qnap products is ease of use. “We provide an easy turnkey solution,” Chiang said. Qnap products can be easily set up in just six steps.

Qnap focuses on its own brand business. To penetrate project markets, Qnap provides timely and extensive support to integrators. “Knowing how to cooperate with local system integrators is key,” Chiang said. “Once you have won your first project, the second and the third will come along.”

Qnap actively looks for partnerships of third-party camera providers, who help promote Qnap to their clients. Currently, Qnap has a strong presence in the following regions: Japan, Europe, the U.S., Central and South America, and India.

Chiang is optimistic about 2013, which is expected to be a fruitful year for the mid-end NVR market as it has just started to bloom. He also predicted that eight-to-16-channel NVRs with high scalability will be standard for the mid-end market. “We now have the edge in the battlefield because we entered this market early on,” he said. “In my point of view, the same prospective outlook for NVR market will last for the next 10 years.”

Canadian college deters crime with larger-than-life witness

Editor / Provider: Avigilon | Updated: 4/17/2013 | Article type: Education

Humber College in Toronto, Canada recently deployed Avigilon's HD surveillance system in parking lots and high-traffic areas to maintain public order and deter crime across its three primary campuses. The system composes of HD cameras ranging from 1-megapixel to 16-megapixel, VMS, NVR and analog video encoders to cover security on the campus with 27,000 full-time students. Humber leveraged its existing network infrastructure and analog cameras to save costs and improve system performance, easing the transition to IP-based surveillance.

After construction began on the new Learning Resource Commons, a 6.43-acre (280,000 square foot) building at the north campus and surrounding parking areas, the college began to look for an advanced IP-based HD surveillance system. “Quality, cost, and flexibility were key considerations,” said Ernie Colosimo, Manager of Security Systems at Humber. The Avigilon system was chosen for its image quality, ease of use, and ability to integrate with other critical security solutions for a complete campus-wide security system that increases safety for students and staff.

Cameras deployed include 180 degrees HD panoramic domes to monitor the parking lots and other high-traffic areas across the college's three main campuses. The college also installed 5-megapixel HD cameras at the campus pub and uses mobile VMS to remotely monitor the system 24/7. To ease the transition to a full IP-based surveillance system, Humber uses analog video encoders for improved functionality of its existing analog cameras and stores 14 days of continuous video footage on NVRs.

The college's public safety surveillance system is managed by VMS with HD stream management technology. Utilizing the advanced features of the VMS, the security team can identify events in minutes and improve investigation results. Users can also share footage with key stakeholders. Mobile VMS has become a valuable tool for remote monitoring, providing access to important information in lock down situations.

Honeywell adds open tech partners Pelco and Sony

Editor / Provider: Honeywell Security | Updated: 4/16/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Continuing its commitment to increase the interoperability of security technologies, Honeywell announced seven new members have joined the Honeywell Open Technology Alliance (HOTA). Formed in 2010, the alliance is comprised of physical security and IT manufacturers committed to developing open and integrated security solutions for end users. New members of HOTA include Exacq, LG, Oncam Grandeye, ImmerVision, Panasonic, Pelco and Sony.

Oncam Grandeye, an innovator in 360-degree imaging, worked with Honeywell to integrate its line of 360-degree IP cameras with MAXPRO VMS and MAXPRO NVRs to improve the usability of its cameras with the video and security management platforms of Honeywell and other members.

"The open standards set by the industry have provided a sound framework to increase the interoperability of our products with nearly any third-party manufacturer," said Vince Lupe, Systems Marketing Leader, Honeywell Security Group. "Our open technology alliance advocates making our technologies work seamlessly with other manufacturer devices, helping the end-user customer maximize existing and newer technologies."

HOTA members work closely to improve the openness of their security and IT products to give end users more options when designing a security system. These technologies, such as cameras, video streamers, and recording and wireless devices can be built using open industry standards, such as PSIA and ONVIF, or programmed using modified protocols.