UK child care facility puts trust in networked surveillance

Editor / Provider: Samsung Techwin | Updated: 6/5/2013 | Article type: Education

One of UK's oldest child care centers, Gingerbread Corner, established in 1976 in Croydon, Surrey, recently replaced its outdated analog video surveillance system with an IP-based video surveillance system consisting of 21 Samsung Techwin network cameras and two NVRs to improve protection of the 160 children between ages of 3 months to 11 years on its premises. Coulsdon based video surveillance and public address specialists Postfield Systems recommended the installation of the IP system.

The old analog system consisted of four cameras which only allowed the monitoring of entrances and exits, the quality of the images captured and recorded were not sufficient for practical use if an incident needed to be investigated. As a registered charity, Gingerbread Corner relies heavily on its fund-raising activities to maintain and improve its facilities, as well as employing 40 members of staff. Despite concerns over significant funding gaps following the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review, Gingerbread Corner's management were determined to allocate sufficient capital for the installation of the replacement video surveillance system.

“There are so many potential situations where access to high quality video evidence can help protect the children in our care and also verify that our staff has at all times professionally carried out their duties,” said Ben Dzendzera, Operations Manager, Gingerbread Corner. “For example, with so many children living in single parent environments, we can avoid any disputes by being able to monitor, and if necessary verify, who has collected a child from our premises.” The center can also quickly resolve bullying issues on its premises, and protect staff from any false accusations.

"It was clear that we immediately needed approximately 20 cameras in order to be able to monitor all activity throughout the site, but we also wanted to ensure that the system we invested in could continue to be expanded if and when our requirements changed,” said Dzendzera. An analog system would have provided Gingerbread Corner with a slightly lower cost option, but the justification for allocating the extra capital for an IP network based system, due to the system's flexibility and how it can be monitored. “Live or recorded images can be viewed by any authorized member of staff who has access to the Internet,” said Dzendzera. “I personally use the VMS on my laptop to view the video of any incidents, whilst senior management can access the system via smartphone when they are off site.”

Sixteen D/N domes were installed. These utilize WDR technology making them ideal for locations where there may be strong contrasting lighting conditions. This has resulted in costs being kept to a minimum as there wasn't a need for coaxial cable to be run to each of the 21 cameras. The five other cameras are IR weatherproof cameras, which is part of a range of cameras which was designed to provide a cost effective network video surveillance solution for small to medium size applications. Both models offer multiple streaming with a choice of compression methods, providing the option to simultaneously transmit images to multiple locations at various frame rates and at different resolutions. This allows different authorized users to monitor live images at one location, whilst recording video evidence at another. The images from all of the cameras are recorded on one of two NVRs.

Major US clothing retailer phasing out old surveillance system across 350 stores

Editor / Provider: Wavestore | Updated: 6/4/2013 | Article type: Commercial Markets

With more than 500 stores and with sales approaching US$4 billion, Burlington Coat Factory, one of the largest clothing retailers in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, recently upgraded from an analog video surveillance system to an IP-based  system consisting of Wavestore VMS, 15 to 25 VIVOTEK 360 degree cameras, and 5-10 Axis Communications IP fixed mini-domes at each of its 200 stores. “The company has also upgraded its electronic article surveillance systems and expanded in store burglar alarm coverage,” said James Connolly, Senior VP, Asset Protection, Burlington. The project was implemented by system integrator, American Integrated Security Group (AISG). The contract to supply the video recording and management solution for Burlington's upgrade program was awarded to Wavestore before it opened a US office.

The company decided to make a substantial investment to improve and standardize the video surveillance at its stores by replacing equipment which had been sourced during the last 20 years from a number of different manufacturers. “The decision to upgrade video surveillance capabilities is one of several significant measures the company has employed to address shortage issues in stores and provide a platform for additional use focused on marketing, operations and safety,” said Connolly.

The ONVIF profile S conformant VMS is able to simultaneously record images captured by combinations of analog, IP, megapixel, HD and 360 degree cameras. “Every retailer has some kind of analog system that still works,” said Levy Acs, President and CTO of retailing solutions specialist AISG. “The biggest challenge is to save as much as possible from the existing system and investments while upgrading to an IP platform.” The integrator designed a modular system so when the retailer moves to a completely IP system, the infrastructure is ready and the video recording solution can switch automatically without hardware change or licensing fees.

“The option of relocating and expanding the system was a key requirement from the customer due to the constantly changing landscape in a retail store,” said Acs. “The ability to achieve this was enhanced by implementation of a flexible IP-based camera system.”

The VMS de-warping feature is supporting the VIVOTEK 360 degree cameras that have been installed by AISG to replace eight analog cameras that previously covered the store's check-outs. Burlington's management's satisfaction with the success of phase one of the upgrade program, which has seen shrinkage being reduced in some stores by as much as 90 percent, has resulted in AISG being tasked to progress with phase two, which will see another 150 stores equipped with Wavestore during 2013, and there are also plans to equip three of the company's distribution centers and a proposed new corporate headquarters in Florence, New Jersey.

Brazilian dept store reduces loss with HD eyes

Editor / Provider: Avigilon | Updated: 6/4/2013 | Article type: Commercial Markets

Established in 1983, Grippon, a growing department store chain based in Brazil recently installed a HD surveillance system consisting of 40 Avigilon HD domes,VMS, and encoders to protect its 1997.41 square meters (21,500 square feet) retail store in Queimados from theft. With the assistance of TecnoComp, a leading provider of IT services in Brazil, and the supplier, Paris Cabos, Grippon chose to install the HD surveillance system at the three story shop that opened in 2011.

Domes deployed range from 1 to 2-megapixels to monitor the interior and exterior of the store. The company used HD panoramic IP domes with HD stream management, allowing four sensors to make a panoramic coverage from a camera (180 degrees or 360 degrees). With pre-focused lenses, the cameras are vandal, water and dust proof. The IT staff manages the surveillance system from their desktops using the VMS. The control center is remote and accessed via web. “Since there is no image loss or locking of the system, you can manage the system from home as if you were in the store,” said Alexsandro Ribeiro, IT Manager at Grippon.
 
The store used an Avigilon encoder to integrate the existing analog cameras into the VMS. “The use of the encoder, combined with the VMS, modernizes the existing analog installation without the need of total replacement, preserving part of the initial investment and incorporating these analog cameras to the digital management and recording system,” explained Claudinei Maia, Commercial Director at Paris Cabos.

Ribeiro also found the superior image quality and the user-friendly VMS platform to be valuable and efficient resources when dealing with shoplifters. Theft sometimes involved three to four people, under the previous system the department store often lost the ability to detect other shoplifters when focusing on one, explained Ribero. The new system, however, has overcome this issue.

The system has been cost-effective for Grippon. “We had a 50 percent reduction in the cost of infrastructure when we chose the high quality IP panoramic cameras of 180 degrees and 360 degrees, because they require less network points and infrastructure,” stated Ribeiro, who pointed out using less hardware will also reduce the cost of future maintenance. Ribeiro believes initial investments will be paid off in two years at the most with the savings generated. Grippon plans on implementing a similar system in other stores in the chain as well as future locations.

Canadian college upgrades to HD for multisite monitoring

Editor / Provider: Axis Communications | Updated: 6/3/2013 | Article type: Education

Conestoga College, a large and growing post-secondary institution that serves about 50,000 students and encompasses five main campuses and numerous satellite locations in Kitchener, Ontario, recently upgraded part of its outdated analog video surveillance system to an IP-based surveillance system consisting of 100 Axis Communications HD cameras and Exacq Technologies VMS to cover buildings, parking lots, grounds and outdoor areas. Axis' local partner Bulldog Fire and Security was the system integrator for the project. Bulldog Fire and Security designed a hybrid system, by digitizing existing analog cameras into custom-built hybrid Exacq servers, while new installations-such as at parking lots, new buildings and outdoor areas—employed IP cameras.

Keeping an eye on the campuses was a challenge for administrators, as the aged video surveillance infrastructure failed to keep up with the growing college. The college had relied on “old analog cameras dating back 15 to 20 years,” according to Don Willis, Director of Safety and Security Services, Conestoga. The quality of images was poor, and the university often did not have cameras in critical points. The university had acquired over the years a variety of DVRs that were stuck in the backrooms. One room had seven DVRs and was filled with cabling that obstructed passageway to the back of the room.

College campuses have vast areas to cover. Conestoga's Doon campus, for example, has more than 4,000 parking spots. “Getting coverage out there before was simply not possible, because it's too far for coaxial cable,” said Ron Landry, Co-owner of Bulldog Fire and Security. “But fiber doesn't have that distance limitation, and that allowed us to put high-resolution IP cameras out there.” Doon also has a large green space that “was always a safety concern,” said Willis. The college's previous service provider claimed cameras could not be installed due to the analog cabling and installation costs. However, with the campus's network infrastructure, two new IP cameras can be focused on the pathways.

The college's new video surveillance system uses all IP cameras and server-based storage for new installations and links older analog cameras to hybrid servers from Exacq. “For example, we replaced old DVRs at our Waterloo campus with a new Exacq hybrid server… At Cambridge, we have 67 IP cameras,” said Willis.

The new cameras at Cambridge include 20 outdoor HD cameras, 47 vandal-resistant network cameras. Elsewhere, Conestoga selected outdoor fixed domes for high quality outdoor surveillance and discreet HD fixed domes for coverage inside administrative buildings as well as classroom and dorm corridors. “With the old system, investigators sometimes sat for hours trying to find an incident on a DVR, and that same evidence can now be found in minutes,” said Willis. “If something serious happens, we're able to hand police the video when they come in minutes later.” The cameras have helped catch car thieves. A number of high-end pickup trucks and SUVs had been stolen from the Doon campus. The Axis cameras captured a suspect's vehicle on video, which allowed the local police to break up a huge car-theft ring.

The improvement can also be seen when the college conducts improved training exercises. In one, personnel scan live video feeds looking for a subject moving through campus wearing a reflective vest. “With the analog system, we could never train our staff this way,” said Willis. “At first, it took our staff almost 20 minutes to locate the suspicious person. Today we're well under five.” In addition, ROI has been immediate, and the system is now featured in orientation tours for prospective students and their parents.

Five ways to hacker-proof your IP system

Editor / Provider: Avigilon | Updated: 6/3/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Last March, the Crown Casino in Australia made international headlines after a group of high-rolling card players were able to gain unauthorized access into the casino's video surveillance system in order to cheat Crown out of US$33 million in illegal winnings, according to a recent article posted on Avigilon's website. Journalists were quick to compare the elaborate heist to the storyline of the 2001 feature film, Oceans 11, where Brad Pitt and George Clooney starred as the masterminds behind robbing a high-profile Las Vegas casino for $150 million.   
 
Given that Pitt and Clooney's characters were perceived as the good guys in the movie – to whom the audience rallied behind to pull off the impossible - it was no surprise that the crime in Australia was glamorized and was taken lightly in the public eye.

While it is easy to dismiss the Australian casino heist, many people within the security industry were hit with the reality that new approaches needed to be taken with advanced technology.
 
Making sure your IP surveillance system is secure from outside threats is vital no matter if you are a well-known Las Vegas casino or a privately owned retail store. We spoke to Michael Miller, the president of The Wire Guys, a surveillance system integrator based in the eastern U.S, to discuss this topic. Miller came up with five ways end users can protect themselves from getting hacked.  
 
Use a Dedicated Network for Your Clients and Your Servers
Miller: I don't know the particulars as far as the Australia casino heist, but if you have your security network on your same corporate network, which is tied to your wireless network, and if it's all on the same subnet, it's pretty wide open at that point. That would be my guess to what might have happened in Australia. It would be absolutely crazy for a casino to be set up like that if they were. But technically in a casino, just like in hospitals, everything is separate and dedicated. There's absolutely no way to get to the cameras from their corporate network.

If their network is set up like that we will step in. But a lot of times, the IT departments are in control already, so they set the rules and regulations and we conform to what they recommend to us. What we would typically recommend is having a totally dedicated separate network. Separate switches, separate cables, separate everything. Even the client machines are on their own dedicated networks. Make it so that it's physically impossible to go from your corporate network to your camera network. That's the best way to do it.
 
Change Your Passwords
Miller: Make sure you change all of your passwords on your cameras and your switches. You can use authentication on your network to make sure that only the devices that you want on your network are on your network. Those are the things that you would typically want to do.
 
From Remote Access Use Your VPN
Miller: There are two ways to give remote access to your system. The first option would be to open a hole in your firewall, or as we call it port-forwarding. The other option, which is more secure, would be to do a VPN access. So basically, from your mobile device, you can initiate a virtual private network back to your firewall which puts you on your network. That is much more secure than just opening up ports at that point. Then you have your username and password you have to enter for Avigilon's mobile VMS, so you have VPN and your username and password to get into the system.   

Don't Use Your VMS server With Company Information on it – Dedicate a System for Surveillance
Miller: If you circumvent the VMS and go directly to the cameras, then you can see the live feeds. If you can get into the server, you can access recorded footage potentially delete recorded footage. Typically, especially the way we build system and the majority of companies that know what they are doing - you're not going to share your surveillance system, with your SQL server, with you database with everybody's AR department, you wouldn't want to do it that way.
 
Check to See Who is Accessing Your Networks
Miller: Well Avigilon's system can do that and most VMS' can do that. It gets a lot trickier though if they're circumventing the VMS and going straight to the cameras. If you have a firewall in between, then you can track IP addresses and Mac addresses and see who's accessing your network. And even some of the cameras have logs in them as well so you can see what IP address and what user would have accessed them. [Editors note: Used with the permission of avigilon.com/connected.] 

Omanian auto dealer gets robust eyes

Editor / Provider: Hikvision Digital Technology | Updated: 5/31/2013 | Article type: Commercial Markets

Located at the heart of Muscat, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles, the biggest automobile dealer in Oman, recently deployed an IP-based video surveillance system consisting of 100 Hikvision Digital Technology cameras, VMS and network keyboards to secure its perimeters. Technosolutions, the system integrator for this project designed the surveillance system.

Suhail Bahwan offers cars from BMW, Infinity, and Nissan, and boasts some of the largest showrooms for these models. With such impressive, and lucrative, facilities, Suhail Bahwan placed emphasis on securing the safety of not only its cars, but the many employees and customers. For this solution, the client's goal was to monitor all critical showroom locations, such as entrances, exits, POS, customer service counters, and a variety of other employee work areas to be monitored with a high-resolution video surveillance system. To further simplify and gain added efficiency, network keyboard was chosen to operate this video surveillance solution.

For indoor areas like reception and financial transaction counters, Anoop Nair, Sales Manager at Technosolutions chose the 2-megapixel vandal proof dome. He noted that Oman's automobile showrooms have experienced instances of camera vandalism. Obviously, in sensitive locations where money is involved, the client preferred vandal proofing. Many of these showrooms had preexisting hardware and logistical infrastructure. An example of this was PoE enabled network switches. Nair utilized the 2-megapixel dome PoE and saved installation costs by eliminating expensive fiber optical cabling to a central location. 4CIF low light D/N network domes monitored employee hallways, since lights in these showrooms are turned off when the area is closed at night.

The main entrance is covered by a 2-megapixel IP66 waterproof dome. A less-obtrusive dome was chosen over a more visible box camera. The camera's 30 meter IR range can monitor both entrance and parking lot areas. The 2-megapixel network IR bullet camera provides coverage for a variety of areas, such as internal access control locations, outdoor parking lots, and vehicle entry/exit areas that do not possess access control. The camera that has a 30 meter IR range is positioned to read license plate numbers.

The indoor network PTZ high speed dome, placed on the interior of the four-meter high showroom ceilings, exploits 23x optical zoom to “provide coverage of each and every nook of showroom and see people and objects that normal bullet/domes cannot,” explained Nair. Placed on top of the building is the outdoor network IR PTZ speed dome. Similarly, a 36X optical zoom provides the ability to zoom onto any object or person at a long distance, and comes with 80 meter IR range.

Canadian solar farm operator keeps panels spotless with thermal and IP cams

Editor / Provider: Axis Communications | Updated: 5/30/2013 | Article type: Infrastructure

Canadian solar farm operators Firelight Infrastructure Partners and Great Circle Solar Management recently deployed a new security monitoring system comprising of Axis Communications thermal cameras, HD quality PTZ and fixed network cameras, and upgraded existing analog cameras to IP video system using video encoders at plants in Ontario. UCIT Online Security, an Axis partner and system integrator, recommended the solution to be implemented at the sites that each inhabits 100 acres of open ground outside of smaller population centers. So far, the systems' greatest ROI has been as a day-to-day management tool to keep solar cells free from snow and dust to effectively convert sunlight to electricity.

Firelight Infrastructure Partners, a Canadian infrastructure fund with US$300 million in capital to invest in renewable energy projects, works with Great Circle Solar Management to finance, own and operate solar plants in Ontario.The province is eliminating coal-fired electricity plants by 2014. To encourage private enterprises to invest in renewable energy, Ontario offers fixedpriced 20-year electricity contracts for providers of renewable energy.In partnership with Great Circle Solar Management, a portfolio of three 10-megawatt solar plants have been built or are under construction throughout the province.The plants seclusion necessitates a real-time security and monitoring system that operates 24/7, yet is still cost effective. 

 A remote monitoring system was needed to provide security and check the status of the far-flung plants. A number of options were considered, including guards, motion detectors and the use of IR and/or PTZ cameras. UCIT's solution delivers three critical prerequisites: large coverage area, durability and reliability. UCIT, which monitors 4,000 surveillance cameras in Canada, provides year-round monitoring. UCIT specializes in short-term surveillance initiatives like construction sites; in contrast the solar plants had to operate for 20-plus years. “We needed cameras that are durable and cover a lot of space,” said Erik Mikkelsen, President, UCIT. “Many would recommend IR cameras, but typical IR illuminators burn out every three to five years, so over 20 years you would replace them multiple times. Also, with IR illumination you can only see 20 to 40 meters at night.”

“The Axis thermal cameras [chosen] can see up to 1,100 meters in complete darkness,” said Mikkelsen. “So we need fewer cameras, less cabling and a lot less maintenance.”

All three sites leverage thermal network cameras with varying lens options for outdoor detection, and then use a mix of outdoor PTZ domes and 1080p HD network cameras for detailed recognition. Fixed network domes were selected to secure building interiors, and existing analog cameras were digitized using video encoders. The entire system is controlled by UCIT's own VMS. Video is recorded locally and archived for a minimum of two weeks. During an incident, UCIT begins live monitoring and recording at its Mississauga office.

Staff have a clear view of the grounds if an alarm is triggered by in-camera analytics or motion sensors, and can contact law enforcement and warn intruders using loudspeakers and controllable lighting. “If motion sensors or in-camera analytics trigger an alarm and we see trespassers, we can use the PA system to announce that authorities have been notified and they should leave,” said Mikkelsen. “If it's a work crew, we ask them to call our office and explain why they're there.”

The systems' greatest ROI has been as a day-to-day solar cell management tool. Great Circle and Firelight personnel can monitor the condition of the panels remotely and in real time. Without the cameras, costly trips to these distant locations would be required. “Theft and security have not been an issue to date,” said Noel McDonald, Associate, Great Circle Solar. “In fact, the cameras have been most useful from an operational standpoint.”

“We started out looking for a basic security package, but we ended up with a tool that allows us to improve our operations,” Adam Reeds, Director, Firelight Infrastructure Partners. “This has actually turned into a project management tool, with security being the secondary consideration.“

Bosch releases vandal-resistant HD dome series

Editor / Provider: Bosch Security Systems | Updated: 5/30/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Bosch introduced a series of advanced HD cameras that fulfill both these requirements. This successful security breakthrough product range is now complete with the launch of the IP camera FLEXIDOME HD VR. The VR suffix stands for vandal resistant, and this new camera is characterized by robust, compact dome housing – allowing for different imaging platforms in one unified design.

The Flexidome HD VR camera offers a choice of imaging modules: 720p60 for superior, lowlight performance, 1080p for full HD resolution, and 1080p HDR for even the most challenging wide dynamic range scenes. All three modules make use of the same Flexidome design, providing a unique freedom of choice and a unified esthetic for the latest in video security installations. In addition, the camera features Content Based Imaging Technology (CBIT), a Bosch innovation that provides intelligent dynamic image optimization. The CBIT-enabled cameras include two special modes: Intelligent Auto Exposure (iAE), which results in optimal details for objects of interest, plus intelligent dynamic noise reduction (iDNR) that lowers bandwidth requirements by up to 30 percent compared to other cameras.

For ease of use, the new Flexidome HD VR is equipped with an automatic varifocal (AVF) lens. This significantly simplifies and halves the installation time since several cameras can be focused and zoomed remotely from the comfort of the control room. Furthermore, the AVF lens fully exploits the high sensor resolutions available with Bosch super resolution lenses. The camera is housed in a vandal-resistant design, supporting 90-degree horizontal viewing and the full range of mounting options. “The Flexidome HD VR completes our portfolio of HD Security breakthrough cameras,” explains Rob Bertens, Product Manager Video Systems. “It clearly represents a significant step forward in terms of design, image quality, ease of installation, and operation.”

Alongside its advances in operation and esthetics, the new Flexidome camera is a hybrid system, supporting connections to existing analog devices and systems, including spot monitors. It thus allows for a gradual conversion from analog systems to high-tech IP solutions.

The Flexidome HD VR works seamlessly with the Bosch transcoding technology as implemented in the VMS, the video client as well as in the storage solutions from Bosch. Video streams can be viewed from iPad, browser or the free viewing client from Bosch. This makes it ideal for applications in retail stores, restaurants, casinos, airports and public transport.

Bosch's IP standard- and high-definition cameras, encoders and analytics are Onvif conformant and compatible with software and storage solutions of third-party integrators. This is supported by the Integration Partner Program, which gives partners immediate access to online tools for easy integration of management and recording software, video analytics, monitor wall systems and cloud monitoring.

Synectics management software integrates AMG fisheye cam

Editor / Provider: AMG Systems | Updated: 5/30/2013 | Article type: Security 50

AMG-Panogenics, the British manufacturer of sophisticated Megapixel cameras, has entered a technology partnership with Synectics, and their PanoCam360 fisheye camera is now fully integrated into the Synergy security management system.

Jonathan Squires, Technology Applications Manager of Synectics says, “The PanoCam360 can be recorded by Synectics' recording management system and the image / stream can be viewed in Synectics' security management software, Synergy, in its native, 360 format. The image can also be de-warped, and using Synergy, users can apply a digital zoom on the image.”

David Myers, CTO of AMG-Panogenics comments, “PanoCam360 streams 12.5 frames per second and the on-board de-warping reduces the processing requirement back in the control room. Offering up to 14 de-warped video streams/independent camera views simultaneously alongside the full-resolution fish-eye view makes PanoCam360 the most powerful and versatile 360 degree camera range available. The camera is completely developed and manufactured in the UK and works on an open software platform, which makes it very easy to integrate.”

Synergy is Synectics' security management solution for multi-vendor environments. One of the main features of Synergy is that it dramatically simplifies the human interface, furnishing operators with a simple, fast and intuitive route to all common system functions. It further features a range of module additions designed with specific application sectors in mind. Synergy therefore addresses the requirement of system operators and managers to provide a practical control and administration solution that can deliver the flexibility of operation - as demanded by today's increasingly complex systems.

Changing tides

Editor / Provider: John Shi, a&s Editorial Director | Updated: 5/29/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

With the successful conclusion of the three major international physical security trade shows ISC, SECUTECH, and IFSEC this year, new waves of change rippling through the industry were reflected at the show floors. Here are some major trends observed at the exhibitions:

1. Regional market shifts
The US security market is rebounding especially in the education and government vertical markets, with school administrators and parents being especially supportive of security investments. The stabilization of the US economy and the conclusion of the presidential elections, has contributed to the increase of security budgets. In contrast, the European market appears to be more conservative. Nevertheless, Northern Europe, Germany, and Eastern Europe markets still remain promising. The Middle East's security demands are driven by its continual infrastructure investments. There is also a higher quota for IP applications in this region, as the technology has not been implemented in the past.

2. High-end market saturation
Affected by tightened security budgets and a highly competitive market, the security industry's high-end market is gradually becoming saturated. Manufacturers have taken two extreme approaches, with some climbing upwards to even more sophisticated markets, such as Genetec's migration from VMS to solution-based projects, or Nice Systems promotion of PSIM products highlighting event management capacities. Others have chosen to move into entry-mid level markets, for instance Milestone Systems's release of Arcus, an entry-level VMS that can be embedded into cameras or NVRs. Axis Communications has also released cameras with front-end storage and back-end cloud services, while many other companies have promoted price/performance ratio products.

3. No new technologies
There has been a lack of major developments in video surveillance technology and products. Instead, video surveillance cameras have turned to more functions, easy-installation, user-friendly, and maintenance-friendly.

4. Diverse back-end storage
Unlike the CCTV era, where DVRs was the only storage method, there are now five different types of storages—storing directly on camera memory cards (decentralized system), server grade storage, NAS, embedded NVR, cloud-based storage or services. How these storages technologies will evolve in the future is worth following up on.

5. Access control shines
Similar to the video surveillance industry three to five years ago, the access control sector is quickly shifting towards IP. Besides integration demands, of special interest is the integration of new technologies, for instance, wireless door locks that are easy to install, RFID technology for asset management or employee management, biometric identification (including fingerprint, facial and iris), identity management for government and financial industries, and lastly NFC. The introduction of these technologies will urge the upgrade of access control devices, and drive market adaption, especially in universities, hospitals, and government agencies.

6. HD demand evident
IP-based video surveillance has established itself as the mainstream technology in U.S, due to good IP infrastructure and mature cloud services. However, labor remains expensive in U.S, which is why IP over coaxial cable solutions is still highly popular. SDI technology is still in the minority, but there is still market for the product. Some have observed the lack of Internet concepts among most engineering companies and no Internet maintenance at the end-user level. Compared to the limitations of HD-SDI transmission, storage, and costs for one cable per camera, Taiwan IC company's ccHDtv solution can connect 16 cameras over 500 meters.

Major European security markets that have made large investments in CCTV in the past, such as UK, Germany and France, are more keen on HD-SDI. Although, UK's acceptance for IP technology has increased since last year, demands for HD-SDI remain high. Recently London upgraded 4 million analog cameras to HD.

7. Civilian security
The rapid growth of smartphones and hand held devices has propelled the demand for home security and cloud-services. Companies trying to tap into the home market include telecommunication companies, Internet companies, civilian cloud-based services, and security companies. The targeted users are homeowners and SMBs, which is expected to spur large demands for entry-level surveillance cameras, and even impact 4-channel DVR manufacturers market and distribution channels.

8. Chinese manufacturers
Hikvision Digital Technology's performance in many countries reflects the results of setting up local branches, while Dahua Technology has invested heavily at major security trade shows, greatly increasing its visibility.

9. Asian manufacturers
Asian manufacturers have increased their presence at international trade shows, by staging independent exhibition booths or joining country pavilions.

10. US analog market
Although analog video surveillance has a 70 percent market share in U.S, profits remain extremely low. Will it be possible for a professional manufacturer to take on this highly standardized field in the future?

11. Smart buildings and safe cities
IP integration has brought forth two major technologies, smart buildings (energy efficient and green) and safe cities. Compared to Taiwan, most countries safe cities have developed at a much slower pace and at a smaller scale.

12. Factors accelerating change
Challenges in product value and IP network applications is accelerating industry changes, whether it is the reshuffling of major security component manufacturers and the rise of Hilsilcon; the restructuring of foreign companies and traditional distribution channels; the convergence of IT channels that are rapidly entering the security market; or Asian manufacturing companies in China, Taiwan and South Korea that are facing pricing or technology reshuffling and replacements.

13. Fierce competition
As China's cheap products pour into the international market, the result is most companies have earned little. Domestic sales account for most of Hikvision and Dahua's profits.