Gallery Place upgrades to IP surveillance with Exacq Technologies

Editor / Provider: Exacq Technologies | Updated: 8/28/2013 | Article type: Commercial Markets

Gallery Place is the ultimate urban retail destination. Located in the heart of Washington, D.C.'s Chinatown neighborhood, it is within walking distance to many landmarks including the Washington Convention Center and the Verizon Center. Gallery Place offers shopping, dining and entertainment for Washington, D.C. residents and visitors.

Being located near the metro bus stop and several major downtown attractions, Gallery Place relies heavily on its surveillance system. Visitors are on the premises 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whether it's to park in the garage, go to the movies, shop, or dine.

Purpose: Utilize existing infrastructure
Migrate to IP technology
Provide useable evidence
Proactively addresssafety and security
Two years ago Gallery Place approached several companies to install a new surveillance system. Recently, the server had been failing and constantly needed repair. They wanted to move towards newer IP technology while still utilizing their existing analog system, so Gallery Place worked with Urban Alarm to determine the appropriate security solution. Miles Fawcett, President of Urban Alarm, suggested and installed an exacqVision hybrid server and exacqVision video management system (VMS) software.

By installing the exacqVision A-Series hybrid server, Gallery Place was able to utilize their existing infrastructure while adding a new IP camera. The exacqVision hybrid server combines analog and IP camera inputs into one surveillance system. This allows the Gallery Place to easily transition to new IP technology and still use their current equipment. It also provides a scalable system for future expansion of additional IP cameras and servers. They were able to continue to use their Pelco switch with the exacqVision server. Since their officers were already trained on this, they felt comfortable with the system and were able to transition smoothly.

The exacqVision A-Series hybrid server came pre-installed with exacqVision VMS software for easy, out-of-the-box deployment. The software proved to be powerful and easy to operate. The included exacqVision client required little to no training to use and allows the security guards to proactively stop issues before they arise.

Gallery Place has security guards on duty 24/7 to help ensure the safety of visitors. In the workstation, the security guards can easily use the exacqVision surveillance system to view live and recorded video at any time. Six monitors continuously show all camera views throughout the entire installation. Security guards can easily export video clips and easily save them for their potential use at a later date.

Equipment-At-a-Glance
Software: 
*  exacqVision Professional VMS software
Hardware: 
*   exacqVisionA-Series hybrid server
*  exacqVision Surveillance Keyboard
*   Pelco matrix switch
*   AVS analog cameras
*  Pelco analog cameras
*   Axis P3367VE 5 megapixel IP camera

Bosch announces integration partner program with Dahua in China

Editor / Provider: Dahua | Updated: 8/23/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Bosch launched the Integration Partner Program (IPP) in China, which aims to improve product interoperability and integration cooperation between security manufacturers.

Through the Integration Partner Program, Dahua and Bosch have set up a long-term, strategic partnership and achieved compatibility between HD cameras from Dahua and Bosch's Network Video Recorder or VMS. Dahua's powerful 128 Channel Super NVR can record up to 128 network cameras and is designed to satisfy the most demanding projects. Aiming to meet high-capacity storage needs, Dahua's 6000 series NVRs are ideal for wide location such as ports, power plants and airports. The result is a seamless integration of industry-leading products to deliver customers a powerful option for video integration.

“The collaboration with Dahua allows customers to leverage the technology from both our companies for their critical video projects.” said Chen Chuang, Manager of the IPP, Bosch Security Systems China. ‘Customers can now access the cutting edge features from Bosch IP video cameras together with the security and flexibility of Dahua NVR technology.'

“Thanks to both parties' great efforts, we now integrate products from both sides,” said Michael Chen, Vice President of Dahua Technology Co., Ltd. “We put IP search, video encoding, video/audio, auto re-connection, encoding configuration, motion detection, PTZ control and more into real integration, allowing our customers to enjoy a feature-rich integrated solution. Already we have seen our integrated products installed in projects. This has made our customers eager to see what else can be achieved under this IPP partnership.”

Verint to showcase PSIM Solutions and safety solution at APCO 2013

Editor / Provider: Verint Systems | Updated: 8/20/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Verint Systems announced that it will highlight its PSIM and other advanced public safety solutions at this year's Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Annual Conference & Exposition. Today's law enforcement and public safety organizations receive large amounts of intelligence from an array of sources, and therefore require advanced solutions to help them capture and analyze data in order to respond in an appropriate and timely manner.

Supporting these efforts, Verint's Nextiva Physical Security Information Management solution integrates video with a variety of security, safety and building management systems – including access control, video analytics, and command and dispatch centers – to help drive an effective, more proactive approach to security and emergency management, while promoting Actionable Intelligence by routing the right information to the right responders at the right time. With the Verint PSIM solution, public safety officials can enhance emergency preparedness and improve situation awareness, while helping ensure accurate response in emergency, natural disaster and other security situations.

Verint will demonstrate how its Nextiva VMS and Audiolog Insight Center solutions help officials investigate incidents leveraging information from voice, video and other security systems. The offering serves as a forensic tool that can provide public safety organizations and critical infrastructure entities with a comprehensive view of captured data for expediting investigations, debriefings and training. Its integrated interface and advanced analytics enable audio and video to be correlated to capitalize on robust functionality that eliminates inconsistencies in the data and organization of manual investigations by unifying two critical technologies which are typically unstructured and underutilized in the evidence process.

“Public safety officials are inundated with more information than ever before,” says Steve Weller, senior vice president and general manager, Verint Video and Situation Intelligence Solutions. “Solutions that can help them sift through the ‘noise' to quickly and accurately respond to security and emergency events have become vital in today's security and emergency preparedness and response environments. At Verint, our focus is on helping equip organizations with advanced security management tools, such as our PSIM and other integrated audio/video system solutions, for a proactive approach to addressing emergency, security and related situations and events.”

Exacq announced new integration with PlateSmart Technologies

Editor / Provider: Exacq Technologies | Updated: 8/15/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Exacq Technologies, a manufacturer of VMS and servers used for video surveillance, has announced a new integration with PlateSmart Technologies, a license plate recognition (LPR) software-only solution.

The PlateSmart software can be easily integrated into any exacqVision system. Operating on a Microsoft Windows platform, the PlateSmart software is compatible with a variety of analog and IP security cameras. Once the PlateSmart software is connected to the camera and exacqVision system, it continually searches for license plates. The recognized license plate goes through the analytics and the metadata is sent to the exacqVision server. The plate information is then displayed in the exacqVision client software and includes the following data:

- License plate number
- Timestamp of when the license plate was captured
- Camera name
- State
- Longitude and latitude
- Path to the image

“PlateSmart is a great strategic partner for our video management system,” notes Tom Buckley, vice president of sales and marketing, Exacq Technologies. “As demand continues to increase for license plate recognition, it's important that we make this powerful technology directly available from our client user interface.”

This new PlateSmart integration is available for integration with exacqVision systems within the United States. It provides exacqVision end users with a seamless addition of an LPR solution to their existing video security system.

“We are very excited to have Exacq Technologies as a VMS integration partner,” said John Chigos, PlateSmart founder and CEO. “Exacq is an industry leader in VMS technology, and PlateSmart is on the cutting edge of LPR. We expect great things from our work together.”

SeeTec integrated IP video solutions with Bosch

Editor / Provider: Bosch Security Systems | Updated: 8/13/2013 | Article type: Security 50

SeeTec, a pioneer in network-based video surveillance, is the latest member of the Bosch Integration Partner Program which is designed to promote and enhance interoperability between Bosch products and other leading security products, applications, software or systems. Companies of any size using SeeTec video management solutions can now benefit from the unmatched features of the latest Bosch IP video cameras as well as from Bosch's extensive product range for indoor and outdoor applications. This comprises the Dinion, AutoDome and Flexidome families of IP cameras, the VideoJet encoders, Bosch VIP network video servers. SeeTec also supports the new starlight HD technology from Bosch which enables unprecedented video quality in extreme low-light conditions.

The partnership between Bosch and SeeTec guarantees that all IP-based video products from Bosch will seamlessly integrate into existing SeeTec environments including the ProBox for small and medium projects and the highly scalable Enterprise Edition which supports thousands of cameras in multitiered architectures. Inspired by thousands of installation, SeeTec′s new VMS  Cayuga is also compatible with the broad Bosch camera range.

SeeTec customers thus have the opportunity to use proven Bosch technology and quality when extending their projects or to replace existing cameras with more feature rich models. They can also benefit from the event trigger in the intelligent video analysis feature from Bosch.

“SeeTec is a leader in video management and specifically strong in vertical markets such as logistics, finance and retail”, says Rudolf Spielberger, Head of the Bosch Integration Partner Program. “Our partnership does not only open up new opportunities for us, but also gives SeeTec's customers easy access to the latest technologies which they can easily integrate into their existing environments.”

 

LILIN retail solution encompasses cams, NVR,VMS and ePOS

Editor / Provider: Sponsored by Merit LILIN | Updated: 8/12/2013 | Article type: Tech Corner

LILIN now offers total solution for retail industry that includes cameras, NVR, and video management system CMX. The integrated solution focuses on ePOS management, audio recording, easy installation, easy camera setup, energy saving, video management for large cameras installation of retail chain stores. With many features provided, we also provide solutions for low maintenance cost and low operational cost at affordable price.

The Solution
NVR Touch can use USB to RS-485 for connecting ePOS system. The transactions of ePOS can be captured by NVR Touch series. A user can specify a transaction filter to filter the invoice transactions. Select on one of the ePOS event and click on Play button can play the video clips with transactions on the video.

Recording
NVR Touch series can provide audio recording received from an IP camera.LD2222 series has built-in microphone can be mounted on top of the ePOS system. The talking in between employees and customers can be later used for training purpose. NVR404C small and compact design allows to install one 2.5” 750GB HDD which allows to record 4 LD2222s at 15FPS for a week or 7FPS for two weeks at 1080P resolution.

Easy Installation
PMH-POE570WAT, 5-port PoE switch, can be used for the retail solution. The network switch can provide up to 70W power for PoE IP cameras. Plug-n-play, no external power adapter installed right next to the camera is needed comparing to traditional installation. This further reduces installation cost and maintenance cost.

One-button Configuration, Easy Setup
One-button camera configuration by NVR Touch, there is no need for configuring IP addresses of all cameras. Recording, network connection, and live monitoring can all be done by the one-button camera configuration.

Go Green, Go Eco-friendly
NVR, DVR, and cameras are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, running machines. Traditional PC-based HD recorder consumes 350W to 500W to get full HD video quality. In contrast, LILIN NVR404c consumes only 45W. Despite of power saved by a stand-along NVR, LILIN's cameras are also eco-friendly. LD2222 consumes 5W at most and LR7022 camera with IR on at night consumes only 10W. Surveillance systems are 24-hour running devices. When purchasing surveillance systems, people tend to see the price, but forget about the electricity. A 400W PSU PC VMS without running a monitor might cost USD $260.04 per year.

Cost-effective Solution in Many Aspects
LILIN's development team does not only focuses on energy saving but also cost-effective products and storage saving. The 1080P H.264 streaming of LILIN's L series needs only 2~3 Mbps at superior video quality because of the 3D noise reduction technology. Comparing to the cameras of other manufactures, It is about 5~12 Mbps for 1080P resolution at 30FPS in speed. In other words, we save hard drive cost in half.

Motion & External Alarm at Local Store
Burglar alarm such as a PIR can be connected into LB1022's digital input. Motion detection alarm can also be used at night time for intrusion detection purpose. When the alarms get triggered, the alarm information can trigger various outputs such as siren output connected to the digital output of NVR Touch, email with snapshot outputs, and alarm popup at CMX Software HD 3.6. CMX Alarms received at remote NVR sites can be received at CMX for various alarm outputs.

Sponsored by:
LILIN is a global IP video manufacturer with over 30 years of experience. Throughout the years, the company has maintained its dedication to Creativity, Progress, and Excellence providing expertise in digital video with a strong focus on innovation moving forward.

Transmission: PoE, EoC, PLC

Editor / Provider: Alyssa Fann, a&s International | Updated: 8/9/2013 | Article type: Tech Corner

The advent of network cameras brought about convenience and integration capabilities to security systems, but also required more complex methods of wiring the separate devices into an integrated system. People most often talked about cameras and storage devices, while taking transmission for granted.

Transmission is crucial in a security system; it is the glue that physically connects the network devices in a security system. A well-designed transmission infrastructure can optimize a security system, and save on installation and operating costs. However, this is easier said than done and will most often test the experience of the system integrator or installer, as clear calculations at every stage of the design are crucial. Clear calculations ensure that the transmission is capable of coping with the operating environment, scalable to future expansion needs and fits end-users' budgets.

There are three common types of transmission available: power over Ethernet (PoE), Ethernet over Coax (EoC), and power line communication (PLC).

Power over Ethernet
PoE has been dubbed as “perhaps the greatest invention” to hit the security camera market since the introduction of network cameras. Worldwide Ethernet switch (Layer 2/3) revenues reached US$5.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2012, representing a growth of 7 percent sequentially and 0.5 percent year on year, according to International Data Corporation (IDC). Regionally, the Ethernet switch market was strongest in the APAC region, excluding Japan, with 15.5 percent year-on-year growth, followed by the Middle East and Africa with 13.8 percent, and Latin America with 12 percent.

“PoE is a technology of safely transferring electrical power, together with Ethernet data, to Ethernet/ network devices via Ethernet cables. This technology is mainly based on the standards IEEE802.3af and IEEE802.3at, which are derived by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,” explained Calvin Wong, Sales Director of OT Systems.

PoE devices are categorized as power supply equipment (PSE) and powered devices (PD). PSEs supply power and include network switches, media converter, PoE injectors, etc. On the other hand, PDs receive power and include network cameras, wireless LAN access points, access control equipment, and VoIP, to name a few.

In PoE technology, the PD such as the camera is connected to a PoE switch via Ethernet cables. The IEEE standards define how PSEs and PDs work together. Although a standard cable has four twisted pairs, only two are used for the 10BASE-T and 100BASE-T data transmission. Power transmission can occur on either the “data pairs” or the “spare pair”, but not both.

The rise of network cameras is largely affected by the increasing ease-of- installation, which can be attributed to PoE technology. PoE eliminates the need to use localized power or install additional cable to power the devices, thereby saving on installation costs.

Ethernet Over Coax
EoC provides an attractive option for end users who would like to switch to network cameras or add network cameras to their existing surveillance system without overhauling the entire initial investment, because the network cameras can be integrated into existing coaxial cables. As the majority of analog cameras were installed using coaxial cables, end users can upgrade to network cameras without having to reinstall cables.

“EoC allows legacy coax to be redeployed as part of an upgrade/migration to PoE cameras and devices. This technology and transmission method saves on investment as newly installed cabling is not required, quickens installation time, and reduces facility disruption during the migration,” said Guy Apple, VP of Marketing and Sales at Network Video Technologies. In this sense, it allows migration from analog systems to network systems at the end-user's pace and budget.

EoC transmission is adaptable to the length of the existing coaxial cable, which could be up to two kilometers. There are several methods of achieving EoC. “Security Link over Coaxial (SLOC), is designed for transmitting digital IP video together with composite video over a single coaxial cable, while very high bit-rate digital subscriber line (VDSL) is a technology for transmitting Ethernet signal over digital subscriber line. The line can be one twisted pair of copper wires or a coaxial cable,” said Wong.

VDSL2 is the second generation of VDSL, and uses frequencies of 30MHz to provide data rates of 100Mbps downstream and upstream, compared to VDSL that only supports 55Mbps downstream and 3Mbps upstream. The maximum available bit rate is achieved at a range of about 300 meters, after which, performance degrades.

Intersil's SLOC is a form of EoC transmission and can be integrated directly into the equipment. “SLOC overcomes the distance limitations of network cameras (up to 500 meters over RG59 cable), as well as enables the upgrading of existing solutions from standard definition analog video to megapixel network cameras using the existing coaxial cables,” said Joe Hanson, Senior Marketing and Business Development Manager of Video Security Products at Intersil.

Power Line Communication
PLC is a technology for carrying data over power lines and can be extended to coaxial cables as well, explained Wong. The technology provides a simple solution for distributing connectivity around the home, office, or building without the need to install any additional wires. PLC operates by adding a modulated carrier signal to the wiring system, and different types of PLC uses different frequency bands. Since the power distribution system was designed to transmit AC power at frequencies of 50 or 60 Hz, power wire circuits have only a limited ability to carry higher frequencies.

HomePlug is the technology that connects devices to each other through the power lines in a building. The HomePlug Alliance is a group of manufacturers and service providers that have agreed upon standards so that certified products connect PCs and other devices that use Ethernet, USB, and WiFi technologies to the power line via a bridge or adapter.

Using PLC interfaces, digital signals from network cameras are encoded and transmitted through existing power lines to the back end, where PLC interfaces connect to the Ethernet switches. The switches then transmit the data via Ethernet cables to DVRs, LCD or monitor displays, IP remote client site or NVR/VMS servers.

As expected, PLC transmission is only viable via existing PLC infrastructure, which dictates the transmission distance as well.

There is no one-size-fits-all transmission. The key is to know what the end-user's transmission needs are and select the best medium to meet those needs.

Milestone integration supports student learning at UK medical school

Editor / Provider: Milestone Systems | Updated: 8/7/2013 | Article type: Education

Milestone Systems, the open platform company in IP VMS, has provided the underlying technology for an integrated new learning technology system called MedVu - a ground-breaking video capture system for medical students enrolled at the University of St Andrews School of Medicine.

MedVu enables St Andrews' medical students to record, delete, share, bookmark and present video evidence of key practical medical experience in the areas of clinical and communications skills. This video evidence forms part of the portfolio that all UK medical students need to gather during their seven-year training to become practicing doctors. MedVu is also being used by the school's post graduate researchers to gather and analyse evidence to support important medical research projects.

MedVu is based on a customized integration of Milestone XProtect Enterprise open platform IP VMS, XProtect Transact and XProtect Smart Client. Milestone Certified Partner King Communications worked closely with Milestone's professional services team to complete both front and back-end system customizations.

The system monitors and records simultaneously up to 46 clinical skills practical exams carried out at separate ‘bed head' bays. All bays are monitored by high or standard definition PTZ network video cameras from Axis Communications . They are viewed on two large monitors in the school technician's room where instructions can be relayed via individual speakers to each of the bays. All bays are fitted with integrated microphones for simultaneous audio and video recording.

The front-end system created through the Milestone XProtect Smart Client is very easy to use: students can set the bay's own PTZ camera to the location needed, enter their MedVu username and password, start and stop recording - all via a simple touchscreen display over the bed head. This enables students to carry out ‘guided study' tasks in their own time without the need for a teacher or technician to be present. They view and select their recorded clips, choose the best video clip and move it into their evidence portfolio.

Cameras are also installed in six interview rooms that are set up like doctors' offices. These are used to help medical students learn key communication skills such as building rapport, gathering medical history and specific symptom information from actors posing as patients. Video evidence saved by MedVu in these sessions is assessed in a classroom environment with peers and teachers as part of the learning process.

Julie Struthers, Learning Technology Consultant at St Andrews University School of Medicine, says: “MedVu enables our students to build and secure a comprehensive video portfolio which proves their practical capabilities in key clinical and communications skills. Students can bookmark sections of video – noting good practice and areas of improvement for the future. MedVu is now integrated into our Galen Curriculum Management System.”

King Communications & Security is the certified Platinum Milestone Partner who installed the system. They built the highly secure web portal which enables students to view and compile their videos. Milestone's professional services team created a batched export process enabling the videos to publish to the web portal within an hour of recording. Access to MedVu is restricted to enrolled students only.

Martyn King, Managing Director of King Communications, concludes: “We've designed and developed a unique integrated solution from scratch, working with Milestone, integrating with the university's Active Directory and with its Galen Curriculum Management System database. The MedVu system proves that the benefits of Milestone XProtect open platform VMS extend well beyond the traditional security applications for which it was originally designed.”

Tyco Security / Exacq releases 32CH LC-Series hybrid NVR

Editor / Provider: Exacq Technologies | Updated: 8/6/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Exacq Technologies, a manufacturer of VMS and recorders used for video surveillance, has released the new LC-Series hybrid and IP camera NVR appliances.

The exacqVision LC-Series appliance is a versatile, all-in-one network video surveillance solution with video recording, web and mobile client hosting and local live video display on a single system. The LC-Series hybrid NVR includes 8 or 16 analog channels for instant connection of analog security cameras. This same appliance can host up to 16 IP cameras on the system. The LC-Series IP NVR is designed exclusively for IP cameras and can connect to up to 16 IP cameras per system. All of the LC-Series appliances include 4 exacqVision Start IP camera licenses with up to 3 TB storage available per system.

Designed for easy, out-of-the box deployment, the LC-Series ships pre-loaded with the exacqVision Start VMS . End users can view and administrate live and recorded video directly from the NVR using the included exacqVision client or remotely using a web browser or exacqVision client on a separate computer. The freely distributed client software can be installed on Windows, Linux or Mac systems.

“The LC-Series provides a great migration path for end-users wishing to make the jump from analog to IP video security,” notes Tom Buckley, VP of Sales and Marketing for Exacq Technologies. “Users can simply plug their analog cameras into an LC-Series hybrid NVR and add IP cameras to the same system.”

 

CohuHD video surveillance 3760HD Series with 30x optical zoom

Editor / Provider: CohuHD | Updated: 8/6/2013 | Article type: Security 50

CohuHD  announced a new video surveillance solution, CohuHD's 3760HD Series.

The 3760HD Series provides HD 720p30 video with 30x optical zoom, delivering full frame rate HD images over the entire zoom range. The 3720HD positioner camera offers three times the low light sensitivity of first generation Helios HD cameras. True day/night technology using a removable IR cut filter produces exceptional sensitivity down to 0.005 lux. The increased zoom magnification to 30x offers more than 1.5 times the previous 720p 18x technology, resulting in dramatically improved imaging performance that enables seeing and identifying objects at greater distances.

Advanced image processing capabilities compensate for vibration or movement of the camera using an advanced Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) algorithm. CohuHD's real-time Defog capability produces enhanced images in obscuring haze and foggy conditions commonly encountered in surveillance and traffic monitoring applications. The image processing algorithm measures fog thickness and enhances contrast to deliver an improved image.

Included as standard features, the 3760HD provides both an integrated faceplate wiper and IR illuminator system, increasing surveillance performance during low or no-light conditions and periods of rain or other particulates that may obscure visibility.

“We're very excited to broaden our Helios HD camera line with the release of the 3760HD Series,” said Tom Kampfer, President of CohuHD. “We're pleased to offer this feature-packed HD positioner camera, including 30x zoom, low light sensitivity, EIS, defog image enhancement and an IR illuminator, all at a compellingly affordable price point.”

The 3760HD Series positioner camera includes a variable high-speed pan and tilt drive with 360° continuous pan, +30 to -70° tilt and maximum positioning speeds of 60° per second. Providing multiple video stream capability, the 3760HD delivers two independently configured H.264 streams or an H.264 and an MJPEG stream. The 3760HD operates on 24Vac input.

The 3760HD provides a full function web server, allowing complete administrative and operator control capabilities. Administrative features include configuring network settings, assigning user passwords, setting video streaming properties, configuring camera imaging properties, defining presets and tours and assigning camera ID labels.

The 3760HD is designed to operate in harsh weather, with its IP66 enclosure protection. This minimizes the effects of water intrusion, pollutants and corrosives. The 3760HD will deliver years of clean, reliable images and is backed by a two-year limited warranty.

All Helios HD cameras provide integration with third party VMS, in compliance with industry interoperability standards for video streaming specifications, including ONVIF and NTCIP 1205.