Telling industrial IP cams apart

Editor / Provider: Basler | Updated: 5/23/2013 | Article type: Tech Corner

Industrial (machine vision) cameras are used for a variety of industrial quality assurance and process control applications, according to a recent white paper written by Bjorn Webe, PM of IP Cameras at Basler. They give machines the power of sight, which is a major enabling factor for quality assurance in production processes. What many industrial camera users don't know: network cameras, also known as IP cameras, are also an effective tool for monitoring production processes.

Typical Characteristics of a Network Camera
With network cameras, the reproduced images are inherently optimized for human viewing as well as for long-term storage of the data. To ensure this last aspect, the image data is compressed while still in the camera. This is beneficial on the one hand because it cuts down on the amount of storage space needed to archive the videos. On the other hand it also reduces the necessary bandwidth overhead for video transmission and allows the cameras to be used even in budget-minded networks built around low levels of capacity. For this reason various cameras can run parallel to one another.

Network cameras compress the image data within the camera.
Advantage: requires less bandwidth and less storage space.
Network cameras have another major benefit: uncomplicated operation. Once the IP camera is connected to a network, any computer on that network can then access its images by entering the camera's IP address into a browser. This makes it easy for an electrician to mount and activate the cameras. While industrial cameras offer a very broad spectrum of configurations and are often more complicated, network cameras are relatively simple, with a viewing angle and focus factor all that's needed for immediate use.

Network cameras can be used effectively anywhere where production processes or movement sequences (of any kind) are to be filmed and monitored by a human observer. They are especially well suited for applications that require good image quality despite changing light, weather or temperature conditions. IP cameras are especially crucial if the image data is to be stored.

Ideal Uses for Network Cameras
Given their technical properties, network cameras are the perfect choice for use in monitoring tasks. These range from classical video surveillance to anti-theft and anti-vandalism applications, as well as controlling of production processes and workflows and traffic monitoring. IP cameras are also well suited for remote control of machinery, cars and robots. The different characteristics are decisive for achieving optimal results with the different applications:

• For video surveillance it is especially important that the cameras deliver good images despite changeable or poor lighting conditions. Casinos, for example, are typically set up with dim lighting yet have strict quality standards to ensure safety.
• Cameras for traffic monitoring and video surveillance are frequently subjected to outdoor conditions, which means that the cameras must be able to adjust automatically for a wide range of light conditions. They must also be robust enough to handle both moisture and large fluctuations in temperature.
• In the surveillance field it's a benefit to have multiple network cameras running simultaneously. An observer in a central location can use the cameras to gain an overview of the different areas — from building and traffic management to monitoring of production workflows, such as for the printing and courier industries.
• Network cameras are especially well suited for use in the logistics and transport fields, since they are easy to integrate into existing video management systems.
• No local PC is required to examine the image data from a network camera, allowing them to be used in difficult-to-access spots (such as tunnels), locations subjected to extreme conditions (heat, cold, hazards), or far away from the control center (traffic hubs, etc.).. Because network cameras compress their image data for better storage, they are an excellent choice for a wide variety of areas where “documented proof” must be stored for extended periods. This is particularly true for traffic violation cameras, events such as soccer matches and surveillance videos.

Asia Update: EverFocus gets ready for IP

Editor / Provider: The a&s Editorial Team | Updated: 4/17/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

EverFocus Electronics, a leading manufacturer and integrated system solution provider, is headquartered in Taiwan. Its global offices are located in six other countries – the U.S, Germany, China, Japan, India and the U.K. The company has overcome many hardships and is now transitioning to the sale and manufacture of IP video surveillance. “EverFocus just completed its video surveillance product lines in analog, HD-SDI, IP and plug-and-play IP by the end of last year,” said Jessy Lee, Director of System Planning and Development Center of EverFocus Electronics. “We only spent eight months completing the integration of more than 20 major VMS and NVR third parties.”

The process of switching from analog to IP required a great deal of time and effort. IP video surveillance tends to be concentrated in the project market. Therefore, to penetrate the IP video market, EverFocus actively develops new clients apart from its existing analog clients and also works closely with partners to win more projects. “We also introduce our clients to our partners and so do our partners,” Lee said. “Through partnership, we can quickly increase our sales in IP video.”

"After we made this significant change to our business, our IP projects grew quite fast," Lee said. “We have supplied a project with 10,000 network cameras.” EverFocus is active in both large-scale projects and mid-to small-size projects. In general, the company serves as an IP surveillance device provider and works closely with third-party suppliers, while it also has its own easy-to-setup IP solutions that cater to the needs of mid-to small-size projects.

The company does not compete in the red sea of price. Instead, EverFocus markets its own brand of localization. Its marketing strategy for IP video surveillance is planned at its headquarters and then applied to other subsidiaries. “We have a global presence with seven subsidiaries, which allows for significant differentiation from other companies, especially in providing instant local support,” Lee said. “We have tried very hard to communicate to all of our subsidiaries and even our partners to provide new technical services and training for IP video surveillance.”

The EverFocus strategy has paid off in the Middle East region, which has seen rapid uptake for IP video. India also has huge potential.

Even though IP video surveillance is now the focal point for EverFocus, Lee emphasized the importance of supplying the right products that correspond to the actual needs of the customers. According to different applications, budgets, and infrastructure environment, EverFocus provides its clients with a wide range of solutions through quality analog, HD-SDI, and full IP products. “In some vertical markets, such as casinos, banks, and retails, where end users need a zero latency, real-time solution or require a more cost-effective and plug-and-play solution, we are able to offer them an HD-SDI solution instead. They are quite happy about it and are pleased with the results,” said Lee.

When it comes to being customer centric, EverFocus is confident in meeting the demands of its clients by providing a solution that best fit their needs.

State of HD-SDI in 2013

Editor / Provider: a&s International | Updated: 4/11/2013 | Article type: Tech Corner

Real-life HD-SDI deployments have been scarce, due to practical issues such as component options, truly full HD performance (1,080p at 25 to 30 fps per channel) and pricing acceptability; the relatively high costs of 8- and 16-channel packages have limited uptake by the traditional channels. Things are changing for the better in 2013, however, and this feature looks into what the future holds for this common broadcast technology in security.

HD is an unstoppable trend, thanks to advances in consumer electronics. Security surveillance has been bitten by the same bug; once you go for sharper images, you never go back. Previously, the only way to get better-than-analog surveillance footage was through megapixel cameras and NVRs. Not any more. According to IMS Research, HD over coax products (SDI, SLOC, 960H) are forecast to capture around 5 percent of the video surveillance market revenues by 2016; with the overall worldwide projection at US$20.5 billion, that means a slightly over $1-billion business.

Price has been a chief stumbling block. Choices in deliverable HD-SDI DVRs were limited and at a premium, until late 2012. “The average price for 4-channel HD-SDI DVRs has dropped about 30 percent,” said Danny Tang, VP of Sales and Marketing at Shany Electronic. “As more manufacturers and chip developers, more models are coming out. We are looking forward to the increased competitiveness this year.”

Tony Lin, Manager of EverFocus Electronics, agreed. “We foresee SDI prices coming down to a level on par with high-end traditional analog devices, with a better chance to win over customers looking to upgrade. We believe the improved product availability will hit squarely in the middle of the traditional analog market. This will include any market that hasn't already turned to IP.”

Applications That Could Benefit
Most of the approached industry contacts found it hard to see large-scale HD-SDI deployments, but some saw unique potential. “Our SDI solution is ideal for recording legal proceedings and can be used across multiple courtrooms simultaneously,” said Vanne Lin, Executive VP at iCatch. “Advantages include ease of use, no lag time or frame-rate interruptions, free from bandwidth limitations, stability and reliability, and high image quality.”

Keeping existing analog cabling infrastructure intact is another advantage. “For example, there are quite a few historic sites in Europe, and changing all the wiring to Ethernet might be out of the question,” Tang said. “We already have some European customers asking for HD-SDI solutions. Japan also shows great potential, due to a large analog installed base. To offer customized solutions and meet local needs, we designed features to include power over coaxial and remote control.”

More cost-effective HD-SDI bundles could spark increased deployment in retail. “In the U.S., chips and PIN codes on credit cards never caught on, and they still prefer to sign slips or checks,” said Alan Hayes, founder and MD of AMG Systems. “This slows down payment processing. Currently, there are considerations in terms of introducing ‘touch panel payment solutions' that the customer simply touches their credit card to a pad. [In this case], there may be a requirement for HD for proof of identity solutions.” Dahua Technology targets market segments that require HD but have huge existing coaxial infrastructure, such as banking, gaming and traffic monitoring. “Korea and Japan are leading SDI deployment in the APAC region,” said Xuping Zhong, Product Engineer at Dahua Technology. “Growth in other countries is moderate in verticals such as banking, casinos and city surveillance.”

Gas stations may also benefit from HD-SDI. “Gas stations mostly install only limited or basic surveillance,” said Lin of EverFocus. “We have noted, however, the need for increasing resolution in this sector, especially in self-service areas. Due the fact that gas stations are potentially dangerous environments, we believe that SDI is the perfect solution because it can provide resolution increases over existing coaxial cable.”

Advances in Components
HD-SDI reference designs are now available from Altera, Ambarella, Hisilicon Technologies, Texas Instruments and Xilinx, possibly making overall solutions more price-competitive. Increasing availability of ISPs also means that integrators and installers may need to pay more attention to different combinations and developments of sensors, FPGAs and reference designs, said Alf Chang, Senior Technical Consultant at a&s.

Design and Installation Considerations
The situation for video system designers has improved markedly over the last year with the widespread availability of HDcctv equipment, which makes any installer experienced with regular CCTV equipment already prepared to make the move to HD surveillance, said Todd Rockoff, Executive Director at HDcctv Alliance. “Despite this simplicity, newcomers to HDcctv should be aware of some technical points in interoperability, cable length, storage and integration. The next-generation HDcctv standard is on track for ratification mid-2013, bringing new capabilities and benefits for integrators and installers. The chips soon to be introduced that implement next-generation capabilities of the HDcctv standard promise to further accelerate the migration of security to HD surveillance video.”

HD-SDI Enabled
Some manufacturers are thinking ahead to offer easy migration or hybrid solutions for installers and end users. For instance, Hi Sharp offers HD-SDI and analog hybrid DVRs so that users can choose the most suitable cameras for different locations.

Shany provides DVRs with 2 channels of SDI and 8 channels of analog, along with embedded management software, to target the SMB market. Tribrid solutions, with IP, are available as well. “We will continue our efforts in easy-to-use remote configuration design and increased transmission distance to cope with the needs of installers,” Tang said. “SDI for nonsecurity applications and SDI speed domes are our R&D focus as well.”

Webgate (a Daemyung Enterprise company) will focus on integration of HD-SDI DVRs and ONVIF compliance to accommodate diverse user needs. “Since our HD-SDI DVR has network connectivity, video from our HD-SDI cameras can be acquired through a DVR or IP encoder,” said Chris Kim, Marketing Manager. “Hybrid products for analog and HD-SDI will lose their merits soon. We are preparing a long-term plan for hybrid products with IP and HD-SDI.”

iCatch concentrates on management software and mobile applications. “We are one of the first to develop 16-channel HD-SDI DVRs with real-time record/playback function in Asia,” Lin at iCatch said. “Users can fully enjoy the bundled CMS feature. In addition, the DVR also supports Windows/Mac OS and app (iOS/Android) platforms, so users are able to keep an eye on what they care about most, regardless of where they are. Users might not care or know whether their surveillance solutions are IP-based or HD-SDI, but they will care whether the surveillance system can be viewed and managed remotely.”

Asia Update: Comart embraces HD-SDI in real-life projects

Editor / Provider: Christine Chien, a&s International | Updated: 3/5/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

Comart Systems, a provider of total HD video surveillance solutions, was established in 1992. Its series of achievements created a legacy of excellence. In 1998, Comart was one of the first companies to develop and commercialize the PCI video capture board used for security purposes.

Early in 2008, the company launched an HD-SDI solution and was first in the industry to apply it to local projects in Korea. Comart provided the solution for a local government project at An-Yang City Hall, complete with HD cameras, HD multiviewers, character generators and others. Aside from working with the local government, Comart has also provided solutions to the Korea Expressway Corporation, multiple casinos, and five-star hotels overseas. With many projects under its belt, Comart has years of experience providing customer support and troubleshooting for installations, especially HD-SDI solutions. As of 2007, Comart has provided about 3,000 HD-SDI cameras, all of which are still functioning properly at the various sites where they have been deployed.

As Comart requires all products to undergo strict quality control, the company is one of the few that invested in HD-SDI test equipment, worth US$100,000. It conducts product testing at the design phase and again at the manufacturing phase. Since HD-SDI products have high frequency signals, if the signal becomes unstable, it will cause compatibility issues with HD-SDI products from another manufacturer.

HD video surveillance has seen greater adoption due to demand for HD video quality from public institutions, airports, banks, casinos, and large applications to identify faces and license plate numbers. Also, by 2006, there was a global trend of replacing existing TVs with HD ones, said Chang Hoon Seol, President and CEO of Comart. Twenty million HD surveillance cameras are expected to be in operation by 2013, making up 35 percent of the total camera market. In 2013, the transmission distance for HD-SDI signals is also expected to increase, enabling data to be carried over longer distances up to 200 meters. HD-SDI cameras will become more affordable. HD-SDI DVRs will also cost less but grow in performance with real-time viewing and better playback. With such improvements, it will attract more end users.

Comart's latest achievements include an HD-SDI DVR capture board and an IP multiplexer (IPM). Regarded as the industry's first, the DVR capture board enables high-resolution display and records up to two channels of full HD video at a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 with H.264 compression. The capture board contains a PCI express interface of 2.5 GB per second and provides an SDK for application developers. The IPM is essentially a combination of a decoder and a multiviewer, able to decode up to 24 channels at D1 resolution in real time. Additionally, it supports up to 32 channels from IP cameras, and with Comart's technology, it can also receive compressed video streams from servers connected to HD-SDI cameras. This cost-effective solution combines both functions, saving users the expense of purchasing extra equipment.

Casino on Florida horse race track saddles up on IP to meet state mandate

Editor / Provider: Axis Communications | Updated: 2/4/2013 | Article type: Commercial Markets

Mission
When the State of Florida legislated stricter surveillance standards for casinos and other gaming venues, Tampa Bay Downs (TBD) needed to find a cost-effective way to increase the frame rate and image clarity of its archived video. Rather than scrap its entire analog camera system, the thoroughbred race track sought to replace its poker room DVR-based recording equipment with digital encoders that would enable the venue to satisfy the new mandate.

Solution 
TBD purchased an Axis video encoder rack and an array of hot-swappable encoder blades from Axis partner, Illinois-based CDW to digitize the video stream from 60 analog cameras in its Silks Poker Room. The race track also purchased a new Milestone XProtectR Corporate VMS which would allow security personnel intuitive access and multiple search options into the archived video stored on a series of HP servers.

Result
The extremely high image clarity and 30 frames per second transmission speed of the new Axis video encoder have enabled TBD to exceed the State-mandated surveillance standards. And since the Axis encoders use advanced H.264 compression technology, the race track has been able to archive far more than the 14 days mandated by the State of Florida without expanding its storage array. Keeping revenue flowing 24/7
The 30-table Silks Poker Room at TBD operates 18 hours a day, seven days a week. Some 60 cameras provide multiple views of the patrons and dealers as they engage in favorites like Seven Card Stud and Texas Hold'em. Over 50 plasma televisions and roaming tellers also allow fans to watch and wager on simulcast horseracing and other pari-mutuel events as they sit at the poker tables. State regulations require that the operation be under constant surveillance. This was problematic under the race track's old DVR-based system.

" If a DVR failed, we would have to close the section of the poker room covered by the cameras attached to that system and lose the revenue," explains John Hernandez, Network Administrator for TBD. "If an Axis encoder blade should ever go down, though, we can hot-swap the card in a matter of minutes with no disruption to gaming activity."

It took TBDless than 24 hours to install an AXIS Q7900 Rack that could house up to 14 hot-swappable AXIS Q7406 Video Encoder Blades. The 4U 19-inch rack, one of the industry's highest-density rack solutions, can integrate up to 84 analog cameras into an IP-based video surveillance solution. Because of its redundant power supply, one can be replaced without disrupting rack operation. The Axis rack even supports hot-swappable fan cassettes that can be replaced without cutting off power to the rack. “We currently use 10 Axis Q7406 video encoder blades that support six analog cameras per blade,” says John Vacha, Director of Information Technologies for TBD. “And we have room to add up to four more blades before we have to add another rack.”

For Vacha, the additional benefit of the Axis system is the ease with which TBD can swap out cards should Axis come out with new features and capabilities.

The Milestone XProtectR VMS also contributes to operational simplicity with its ease of use, reliability and flexibility that an open platform provides. TBD wanted a video management platform that would allow them the freedom to expand without a costly ‘forklift upgrade.' According to Vacha, "Milestone has delivered on everything promised – from how easy it was to set up and run to how flexible and scalable the system is for future expansion."

Boosting clarity while minimizing storage
Before the State of Florida decided to adopt stricter standards similar to those instituted at Las Vegas casinos, surveillance guidelines were very general. There had to be sufficient camera coverage of the entire poker room. But other than 30 frames per second, the regulations did not specify number of cameras or recording resolution.

TBD was already proactively placing cameras in the poker room to give management multiple views of individual areas. "You don't usually put up a ladder and replace a camera in the middle of the day," shares Vacha. "So we need to have several cameras angled on activity in an area or the State will demand that we shut down the section for lack of surveillance."

Under the new regulations, however, TBD would have to boost its recording resolution from 320x280 pixels to what the industry refers to as 4CIF – recording and live viewing at a resolution of 704x480 pixels. "Most DVRs don't reach that level of clarity," explains Vacha. "But in looking for a solution, we didn't want to buy all new cameras or have to rewire our entire surveillance infrastructure. With the Axis encoder technology, we could use our existing infrastructure and legacy analog cameras and even exceed the new State mandates."

Axis Q7406 video encoder blades deliver 30 frames per second in resolutions up to D1 (720x480 pixels in NTSC) giving TBD extremely high image clarity. Because the encoders support H.264 compression technology, TBD has reduced its surveillance bandwidth requirements while increasing the storage capacity of its existing drives. "We've been able to far exceed both the resolution requirements and the Statemandated 14 days of archiving without having to go out and buy a whole new storage array," states Vacha.

Migrating IP-Surveillance beyond the poker tables
"Tampa Bay Downs is always looking to improve security as well as the creature comforts of our customers," says Vacha. "Now that we've exceeding our expectations in our poker room, we're considering upgrading our analog surveillance in other areas of our operation such as our betting windows which are still using our old DVR-based systems." With the flexibility of the Axis encoders, even if Florida gaming regulations get tighter, TBD is confident that its new IP technology will easily meet those stricter requirements.

Business transformation in tough times

Editor / Provider: By Hayden Hsu, asmag.com | Updated: 1/9/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

Since its founding in 1995, North American Video (NAV) has grown its business based on long-term relationships and commitments; this applies equally to customers, employees and suppliers. Additionally, NAV has continued to expand its portfolio of technology solutions to provide its clientele with a strategic balance of high performance, functionality and cost-effectiveness. This combination of assets has proven to be a winning formula for the continued development and growth of the company and its partners, and will help the ecosystem better withstand and overcome the challenges coming at them in 2013.

In January 2008, a majority share of North American Video (NAV) was purchased by The Halifax Group, a private equity firm specializing in providing growth capital to leading midmarket companies. NAV's leadership position in the gaming market provided a powerful leverage point to drive growth into new vertical and geographic markets, and the acquisition by Halifax provided the capital for NAV to aggressively pursue this strategy. Since then, NAV has expanded into new vertical and geographic markets, established a thriving service business, and added new technology offerings to the company's core video portfolio.

In August 2011, NAV acquired Nexus Technology Group; as a result, NAV now ranks as one of the top commercial security integrators in the tri-state area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut) and provides security technology and services to more than 1,000 different client locations across the region.

NAV has its origins in serving the gaming surveillance market, which demands operational excellence and strict attention to detail, said Jason Oakley, President and CEO. “By nurturing long-term customer relationships with Native American and corporate gaming clients, NAV is widely recognized as the largest and most well-regarded security systems integrator in the market.”

The gaming business is subject to stringent regulations enforced by regional and tribal gaming commissions. In order to do business with casinos, all potential suppliers are required to undergo a rigorous licensing process. This ensures that only qualified businesses and individuals are allowed to operate in the gaming market. Today, NAV holds gaming licenses with close to 100 jurisdictions globally.

NAV's expertise in designing and building integrated networked video surveillance and security systems has enabled the company to capitalize on new business opportunities that also integrate adjacent technology offerings to these core video projects. The company now routinely offers access control, perimeter security, license plate recognition, car counting, people counting and retail POS integration. “In fact, more than 70 percent of NAV's current projects include multiple integrated technology offerings,” Oakley boasted.

Accession to Excellence
Being asked to lead a successful business like NAV and partner with The Halifax Group was the chance of a lifetime, Oakley said. “Our strategic premise from Day 1 was to further expand our position in the gaming market while developing business opportunities in new markets and technologies. Our goal at NAV is to build a unique business with a long-term value proposition, and be a trusted technology and service partner to our clients.”

Throughout some very tough economic times, NAV has added new clients in the gaming market, introduced new technologies, and, as a result, grown its market share. “It is vital to our long-term success that we maintain our reputation as the preeminent systems integrator for the gaming market. Additionally, the diversification strategy we have executed has successfully repositioned our business from a niche gaming video provider to a diversified systems integration business.” In 2012, almost 50 percent of the company's business originated from outside the gaming market, and the majority of its projects contain multiple technology offerings. “In doing so, NAV has built repeat customer relationships in new markets that rival those we enjoy in the gaming market. Key vertical markets for us now include corporate clients with a particular focus on banking and retail, as well as higher education, critical infrastructure, transportation and local government.”

Riding the Tide of Change
The market is changing, and end users are getting better informed; in particular, there is more influence from IT professionals. Systems integrators such as NAV help bridge the gap between the client's internal staff and technology providers by identifying critical issues and designing a solution that meets the needs of both groups.

“Our challenges mainly arise from fluctuating market demand, lack of industry standards, a highly competitive marketplace and nonstop technology introductions.” The cumulative effect has created a situation wherein systems integrators must consider redesigning their organizational structure and focus in order to compete.

Check out the complete story on your iPad now!

Keeping video quality in check

Editor / Provider: a&s International | Updated: 12/26/2012 | Article type: Tech Corner

With so many eyes (surveillance cameras) out in the field, how can one ensure that everything is up and running, and that the system is producing viable results? Quality assurance or health check measures are now available for video surveillance systems, offering objective data 24/7 on how good or usable recorded images or video clips are while keeping the operator and other stakeholders informed of any system failure.

How do you measure a video surveillance system's effectiveness? Oftentimes, the focus is on product specs or system functionality, subjecting image or video quality to nonquantifiable, occasional eyeball checks or glances. There is indeed a growing need in the marketplace, as numbers of channels increase exponentially, for a better way to measure and record actual quality, system health or internal/external factors that impact what is recorded and displayed.

As a result, video quality verification software (VQVS) packages, which help collect video signals and system data transmitted back from the cameras or other devices to benchmark image quality and/or system uptime, have become increasingly popular. a&s looks into this unique, emerging product category and provides some usage guidelines.

With so many eyes (surveillance cameras) out in the field, how can one ensure that everything is up and running, and that the system is producing viable results? Quality assurance or health check measures are now available for video surveillance systems, offering objective data 24/7 on how good or usable recorded images or video clips are while keeping the operator and other stakeholders informed of any system failure.

Why VQVS?
Through electronics' voltage variances or the final image from a typical video transmission, VQVS generates a report after running the information through algorithms or combining figures from specified benchmarks. Complementary to any video surveillance system, it does not actively run on the surveillance system and only goes to work when requested/operated upon. VQVS can exist either as embedded software or as bundled system architecture.

Several user scenarios could illustrate the significance and usefulness of VQVS. One typical example is a project with cameras at one site connected to a central monitoring station at another location. Should a camera suddenly lose image input signals, the operator in the control room would not be able to determine immediately what happened to the camera — or it could be anything between the camera and the control room — and rectify it accordingly. The old way would require dispatching a technician to check on the camera, and then the entire system if it is not the front-end device that is at fault. Without knowing the camera's or system's exact problem(s), the operator or technician may need to make multiple trips between the camera site and the control room before resolving the issue(s).

If image/device signal strength can be tested remotely and regularly (or even round-the-clock), the operator could preempt most system failures or minimize downtime with each repair/replacement. Such diagnostics, enabled by VQVS, allow for better service provisioning and allocations of resources/personnel.

It can be resource-consuming to pinpoint problems associated with grainy or no video.

How to Use
VQVS has a wide range of features suited for many applications. The size of the application dictates whether VQVS is really needed. A small mom-and-pop shop project will not need advanced network management; on the other hand, the greater control offered by VQVS is suitable for a large, interconnected surveillance deployment at multiple sites, as distributed architecture does introduce more challenges for control and maintenance, or points of failure.

Critical surveillance applications that cannot afford any system downtime, such as casinos, banks, utilities or even high-tech product facilities, would particularly benefit from what VQVS has to offer, quickly preempting/pinpoint problems or switching over to backup devices and driving forth necessary replacements/upgrades. This allows for constant monitoring without any interruption to service, operation and security.

Large surveillance projects usually have several distributed substations/control sites. With a higher count of edge devices, many video commands that are faulty might be overlooked or ignored, as it could be impossible to find who or what is responsible for a signal loss or failure. Embedded VQVS allows the video surveillance system to self-identify where failures occur in real time, so the authorized operator on-site can address problems or call for help/backup efficiently. While certain issues may not be properly flagged or interpreted, the ultimate purpose is to obtain the best image quality possible and maintain system uptime/reliability.

Common Camera Failures 
- Stained lens 
- Lens iris failure 
- Lens focus failure
- Unauthorized camera/lens turn
- Power loss or failure
-  Camera circuit damage
- Camera connection failure or loosening

Common DVR/NVR/Server Failures
-  Insufficient hard-disk drive (HDD) storage space
- Ventilation fan failure
-  Poor HDD ventilation
- CPU failure from insufficient ventilation
-  Excessive HDD vibration 
-  Read/write head failure 
- Improper HDD sector placement
- Signal convertor failure
- Improper hardware configurations                                         

Common Management Platform Failures
-  CPU database overflow
-  Software bugs
- Runtime error
-  SDK/API bugs
- Network crash

How to Select
VQVS can be classified as three types. The first is a processor-level health check that examines the system. The second is a front-end embedded image quality analysis, or intelligent video software (IVS)/video content analytics (VCA) check. The third type is a video check by signal quality and status monitoring. Each type has multiple vendors available, offering valuable diagnostic tools that can be operated based on user environments.

Processor-Level Health Check
System health monitoring can start from the equipment's CPUs, collating data from each part of the system into a health report. This type of system check offers the unique ability to remotely diagnose issues from the core, recording and addressing connection issues, camera failures, HDD failures, recording issues, and time and date discrepancies.

IVS/VCA Image Check
This type of embedded software detection can determine and send out an alert if a video camera scene has deviated from typical “appearances.” The technology can learn to distinguish deliberately caused events, such as lens occlusion, out-of-focus lenses or cameras being turned, and will sound an alarm. IVS/VCA VQVS uses analytic algorithms to detect changes in the monitored environment and automatically reports deliberate tampering, enabling the operator to identify and correct problems quickly. Along with detecting actual camera events, this type of VQVS can prevent false alarms caused by lights being switched off or people gathering in large groups.

Video/System Signal Check
This type of VQVS diagnoses equipment/system health by measuring signal voltages/currents/degradations, electrical impedances, network data and system status reports. When combined with the other two checks, improvements can be made in terms of image sharpening and still-image processing, ultimately minimizing noise and maximizing video usability.

 Vidoe Quality Verification Comparison Table

IndigoVision delivers end-to-end tamper-proof video evidence

Editor / Provider: IndigoVision | Updated: 12/21/2012 | Article type: Security 50

The latest release of IndigoVision's award winning security management solution sees it becoming the security industry's first end-to-end solution to deliver evidential video that can be guaranteed tamper free.

“Not many people are aware of the fact that video evidence can be easily tampered, when in an IP CCTV environment.” said John Semple, Head of Product Management at IndigoVision. “By working closely with our customers, we have developed an end-to-end solution that is the first in the market to offer truly tamper proof video from the point of recording to the export of video. Truly tamper proof video is particularly important for markets that require this high level of video authentication, such as police forces and casinos.”

IndigoVision's solution delivers completely tamper proof evidence through digital watermarking of live video at the point of recording, building in additional security that eliminates the risk of tampering of the video at any stage, from recording to export. Security managers and law enforcement personnel can now have total confidence in the reliability of evidence for use in court.

Other new features included in the latest release of control center include improved alarm and event management, AutoCad map support and improved camera management to now support hundreds of thousands of cameras.

Marcus Kneen, CEO of IndigoVision, stated: “Support for hundreds of thousands of cameras in control center is a response to the mega systems countries and corporations are seeking to manage. In one country alone IndigoVision provides video security to nearly 100 cities. Managing national risk when a single city can have hundreds of cameras, and even more access control and alarm inputs, requires large system capability. We are now seeing the market looking to integrate disparate installations into a single country-wide system. “

IndigoVision's VMS, Control Center, is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary and when originally released was the world's first VMS to offer truly scalable video management, a reputation it continues to retain. This genuine flexibility also holds true for the many smaller systems that IndigoVision support in the 10 to 50 camera range.

Hikvision hits the jackpot in New Mexico

Editor / Provider: Hikvision | Updated: 12/3/2012 | Article type: Security 50

Santa Ana Star Casino
Whether you are keen to indulge in a game or two, help yourself to a sumptuous feast at the buffet restaurant, or relax and enjoy a live music performance by your favorite artiste, New Mexico’s Santa Ana Star Casino comes to mind. But it is more than just a regular casino. It offers a great golf course, a 36-lane bowling alley and a ton of entertainment options for families and individuals. Needless to say, Santa Ana Star Casino is a hugely popular attraction among tourists and local residents in Santa Ana Pueblo, and there is only more room for growth.

Ocean’s Eleven Are Not Welcome
While there are seasonal upswings in the number of patrons, the Santa Ana Star Casino has a well-established and loyal customer base. Indeed, with so many visitors comes greater responsibility. The casino is responsible for creating a safe and healthy environment for these regular and repeat visitors. Every casino requires a meticulous surveillance system to monitor all activities on its premises. We all enjoyed the Ocean’s Eleven movies but not when we operate a top of the line casino. All casinos attract a wide variety of characters with unpredictable demographics. And therefore, they often fall prey to unlawful activities, be it cheating at games, theft, threats, and such. While Santa Ana Star Casino is no exception, it needs a top of the line system in view of its size. All activities must be conveniently monitored and necessary coordinated alerts must be generated 24/7. This system must also be able to integrate with their legacy windows-based system. In addition, the system must also sync with the casino’s extensive database.

From Theory to Practice
Finding a vendor for this ideal solution was by no means a simple feat. This vendor must not only be high reputed, it must also have extensive experience in securing challenging settings like casinos that are always packed. After intense rounds of selections, Hikvision was shortlisted as the most suitable candidate to protect Santa Ana Star Casino from unauthorized and irregular activities, be it from disruptive staff or unruly patrons.

As a world-renowned player in the global surveillance industry, Hikvision boasts of immense experience with these state-of-the-art surveillance technologies. For Santa Ana Star Casino, the proposed system comprised the DS-2CD762MF-(I)FB(H) network cameras, the DS-9016HFI-S DVR recording system, and the iVMS-4000 software.

The DS-2CD762MF-(I)FB(H) network cameras have dimensions of 160mm x 134mm (6.30”×5.30”), small enough to be unnoticeable on the ceilings. It has a viewing range of 89 degrees – 24 degrees, supporting audio and video streams, with a maximum image resolution of 1280 x 960 pixels.

The DS-9016HFI-S DVR recording system offers H.264 video compression capabilities with a 4-channel 1080P real time recording and HDMI resolutions. It has advanced motion detection and supports up to eight SATA hard disks. Finally, the iVMS-4000 software enables views from 64 cameras simultaneously. Up to 16 channels can be played back synchronously. Most importantly, the software enables a seamless integration of the cameras and recording system. In addition, with an easy backup function using USB and optical media, time stands still in the casino! Even an upgraded Ocean’s Eleven has to think twice about breaching its defenses!

It Is Five Star.
Before installing Hikvision’s system, it was an impossible task to keep a close watch on the huge premises. The seemingly insurmountable challenge was addressed with Hikvision’s state-of-the-art surveillance technologies. “It sets our minds at ease. Now I know everything is under control!” said Casino staff member who has been working there for 10 years.

Dennis Edeal, Dir. of Surveillance of Santa Ana Star Casino, who was part of the steering committee for the project explained that “there were many choices. But Hikvision’s solution provided was the most cost-effective. Integrating the components to build the system is never easy. But the support and service we received was the best of the best.” Indeed, the system addressed the challenges and exceeded the expectations of Santa Ana Star Casino. It was a scalable system that will serve them well for a very long time.

Oklahoma casinos opt for Axis cams

Editor / Provider: Axis Communications | Updated: 9/25/2012 | Article type: Security 50

As the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma began to expand its casino operations, tribal leaders realized that many of their facilities had outgrown the limitations of their existing analog surveillance technology. In looking to modernize their security system, they sought an open IP-based solution that would provide secure, evidentia?ry-quality video recordings, operate at 30 frames per second and would be easy to set up and expand without major expense or disruption of gaming activity.

Choctaw Nation's own onsite team worked with Axis partners – ConnectionsIT of Santa Rosa, California and CameraWatch Technologies of Jackson, Mississippi – to install an array of Axis fixed dome and PTZ network cameras on the casinos' fiber backbone. The Axis cameras monitor back of house hallways and money areas as well as building exteriors, parking lots and high-stakes gaming areas.

Security teams monitor the cameras 24/7 from surveil?lance rooms on the casino properties, enabling them to immediately respond to any incidents of theft, customer safety or questionable behavior by patrons or employees. As word spreads of the new surveillance systems, tribal leaders are noting a significant drop in fraudulent slip-and-fall claims and shortages at the tables and the tills.

The Choctaw casinos' legacy analog cameras were be?coming a hindrance in working with local law enforce?ment. The images they captured were of insufficient resolution to be acceptable in court. And because the images were being recorded on VCR tape, they wore out over time, creating difficulties for security teams who had to play back video repeatedly over several days or weeks during an investigation.

“Casino security needs advanced cameras that will cap?ture the details of a card, a ticket, the number of chips thrown on a table or under one's hand,” explained Paula Penz, gaming commissioner for the Choctaw Nation, the third largest Native American tribe in the United States.

Another important feature of the Axis technology was the ability for the network cameras to operate at 30 frames per second, a standard that exceeded the guide?lines set by the National Indian Gaming Commission. Other criteria that favored Axis network cameras were their support of PoE which allowed the casinos to save installation costs by using a single cable to both power the cameras and transmit the video over the network. In addition, the selection committee val?ued that the Axis network cameras supported both M-JPEG and H.264 advanced compression at a full 30 fps, allowing casinos to affordably maintain 14 days of archival storage.