European recovery stays on track

Analog to HD
The upgrade of legacy analog systems is definitely in the direction of high definition, whether IP-based or HD-SDI. The traditional analog market in the U.K. is very price dominated. While the local analog market will still be around for a few years in the U.K., the middle ground will continue to grow. Both HD-SDI and IP-based products are experiencing growth in the U.K., albeit slowly.

IndigoVision understands that there is still a large number of analog security installations and the shift to IP-based systems will not happen overnight. “Even though security professionals are considering updating their analog systems to IP-based ones, many find it too expensive to replace the entire system all at once. As many would prefer to be able to continue using their analog cameras, we offer them a solution with our analog encoder to solve their current and future needs, as the encoding technology makes the move to IP-based systems easy because the cameras can be integrated into an IP network. We target this niche market because there is a need," said Paul Murphy, Marketing Manager at IndigoVision.

Similarly, Euresys offers encoding technology for HD-SDI cameras integrated to an IP network. This solution might be appealing to banks as it provides real-time transmission at the front end in high-definition, and is less prone to hackers.

High-definition surveillance is trickling into the market at a fast pace and even the SME market is adopting high-definition surveillance. “The SME sector is run by consumers who see high definition all the time. They have it on their phones and their homes. Everything is about clear or retina displays, so when it comes to surveillance cameras, they want the same. Moreover, it is now at a price level where it's achievable,” said Paul Singh, Group Sales Director at Y3K.

“Not only is it more cost effective to use HD surveillance, but the chances of prosecution increases considerably. One of our retail customers saw a 90 percent successful prosecution rate after installing high-definition surveillance. Such factors can only drive public safety, by ensuring the right people are being identified quickly,” said Robin Hughes, Director of Business Development for the U.K. and Ireland at Avigilon.

Video Verification
Video enhanced verification of intruder alarms is being adopted across Europe. These measures help combat the false alarms issue common with traditional alarm systems, enable more effective and faster police response, save the customer from paying fines, and generate recurring income for the provider. Hence, “there is growing interest in video verification. In Europe, the EN 50131 standard is driving the adoption of the technology, although the deadline for mandatory adherence varies from country to country. For example, 70 percent of the market in Spain is already employing video verification and in the Nordics, it is more than 50 percent,” said Aitor Gauna, Product Marketing Manager for EMEA at Tyco Security Products.

The EN 50131 sets a grading system for installations and guides the prioritizing of responses from local law enforcement. The choice of the grade level varies from country to country and is largely guided by insurance companies. In general, the U.K. tends to require higher grade levels than other countries.

While the economic situation influences the future of the European security market, it is not the only factor shaping it. For industry players to understand what end users want, socio-economic factors have to be accounted for as well.