As various HD analog formats exist, demands have risen for solutions that allow greater interoperability. It is against this backdrop that all-in-one HD analog DVRs have been rolled out by vendors, including Hunt.
Despite growing popularity of IP video surveillance, HD analog still has a significant market. However, as various HD analog formats exist, demands have risen for solutions that allow greater interoperability. It is against this backdrop that all-in-one HD analog DVRs have been rolled out by vendors, including Hunt Electronic.
HD analog, or HD-over-coaxial, refers to the transmission of HD signal over the coaxial cable, a solution that represents an ideal alternative to IP video surveillance. With HD analog, the user can enjoy high-definition surveillance with their existing cable infrastructure without having to migrate to IP, which is more expensive and has other issues.
“Analog has evolved from D1 to standard definition to video with 2-megapixel quality. So the demand for HD analog is definitely there,” said Cherry Chu, Deputy Director of Sales at Hunt. “And the ease of use feature makes HD analog all the more attractive. A lot of our customers say they have a hard time doing the IP configuration. They say it could be quite troublesome.”
Currently, several HD analog standards are available. These include HDTVI and AHD, which are based on chipsets developed respectively by Techpoint of the United States and Nextchip of Korea. While the availability of different formats gives users more choices, it also has limitations: before, the camera and DVR need to be of the same format. This compatibility issue has spurred vendors to develop DVRs that support multiple formats.
During a recent security event organized by Messe Frankfurt, Hunt exhibited its latest solution, a 5-in-1 HD analog DVR that supports five formats, including AHD, HDTVI, D1, 960H, and IP. With this solution, user can pick a DVR regardless of the edge device they use, giving them more flexibility and control over their security deployment. “This suits different segments of the market. Literally anyone with existing cable infrastructure can benefit from it,” Chu said.
The DVR has additional features. One of them is smart search performed on video contents stored inside the recorder, allowing the user to search for missing objects or a particular object with ease.
Besides the DVR, Hunt also had on exhibit its solution aimed at school safety. With the solution, a virtual fence can be drawn around the perimeter of the school; anyone going over the fence will trigger an alarm for the administrator, who can then deal with the possible suspect. Anyone detected climbing the walls surrounding the school will also trigger an alarm. Pushing a panic button will cause the camera to capture images in the area, giving security personnel more situational awareness.
Hunt has joined forces with Taiwan SIs to install the solution at various schools throughout the island. The company now plans rollouts in overseas markets, in conjunction with local installer partners, Chu said.