Technology & Trends - CCTV

Event-driven video for surveillance and recording involves using a video recorder or video management software system that is triggered by movement in the areas where cameras are located. Event-driven video can be achieved by using intelligent motion detection or video contents analytics (VCA) on the camera, recorder or PC server. Recently, performance of VCA has improved; however, some conditions can still affect detection using the camera image. Tomo Ito, Business Development Man...

If a security or video surveillance / CCTV system isn’t working, who’s to blame? Or more to the point, what’s to blame? Is the problem the malfunction of a specific device on the edge of the IP network, or is it a network or other system failure? How can an end user or dealer / installer know what the problem is? How can a camera manufacturer know if a call to their overworked tech support department is really about the manufacturer’s camera or cau...

Law enforcement and pure problem-solvingskills will play less of a role for the futuresecurity director Much effort has been put down in the professionalisation of security work. Not only is it a recurring topic of conversation at events for security professionals, but also a formal topic of concern for ASIS – having active task forces devoted to the promotion of professionalisation and academisation of security practice as well as a recently updated standard (ANSI/ASIS...

The ability to measure and analyse the effectiveness of security operations is extremely useful – not only for identifying and addressing an organisation’s vulnerabilities, but also for demonstrating security’s mitigating impact on overall risk levels along with the higher-level value security delivers to a business. Brian McIlravey, Co-CEO at PPM, explains how security metrics can provide a powerful toolset for accomplishing these objectives. By quantifyi...

In the digital world, people own personal information just like they own physical assets such as cash, keys and clothes in the real world. But because personal information is intangible, its value has been overlooked by many for a very long time. With the increase in cyber crimes on personal data and the infamous Snowden affair, this issue has become more prominent. Fei Liu from Nedap Security Management Research & Development informs that to improve the transparency of data collection and p...

Editor's Note: HDcctv Alliance has announced that Dahua has opened its patented HDCVI technology to the global video surveillance industry as the basis for HDcctv's AT 2.0 standard. For additional elaboration on what the move means to the growing market for higher-resolution CCTV, we approached Todd Rockoff, chairman and executive director of HDcctv Alliance. SourceSecurity.com: How is HDcctv AT 2.0 superior to HD-SDI or other previous approaches? Todd Rockoff:  When i...

On April 16, 2013, snipers fired for 19 minutes on PG&E Corp.'s Metcalf electric power transmission station near San Diego, California, knocking out 17 giant transformers that supply electricity to Silicon Valley. At least 100 rounds were fired from at least one high-powered rifle. The power grid was rerouted to avoid a blackout, but it took 27 days to make repairs and get the substation back up and running. The incident got the attention of regulators and security prof...

In a highly competitive marketplace, where organisations need to ensure they are contracting for the best possible services, value must be visible. This starts with aligning with the right service provider – one that is dedicated to the organisation’s success and has the people and processes to make an impact. Certainly most, if not all, service organisations say that they strive to exceed client expectations and meet the highest standards in their industry &ndash...

When comparing specifications among a range of similarly featured video surveillance cameras, NVRs or monitors, it can be difficult to ascertain which of the devices truly has the best performance and/or quality. John Grabowski, National Sales and Marketing Manager of JVC Security Division, poses some questions for consideration: Can the human eye actually see a difference in image quality between one camera that offers 700 lines of resolution and another that offers 600...

Significant technological advancements have created endless possibilities in how security is not only deployed, but also leveraged by the end user – the customer. For example, customers can now view surveillance at eight different offices in eight different states from a single, central location. A security director can manage an enterprise-wide access control system, including revoking or granting access control privileges, for 10,000 global employees from a company’s...

New security technologies have dramatically changed the security landscape over the last decade The security landscape has changed dramatically in the last decade with the introduction of numerous new security technologies to detect crime and deter criminal activity. With a long list of new tools, professionals now need to process vast amounts of information within seconds from many different security systems and then make important decisions about how to respond to an inc...

A Managed Service solution ensures continuous system availability and functionality Managed Service methodologies have a proven record of improved operations, reduced ownership costs and the ability to migrate technology over time. Head of Enterprise Solutions for Siemens Building Technologies, Tony O’Brien, examines how this approach could impact the security and fire safety industries. How robust is your security and fire safety technology roadmap? A recent global sur...

Low-light imaging has historically been a problem for megapixel cameras. Arecont Vision, like other megapixel camera manufacturers, has struggled to solve the dilemma of low-light images, which are plagued by noise, smearing of video, high bit rates (requiring additional storage) and loss of colour. Arecont Vision says it now has the answer, dubbing it STELLAR technology. The “LL” in the middle of STELLAR stands for “low-light;” the entire acronym sta...

Thermal cameras provide images that reliably show the presence of people in any lighting situation FLIR Systems broke a historic threshold in thermal camera pricing when it announced a thermal camera for $499 at the ISC West show in April. Before that announcement, the lowest-price thermal camera was $2,000, which was itself much lower than the $10,000 price just a few years ago in 2005. The price decrease resulted from FLIR’s R&D efforts specifically aimed at loweri...

Traditionally, security systems have been designed with the cameras in mind first then with added consideration for the infrastructure and cabling components. But this is old-school analogue thinking. Milestone Systems CEO Lars Thinggaard states that a security system can be designed for more than just protecting assets by starting with specifications for digital video management software (VMS) at the core of the solution. By thinking 'digital', an IP network video system can...

PoE has redefined how security professionals design and deploy systems The migration from analogue infrastructure to networked systems continues to gain traction at a rapid pace given all the inherent benefits networked technology provides for video surveillance and security applications. However, there are costs involved and they can be significant, especially if the move to networked infrastructure requires the removal of existing wiring and the installation of new Ethernet...

Pelco is making its big comeback with renewed vigour and new lines of surveillance products to set it apart from the rest Working to Regain Momentum in a Changing Market: Most observers agree that Pelco lost momentum in the video surveillance market after the acquisition by Schneider Electric in 2007. Hervé Fages, senior vice president of Schneider Electric's video business, is looking to regain that momentum, guiding the surveillance giant in new directions as the mark...

Security is a top priority in schools throughout the United States. The capabilities of IP video surveillance systems, in conjunction with Video Management Software (VMS) systems, make them one of the most popular and effective security tools available. In this article, Gadi Piran, President, OnSSI defines scope and structure of IP video and its advantages in improving school security in a number of ways including: superior image quality, ease of manipulation, integration capabilit...

In China and Russia ONVIF Profile S compliance is becoming mandatory for smaller systems The familiarity and widespread use of ONVIF interfaces in the market are evidence of the success of ONVIF, which was created in 2008 by three manufacturers, Axis, Sony and Bosch. More evidence of success is a growing number of new members and compliant products. All over the world, ONVIF is being embraced – in China and Russia, as examples, ONVIF Profile S compliance is becoming mand...

The impact of the IT department on physical security has been a source of discussion for years. Generally, the influence of IT on purchasing and technology decisions related to physical security systems has been seen as increasing with no end in sight. One industry leader thinks otherwise. Pierre Racz, president, CEO and founder of Genetec, sees the clout of the IT department waning in the age of “bring you own device,” cloud services and greater intelligence at...

Heat, connectivity and resolution are just a few of the key criteria to consider when selecting a new CCTV monitor When looking for a new CCTV monitor, buyers want to consider more than just the size. This buyer’s guide highlights some key facts to keep in mind when choosing and comparing different types of monitor units. Power consumption Where ever possible, it is best to choose an LED rather than an LCD monitor. A LED panel uses less power, and is therefore cheaper...

A new Technology Report from SourceSecurity.com, produced in collaboration with Oncam Technologies, highlights how a new technology platform that combines cloud-based computing and automated on-site data collection can help businesses with remote monitoring and management. Combining inputs from surveillance systems, access control, intrusion detection systems, and video analytics, among others, the OnVu360 management platform has applications in remote business management and secur...

 H.265/HEVC coding format will bring major benefits to IP video cameras offering a new level of video quality at an economic price The emergence last year of a new format for High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) is poised to have a huge impact on IP video surveillance cameras over the next few years. Among the benefits of the new H.265/HEVC coding format over the legacy H.264/MPEG-4 is a 40 percent or more bit rate reduction at the same visual quality. Therefore, a camera...

A U.S. economic forecast of 2.3 percent growth in real gross domestic product (GDP) bodes well for security businesses to thrive in a healthy economy in 2014. The Conference Board’s 2.3 percent growth prediction for 2014 is higher than its 1.7 estimate for 2013. Globally, both the physical access control and video surveillance markets are forecast to record healthy growth rates this year. Conference board predictions on housing starts (up 1.16 percent in 2014, compared...

Comprehensive and robust security programmes and policies are required for adequate data security Over the last decade, we have entered a new era of physical and logical access control. We are now living in an increasingly mobile world where our phones do more than just make a simple call – employees can now open doors and enter secure areas, as well as access computers, corporate data networks and associated information assets with just a single mobile device.  Fur...

A systems integrator can guide the selection of appropriate technologies to accomplish set objectives, leaving nothing to chance In this article, Laurie Smock-Jackson, Vice President of Sales at North American Video, explains that an experienced and knowledgeable system integrator is a valuable partner who can help casino management make the best choices for security and surveillance and get the most from its budget. It used to be that closing a sale simply entailed c...

High definition (HD) megapixel cameras can help in the surveillance of larger areas with fewer cameras while delivering superior detail and improving overall security operations. This translates into lower infrastructure costs and improved overall return on investment (ROI), enabling users to deploy less expensive video systems with megapixel cameras and achieve better performance and functionality. In this article, Scott Schafer, Executive Vice President of Arecont Vision ex...

Companies that have developed a culture of openness can provide and receive feedback at all levels The nail that sticks out gets hammered down” is an old Japanese saying that encourages an unspoken rule of conformity combined with an authoritarian hierarchical structure. Brent O’Bryan, SPHR at AlliedBarton Security Services, explains that a winning formula for both the organisation and an individual is a culture actively exhibiting healthy behaviours and practi...

72% of British consumers express preference for HD CCTV over standard CCTV systems According to a survey by YouGov and Avigilon, 38 percent of people feel safe in areas where they know CCTV is being used because it acts as a deterrent, and a further 41 percent attribute the feeling of safety to the fact security forces can use the footage if anything were to happen. The presence of CCTV in the UK makes people feel safe, but the images captured by today’s CCTV cameras are...

Video surveillance software now allows retailers to monitor a location from anywhere Beyond loss prevention, video surveillance can also boost operations and business intelligence. Gadi Piran of ONSSI details how surveillance video can be a powerful management tool for retailers which they can use to monitor and improve operational efficiencies, personnel productivity and save costs by integrating it with other important applications. Almost every retail location uses a...