Mark Pritchard

For several years now, the video surveillance market has been involved in the “megapixel race,” with manufacturers touting ever-higher pixel counts on their shiny new models. The implication, though not necessarily stated overtly, is that a higher pixel count is equivalent to a better picture. Too simple, says this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable participants, or more to the point: Not true. But where does that leave customers? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Do manufacturers, integrators and/or customers put too much emphasis on pixel count (versus other factors) as a measure of a camera's performance? How can video quality be measured?

Video cameras are smarter than ever. Video analytics functionality is available inside most cameras now on the market. Smarter cameras enable a system with distributed intelligence and also help to manage bandwidth and storage – on-camera intelligence can determine what video is important enough to tie up network resources and to eventually be retained or viewed. But on-camera video analytics have their limitations, and additional video intelligence at the server can add a new range of functionality to a system. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Given the rise in edge-based video analytics, what is the continuing role for server-based analytics systems?

Software changes constantly. There’s always a new patch or fix, and our computers persistently remind us that an update is available. As a core component of today’s IP networked video systems, video management software (VMS) is also subject to the need to be constantly updated and refined. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable to elaborate: Why is it important that networked video customers keep up to date with the latest version of video management software (VMS)?

We asked this week’s Expert Panel: What are the limitations on where video cameras can be placed because of privacy? With hundreds of new cameras installed every day, the likelihood increases exponentially that a camera will be placed in a location where it violates privacy. In fact, threats to privacy are often among the largest objections when video surveillance is proposed, whether in a public area or in the workplace. Allaying fears about undermining privacy is a basic requirement to make such systems acceptable to the public. It’s a touchy subject, but one our Expert Panel is willing to address.

Pelco will showcase their Optera™ series of panoramic IP cameras and the VIdeoXpert VMS Pelco by Schneider Electric, a provider of intelligent video surveillance and security management platforms, will showcase the advanced capabilities of its Optera™ Series Panoramic IP Camera line and its award-winning VideoXpert VMS at Security Essen being held September 27-30, 2016, at the Essen Exhibition Centre. Pelco will provide interactive demonstrations of its latest solutions to seminar attendees during the international trade fair in Hall 2, Stand D26. Optera camera line The Optera panoramic IP camera line includes 180-, 270- and 360-degree panoramic cameras. The advanced imaging technology optimises live and recorded images from four sensors, and then seamlessly stitches and blends images at the boundaries to present users with a continuous panorama view. The camera utilises anti-bloom technology and proprietary image processing, while SureVision 2.0 technology produces high-quality images in extreme low-light conditions without leaving wide dynamic range (WDR) mode. Additionally, users can pan, tilt and zoom within areas of interest in either live or recorded view. Optera is well suited for applications in critical infrastructure, gaming, Safe Cities and transportation. VideoXpert VMS VideoXpert VMS displays critical security intelligence and video data together, allowing security professionals to make quick, effective decisions VideoXpert VMS effortlessly displays critical security intelligence and video data together, allowing security professionals to make quick, effective decisions and sharpen tactical protocol in an emergency. VideoXpert integrates with a number of third-party systems, including video analytics and surveillance, licence plate recognition, point of sale, event/alarm management and more. Its intuitive user interface reduces training requirements and enables operators to take control of managing any number of security situations. During Essen, attendees will have the opportunity to win a GoPro each day of the expo by taking the Optera™ Challenge. Participants will be entered to win the prize upon completion of a series of challenges using Pelco’s video technology. Sarix camera range During the conference, Pelco will also display the Sarix™ Enhanced Next Generation Camera Range. This advanced surveillance solution includes features such as 130dB WDR and 60 ips that make it applicable for a variety of applications, including oil and gas, gaming, airports and seaports, and Safe City environments. Sarix with SureVision 3.0 delivers the best possible image resolution in difficult lighting conditions. The complete line of solutions is designed with superior reliability and fault tolerance, ideal for mission-critical applications. “Pelco has listened to the needs of its customers during the development of its latest products, focusing on delivering open solutions that are compatible with third-party systems through ONVIF standards,” said Mark Pritchard, Director of Marketing, EMEA, Pelco by Schneider Electric. “Pelco’s Optera, VideoXpert and Sarix innovations deliver significant value to end users who look to realise advanced levels of security intelligence while simultaneously delivering channel partners with a significant advantage through the delivery of unique and market-leading solutions.” Save Save

SourceSecurity.com’s Expert Panel had a lot to say in 2015 on a variety of topics in our Roundtable discussions.   Not surprisingly, the discussion topics that have generated the most interest (in terms of how much visitor traffic they generated) are the same hot topics we hear about every day in the industry. Our very most-clicked-on Roundtable discussion in 2015 was about the impact of video on privacy rights. Other hot topics that made the Top-10 list of Roundtable discussions included the Cloud (twice!), the impact of IT on physical security, and the outlook for 4K cameras. Additional well-read discussions centred on expanding the benefits of security to other departments and how to improve training. Readers also gravitated to Expert Panel Roundtable discussions of more technical topics such as the value of full-frame-rate video and the effectiveness of panoramic view cameras (compared to pan-tilt-zoom functionality). Rounding out the Top 10 is a discussion of the desirability (and legal implications) of using dummy cameras. Here is a listing of the Top 10 Expert Panel Roundtable discussions posted in 2015 at SourceSecurity.com, along with a “sound bite” from each discussion, and links back to the full articles. Thanks to everyone who contributed to Expert Panel Roundtable in 2015 (including the quotable panellists named below). 1. What are the limitations on where video cameras can be placed because of privacy? "Use of cameras in retail applications can easily be justified in general surveillance of sales floors and shopping aisles, but cameras should only be used in changing areas to address a particularly serious problem that cannot be addressed by less intrusive means.” [Mark Pritchard] 2. Are cloud-based security systems “safe?”  "If the authentication principles are insufficient and weak passwords are allowed, it doesn’t matter how strong the encryption is. Because cloud-based systems are exposed to the Internet, they demand strong authentication and increased operational procedures." [Per Björkdahl]   3. How does IT affect the physical security buying decision? "Of course, we all want good value, but we must invest as necessary. If you strip everything back, the integrator's job is to deliver data. If IT and security departments can keep this objective in mind, then 'value' redefines itself." [Larry Lummis] 4. Which non-security uses of video are catching on?  "While video can help with quality control across the supply chain, it will be especially useful in ensuring compliance with the international adulteration rule [for food manufacturers], the rule with the last court-ordered deadline on May 31, 2016." [Don Hsieh]   5. What is the value of "full-frame-rate" video? "I once took a client’s footage of a genuine street fight to check how many images per second were needed to prove who punched who – 25fps was fine but 12fps made the video evidence doubtful. Don’t forget, however many fps you choose, your shutter speed must be fast enough to prevent motion blur spoiling the details." [Simon Lambert]   6. When is it desirable to use 'dummy' cameras as a deterrent? "If cameras are present, there is a reasonable expectation of a secure environment in both public and private areas. If the public sees cameras and assumes they are real, they could argue that they were reliant on the protection provided by the cameras." [Dave Poulin] 7. Are megapixel or panoramic-view cameras an effective substitute for PTZs? "Panoramic cameras are usually static, so zooming into a scene’s details is done in software and limited by pixels in the sensor, lens quality and software such as de-warping, so clarity at the boundaries might disappoint. PTZ cameras zoom optically, magnifying long-range details significantly better." [Simon Lambert]   8. Is HD still the standard of resolution in the market? For how much longer?  "The 720p and 1080p HDTV remains dominant today and is expected to be for the foreseeable future. The next standards-based resolution will be 4K, which represents 8.3 megapixel, but first the industry will need to improve on bandwidth with better compression and better light sensitivity." [Fredrik Nilsson]   9. What are the current limitations of cloud-based systems? "The only remaining limitations of cloud-based systems are bandwidth and connectivity to the cloud. There is more than enough bandwidth for applications like Access Control and Visitor Management, but it will take a couple more years before all high-resolution video is cloud-based.” [Paul Bodell]   10. How can security training be improved among integrators and end users?  "Training should be sticky and persistent. Follow-up training such as on-line review and updated course material should be available to keep the knowledge fresh. Technology is constantly changing, as soon as training is complete the knowledge begins to go stale." [Charlie Erickson]   See the full coverage of 2015/2016 Review and Forecast articles here

Spectra Enhanced Full HD, high speed PTZ dome, with 20X or 30X optical zoom options Pelco will use IFSEC 2015, stand D800, to launch VideoXpert™, the company’s new video management software (VMS) platform. VideoXpert™ manages single and multi-site video security systems from a single workspace interface. The ‘Unified User Interface’ within VideoXpert™ allows up to six monitors to operate as a single workstation, fully configurable to suit the operator. However, despite VideoXpert’s extensive capability and although the system has been designed to support limitless cameras and hundreds of operators, Pelco has ensured its operation is simple and intuitive, to minimise user training requirements. VideoXpert features plug-in architecture Plug-in architecture enables efficient system expansion by integrating further third-party security and video analytics solutions. Deployment is on distributed IT architecture, with built-in redundancy and modular, scalable, failover management to maximise system reliability. IFSEC will also see the launch of Pelco’s ground-breaking Optera™ multi-sensor, panoramic cameras, which provide seamless video images over 180°, 270° or 360°, by using four, 3MP cameras. “The Optera™ series cameras should not be confused with Fisheye cameras,” explained Mark Pritchard, EMEA Marketing Director for Pelco. “The Optera™ enables the viewing and recording of extremely high-quality panoramic views. Electronic pan, tilt and zoom functionality allows operators to zoom in on areas of interest and see levels of detail more comparable to a PTZ dome. Client-side de-warping ensures Pelco’s VideoXpert™ and other third-party VMS solutions see the Optera™ series as a single camera for licensing and video management purposes. SureVision™ 2.0, 130dB Wide Dynamic Range (WDR), ensures high-contrast and demanding lighting conditions present little problem.” High speed PTZ dome Also a new arrival at IFSEC 2015 is the Spectra Enhanced Full HD, high speed PTZ dome, with 20X or 30X optical zoom options. Already the industry’s market leader for performance, Spectra Enhanced now comes with a 60 images per second frame rate; electronic image stabilisation to eliminate vibration noise; and SureVision 2.0 with 130dB WDR to ensure high quality video images in all lighting environments. Smooth and fast PTZ control, built-in analytics, single cable HPOE installation, ONVIF G edge recording and HD optimised dome bubble technology are featured on all models.

Pelco’s new video and information management software (VMS), VideoXpert™, delivers simple and logical operation, without compromising functionality. VideoXpert™ displays site events in real-time, enabling an immediate and appropriate operator response. Its user interface is highly intuitive, so operators can use the system effectively, with minimal training requirements. Plug-in architecture enables simple expansion and third-party integration. Pelco, EMEA Marketing Director comments Mark Pritchard, EMEA Marketing Director for Pelco, explained, “VMS solutions are traditionally used in larger, more complex video systems which, historically, have been complicated to install, configure and manage. The focus of VideoXpert™ has been its ease of install and operation with an easy-to-navigate, user interface, to provide both comprehensive site surveillance and logical workflow management for operators and site managers. It suits projects of any size and complexity. “Our ‘Unified User Interface’ is based on established and familiar web browser navigation designs, creating a ground-breaking six monitor work station and user experience. Individual elements are dragged and dropped into position to create a customised operator workspace. Tabs are used to select between different camera views on each monitor and an embedded mapping interface is included. A VideoXpert™ operator controls up to six monitors that behave as a single workstation, each monitor displaying up to 16 video channels simultaneously.” Allows operators to collate site events Incident management functionality allows operators to locate and collate site events from one or more synchronised cameras; organise playlists of events across multiple cameras; and export, save and archive camera playlists for future reference. Third-party plug-ins correlate video with critical business data; unify business, operational and security data; and integrate VideoXpert™ with further video analytics and security system functionality. Mark added, “Multi-site applications can be centrally managed with VideoXpert™ using a single workspace interface. Deployment is on distributed IT architecture, which enables built-in redundancy and modular, scalable, failover management. This not only increases reliability, but also reduces the impact of system-wide failures, should they occur.” Pelco Endura® and Digital Sentry® video products are fully integrated with VideoXpert™, which will preserve and reference the video archives associated with NSM and Digital Sentry® Pelco devices. Existing IT hardware, used by other VMS systems, can also be re-purposed for use with VideoXpert™.