Video Encoders

As video users globally pay closer attention to the manufacturing origins and standards compliance of their systems, IDIS is highlighting the value of its fully licenced network cameras and recorders that feature H.265 video compression. IDIS was among the first manufacturers to deliver the benefits of H.265 compression to the market, as part of its end-to-end DirectIP solution. The company has confirmed that it has HVEC Advance and H.265 MPEG patent licences for all its hardware, with licences dating back to cover all installed systems. IDIS Intelligent Codec IDIS has made extensive use of the H.265 standard since 2016, leveraging it to underpin flexible monitoring solutions using dual codec (H.264/265) and hybrid codec, in order to ensure backward compatibility with older monitoring hardware. Combined with IDIS’s own advanced compression technology, IDIS Intelligent Codec, this typically saves up to 70% on storage capacity and lowers bandwidth requirements compared to older high-definition systems that relied on H.264. This approach means IDIS users were among the first to benefit from ultra-high-definition surveillance using 8 MP and 12 MP cameras, while ensuring fast incident response, smoother searches and minimised distortion, when reviewing complex scenes, even from mobile devices. IDIS Mobile Plus app With Mobile Plus, users can remotely access cameras and NVRs, monitor live video streams, and search recorded footage For example, the new IDIS Mobile Plus app, which integrates with the enterprise-level IDIS Solution Suite VMS, to allow for more flexible and remote surveillance operations, enables 4K live streaming on remote mobile devices, with high image quality in H.264/MJPEG and H.265 formats. With Mobile Plus, users can remotely access cameras and NVRs, monitor live video streams, and search recorded footage via their iPhone, iPad, Android phone or tablet, all enabled by advanced compression technologies. IDIS end-to-end video solutions Joon Jun, President of the IDIS Global Business Division, said “As security and video tech vendors come under increased scrutiny over issues from manufacturing origin and cyber security to standards and intellectual property compliance, IDIS can provide full reassurance for customers with its fully-licenced, Korean-made, end-to-end video solutions.” Joon Jun adds, “From critical infrastructure and banks, to national health services and corporates, IDIS video technology is trusted by major users globally.”

Pivot3, the globally renowned company in intelligent software for simplified security and surveillance infrastructure solutions, has announced the release of the Pivot3 Surveillance Series Edge, an optimised product offering for edge and distributed physical security environments. Surveillance Series Edge Surveillance Series Edge incorporates the same Acuity software-based intelligence and automation used by all Pivot3 Surveillance Series solutions, in order to deliver higher levels of resilience, management simplicity and efficiencies than infrastructure, based on basic video recording servers or separate servers, and storage systems. Video surveillance, video analytics and other security applications are being deployed at remote and distributed edge sites at an increasing rate, to protect people and critical assets at those locations, and to derive more real-time insights from video and other data. Overcoming latency and bandwidth issues Having these applications deployed at remote sites help overcome the latency and bandwidth issues Having these applications deployed at remote sites help overcome the latency and bandwidth issues that are associated with moving that data back to a central location for processing. This necessitates the need for infrastructure at the edge that will provide flawless capture of video, without dropped or degraded frames, and ensure applications never go down and be simple to manage locally or remotely. “The need to capture video at the edge is expanding rapidly in tandem with the growing volume and importance of surveillance at remote sites,” said Anna Sliwon-Stewart, Senior Analyst and Research Manager at Omdia. Hyper-converged infrastructure Anna Sliwon-Stewart adds, “Easy to manage storage solutions for distributed physical security environments will be even more needed in the future, as they make it easier for installers to deploy modern, innovative video surveillance systems.” Ideal for remote and distributed environments in the transportation, critical infrastructure, energy/utilities, and retail markets, Surveillance Series Edge provides simple, efficient, and highly available storage and servers, in the form of hyper-converged infrastructure that scales from supporting 60 to over 400 video surveillance cameras at the edge. Integrated virtualisation technologies Due to integrated virtualisation technologies, other applications at the edge sites, such as access control, visitor management or intrusion detection can be consolidated on Surveillance Series Edge, in order to further reduce costs and realise the benefits of shared resources and advanced resilience. Surveillance Series Edge is based on Pivot3’s Acuity software platform with its Intelligence Engine that automates numerous tasks, including performance optimisation, data protection, application failover, predictive monitoring and analytics, and orchestrated system updates and upgrades. Intuitive Pivot3 Management Application Surveillance Series Edge systems can be managed locally or remotely, using the Pivot3 Management App Surveillance Series Edge systems can be managed locally or remotely, using the intuitive Pivot3 Management Application, without requiring specialised IT skills. This same management console can also simultaneously be used to centrally manage and monitor multiple Essentials by Pivot3 video recording servers, as well as non-Pivot3 security servers, using the recently introduced Pivot3 Surety software. “With the requirements at remote, distributed sites becoming more demanding, Surveillance Series Edge is the right solution at the right time,” said Ben Bolles, the Vice President of Products at Pivot3. Software-based intelligence and management Ben Bolles adds, “This solution right-sizes our enterprise-class Surveillance Series for edge deployments with the same software-based intelligence and management, so our customers do not have to compromise on capabilities.” Surveillance Series Edge is the latest addition to Pivot3’s comprehensive portfolio of infrastructure solutions, purpose built for physical security environments of any size or complexity, with software-based intelligence that lowers risk and overall TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). Surveillance Series Edge is available to order now.

Hanwha Techwin has added 5 new 2-megapixel high-definition AI cameras to its Wisenet P series. The new cameras are designed to complement the 4K models which were launched in 2020, by making it more cost-effective for users to benefit from AI technology. As is the case with the existing 4K models, the new cameras are equipped with Deep Learning AI video analytics which delivers a high level of detection accuracy whilst minimising false alarms. It does so by simultaneously detecting and classifying various object types, including people, vehicles, faces and licence plates. AI video analytics The Deep Learning AI video analytics is supported by Wisenet AI algorithms which identify the attributes of objects or people, such as their age group and gender or the colour of their clothes. The attributes are saved as metadata alongside the images captured by the Wisenet P series AI cameras, enabling users to quickly search for specific objects or incidents. The algorithms are even able to recognise if a person is wearing glasses or is holding a bag. Operators are able to take advantage of VMS from software developers such as Genetec and Milestone Operators are able to take advantage of VMS from software developers such as Genetec and Milestone, as well as Wisenet WAVE and Wisenet SSM, to forensically search for specific objects or people by filtering the recorded metadata, as well as use the search capabilities of the latest generation of Wisenet X NVRs which are able to read AI metadata captured by the cameras. Social distancing analytics A recent firmware update, incorporated into the new 2-megapixel cameras and available as a downloadable upgrade for the existing 4K models, sees face mask detection and social distancing analytics added to the cameras’ capabilities. There is also enhanced people counting and queue management functionality. To help remove the risk of overcrowding and to assist, for example, store managers make the best use of human resources, this includes the ability to count the number of people queuing and generate alerts if a specified maximum number is exceeded. The cameras are also equipped with Hanwha Techwin’s Occupancy Monitoring application which generates alarm outputs that can be used to control automatic doors or a traffic beacon, as well as trigger the display of ‘wait’ or ‘enter’ messages when the maximum permitted a number of people allowed in an area at one time, has been reached. Video analytics applications With these various licence-free Deep Learning AI video analytics applications available as standard on the Wisenet P series AI cameras, users do not have to incur the cost of purchasing licences to be allowed to use them. Key features of the new 2-megapixel Wisenet P series AI cameras include: Digital auto-tracking which enables the cameras to transmit two streams of video, providing the option for operators to see a camera’s full field of view, whilst at the same time using a digital PTZ auto-tracking feature while viewing Full HD images, to track the movements of a person or vehicle. WiseNRII optimises image noise reduction to reduce blurring. 50ma output which can be used to power LEDs, sensors or glass break detectors. Minimising network bandwidth The cameras have a BestShot feature which selects the best images which have been captured The new cameras also benefit from next-generation WiseStream III complementary compression technology. This applies a low compression rate to objects and people which are detected and tracked by AI, whilst applying high compression to the remaining field of view. When combined with H.265, this results in an improvement in bandwidth efficiency by up to 80% compared to current H.264 technology. To further minimise network bandwidth and data storage requirements, as well as increase operator efficiency, the cameras have a BestShot feature which selects the best images which have been captured of a person or object and only sends these, together with the associated metadata, to a storage server. The new Wisenet P series AI cameras are as follows: PNB-A6001 box camera PNO-A6081R bullet camera with built-in IR illumination PND-6081RV dome camera with built-in IR illumination PND-6081RF flush mounted dome camera with built-in IR illumination PNV-A6081R vandal-resistant dome with built-in IR illumination Mission critical applications “We are confident that these new affordable cameras will help prove that AI based video surveillance technology is not just suitable for high-end, mission critical applications,” said Uri Guterman, Head of Product & Marketing for Hanwha Techwin Europe. “In addition to helping combat criminal activity, we believe there are countless applications where the business intelligence captured with the assistance of the Deep Learning AI video analytics, as well as the cameras’ ability to help businesses operate safely during the COVID-19 affected era, will ensure they offer a high return on investment, regardless of where they may be deployed.”

Barix has unveiled the Exstreamer M400 IP Audio Decoder, the first model in a new generation of the company’s renowned Exstreamer IP audio decoder family. The new hardware continues the Exstreamer series traditions as robust and reliable, but also cost-effective devices. It offers end users and systems integrators, a modern, extensible, and easy-to-deploy decoder platform, supporting the latest technology standards. Exstreamer M400 IP Audio Decoder Our earlier Exstreamer products helped make Barix a leader in streaming decoders" “Our earlier Exstreamer products helped make Barix a leader in streaming decoders and earned a strong reputation for their longevity, exceptional audio quality, and feature-richness,” said Davide Nossa, Product Manager at Barix. Davide Nossa adds, “We are excited to continue the Exstreamer family’s hallmarks on a modern hardware foundation that offers customers more of everything - more power, more flexibility, more security features, more protocols supported, and more extensibility for the future. More than 20 years of IP audio experience and market expertise went into our development of the Exstreamer M400, creating a decoder platform that integrators and users can trust for their AV needs today and in the future.” Powered by IPAM 400 audio module Powered by Barix’s Linux-based IPAM 400 audio module, the Exstreamer M400 has higher processing power than previous Exstreamer models and a more programmable, software-driven architecture for easier expansion, rapid prototyping, and customisation. An increased buffer size and advanced buffer management technology improve network performance disruptions. Expanded support for IT security standards includes HTTPS, support for audio streams and the web-based management interface, plus secure, encrypted SIP (voice-over-IP) communications using TLS and SRTP. System Configuration Tool Installation of multiple Exstreamer M400 units can be integrated via the System Configuration Tool. A dash board enables multiple devices to be grouped in zones and to specify up to five prioritised source streams for each unit. For example, emergency notifications can be set to override background music playback, as well as the relative volume of each stream. Settings can be copied from one Exstreamer M400 to multiple others simultaneously to significantly speed up multi-unit configuration. Ideal for IP audio applications The Exstreamer M400 features stereo, line-level, analogue audio output with RCA-type connections The Exstreamer M400 features stereo, line-level, analogue audio output with RCA-type connections and can decode streams in MP3, AAC-HE, FLAC, PCM, Opus, and Ogg Vorbis formats, as well as supporting SIP and secure SIP in peer-to-peer and server modes. Other new features relative to earlier Exstreamer models include IPV6 support, internal audio file storage with externally-triggered playback, and support for Singlewire Software’s InformaCast and Syn-Apps (now part of Intrado) emergency notification platforms with automatic endpoint registration.  The Exstreamer M400 initially targets IP audio applications in the professional AV market, including background music, paging, SIP/VoIP integration, and emergency notifications. Direct support for Barix’s flagship IC Paging and Simple Paging solutions, scheduled for release later in Q2, will allow Exstreamer M400s to be easily added as endpoints. AES67 support for high-quality audio transport The highly extensible device will also be expanded with robust functionality for radio broadcasters in future firmware updates, such as AES67 support for high-quality audio transport between facilities and interoperability with Dante-based devices. Such upgradeability is a key advantage of the Exstreamer M400 IP Audio Decoder’s Linux-based architecture, supporting Barix’s mission of continual improvement, while enabling Barix engineers to quickly customise device firmware to meet customer requirements. Modern API A modern Application Programming Interface (API) is planned for future release for developers, replacing earlier Exstreamer models’ older CGI control specification, as part of Barix’s commitment to support the latest technology standards.

Eagle Eye Networks, the globally renowned company in cloud video surveillance solutions, has released a best practices guide ‘Analog Video to Cloud’ for business owners who are interested in economical ways to upgrade legacy analogue video surveillance cameras to a modern, digital cloud system, and how existing cameras can be reused in the process. This report details the advantages of managing analogue camera video in the Cloud, including lower costs and greater flexibility, outlines video-to-cloud upgrade options, and provides readers with actionable information to successfully transition analogue camera video to the Cloud, without having to ‘rip and replace’ the entire system. Analogue cameras to the Cloud A recent Eagle Eye Networks study showed that analogue cameras to the Cloud grew in 2020, A recent Eagle Eye Networks study showed that analogue cameras to the Cloud grew in 2020, after four consecutive years of decline, likely driven by improvements in encoder technology and the need to remotely access and view video surveillance systems, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Often the lowest-cost, highest-results approach to upgrading analogue video camera systems is to start by switching from outdated on-premises video recording software and hardware to a cyber-secure, cloud-based video management system (VMS) with AI-enabled video analytics,” said Ken Francis, the President of Eagle Eye Networks. Enhancing physical security and built-in cyber security Ken Francis adds, “Business owners want to understand how an upgrade works and how to save costs so they can start taking advantage of improved physical security, built-in cyber security, and all the benefits of the Cloud, including important data derived from video that can help improve business operations and customer service.” Topics covered in the guide include, cloud architecture, payment models, cameras and coaxial cable alternatives, and HD analogue cameras.

Personnel often only must keep an eye on certain security cameras as they do not have any other video management duties. Yet, this is often where users still install a separate PC and software. Since the beginning of the year, Dallmeier single sensor cameras are fully integrated with the EIZO IP decoding solutions, helping customers realise completely ‘client-free’ video surveillance solutions. Less hardware and software In the past, the transmission of video surveillance images from IP cameras to surveillance monitors was a highly labour-intensive task. Before the monitor, a PC with corresponding software and peripherals had to be running, so that it could output the image signals from the IP camera. This, in turn, involved additional software licenses and more system maintenance and hardware resources. Now, Dallmeier camera users can implement the IP decoder monitor, DuraVision FDF2711W-IP and the IP decoder box, DuraVision DX0211-IP from EIZO for in-use cases with no other video management requirements. The systems from EIZO support all the single-sensor cameras in the German manufacturer's portfolio. 24/7 operation in security and surveillance systems The EIZO systems are ideal for 24/7 operation in security and surveillance systems The EIZO systems are ideal for 24/7 operation in security and surveillance systems, and are equipped with a high-performance decoder and a range of video stream management functions, which are integrated directly with the firmware. With their assurance of high quality as asserted in the slogan - ‘Made in Germany’, Dallmeier single sensor cameras enjoy a reputation for distinctive image and playback quality even under difficult conditions. Application in multiple sectors When used together, the solution consisting of Dallmeier cameras and the EIZO IP decoder monitor or IP decoder box can be implemented in many different sectors. These include for instance passenger processing at airports, local public transport, gatehouses, care homes, hospitals, and many other scenarios. In small environments, the solution can often replace the VMS system entirely, thereby saving still more costs and effort in the delivery of video of images for security personnel and other employees.

The role of storage in video surveillance systems has  evolved, from a means of preserving evidence to an evidence search tool, and soon as the main data repository for predictive analytics. Old analogue systems are now being replaced with massive multi-camera IT systems. Necessary storage volumes keep growing as video resolutions increase. 1K, 4K, and 8K megapixel cameras require such gigantic storage space that network video recorders (NVRs) can hardly handle more than a handful of them simultaneously. This Quantum white paper explains how you can efficiently circumvent this situation, showing a progressive migration path from current state-of-the-art IP video solutions, up to tomorrow’s storage-centric architectures. What's Inside? Typical VMS architectures Issues with NVRs Uses of video analytics and its impact on storage The benefits of multi-tier storage The future of video recording   Click Here to Download the White Paper Now!

Gaps in video from dropped video frames are a common problem. A web search on the phrase “dropped video frames” turns up links oriented towards gamers, YouTube videographers and even the world of video surveillance, discussing why frame drops happen and providing advice for coping with them. On Windows computers, video frame drops are a fact of life. Much of the advice can help reduce the number of frame drops, though never completely eliminate them. If you are an amateur filmmaker, and you drop key video frames, you can always do another “take.” Not so in the 24/7 world of security surveillance. You never know which few seconds of video might be critical in determining what really happened, who was really there and who could be held liable.General use IT products like a Windows computer are architected to be event-driven and time-shared Causes of video frame drops in surveillance systems To begin to address this problem, it’s important to have a better understanding of the major causes of video frame drops in a video surveillance system. Many video surveillance systems stream the output from the video cameras over a network to an off-the-shelf computer such as a Windows machine, which acts as the video server and runs your Video Management Software (VMS). The video server stores all the video files to racks of disk drives (disk drives being an affordable choice for the large amount of storage needed in a multi-camera system). Let’s focus on these major sources of video frame drops: Video servers dropping incoming video frames when various system tasks compete for resources Disk heads in your disk drives that can’t write the incoming video files fast enough to keep up with the continuous stream of data Many integrators who use off-the-shelf Windows computers will ensure the computer is dedicated to being the video server Video processing overload General IT products like a Windows computer are architected to be event-driven and time-shared. They strive for fairness and are designed to share the processing capacity so that no single task is starved. Instead, all tasks get a smaller proportion of processing capacity. This means new events, like a keystroke or automatic start of a common “background” task or system service, can interrupt and delay ongoing tasks like the handling of your incoming video streams. In the networked world, that is usually a good choice, since the network protocols will recover by resending the data and the latency that adds is not a problem. This does not work with video. Your cameras are continuing to send new video, so even if you could resend, this would simply bog down the computer still further and cause even more frames to drop. If the CPU, memory or disk handling required by both the new event and your ongoing video processing exceeds the capacity of the computer, its default way of dealing with the overload is to drop data coming in over its network connections. Disk drives are optimised for reading and writing data quickly, generally in a variety of block sizes depending on what is being stored Dropped video frame testing Recently, we started monitoring and testing for dropped video frames on off-the-shelf Windows video servers. In our tests, just clicking on a Windows disk management command resulted in almost 4,000 frames being dropped, an 8-second gap in the video record – and as we all know, a lot can happen in 8 seconds. Even we were surprised by how often and how consistently frames were dropped, coinciding with various demands on the servers from things like background tasks. Almost always, these drops happened as a cluster, multiple seconds of contiguous video simply gone, a much more serious issue than dropping a few random frames here or there.The best solution is to use a machine and operating system that are optimised to be part of a video surveillance system Many integrators who use off-the-shelf Windows computers will ensure the computer is dedicated to being the video server, and they will try to tweak the Windows operating system to reduce the number of background tasks, like removing any third-party antivirus programs or performance programs. This reduces the number of video frame drops but does not come close to eliminating all of them. Video surveillance system solution The best solution is to use a machine and operating system that are optimised to be part of a video surveillance system, designed to funnel resources as needed to handling the incoming video streams versus attempting to share resources evenly across all tasks or dropping incoming video data when the system is overloaded. By giving priority to the incoming video data and being sized correctly for the number and type of cameras, these systems are much more robust and less prone to dropping frames. Optimising storage for surveillance The previous sections looked at how video frames get dropped before your VMS even sees them. However, frames can go missing on the other side of the system when the storage system cannot keep up with the incoming video data. Most systems use some form of disk storage; because to store all the video from multiple cameras running 24/7 can require a massive amount of storage – frequently into the terabytes – and disk storage is still affordable on this scale. Disk drives are optimised for reading and writing data quickly, generally in a variety of block sizes depending on what is being stored. If you think about a database, various data records are written once, read many times as people look up data and modified (written again). Storing the video output from multiple cameras breaks this model in several ways: The block sizes for video data are larger than typical data files The blocks are written once and very seldom read, so it is very write-intensive New files from multiple cameras are continuously coming in to be writtenWhen you need high performance and reliability from a system that faces heavy demands, off-the-shelf may simply not be good enough Avoid missing key video All these factors keep the disk head extremely busy and lead to longer seek times. Essentially, the disk head cannot write fast enough and cannot keep up with the incoming stream of video data to be stored. The result is that some video frames get dropped. By using disk systems that are optimised for video storage, you can improve your odds. Solutions that improve head seek time, consolidate multiple video files into one file to reduce the number of writes needed and find other ways for the disk head to work more efficiently can greatly reduce the chances that frames might be dropped. The off-the-shelf components that are frequently used for video surveillance systems are general purpose machines that do a decent job of supporting a small system with a minimal number of cameras. However, even in a small system with only 3 to 4 cameras, our testing has shown that video frame drop is a given, due partly to Windows’ bias to share resources among tasks and default to dropping incoming data/video streams when busy, and partly to off-the-shelf disk drives that cannot keep up with the write-intensive nature of storing video feeds. These issues are due to the size and nature of video files, but are not unique to surveillance systems. In the film industry, they too use custom machines as their video servers to handle incoming streams from their digital cameras and store those streams to custom storage hardware. When you need high performance and reliability from a system that faces heavy demands, off-the-shelf – though less expensive initially – may simply not be good enough. Only you can determine how much tolerance you have to the risk of missing key video sequences, and whether your potential liability and the risk of lawsuits is increased beyond an acceptable measure by a surveillance system that captures less than 100% of the action.

Over the last year, we have continued to see the rise of manufacturers from China in the mid- to low-end market for video surveillance - a trend that currently shows no signs of tapering. Additionally, the shift from analogue to IP systems has remained consistent, with end users increasingly looking to network-enabled devices to mitigate risk from both a physical and cyber perspective. Complex network attacks in 2016 demonstrated the need for increased network security for network-connected devices such as IP cameras and network video recorders. More and more manufacturers are considering the potential for such attacks when designing updates for existing hardware and software technology, strengthening password requirements, incorporating robust data encryption, and educating integrators and end users on how to put protocols in place to protect the valuable information being collected. Increased security collaborations Today’s surveillance technology - and the new innovations right around the corner - incorporates more IT protocols in response to high-profile cyber incidents. As a result, IT standards will finally start being adopted by security system manufacturers over the course of the next few years. At the same time, we'll see increased collaboration between IT and security leaders within enterprises. Intelligent, big data analysis Video technologies such as panoramic 360-degree cameras with advanced dewarping capabilities are being rapidly adopted, along with video analytics software that enables the extraction of data for business intelligence, apart from just security video. The future includes more widespread availability of cloud technologies and services. In 2017, we can look forward to the more widespread adoption of intelligent analytics and big data analysis, which has the potential to streamline processes and optimise sales operations for organisations to drive new levels of business intelligence. See the full coverage of 2016/2017 Review and Forecast articles here Save

Arecont Vision is a company in transition to say the least. With its balance sheet burdened with debt, the company is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and simultaneously being acquired by a private equity firm. The ‘new’ Arecont Vision that will emerge after several months when the process is complete will have a new owner, a clean balance sheet, and be poised to succeed in the competitive world of video surveillance, says Raul Calderon, Arecont Vision CEO and General Manager.Good companies go through restructuring, and the company will be better off after doing it. We will be able to lead” Ensuring business continuity An asset purchase agreement announced this week with an affiliate of Turnspire Capital Partners LLC involves the private equity firm acquiring Arecont Vision’s assets. To eliminate the debt, the company has initiated proceedings under Chapter 11 of the United State Bankruptcy Code in the District of Delaware. “We want the industry to know that we are restructuring our business and our financing,” says Calderon. “We are not going out of business. It is a financial restructuring more than anything.” Business will continue uninterrupted during the bankruptcy, he says, with debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing provided by Arecont Vision’s current secured lenders. Turnspire, as the ‘stalking-horse bidder’, sets the low-end bidding bar and guarantees the company will have new ownership at the conclusion of the process “Good companies go through restructuring, and the company will be better off after doing it,” Calderon adds. “We will be able to lead and innovate, to be stronger, better and faster once we finish.” For perspective, it is interesting to note that, in the broader business world, some well-known companies have emerged from Chapter 11 even stronger, such as Delta and American Airlines and General Motors. Investment in product development Previously Arecont Vision has been burdened by the costs of $80 million in debt the owners took on in 2014. The burden of that debt has limited the company’s flexibility to react to the more competitive industry landscape, and to implement strategies to reverse softening sales numbers in the last couple of years. “We couldn’t use the money in the company because we were servicing the debt,” says Calderon. “In order to be compliant with the enormous debt service, we made decisions to reduce head count and expenses.” “[The bankruptcy] will free up that money to invest in the organisation,” he adds. “We will be able to make decisions for our future rather than the past, including investments in product development.” Focus and investment will be on key functions such as engineering, product development and sales Although there is an asset purchase agreement in place with Turnspire, there will also be an auction that could result in a higher bidder. Turnspire, as the ‘stalking-horse bidder’, sets the low-end bidding bar and guarantees the company will have new ownership at the conclusion of the process, either Turnspire or a company that outbids their offer. [UPDATE: An additional bid received from Costar Technologies and Costar Video Systems ensures that an auction will be held on July 9, 2018.] Calderon says Turnspire “shares our vision and will ensure an exciting future for the company.” The transaction is expected to move fast and close within a couple of months.Arecont Vision expects to continue to compete based on technology differentiation in the market, rather than on price Maintaining technology differentiation-based competition Turnspire Capital Partners is a private equity investor that is a ‘turnaround specialist’. Their website describes their role as targeting “high-quality businesses that have reached strategic, operational or financial inflection points and stand to benefit from [a] hands-on, operationally focused approach.” Calderon says Arecont Vision’s investment banker, Imperial Capital, was instrumental in bringing Turnspire to the table. The Turnspire purchase agreement proposes that the new owner retain the majority of employees, and the overall function and motivation of the company will remain. New levels of outsourcing, new software tools, or other strategies may be implemented to increase efficiency of operations. Focus (and investment) are likely to centre on key functions such as engineering, product development and sales. After the acquisition and bankruptcy are completed – in the next several months – Arecont Vision expects to continue to compete based on technology differentiation in the market, rather than on price, says Calderon. Business as usual Customers and partners see it as a positive step, and they understand that getting rid of the debt burden can only be positive” Calderon declined to be more specific about future plans for the company under the new ownership, who will ultimately decide what those plans are. He did reiterate Arecont Vision’s past successes and expected continuing role in the market. “We are looking to provide the leadership and the type of solution we are known for providing,” he says. “We have come out with some innovative things historically, from megapixel cameras to the first H.264 cameras to the first omni-directional cameras. We have not stopped our innovation, and our intent is to lead the market again with innovative solutions. Another key is to do right by our customers today and in the future, improving customer service, providing better offerings to our customers – that’s what we will be looking to do.” “I’ve had a lot of conversations with customers and partners in the last couple of days,” Calderon says. “I can say the conversations have been encouraging. They see it as a positive step, and they understand that getting rid of the debt burden can only be positive. Customers and partners have offered help, and we’re still closing deals. It’s business as usual.” He noted the company is seeking transparency throughout the process and wants to ‘get in front of’ the information flow, rather than allowing others to drive the narrative.

In a significant move for the video security market, BCDVideo has announced that it is set to become Dell EMC’s OEM partner in the video surveillance space. For nearly a decade, the Chicago-based company has been known as a key OEM partner of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), providing storage and networking technology to security integrators on a global scale. This latest partnership will allow BCDVideo to take their offerings to the next level. BCDVideo Vice President Tom Larson spoke to SourceSecurity.com to discuss the reasoning behind the deal, and how the programme will benefit partners, integrators, and end-users alike. Expanding BCDVideo's product offering For BCDVideo, the HPE OEM programme has been widely acknowledged as a success, allowing the company to leverage a globally recognised brand and provide high-quality, reliable solutions across video networking and access control. Nevertheless, explains Larson, HPE server solutions are primarily suited to large-scale enterprise projects, and are therefore unable to accommodate for the growth in small- and medium-sized surveillance applications. The global collaboration with Dell EMC will allow BCDVideo to open up a broader product offering, building on success in the larger enterprise market to offer tailored solutions to SMEs. Our aim is to look at all best of breed technology to serve the video surveillance marketplace, and that means multiple partnerships” Support for integrators By leveraging Dell EMC’s sophisticated digital storage platforms, BCDVideo will now be able to offer a more cost-effective solution to integrators, without sacrificing the resilience and IT-level service that BCDVideo is known for. With access to Dell EMC’s expansive global sales and technical teams, the company hopes to expand its reach, all-the-while providing partners with around-the-clock technical support and a five-year on-site warranty. Customers should be reassured that BCDVideo will continue to offer HPE platforms, service, and support. “Our aim is to look at all best-of-breed technology to serve the video surveillance marketplace, and that means multiple partnerships,” says Larson.  “The addition of Dell EMC to our portfolio is a major win for BCDVideo, for Dell EMC, and for our integrators.” The global collaboration with Dell EMC will allow BCDVideo to open up a broader product offering Meeting surveillance market demands At the technology level, assures Larson, Dell EMC’s server offering is well suited to handle the increasing video resolution and growing camera count demanded by the surveillance industry. At the larger end of the spectrum, the company’s Isilon Scale-Out NAS solution can handle tens of petabytes of data, making it ideal for large-scale security applications such as city-wide surveillance and airport security. Dell EMC storage solutions are already proving successful at major international airports including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, each with a camera count in the 1000s.Dell EMC and BCDVideo together are ensuring our customers get the right solutions designed for the surveillance market” For Dell EMC, the new partnership means the ability to expand on this success in the enterprise market, leveraging BCDVideo’s surveillance expertise and high-level customer service to offer tailored solutions for lower-volume applications. Since its inception, BCDVideo has differentiated itself in the security space by providing a high level of IT service to integrators making the transition to IP systems. By combining resources, the partners will be able to service VMS and analytics companies, software vendors, and access control providers, as well as traditional business integrators. Ken Mills, General Manager Dell EMC Surveillance, explains: “Surveillance storage is not just about capacity, it is also about performance and reliability. Dell EMC and BCDVideo together are ensuring our customers get the right solutions designed for the surveillance market.” Accomodating for growth BCDVideo is well placed to accommodate this anticipated growth. Last year, the company opened a new 51,000-square-foot global headquarters in Illinois, home to 90 separate stations within their Innovation Center where each system is customised according to integrator needs. The new facility allows for expanding business with new and existing partners in the security market.

Axis Communications, the global provider of intelligent surveillance technology, yesterday held the official launch of the new Axis Experience Centre in Luton. The event was a chance for Axis’ partners to meet with the senior management team and explore how the new centre operates, all the while celebrating the company’s 20th anniversary over a glass of champagne. The centre was officially opened by Axis Communications co-founder Martin Gren, along with Bodil Sonesson, the company’s VP of Global Sales. The toast was led by Atul Rajput, Regional Director, Northern Europe. As one of Axis’ first ever employees, Rajput was particularly well placed to thank partners for their collaboration over the last twenty years. As celebrations continued, SourceSecurity.com was lucky enough to join Axis’ partners in a tour of the new facility. Exploring the Axis Experience Centre What immediately became apparent was that this was no ordinary showroom. In contrast to open-space demonstration rooms traditionally favoured by the security industry, the Experience Centre takes end users on a flowing tour where they can experience Axis solutions in a variety of environments simulating real-world problems. The tour typically takes two hours, and is designed for small groups of people to allow in-depth discussion of the difficulties end users are facing. Atul Rajput (Regional Director, Northern Europe), Bodil Sonesson (VP, Global Sales) & Axis Communications co-founder Martin Gren officially open the Experience Centre Axis open platform solutions One highlight of the experience is the AXIS Camera Application Platform (ACAP), which allows partners to solve specific customer problems by downloading third-party applications to Axis IP cameras and encoders. Typical end user problems highlighted by the tour include queue management, people counting and intrusion detection. The solutions are all fully interactive – on passing through a gateway, an audio alert notifies participants that they are trespassing, while three participants standing in a given space can trigger air conditioning and ambient audio. The most immersive part of the experience is the ‘dark room’, which simulates all kinds of challenging lighting conditions including the intense backlight that may be experienced at a building entrance or window. On leaving the room, participants are shown how Axis’ WDR cameras capture extremely detailed images despite the challenging illumination. Other highlights include the networking centre, which demonstrates Axis hardware and third-party switches, and the VMS control room, which features a new user interface and can be integrated with intercoms, speakers, and access control systems. Smart solutions for businesses and cities The overriding theme of all areas of the tour is the emphasis on applications, not products. Rather than being directed to a particular product to suit a given vertical market, end users and installers are encouraged to discuss the real-world challenges they face, and explore how Axis solutions could work for them. In this way, enterprises, small-to-medium businesses and Smart City providers can all be catered for. The concept is already proving successful – over the last month, the facility has been in use every day!

HID Global, a globally renowned company in trusted identity solutions, has announced that maritime company, Attica Group has selected its HID FARGO DTC4500e high capacity card printer & encoder to optimise its loyalty programme. The solution improves the user experience by instantly personalising high-quality, full-colour membership cards and supports the continuous issuance needs of the loyalty programme. Seasmiles loyalty scheme Attica Group is engaged in passenger shipping through SUPERFAST FERRIES, BLUE STAR FERRIES, HELLENIC SEAWAYS and AFRICA MOROCCO LINK. Its Seasmiles loyalty programme offers an all-year discount ticket policy, a 3-tier card system and an ‘earn and burn’ model, which rewards an array of ticket purchases and transactions onboard, in exchange for free tickets or meals, and drinks when travelling. Previously, passengers had to submit handwritten applications that did not protect any personal data and had to wait more than six weeks to receive their cards. Members can now sign up at once and immediately receive the loyalty card to start enjoying the benefits on-board. Seasmiles kiosks installed In partnership with CubeIQ Limited, Attica Group installed user-friendly Seasmiles kiosks on 19 passenger ferries In partnership with local IT company, CubeIQ Limited, Attica Group installed user-friendly Seasmiles kiosks on 19 passenger ferries. The kiosks efficiently and securely capture new registrant data, process applications, and HID’s FARGO DTC4500e high capacity plastic card printer & encoders instantly issue membership cards. “We have been working on card instant-issuing applications since early 2000, participating in a large number of projects for the financial (bank-cards), as well as the private (loyalty-cards) sector. Attica Group’s on-vessel Seasmiles kiosk has been one of the most interesting and challenging instant issuance projects for us,” said Andreas Papadedes, Managing Director at CubeIQ Limited. Integration with HID FARGO DTC4500e printer and encoder In addition to enhancing the onboard experience, the integration of HID’s FARGO DTC4500e printer and encoder into the kiosks has helped improve customer loyalty. Within the first 180 days of deployment, loyalty membership registrations increased to more than 15,000 and the kiosks personalised more than 40,000 cards. “HID’s FARGO DTC4500e printer and encoder has been instrumental in helping us develop an award-winning innovative system that improves the travel experience of our passengers,” said Dionysis Theodoratos, Chief Commercial Officer for Attica Group, adding “The automated process and quick issuance of the loyalty membership cards strengthens the relationship of trust with both our valuable customers and our brand.” Reliable, flexible and secure card issuance solutions Attica Group operates 32 vessels providing modern, high-quality transportation services in Greece and abroad. Attica’s vessels serve 60 unique destinations in four countries, connecting 71 ports transporting over seven million passengers, one million passenger vehicles and 400,000 trucks every year. “HID’s reliable, flexible and secure card issuance solutions are adaptable across a broad range of applications that support companies in their diverse business objectives,” said Craig Sandness, Senior Vice President and Head of Secure Issuance and Citizen ID Solutions at HID Global. Craig Sandness adds, “Attica Group’s unique deployment of our printer and encoder helps drive efficiency for its loyalty programme, while offering its customers immediate and valuable benefits.”

HID Global, a pioneer in trusted identity solutions, announces that maritime company Attica Group has selected its HID® FARGO® DTC4500e High Capacity Card Printer & Encoder to optimise its loyalty programme kiosks. The solution improves the user experience by instantly personalising high-quality full-colour membership cards and supports the continuous issuance needs of the loyalty programme. Attica Group is engaged in passenger shipping through SUPERFAST FERRIES, BLUE STAR FERRIES, HELLENIC SEAWAYS and AFRICA MOROCCO LINK. Its Seasmiles loyalty programme offers an all-year discount ticket policy, a 3-tier card system and an ‘earn and burn’ model which rewards an array of ticket purchases and transactions onboard in exchange for free tickets or meals and drinks when traveling. Instant-issuing applications Previously, passengers had to submit handwritten applications that did not protect any personal data and had to wait more than six weeks to receive their cards. Members can now sign up at once and immediately receive the loyalty card to start enjoying the benefits on-board. In partnership with local IT company CubeIQ Limited, Attica Group installed user-friendly Seasmiles kiosks on 19 passenger ferries. The kiosks efficiently and securely capture new registrant data, process applications, and HID’s FARGO® DTC4500e High Capacity Plastic Card Printer & Encoders instantly issue membership cards. “We have been working on card instant-issuing applications since early 2000, participating in a large number of projects for the financial (bank-cards) as well as the private (loyalty-cards) sector. Attica Group’s on-vessel Seasmiles kiosk has been one of the most interesting and challenging instant issuance projects for us,” said Andreas Papadedes, Managing Director at CubeIQ. Loyalty membership cards Within the first 180 days of deployment, loyalty membership registrations increased to more than 15,000 In addition to enhancing the onboard experience, the integration of HID’s FARGO DTC4500e printer and encoder into the kiosks has helped improve customer loyalty. Within the first 180 days of deployment, loyalty membership registrations increased to more than 15,000 and the kiosks personalised more than 40,000 cards. “HID’s FARGO DTC4500e printer and encoder has been instrumental in helping us develop an award-winning innovative system that improves the travel experience of our passengers,” said Dionysis Theodoratos, Chief Commercial Officer for Attica Group. “The automated process and quick issuance of the loyalty membership cards strengthens the relationship of trust with both our valuable customers and our brand.” Card issuance solutions Attica Group operates 32 vessels providing modern, high-quality transportation services in Greece and abroad. Attica’s vessels serve 60 unique destinations in four countries, connecting 71 ports transporting over seven million passengers, one million passenger vehicles and 400,000 trucks every year. “HID’s reliable, flexible and secure card issuance solutions are adaptable across a broad range of applications that support companies in their diverse business objectives,” said Craig Sandness, Senior Vice President and Head of Secure Issuance and Citizen ID Solutions at HID Global. “Attica Group’s unique deployment of our printer and encoder helps drive efficiency for its loyalty programme while offering its customers immediate and valuable benefits.”

Global MSC Security announced that it has been appointed by the City of Edinburgh Council to consult on a planned upgrade of its video surveillance system from analogue to IP, as Edinburgh progresses towards its vision to become one of the world smartest capital cities. Working with the Council, Global MSC Security will use its public sector expertise to oversee the preparation of a tender specification of a fully integrated public space surveillance operation.   Upgrading public realm CCTV surveillance system The appointment of Global MSC Security follows the announcement that the City of Edinburgh Council is investing over £1 million in its public realm CCTV (including housing blocks, transport network and Council buildings) and has also secured £712,000 from the 'Scotland's 8th City, the Smart City' European Regional Development Fund Strategic Intervention in support of an upgrade to its CCTV infrastructure, as part of its smart city programme. Global MSC Security has a wealth of expertise in public space surveillance, having consulted on dozens of local authority CCTV surveillance projects, including The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Central Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Herefordshire, North Somerset, Barnet, Bristol City, Dorset, Neath and Port Talbot, Mid Devon and Maidstone and Luton Councils.  Installing new IP cameras, VMS and encoders Global MSC Security will ensure the City of Edinburgh Council is able to upgrade its public space cameras, VMS and encoders Global MSC Security will ensure the City of Edinburgh Council is able to upgrade its public space cameras, video management system (VMS) and encoders, with the right technology at the best price and implemented smoothly. Global MSC Security’s Managing Director, Derek Maltby stated “We offer a wealth of experience in specifying public space surveillance systems for local authorities. Global MSC Security is proud to be involved in what is a major initiative not only for the City but Scotland and its position as a leader in smart services and society.” Resilient and secure city surveillance system He adds, “This important and essential infrastructure upgrade represents a significant investment, and the resulting system will provide the Council with a function-rich, future-proof, highly resilient and secure surveillance system.” Derek further stated, “However, for any organisation making the switch from analogue to IP, it is vital that the transition is managed in the correct way, to maximise resources and optimise system performance. That begins with a robust tender specification, which is where our expertise lies.” The tender specification is expected to be released by the City of Edinburgh Council in February 2021 and the contract awarded in September.

Peake ReLeaf is a local and independently-owned medical cannabis dispensary facility, located in Rockville, Maryland. Through its recently-opened, 4,200-square-foot facility, the company provides a wide range of cannabis and cannabis-infused products to patients with a valid medical marijuana certification, to treat a variety of qualifying conditions such as anorexia, cachexia, chronic or severe pain, glaucoma, PTSD, seizures, severe nausea, and severe or persistent muscle spasms. Installing an efficient video surveillance system While Peake ReLeaf faces the ordinary challenges of any small business as a cannabis dispensary, it is also subject to a number of stringent Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission (MMCC) regulations, which include strict requirements for video surveillance that dictate video quality, system performance, storage and other factors. After much research, they decided to contract Skyline Technology Solutions for their surveillance system because of their transparency, robust IT background and previous experience with medical marijuana facilities. Wisenet QND-6010R dome cameras for indoor surveillance Skyline recommended that PeakReleaf install cameras from Hanwha Techwin America Based on the regulatory needs and many conversations about how they wanted their business to operate, Skyline recommended that PeakReleaf install cameras from Hanwha Techwin America to secure both the interior and exterior of the facility. For indoor use, Skyline installed Wisenet QND-6010R vandal-resistant dome cameras that offer picture clarity so facial features could be easily identified. Wisenet QNV-7080R cameras for outdoor surveillance For outdoor use, Peak ReLeaf chose the Wisenet QNV-7080R cameras that provide 4-megapixel image quality with true wide dynamic range (WDR), motion detection, defocus detection and tampering detection at an affordable price. Both camera models, Wisenet QND-6010R and Wisenet QNV-7080R cameras come integrated with WiseStream II compression technology that can reduce bandwidth by 50%. WiseStream II compression technology WiseStream II compression technology dynamically controls encoding, balancing quality and compression according to movement in the image resulting far less bandwidth and storage requirements. This allowed Peake ReLeaf to meet the MMCC storage requirements in a cost-effective manner. Since the dispensary’s opening, Hanwha cameras have continuously provided the performance and capabilities to ensure Peake ReLeaf remains in compliance with the strict MMCC requirements, even as they continue to evolve moving forward. Cameras featuring onboard video analytics The Hanwha cameras have made it easier to identify and view video thanks to their ability to flag video based on motion or other factors using onboard video analytics. “Hanwha cameras offer us the video quality we need, and the cameras’ video analytic and other capabilities provide us with the flexibility that will allow us to quickly adapt to the inevitable regulatory changes that will come as we navigate this very new industry in Maryland,” said Nate Miller, one of the founding members and Peake ReLeaf’s Executive Vice President.

Haier Group, China’s renowned home appliance manufacturer, has built a new industrial park in Russia to cope with the growing demand in Europe. Covering a total area of about 124.9 hectares, the new site is located in Naberezhnye Chelny, an important industrial city in Tatarstan, Russia. Intelligent system With the gradual completion of its factories in the industrial park, Haier is looking for an intelligent system to realise multiple tasks within the whole industrial park. Firstly, the smart system should be able to prevent theft and timely detect people climbing over the perimeter fence. Secondly, the intelligent security system should provide comprehensive monitoring in the whole industrial park and inside the factory unit, which includes, monitoring of production line and employees’ smoking behaviour during working hours at office areas, efficient employee attendance management, vehicle identification at the entrance and exit areas of the park, and the overall management of all the devices, data report outputs, and other facilities at the industrial park. Total smart solution The Dahua Russia team designed a complete smart solution incorporating AI cameras, perimeter cameras, ANPR system The Dahua Russia team designed a complete smart solution incorporating AI cameras, perimeter cameras, ANPR system, access control, time attendance system, face recognition barrier, DSS PRO platform and EVS storage for Haier’s industrial park. Notably, all of the devices were integrated in one central management platform, making it easier for operators to control and manage the system. In addition, the intelligent system also supports further device upgrade based on customer’s future plan for the next several years. Dahua 5MP WDR IR Bullet AI Network Cameras To help Haier solve the first problem, Dahua 5MP WDR IR Bullet AI Network Cameras were chosen to safeguard the perimeter of the Haier industrial park. Featuring active deterrence, the cameras are able to proactively warn intruders to leave before users take action. Once an intrusion is detected, a white light will turn on, accompanied by a buzzer to warn off the intruder. Additionally, its AI-powered perimeter protection function can greatly reduce false alarms caused by irrelevant objects. AI-powered perimeter protection The combination of advanced AI analytics and real-time alerts to desktop or mobile clients reduces system requirements and resources, thereby improving the efficiency of the surveillance system. The office areas and the interior of the washing machine factory are covered with Dahua 4MP WDR IR Dome Network Cameras, while public areas are monitored by 2MP 25x Starlight IR PTZ Network Cameras. As a member of Dahua Eco-savvy product family, the Dahua 4MP WDR IR Dome Network Cameras adopt upgraded H.265 encoding technology to provide starlight, Smart IR technology, as well as intelligent image analysis techniques. It saves bandwidth and storage, with energy-saving design to enhance monitoring performance of the system. Intelligent Video System analytic algorithm As for public areas, Dahua 2MP 25x Starlight IR PTZ Network Cameras have powerful optical zoom With built-in Intelligent Video System (IVS) analytic algorithm, these dome cameras also support intelligent functions to monitor a scene for tripwire violations, intrusion detection, and abandoned or missing objects. In the future, it can respond quickly and accurately to events in the monitored areas. As for public areas, Dahua 2MP 25x Starlight IR PTZ Network Cameras have powerful optical zoom and accurate pan/tilt/zoom performance that can provide a large monitoring range and rich details. Through the latest Starlight technology, the cameras can achieve excellent low-light performance. In addition, these cameras are equipped with smooth control, high quality image and good protection, which meet the requirements of most industrial parks. Dahua face recognition barriers Dahua face recognition barriers were deployed at the entrance of the Haier industrial park and its office building, allowing quick and touchless passage of registered Haier employees without using employee cards or other identification documents. The system is based on a deep learning algorithm powered by AI, which compares facial images captured by the camera with those stored in the library to verify a person’s identity and grant permission. Access will be denied for unregistered people. 2 Megapixel Full HD AI Access ANPR cameras The industrial park’s entrance and exit use 2 Megapixel Full HD AI Access ANPR cameras to identify entering and exiting vehicles. Boasting a capture rate of over 99%, the cameras can automatically recognise the number plate of a vehicle in low speed less than 40 kmph, and capture vehicle data such as vehicle direction, vehicle size and vehicle color detection (in daytime) based on deep learning algorithm. Aside from these capabilities, the cameras can also control the barrier according to the whitelist set by users and let registered vehicles pass without stopping. Dahua DSS PRO management platform The Dahua DSS PRO management platform integrates all cameras and the stated devices At the management center, all the information collected by font-end cameras will be transferred to a 16-HDD Enterprise Video Storage. With Seagate HDD, the device offers unparalleled capacity performance for users to store massive videos and obtain evidence when needed. The Dahua DSS PRO management platform integrates all cameras and the aforementioned devices, allowing operators to easily control and manage the system. Smart industrial park solution Dahua Technology’s smart industrial park solution has assisted Haier in creating a modern intelligent industrial park in Russia. The up-to-date Dahua AI equipment provides Haier a long-term smart security system with upgraded security level and enhanced management efficiency. “The traditional personnel management system requires manual registering of employee information and cards to enter and exit office areas, which is inefficient and difficult to manage, and often high in cost,” said Zhao Shengbo, Regional Director of Dahua CIS. Upgrading access verification system Zhao adds, “Upgrading the access verification system is crucial for modern companies like Haier in order to increase the security level of its industrial park and office building. We look forward to our future cooperation.” “During the requirement discussion, solution design, and engineering survey, Dahua shows professionalism and excellent communication skills. Haier is satisfied with the first step cooperation and looking forward to the second step of the project,” said Liu Wei, Overseas Regional Project Manager of Haier Group.

Protecting assets and people has always been a top priority for Kirkland’s, a global home décor retailer. With over 400 stores in 37 states, Kirkland’s is a go-to spot for a broad selection of distinctive merchandise: art, mirrors, candles, lamps, frames, accent rugs, furniture and more. When they evaluated their security solutions in 2016, they determined they needed to upgrade the analog video surveillance systems in use at their existing locations and plan for new stores. Saraya Charlton, Kirkland’s Loss Prevention Investigator, said the analog video surveillance cameras they had in place were acceptable, but they desired cameras with wider coverage and better resolution. The department was also frustrated with the amount of time it took to investigate incidents for loss prevention and personal injury claims. Each time they were called to investigate an incident – vandalism, theft, employee misconduct, a slip and fall, or a cut from broken merchandise – each individual store had to extract the footage from the analog DVR at that location and send it to loss prevention at Kirkland’s headquarters. IP-based video surveillance system Charlton said Kirkland’s sought an IP-based solution that could be accessed remotely Charlton said Kirkland’s sought an IP-based solution that could be accessed remotely, that would make the loss prevention investigation process more efficient, and would provide additional benefits. Management wanted a camera that provided a clear picture, while minimising bandwidth usage and had analytics capability. Working with several systems integrators, Kirkland’s chose to deploy an IP video surveillance solution consisting of Hanwha video surveillance cameras managed by salient enterprise Video Management Software (VMS). Wisenet X series XNV-6011 2MP HD dome cameras The first phase of the security upgrade has included the deployment of 1,800 Hanwha Wisenet X series XNV-6011 2 megapixel HD dome cameras and Wisenet Lite vandal-resistant dome cameras at 200 Kirkland’s locations, as well as the distribution center and the e-commerce building. As new stores are built by this growing retailer, they will also include the Hanwha-Salient security solution. They expect to have a full migration to IP at all locations by 2021. Each Kirkland’s location is outfitted with approximately eight cameras that are positioned to capture the entrance, the sales floor and the back of house operations. Charlton said Hanwha’s cameras provide the most comprehensive view of the store possible. Retail security “The wide-angle capability – as well as the quality of the camera – is really what sold us on Hanwha,” said Charlton, adding “We are getting the best views possible and they are allowing us to see the entire sales floor which is exactly what we wanted and needed.” Hanwha’s Wisenet X series of cameras is a perfect fit for the retail environment. The wide-angle 2.8 mm lens captures a 112-degree horizontal field of view, for a retailer that means doing more with less. Hanwha’s Wisenet X series of cameras is a perfect fit for the retail environment Video analytics, DVR and VMS Charlton said the Hanwha cameras are particularly useful at store entrances because, thanks to the WDR feature, video images are not affected by the bright sunlight that often shines through the windows and they can still see faces clearly. And because many of Hanwha’s cameras offer license free analytics, Kirkland’s will begin exploring that capability in the future to gain information on people counting, heat mapping and dwell time. The Hanwha-Salient solution has improved Kirkland’s loss prevention investigation efficiency since the team is able to pull recorded video from any camera via the Salient VMS rather than wait for information to be extracted from an analog DVR. They also appreciate being able to use Hanwha’s Device Manager to troubleshoot and resolve any camera issues remotely first rather than unnecessarily sending out a service technician. WiseStream II compression technology In addition to offering quality images, improved field of view and more efficient operations, the Hanwha solution has also helped Kirkland’s conserve valuable bandwidth with Hanwha WiseStream II compression technology, said Charlton. WiseStream II dynamically controls encoding, balancing quality and compression according to movement of the image. Combined with H.265 compression, bandwidth efficiency can be improved by up to 75 percent compared to current H.264 technology. “We share our video surveillance and security bandwidth with our Point of Sale system and we don’t ever want to take away from the bandwidth of POS transactions or impact the speed at which they go through,” said Charlton. “Hanwha’s Wisestream compression technology fits our business model and along with Salient helps preserve and efficiently manage bandwidth. It’s really helpful to have a camera that’s smart enough to be able to tweak and regulate itself.”

Video storage is an important – and expensive – aspect of almost any surveillance system. Higher camera counts equate to a need for more storage. New analytics systems make it easier for operators to manage video, but that video must be dependably stored and easy to access if and when it is needed. To keep up to date on the latest developments, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What’s new in video storage solutions?

The ability to treat patients in a secure environment is a base requirement of hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Whether facilities are large or small, security challenges abound, including perimeter security, access control of sensitive areas, video surveillance, and even a long list of cyber-risks. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the security challenges of hospitals and the healthcare industry?