Samsung Techwin has announced the availability of its new 2MP Full HD (1080P) network camera range in what is billed as the company’s most significant product launch for 2013.
Eight new camera models incorporate the new WiseNetIII DSP chipset, which has been developed by Samsung as a result of a market research programme which identified what users and installers felt were the key ‘must haves’ in order for high definition IP network cameras to automatically become the preferred choice when a new video surveillance system was being specified, or an existing system was being upgraded.
“Price is always an important consideration and it was also not a surprise to learn that customers wanted to see further improvements in image quality particularly in low light conditions,” said Tim Biddulph, IP Product Manager for Samsung Techwin Europe Ltd. “Also high up on the wish list was smarter utilisation of network bandwidth and the need for cameras to be more installer friendly by making them easier to install and configure.”
Samsung’s response to the feedback from its existing and potential customers has been to pack the new models, with a long list of new technically advanced features, many of which ensure that superb quality images can be captured and recorded regardless of the lighting or environmental conditions.
The new Full HD camera range, which can capture high quality images when the lighting level is as low as 0.01 lux, has an ultra fast frame rate of 60fps at 1080p which results in latency free clear images. This can be particularly beneficial in a scene with moving subjects by ensuring image edges are kept sharp and clear. The enhanced Wide Dynamic Range built into the WiseNetIII DSP chipset, when working with performance greater than 100dB, can accurately produce images in scenes that simultaneously contain very bright and very dark areas, whilst correct colour is maintained by adopting Regional Adaptive Tone Mapping, and motion blur is reduced by using Samsung’s Motion Artefact Reduction technology. P-iris technology optimises the iris when multiple lighting conditions exist within a single field of view to create images with better clarity and depth of field. A Defog feature can be used to help improve the clarity of images captured in poor weather conditions such as rain or fog, whilst Digital Image Stabilisation (DIS), previously only seen in analogue chipsets, negates the effects of a camera shaking due to high winds or building vibration.
“All these features may sound complicated but we are confident that installers will find them easy to set up,” said Tim Biddulph. “We are also certain that installers will value the time saving Simple Focus feature which is built into most of the models that automatically focuses the camera. All that is needed is one simple push of a button on the back of the camera to achieve optical focus.”
An additional benefit offered by this very clever feature is that when the camera mode changes from colour to monochrome with the help of the camera’s true Day & Night function, the Simple Focus automatically optimises the back-focus required for clear sharp images.
Samsung has introduced a new cabling system to further improve the ease and speed at which the new WiseNetIII models can be installed. Cables and glands are supplied separately in the box, making it easy for installers to choose the alternative option of directly connecting their own existing or new network cables, and in the case of a dome, they can do so without having to remove the electronics from the back box
Smarter bandwidth utilisation
Samsung’s Smart codec technology offers facial detection and up to two areas of specific areas of interest within a scene to be captured at a higher resolution than the rest. This means that areas such as doorways, human faces or windows are transmitted or recorded at high quality, whilst other areas within the scene are reduced to save file sizes and put the user firmly in control of bandwidth management. A multi-crop feature enables users to also highlight and crop up to nine areas of interest in order for the camera to only send the images within that area at a preferred resolution and frame rate. A full overview and multiple cropped images from the whole area can if required be transmitted simultaneously. This flexibility in the video's resolution and frame rate allows a much smarter and efficient use of the network's bandwidth.
Further bandwidth and recording space savings can be achieved with the help of third generation Samsung Super Noise Reduction (SSNR) technology which eliminates image noise in low light conditions.
There is the option of using Intelligent Video Analytics (IVA) to detect activity by various means such as face detection, tripwire and enter/exit direction, object appear/disappear and ‘tampering’ which creates an alert if paint is sprayed on a camera lens or there is unauthorised movement of a camera away from its usual field of view. Alternatively, the motion detection technology built into the WiseNetIII DSP chipset can greatly reduce the false alarm rate by learning what is the normal motion of the scene and ignoring, for example, the fluttering leaves of trees. Users can also take advantage of audio detection technology which can further help reduce false alarms by being set up to only react to abnormal sounds.
All of the new cameras and domes have the capacity to store on board up to 2048GB of video. They are also supported by Samsung Security Manager, a license-free video surveillance management software platform that among its many user friendly features, has the ability for up to 1,152 network devices installed across any number of buildings or sites, to be monitored and controlled simultaneously by multiple users from anywhere on a network.
The new models in the WiseNetIII range are:
- SNB-6004 - Bodied camera with Simple Focus, P-Iris & day/ night operation.
- SNB-6003 - Bodied camera with P-Iris & colour/ mono operation.
- SND-6084 - Internal dome camera with Simple Focus, motorised varifocal lens & day/ night operation
- SND-6083 - Internal dome camera with varifocal lens & colour/ mono operation
- SNV-6012M - Vandal IP66 flat dome for use on buses, trains and other means of transport.
- SND-6084R - Internal dome camera with Simple Focus, motorised varifocal lens, day/ night operation & IR illuminators.
- SNO-6084R - Bullet IP66 camera with Simple Focus, motorised varifocal lens, day/ night operation & IR illuminators.
- SNV-6084R - Vandal IP66 dome camera with Simple Focus, motorised varifocal lens, day/ night operation & IR illuminators.
Collectively the eight new models are designed to offer a solution for every possible type of application, from internal applications such as casinos, banks, offices retail stores and warehouses to more challenging environments such as airports, ports, transport facilities, car parks and town centres.
