AS the DVR market matures there are fewer digital video recorders being released and those that are hitting the market have stronger capabilities and a far more polished finish. For a modern DVR the big things are global frame rate, onboard storage capacity and networking power. In the light of these requirements, the Sanyo DSR-5016P and the DSR-5009P triplex multiplexing DVRs hit the ground running. Each has the ability to store 540GB in each of their twin bays – that’s more than one terabyte onboard. The new units employ the JPEG 2000 compression format and have a solid global frame rate of 100 images per second. Supporting this is multiple screen real time monitoring at 50 images per second, per channel. JPEG2000 is a new and improved wavelet-based image compression method that replaces both JPEG and JBIG. With so much talk about MPEG-4, JPEG2000 has been ignored more than it should have been. The fact is JPEG2000 is designed specifically to handle multimedia. The beauty of this compression is that it’s not just designed to cope with the Internet. Things like printing, scanning, mobile applications and still photography, were all part of the design brief – things that are integral to the broader CCTV application. Other features of JPEG2000 include superior low bit-rate performance, continuous tone and bi-level compression, lossless and lossy compression, progressive transmission by pixel accuracy and resolution, random codestream access and processing, robustness to bit errors, open architecture and sequential build-up capability – that’s real time coding. System features Sanyo’s product is designed to do the important things right and the company now has significant experience in making sure users get the benefit of vital system capabilities. This fundamental strength translates to plenty of flexibility in recording capability with static ROI recording, as well as channel based record rate and quality settings. There’s also 2 channel audio recording. Opposing these features are search functions designed to exploit the increased capability of those big hard drives. Search functions include alarm log search, alarm search, alarm thumbnail search, T/D search, archive area search and motion detection search. Integral to the motion detector is an 8 x 10 point video sensor and there’s also monitor masking function and a 3x zoom function to make searching easier. The Tigers also incorporate a neat timer function that divides the day into 4 time periods – users can then establish independent settings across each of the 4 time periods. These settings include the important ones: Motion sensor, monitor masking and Display Interval for full screen sequential display. Typical of Sanyo is straightforward search operation that takes advantage of the familiar jog/shuttle function at the recorder. All these functions are protected by a series of 5-level covering things like key-lock, live, playback, in fact all operations are covered by the system’s integral security policy. Sanyo DVR solutions have the networking angle firmly covered and this new Tiger is no exception. Network capability includes video and audio download over a LAN, built-in 100Base-TX Ethernet, and 3-level compression for faster network monitoring. Along with this there’s also support for NTP, PPP and DHCP protocol. Other features include telemetry control, password security lock (with 5 levels), timer function, advanced motion sensor and 720 x 288 resolution. That advanced motion sensor is designed to allow the detection of camera masking on any channel using changes of direction and spraying of the lens with paint or some other masking agent. Tigers also come with tamper detection, alarm notification (including an image) via email, and a pair of digital monitor outputs. Importantly, storage doesn’t end onboard. There’s support for CompactFlash, USB, DVD+R/+RW and CD-R/RW, as well as S-ATA external HDD units to a maximum of 4, and a SCSI RAID array. Images can be stored in any one of 5 different qualities (and file sizes), and there’s a maximum of 5 minutes pre-alarm recording possible. Multiplexer control features include things like position adjustable time/date display, 10-character, one-push clock adjustment, auto daylight savings adjustment, video loss alarm, camera possible assignment on multiple display and programmed recording. The multiplexer also has features like 999999 events and HDD event log, RS-485 terminal for system controller key pad (SSP), an RS-232C terminal for PC control, the 8 x 10 point video sensor, Plus display and individual sensor alarm output. Using the Tiger’s control software you get administration of up to 256 DVRs (including 4096 PTZ cameras), full GUI menu setting and operation and a timer download function. Just like all Sanyo’s product, the Tiger DVR series is well-designed and easy to use. It offers security managers a lot more of everything they want in a DVR solution.

In the nine months after its break-off from Honeywell last June, HSM reported revenues of $125.5 million, compared to $118.7 million from the nine months before. It has acquired 12,000 new customers and earned $1 million per month in new sales since becoming a standalone company according to a new profile of the firm published in the Chicago Daily Herald. Honeywell sold off its monitoring unit last June 28 to private equity firm Golder Rauner LLC. Since then, HSM has moved its headquarters from Minneapolis to the Chicago suburb of Lisle and added industry veteran James Covert as CEO. Covert was inducted in April into the SSI Hall of Fame. HSM President and COO Tim Whall told the Herald that HSM will double its workforce in its second year. “We currently have about 49 facilities in 32 states and about 900 employees. Over the next year, we plan to add one sales representative to each of our officers,” Whall said. “We want to be the preferred security company.” Whall added video monitoring has been getting the most attention from HSM customers, including their eData Manager that allows HSM customers to have real-time access to security data. HSM will launch new services by September that will allow its clients to access billing information and track installation progress online. “If a store is opening in June, a customer can log onto his account and see the expected date of the completion of our work and what we’ve done so far, such as install wiring,” Whall said.

The range includes the low voltage TK-C920E(A) colour / monochrome camera, the TK-C921EG(A) (AC 220 – 240V) colour / monochrome camera, the TK-C205E(A) colour / monochrome dome camera and the new TK-C625E mini-dome PTZ camera. Yash Patel, Executive Director, CCTV Europe at JVC Professional Europe Ltd commented, “The range of JVC cameras have been enhanced to offer greater sensitivity levels at a higher horizontal resolution of 540 TV lines.”

THESE new digital solutions represent a left-field development when compared to the networked systems security electronics people have come to see as the archetype in digital CCTV. Next-gen digital surveillance solutions include clever software-based applications like video analysis and in the case of CCTV cameras, zero movement ‘dome’ cameras that employ software to get useable video images from the big scenes provided by extreme wide angle lenses.

Technophiles in the Australian industry with a sense of history will recall that the first time we heard of software-enhanced video cameras was way back in 1998 when Melbourne’s RLM Systems launched its PC-based TrueSpective product. Born of the video entertainment industry, TrueSpective offered comprehensive manipulation of images, as well as 360-degree views when teamed up with a fisheye lens.

In terms of user functionality, TruSpective gave things like pan, tilt and zoom functions within complete captured scenes and within windows inside those scenes, all this with no moving parts.

The fact TrueSpective supported up to 1200 cameras and only required a 100MHz processor(!) and 5MB of hard drive space in a then industry standard 16MB hard drive(!!), shows just how cool a product this was – and just how far ahead of its time RLM Systems got all those years ago.

It wasn’t all good, though. TrueSpective saved just 30 seconds of real time footage to RAM and had set resolution numbers that were equivalent to 180 lines horizontal. In addition, its functions demanded the input of an operator to save alarm images to hard drive.

By comparison, the latest products highlight a decade of advances in software development. The release of eclipse also underscores the fact that Baxall, which recently opened an office in Australia, is not going to be content to be a bit player in our market. The tech muscle evident in this product is something competitors, end users and integrators should be giving plenty of attention. Baxall, its parent Norbain and that company’s onboard tech house Vista, are not to be taken lightly. How eclipse works

The whole idea behind eclipse is relatively straightforward. Here is a technology designed to leverage the enormous scene coverage provided by a single hemisphere 360-degree fisheye lens – it’s essentially a dome camera with no moving parts. There are optical challenges to the process of course, because fisheye lenses have inherent distortions that have to be ‘tuned’ out if the images are to provide coverage useful to the human eye.

The eclipse manages this using an Imtera processor which employs a set of rules that correct the distortion of the lens – a process that is handled in real time depending on which scenes or scene combinations are being viewed by the operator. It’s worth noting that not only does eclipse have no moving parts, virtually the entire unit is solid state. The result of such massive board-based capability is always going to be a crowded and warm-running PCB but there are some advantages, too.

The eclipse should benefit from the inherent reliability of solid state architecture when it’s used in environments with adequate ventilation – though this demand should present no real problem. The current version of eclipse is clearly designed for indoor environments (you could go outside with a custom housing and good lighting) in applications that demand coverage around 10-15 square metres. This may not sound much but it’s more than you’d think. For casinos, retail environments, foyers and spot coverage in high risk public sites like the entrances to sporting venues, eclipse is a pretty amazing solution.

This is partly because eclipse isn’t really a camera at all – instead it’s a full digital surveillance solution. Yes, I know – such a statement has the nasty ring of the marketing department to it – but eclipse <I>really<I> delivers. Any single eclipse unit offers a pair of independent analogue outputs (to the monitor), with each output able to display as many as 4 ‘virtual’ cameras, every one of which has independent pan, tilt and zoom functions. And these functions are seriously good when used in modest spaces.

No you’re not going to be able to zoom all the way across the MCG and use the ultimate in optical focus capability to capture number plates as you might with the latest Panasonic SD3 dome but in a tighter target area you’ll see (and record) things that are invisible to every other camera type.

Simply put, eclipse captures an entire 360-degree scene, missing nothing. How you configure the system to serve you that 360-degree coverage is up to you but the performance is there and the best thing is that these big scenes can be recorded in their entirety. I don’t mean to harp on this topic but this is an ability that offers great strength.

With eclipse you don’t have to worry about things happening outside the camera’s field of view because within the unit’s depth of field and taking any obstructions into account, being outside this camera’s field of view is impossible. In terms of viewing, the entire 360-degree scene can be displayed on a single monitor. Alternatively scenes can be broken into a pair of 180 views or a 360-degree scene can be sliced up into those four 90-degree virtual cameras angles mentioned earlier. If the 4 VCAM option is chosen video flows at 12 images per second. Sensor type

It goes without saying that wringing a 360-degree scene out of a standard CCD sensor device is impossible and Vista has got around this using a 3 Megapixel CMOS sensor with a whopping pixel count of 2048 x 1536. This gives the unit a TVL equivalent resolution of around 600 lines. TVL needs to be this high because the minute you hit the digital zoom you start putting the squeeze on resolution. Any weakness here would see the entire concept fail.

CMOS was made a viable image sensor technology in 1993 when NASA’s Jet Propulsion team achieved a series of breakthroughs with the technology. Since that time early CMOS weaknesses have been demolished and for full digital solutions CMOS is starting to look a very solid option.

Advantages include high levels of on-chip circuit integration and massive reductions in power consumption thanks to common 3.3V power draws (with CCDs draw can go as high as 15V). But it’s the on-chip analog-to-digital conversion capability that really cranks things up. Taking out the clunky CCD processing significantly increases signal speed and cuts out cross talk and EMI pickup within the circuitry. There’s also elimination of charge leakage across pixels as well as their associated blooming.

Other advantages of CMOS architecture include greater toughness, increased control interface capability and integrated timing control. Then there’s the really interesting stuff like colour encoding, image stabilization and compression for motion monitoring, on-chip AGC, colour balance, auto exposure and focus control. And this is all solid state, remember! System features

Key features of the eclipse include advanced motion detection and alarm functionality. There’s also subject tracking which can be applied to any object in a scene. The motion detection triggers the tracking feature so anything or anyone moving in a scene will be followed as long as it is in the camera’s field of view. None of this impacts on the camera’s continued monitoring and recording of a live scene and all the functions can be applied to each of the 4 virtual cameras independently.

The eclipse’s pan and tilt on preset are instantaneous, with a ‘manual’ pan and tilt of 270-degrees per second during searches. There’s auto flip, 75 privacy zones, 128 presets, four 64-preset guard tours, 3 and 4 minute guard tour learning functions, password protection and 4 alarm inputs. You also get 75-zone motion detection with selectable sensitivity, motion tracking with adjustable zoom on motion and x3 digital zoom.

Programming is handled by an on-screen menu. This allows setup of tours and presets, as well as configuration of motion detection zones and zoom levels on presets and motion detection activations.

While we did not see the unit working in low light conditions (it has a claimed minimum scene illumination of 2 lux and there’s a low light assist function) it’s likely eclipse would require support from light sources to function effectively after dark. The eclipse is not a replacement for traditional outdoor domes. Instead it’s an extremely intelligent alternative to those rafts of indoor fixed cameras whose frozen fields of view always seem to be pointing in the wrong direction. nnn

Building on the ruggedised 2060 outdoor dome, the 2040 presents a familiar user interface, with a feature set and price point designed to address the competitive internal dome camera market. Key features of the new 2040 dome include: a high quality colour camera offering x18 optical zoom; up to 24 enhanced privacy zones; an optically correct hemisphere and a robust internal die-cast mechanism supporting quick install and release for hot-swap replacement. The 2040 is supported with a full range of ceiling and pendant mounting options. Said Pauline Norstrom, Marketing Manager at DM: “The acquisition of Dennard has allowed us to fine-tune the interface between our DVRs and domes, a fact underlined by the recent decision to promote both sets of products under the Dedicated Micros banner. “And our customers seem to like the idea too! We have been inundated with cash-back claims from installers using 2060s and 2040s with our award winning DVRs and Servers following the launch of our celebratory promotional campaign.”

This means that ADT customers with remote monitored or detector activated CCTV installations that also comply with BS8418 can now be issued with a police unique reference number and, subject to meeting the police response criteria, will be eligible for police attendance. The ADT Remote Video Response Centre is based in Manchester. It was officially opened in April by Ed Breen, Chairman and CEO of Tyco, and Alex McNutt, Managing Director of ADT Europe and South Africa, and it currently monitors in excess of 800 sites throughout the UK and Ireland. Peter Laverack, ADT’s European Communications Director, commented: “Receiving the accreditation is excellent news for our customers. The introduction of BS8418 will have a significant impact on the way CCTV systems are monitored and actioned by Remote Video Response Centres in the future. This British Standard is welcomed by both the police authorities and major insurers throughout the UK.” “Always looking forward, we want to give our customers the reassurance that ADT is committed to using new standards and technology to continuously improve service delivery. It is important that we provide peace of mind and confidence that our customers’ assets are being monitored in line with British Standard directives. “The standard will also bring the added benefit of reducing unnecessary transmission of events, which will add further value to a well managed remote monitored CCTV solution. “We have revisited our entire commissioning and monitoring procedures as part of the process and have instigated a number of additional training programmes to ensure all of our staff have a comprehensive understanding of the requirements associated with the accreditation.”

PROBABLY the best way to think of the SecureNet service is as a bureau for bureau companies. Just what does this mean? It means bureau installers don’t need access to a physical monitoring station any more. The entire SecureNet application is server-based and runs online with authorized personnel able to monitor alarms or handle administration from anywhere in the world. No matter which way you look at it, the SecureNet solution is a bloody good idea. It leverages the power and flexibility of the Internet to give an unprecedented level of support to customers at 2 levels. These include individual monitored clients and bureau installers, who might have tens, hundreds or even thousands of customers. Essentially a home or business owner can get on a computer in the UK and check their account at home Australia. At the same time a bureau installer can reconfigure a zone or upgrade elements of a customer’s monitoring interface from their home – as well as checking on seriously important things like response times and actions to recent alarm activations. What’s this? Live audit trails of customer accounts online? It’s what every bureau customer has been dreaming about for more than 30 years. According to Infinity’s Andrew Wilson, the original software development for the SecureNet product was born out of frustration with monitoring stations and what he described as the lies that surround the service offered to bureau clients. What Wilson is talking about is the difficulty bureau clients have staying in touch with their customers and ensuring those customers get the level of support bureaus want them to get – not just the generally poor level of support a monitoring station might give all its customers. Most bureau customers get pretty short shrift from monitoring stations. They have limited access to records and bureaus often wind up getting tarred with the same brush in the event of poor monitoring services no matter how much they kick and scream for attention. “This new service is totally different – it’s totally transparent with no doctoring and absolutely no fudging,” explains Wilson. “As far as bureaus and end users are concerned the monitoring interface on their computer is with their own personal monitoring station completely customized to suit them, including logos. “Authorised bureau staff and end users can then access relevant monitoring station data as they need to in a secure and reliable online environment through a standard web browser.” As Wilson explains, SecureNet gives bureau customers account creation and maintenance online at any computer, as well as account status, live audit trail, and billing and payment collections with full interface to MYOB and Quicken accounting packages. The online monitoring solution is also accessible from anywhere on the Internet and enhanced secure bureau access with secure time tokens. That online monitoring capability turns a bureau’s individual monitoring ‘station’ into a virtual control room that can be accessed, administered and monitored anywhere in the world. What is SecureNet? Essentially the SecureNet service is a multilayered monitoring solution that gives bureaus their own virtual monitoring station. The layering structure covers a lot of territory. SecureNet works like this. An alarm generated at a client site is transmitted to the SecureNet receiver and servers across any one or all of PSTN, GSM and TCP/IP technologies. These servers are hosted by a Tier 1 telco. At the same time there are backup PSTN, GSM and TCP/IP connections that run from the client’s alarm panel to SecureNet’s Grade 1 monitoring station. In the event of alarms, SecureNet delivers alarm events to bureau customers and their keyholders using SMS, email and automated operator calls. In the event the system’s automated processes fail to reach the customer, the control room’s operators take over management of the call. Alarm notification can also be provided to guard services. In terms of its physical capabilities, SecureNet has an extensive list of features. For a start the system integrates with all common alarm panels and supports fire, panic, temperature and medical emergency alarms. It can also notify any number of people using a combination of phone, email or SMS alerts. This notification can be configured via time zones, areas, zones and alarm types. There is also support for early-to-open and late-to-close supervision. The system provides automated notification through ‘Sally’ – the automated operator. Online operations are handled through a secure (SSL) web interface that controls all account aspects. It also supports online DVR viewing and video verification. SecureNet can handle asset tracking and management via GPS/GPRS units and there’s also support for attendance verification using the TouchProbe system – brilliant. Far from being a bolt out of the blue, SecureNet has been under development for 3 years. The system was originally designed for the monitoring of residential and commercial alarm panels, and has since been expanded to include video verification, guard attendance verification, nurse call monitoring and asset and personal tracking. Capable, isn’t it? According to Infinity, all functions are integrated through a simple but powerful interface that’s viewed through a standard web browser making the system Internet capable and facilitating easy system installation, expansion and remote access. The interface features live checking of account status, encrypted password and information exchanges (128 bit SSL encryption), full logging of all events and system use, full redundancy, PDF generated reports and most importantly, full customisation of all account details. In the event that you need to be notified of an event, the SecureNet system uses advanced speech technology (Text-To-Speech) to give you the details of the message. This means that the conversation between the system and the customer is not simply a number of pre-recorded sound files being played, as this would not allow customised event notification. As Infinity explains, backing up the automated online function of SecureNet is a 24-hour operational station, manned by trained staff and equipped with sophisticated servers. The system automatically processes the data it receives and acts according to pre-determined instructions. This rapidly accelerates response times. Within seconds the system notifies you or your designated contacts, identifies the area of intrusion and allows you to choose the appropriate response. Operator assistance is also available at anytime during the notification process. Depending on your security requirements we can also integrate video verification, guard attendance verification, asset and personal tracking and nurse call capabilities to your account. “We have implemented an attractive dealer program that has been designed to maximise the revenue generated through monitoring clients,” explains Wilson. “We’ve had plenty of interest in the product from bureaus and from big monitoring companies wanting to provide the same service.” If SecureNet isn’t the biggest revolution to hit the monitoring industry at a management level since its inception, we’d be keen to hear what tops it. nnn