The first product from the partnership, Dallmeier’s DI-CAM camera based on Pixim’s D2000 Video Imaging System, provides high quality images suitable for use in advanced surveillance applications.

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“After looking at a number of alternatives for our new security cameras, we determined that Pixim had the best solution, with a roadmap that matches our view on the future of networked video surveillance,” said Dieter Dallmeier, CEO of Dallmeier Electronic.

“Using Pixim’s chipset we were able to get our first camera to market with great image quality in an incredibly short period of time. We see Pixim’s DPS technology as providing us with a camera platform for the long term.”

DI-CAM is now in manufacturing and is being demonstrated at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Las Vegas this week. It is part of an integrated solution that includes a set of cameras, a DVR, and a comprehensive video management system that allows the images to be recorded and remotely controlled and accessed over an IP network.

The Pixim D2000 Video Imaging System is a highly integrated chipset utilizing Pixim’s innovative Digital Pixel System(R) technology that provides an image sensor, image processor, and the intelligent software to develop advanced feature, high quality color security cameras.

“Dallmeier is one of the leading companies in the CCTV market with their network DVR products. This partnership is an excellent marriage of Dallmeier’s proven network expertise and our state-of-the-art digital camera technology,” said Elie Antoun, President and CEO of Pixim.

“Our relationship with Dallmeier will ensure that we continue to deliver products that provide the right capabilities demanded of leading edge cameras, especially as the market evolves towards greater use of networking.”

Mobile monitoring is the next generation remote security application which enables users to receive real time video surveillance via cellular phones. The service features the ability to zoom in on specific areas of the images, being delivered for close up examination of objects or people, being captured on camera. It also supports the control of multiple cameras.

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The technology is the first of its kind allowing users to monitor CCTV, webcams and remote surveillance cameras from their mobile phone through Openwave’s widely used WAP 2.0 browser, enabling the application to function on a broad number of handsets worldwide without the need for client side software downloads.

Through research and relationships, Snocone has recognized the enormous need for handheld surveillance devices in Homeland and Personal Security. These applications will be made available to government agencies, police departments and the general public.

The advantages of these applications include: low cost, ease of use, multiple remote camera controls and minimal reconfiguration of existing cameras, availability on most current mobile phones.

A complete live demo and power point presentation was made available at https://www.snoconesystems.com on Friday October 01, 2004.

Vivian Kane, Snocone’s President, stated: “We are very pleased to launch our new mobile monitoring service, recognizing the growing need for affordable mobile surveillance and monitoring technologies worldwide. As the wireless market continues to grow, we will continue to expand our products and applications to meet this demand.”

However, even as investments in video security technology rise, manufacturers face the challenge of educating end users and installers about the full potential benefits of new CCTV tools.

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From tightening national defence, safeguarding personnel and protecting data and/or facilities to guarding important hard assets, reducing fraud and preventing common crime – security has become a necessary investment.

At the same time, responding to public concerns about heightened crime and general security, governments have enhanced funding of security projects. For instance, the UK Home Office has made significant investments in city centre CCTV projects.

Rising terrorist concerns are likely to cause such government funded security efforts to be replicated across <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Europe. And, as issues such as security and terrorism gain importance on social agendas, the widespread conception of CCTV being an intrusion on ‘personal freedom’ is expected to wane in many of the European countries that are currently reluctant. However, it will still take longer to change in some of the European countries with strong civil liberties traditions.

Extreme market fragmentation and a flood of cheaper Asian imports are triggering rapid price declines, especially in the lower and medium ends of the market. Reduced prices for components and better economies of scale are further contributing to falling prices.

This trend is promoting the adoption of CCTV cameras and systems across a wide range of public and private applications, including niche applications such as Nanny and Spy cams. CCTV is also gaining appeal among new end-user sectors such healthcare and retail.

On the other hand, falling prices have eroded profit margins and suppressed revenue growth. In addition, numerous cheap but unreliable products from overseas have dented the reputation of the industry. The challenge for manufacturers is, therefore, to maintain price competitiveness while ensuring high quality and innovative products.

Limited customer knowledge about a range of technologies has meant that purchasing decisions are usually based on price rather than on value. This, in turn, has allowed low quality products to penetrate the market, particularly in the industrial and commercial customer segments where customers tend to have a poor understanding of CCTV technologies and often regard investments in security systems as ‘grudge’ purchases.

“Education and training for end users should be regarded by manufacturers as an investment instead of as a cost since it is likely to provide some long-term advantages to the industry,” advises Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst, Jose Melero. “It could act as a platform for manufacturers to advertise their own products, making end users and installers aware of the true value of good technology and also to counter their leaning toward cheap products and bad technology.”

The $1.6 billion European market for CCTV equipment – including IP and analogue cameras, digital video recorders (DVR) and videocassette recorders (VCRs) – is set to generate $2.09 billion in 2010. Both the digital and analogue markets are expected to expand but the market for digital equipment is forecast to experience more rapid growth rates.

At an estimated compound annual growth rate of 12.4 per cent over the 2003 to 2010 period, the DVR segment is projected to enjoy particularly strong growth. By 2010, this segment is expected to account for nearly 18.4 per cent of the total CCTV revenue in Europe.

Supported by the widening deployment of analogue cameras in new installations, the analogue equipment segment is expected to continue as the largest revenue-generating sector, contributing an impressive $1.36 billion to total market revenues in 2010.

In contrast, IP cameras are projected to grow at a disappointing annual average of 5.8 per cent over 2003 to 2010 while the highly commoditised VCR segment is set to be phased out completely.

Major revenue opportunities in the mature regional markets of the United Kingdom (currently the largest CCTV market in Europe), France and Germany are anticipated to exist in upgrading existing installed technology.

Italy, Benelux and Iberia are also expected to gain in regional importance with the Iberian market, in particular, significantly boosting its revenue contribution.

As companies move to strengthen market share through offering a more diverse range of security systems – in particular complete CCTV security solutions including both image capture and recording – the trend of market consolidation is set to continue.

Adds Mr. Melero, “Moreover, the increasing demand to integrate all the components of a security system is forcing companies specialising in a particular technology to sign partnerships with system integrators or companies able to offer complete solutions in order to survive in an increasingly competitive market.”

“We continued our excellent operating performance in the third quarter and built momentum for future growth,” said GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt. “We delivered $.38 per share despite approximately $300 million after tax of hurricane-related insurance losses. Excluding the impact of our insurance portfolio repositioning and earnings from our principal pension plans, earnings grew 13% and earnings per share grew 6%. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />

“The economy we see continues to be very strong, with our total orders for the quarter up 27%. Eight of our 11 businesses delivered at least double-digit earnings growth with continued strong performance on cash flow from operating activities. GE Energy performed as expected, and we saw real earnings momentum at Transportation, Commercial Finance, Consumer Finance and in services across our businesses.

“Our cash performance was exceptional, with 32% growth year-to-date. This reflects our continued focus on cash management and larger dividends from our financial services businesses. We are also ahead of our plan to reduce the ‘parent-supported’ debt of our financial services businesses.

“NBC Universal and GE Healthcare both made excellent progress integrating their respective major acquisitions. NBC Universal made full use of its new cable networks and produced a terrific Olympics broadcast watched by more than 200 million Americans. Healthcare launched a new molecular diagnostics unit that combines the strengths of Amersham and GE Medical Systems.

“We also continued to invest in our growth initiatives, with launches of new technology such as Healthcare’s Vivid i(TM) portable ultrasound; global growth such as Consumer Finance’s entry into <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Russia and expansion in Korea; and significant customer wins for 600 of our low-emission and fuel-efficient GE Evolution Series(TM) locomotives. I’m proud of the GE team and its passion for imagination and growth.”

“This continued performance,” Immelt said, “further strengthens our confidence in our outlook for double-digit earnings growth in the fourth quarter of 2004 and in 2005.”

Best of all, PelcoFiber transmitter/receiver units are compatible and can be easily and quickly set to work with the industry’s most popular multi-protocol transmission formats.

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PelcoFiber transmitters and receivers also make use of an efficient universal design, allowing in most cases for units to function as a stand-alone product, or to be mounted with a standard rack system. This adds installation flexibility for the dealer/installer and helps reduce the need to order stock redundant units.

Additionally, Pelco offers high-density 4-camera modules that fit the power of four transmitter/receiver units within the same space of a single standard unit. And, of course, we offer Single-mode and Multi-mode versions of each PelcoFiber product, allowing the ultimate in installation/application efficiency.

With coaxial systems, video/data begin to degrade when transmitted beyond 300 meters. But with PelcoFiber, we offer exceptional 20dB signal strength and can easily transmit multi-mode video/data for as far as 4 kilometers with no loss of image clarity or quality and no amplifiers.

For reliable video/data communications, PelcoFiber – designed to accommodate the most demanding of video security system requirements – is your solution for the long run.

The NACC assets to be acquired include a state-of-the-art electronic security alarm monitoring center located in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Irvine, California. NACC currently generates approximately $800,000 in third-party alarm monitoring recurring monthly revenues (RMR) and owns a portfolio of alarm contracts, which generates approximately $430,000 in RMR.

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The majority of the third-party accounts that NACC monitors and the owned contracts are in California. IASG is also acquiring a portfolio of secured loans to alarm dealers totaling approximately $29 million as part of the NACC transaction.

In announcing the signing of the Asset Purchase Agreement, Timothy M. McGinn, Chairman and CEO of IASG said, “This is a major opportunity for our Company as it strengthens our ability to serve independent alarm dealers and brings further critical mass in a targeted key geographic market.

“The added scale from the NACC acquisition will afford IASG meaningful synergies and expense saving opportunities in managing our monitoring activities Company-wide.

“We expect to realize on-going savings of approximately $2.5 million (on an annualized basis) from such synergies over the course of the next three quarters. The acquired dealer loan portfolio is also a plus for west coast dealer relationships.”

The transaction, which is subject to a number of conditions, including governmental approval pursuant to the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976, is expected to close by November 15, 2004. Upon closing of the transaction, IASG will hold a conference call to discuss the details of the transaction and the Company’s strategic and integration plans for NACC.

The transaction will increase the number of subscribers monitored by IASG from approximately 525,000 subscribers to approximately 765,000 subscribers and the RMR attributable to owned contracts from approximately $4.4 million to approximately $4.8 million. Additionally, IASG’s total loan portfolio will grow from approximately $4.8 million to $33.5 million.

TSV Holdings’ core business provides expertise and tailored solutions for technology, sound and visual requirements, as well as ongoing service commitment, speciality product supply and application. Solutions include quick service (drive thru) restaurant systems, intercom, public address systems and security solutions; including closed circuit TV, intruder detection systems and access control.

TSV Holdings Initial Public Offer (IPO) raised AUD $6 million and closed a week early due to oversubscriptions. The IPO received excellent support from both Australian Institutional and Retail investors.

TSV Holdings Managing Director, Mr Hilary Evans said: “The success of TSV Holdings’ IPO is a testament to the expertise, commitment and innovation we provide to our clients as well as the continued market need for superior, tailored electronic communication solutions.”

The company is positioned to grow extensively and the Board and management intend to use the capital derived from the listing to grow market share.  TSV has many long term service agreements and the listing monies will aid new business planning to source new clients, especially large blue-chip corporations, retail chains and Government.

“We are very pleased with investor support for the IPO & ASX listing and believe that the strong business base and good management will continue to gain support from Institutional and Retail investors,” said Daniel Sharp, Executive of Lodge Partners, the underwriter to the IPO.

TSV Holdings already has a strong core client base which includes Coles Myer, Woolworths, V-Line Rail Network, Gandel Shopping Centres, McDonalds, Burger King, Hungry Jacks, Red Rooster and KFC.

“We are positioned extremely well for organic growth and growth via appropriate acquisitions. The large and relatively under‑served electronic communications market provides TSV Holdings with a significant business opportunity and bright outlook for the future,” added Mr Evans.

The Initial Public Offering (IPO) was fully underwritten by Lodge Partners, an institutional broking firm specialising in companies outside the S&P/ASX 100 index. Lodge Partners recently acted as underwriter for the highly successful IPO’s of McMillan Shakespeare Limited and Tassal Group Limited and was sponsoring broker for the IPO of Medical Developments Australia Limited.