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Original Reports on Video Surveillance: 430 Total

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Testing Cisco-Linksys Switch for IP Video (SRW208P)
Posted on Sep 01, 2010 for Cisco
"Switch selection for IP video surveillance is a key consideration in overall design. Unfortunately, it is often less scrutinized than the 'stars' of the solution (i.e., VMS and cameras). Moreover, sufficient "
Testing Milestone GO VMS (Free 8 Ch)
Posted on Aug 29, 2010 for Milestone Systems
"Milestone's aggressive moves targeting the smaller video surveillance systems continue. This month's release of a free 8 channel VMS, called XProtect Go, adds to their June 2010 release that
Testing the iCam VMS / iPhone App
Posted on Aug 29, 2010 for Video Surveillance
"Home video surveillance systems are quickly getting a lot better and a lot cheaper. A good example of this is an application called iCam that has recently been in the news for helping a homeowner detect a burglary"
Training: VSaaS Hosted/Managed Basics
Posted on Aug 22, 2010 for SaaS
"This hour long training explains the basics behind Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS). If you want to learn about the most talked about emerging trend in the industry, this is an ideal place to start.VSaaS ea"
Training: Megapixel / HD Basics
Posted on Aug 18, 2010 for Megapixel Cameras
"This report provides a 95 minute video series that teaches the fundamentals of using, selecting and applying megapixel video surveillance in real world deployments. We cover 9 fundamental aspects: Megapixel ter"
Real World CCTV / Surveillance Success
Posted on Aug 16, 2010 for Video Surveillance
"In this report, we find, review and share 50+ real world success stories using video surveillance. These are actual documented examples where crimes, murders, thefts and more have been recorded and used to help so"
Testing Archerfish Solo Smart Camera / DVR / VSaas (Cernium)
Posted on Aug 09, 2010 for Cernium
"Combining many video surveillance functionalities in a single device is a growing trend. The hope is providing a turn-key, 'all-in-one' solution simplifies deployment and provides everything one needs less expensi"
Directory of Budget / Home / SMB IP Cameras
Posted on Aug 07, 2010 for IP Cameras
"We have completed a broad testing program of budget IP cameras for use in the home or SMB markets. This directory provides links to each test. Full test results including video screencasts and video samples are a"
Testing Rogo's Managed VSaaS
Posted on Aug 04, 2010 for Other Companies
"Managed / hosted video offerings continue to expand with a variety of technical and business approaches. In this test, we examine Rogo's Managed Video offering. The system uses an on-site recording application th"
Testing Lorex's IP Camera (LNE1001)
Posted on Aug 03, 2010 for IP Cameras
"Simplifying remote viewing is a key element in choosing and using IP cameras for home and small business users. Doing it the 'old fashion' way can require technical skill, be cumbersome and frustrating. A number o"
VMS Challenges Examined
Posted on Aug 02, 2010 for NVRs
"With dozens of options and novel issues in migrating from appliances to software, using and selecting VMS systems can be a challenge. In our recent webinar, we had an in-depth discussion with our members on a vari"
July 2010 Monthly Report
Posted on Aug 01, 2010 for General
"Our 2010 MidYear Video Surveillance Report and 7 test resports were the highlights of an otherwise slow summer month for the video surveillance market. Corporate members may download a 67 page report inside of all"
Budget IP Camera Competitive Comparison
Posted on Jul 31, 2010 for IP Cameras
"This report provides an extensive comparison of budget, home and SMB IP cameras. Inside the premium section, we examine and rank the results of 8 IP cameras available for sale on the Internet (and through Amazon w"
H.264 vs MJPEG - Quality and Bandwidth Tested
Posted on Jul 29, 2010 for IP Cameras
"Encoding video optimally is critical for IP video surveillance systems. Should you choose H.264 or MJPEG? While industry momentum certainly favors H.264, when and how to best use H.264 are important questions. We"
Testing WebcampXP Pro's VMS
Posted on Jul 28, 2010 for Video Surveillance
"For those looking for an inexpensive video management system online, WebcamXP Pro has been frequently cited for many years. At no more than $120 per computer, it's inexpensive. But how good is it and what should i"
Testing MP USB Cameras for Video Surveillance
Posted on Jul 26, 2010 for Video Surveillance
"A frequently cited downside of megapixel cameras is their cost. Even a 'cheap' megapixel network camera is $250 or more (compare that to cheap SD cameras which can be under $100 or analog cameras that can be under"
Megapixel Challenges Discussed
Posted on Jul 23, 2010 for Megapixel Cameras
"Moving to megapixel IP cameras brings a number of challenges and considerations that are new even to  experienced security integrators. This week, we held a webinar that featured an extension discussion with "
Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) Comparison 2010
Posted on Jul 22, 2010 for SaaS
"This report provides the most comprehensive analysis available of the growing video surveillance as a service (VSaaS) market, examining the benefits, challenges and impact of these offerings including 22 leading p"
Testing TRENDnet's IP Camera (TV-IP110)
Posted on Jul 21, 2010 for IP Cameras
"TRENDnet offers one of the most well known and least expensive IP cameras in the budget/home market. In this report, we test the TRENDnet's TV-IP110, a cube camera that we purchased from Amazon. We tested the TRE"
Testing D-Link's IP Camera (DCS-920)
Posted on Jul 20, 2010 for IP Cameras
"D-Link is one of the most commonly selected IP cameras in the budget/home market. In this report, we test the D-Link DCS-920, an inexpensive cube camera that we purchased from Amazon. One of the least expensive IP"
Training: Remote Video Surveillance Monitoring
Posted on Jul 19, 2010 for General
"This report explains and examines the fundamental technical and operational issues in using remote video surveillance. We cover the two primary approaches: (1) watching your own video surveillance remotely or (2) "
How to Use IP Video Market Info
Posted on Jul 14, 2010 for General
"With over 1000 reports/updates, IP Video Market has the most video surveillance information on the Internet (by far). However, the challenge can be finding what you are looking for and making use out of the site. "
Testing Argus Surveillance VMS
Posted on Jul 13, 2010 for NVRs
"In this test, we examine Argus Surveillance's VMS, an offering that provides licensing for unlimited numbers of cameras and servers for less than $1000 and for 16 cameras at less than $200. Can a price so low be f"
2010 Mid-Year Video Surveillance Review
Posted on Jul 11, 2010 for General
"At the halfway point of the year, a few trends stand out from a relatively quiet 6 months in the video surveillance industry. In this article, we overview key developments and provide a 170 page PDF report for our"
Video Surveillance Weekly Update
Posted on Jul 09, 2010 for General
"Axis's financial results, new funding for 2 manufacturers, top integrators and debates on VMS and VSaaS pricing top today's video surveillance updates. Pro members may read all the updates inside."
Testing IndigoVision's VMS (Control Center and NVRs)
Posted on Jul 07, 2010 for IndigoVision
"In this report we test IndigoVision's VMS software, Control Center (version 3.19), their NVR recorders and their different approach to enterprise management. Control Center was hosted on a Windows 7 workstat"
Testing Blue Iris VMS Software
Posted on Jul 05, 2010 for NVRs
"What kind of open Video Management Software can you get for $50? Not $50 per channel but $50 for an entire server? In our first report on 'entry-level' or 'budget' lineup, we test the most inexpensive open video "
June 2010 Video Surveillance Monthly Report
Posted on Jul 01, 2010 for General
"Biggest news of the month (by far) was the Milestone entry level VMS price drop. Relatively quiet month otherwise though we released a number of tests results and stirred debate on the UK's use of IP video surveil"
Testing Panasonic's Remote Monitoring Network Camera (BL-C210A)
Posted on Jun 27, 2010 for Panasonic
"Panasonic is one of the most well known network surveillance camera providers in both the consumer and professional market.  In February 2010, we tested their megapixel/HD camera (WV-NP502). Now, we turn to o"
Sharp Price Drop, New Milestone Entry Level VMS
Posted on Jun 22, 2010 for Milestone Systems
"Milestone's new entry level version announcement will have a major impact on the VMS market, forcing rivals to match or lose market share and benefiting consumers by lowering prices.The new entry level package, ca"
Testing Cisco-Linksys IP Home Monitoring Camera (WVC80N)
Posted on Jun 20, 2010 for Cisco
"How well can a $120 camera from Cisco work? Is it good (and simple enough) for your home? Does it make sense to integrate with a VMS system? In this report, we examine our test results of the Cisco-Linksys home m"
Testing HD PTZ Camera (IndigoVision 11000)
Posted on Jun 15, 2010 for IndigoVision
"Popular opinion contends that high definition (HD) will eliminate pan tilt zoom cameras (PTZs). However, what then, is the value of combining the two and providing HD PTZ cameras? In this test, we examine a PTZ w"
Testing Central Management System (NUUO)
Posted on Jun 14, 2010 for NUUO
"Larger surveillance systems generally demand centralized or enterprise management to provide simplified access and administration of hundreds (or more) cameras. Increasingly, VMS systems provide such functionaliti"
Budget VMS Offerings: Upcoming Tests and Comparison
Posted on Jun 13, 2010 for NVRs
"This summer, we will introduce a new series testing and comparing the performance of budget video management software. Our goal is to analyze and inform the community on the strengths and weaknesses of product opt"
Testing IndigoVision's HD Fixed Camera (IV11600)
Posted on Jun 09, 2010 for IndigoVision
"In this test, we examine IndigoVision's HD Fixed Camera integrated with IndigoVision's Compact NVR. The camera offers 720p, 30fps with H.264. The camera uses a CCD imager. Given these specifications, we pay specia"
Testing Video Analytic Alerting (Agent Vi System)
Posted on Jun 07, 2010 for Agent Vi
"Video analytic debates often center around edge vs core and which is 'best'. By contrast, Agent Vi offers a 'hybrid' solution where part of the analytics runs on third party IP cameras and the remainder is perform"
Testing IP Thermal Camera (Axis Q1910)
Posted on Jun 02, 2010 for Axis
"In the last 6 months, interest in IP based thermal cameras have increased with Axis, FLIR and Pelco announcing relatively low cost product offerings.  In this test report, we investigate how well the Axis Q1"
Video Surveillance Monthly Report May 2010
Posted on Jun 01, 2010 for General
"Most read May reports were the VMS Comparison and iPad test. Also, strong interest in our Milestone and Mobotix tests."
Testing The iPad and iPhone for Video Surveillance
Posted on May 26, 2010 for General
"The iPhone and iPad are certainly hot, capturing popular interest around the globe. The question, for us, is: What value do these devices have for video surveillance? Will they improve surveillance monitoring? If "
VMS Competitive Comparison 2010
Posted on May 23, 2010 for NVRs
"This report provides the most extensive comparison of Video Management System software in the world. Inside the premium section, members may watch 1 hour of video screencasts, review 20+ comparison tables and bene"
Directory of Megapixel Camera Tests
Posted on May 22, 2010 for Megapixel Cameras
"We have completed the broadest and deepest testing programing of megapixel cameras. This directory provides links to each tests, guidance on future tests and reference to our testing guidelines. Megapixel Camera "
Video Surveillance Weekly Update May 21 2010
Posted on May 21, 2010 for General
"Examining financial results from Verint, Vivotek, Mobotix, ADT plus investments for BRS Labs. Additionally, we examine price pressures and challenges for the market. Aggregates all premium updates for the week."
Training: Basics for the Video Surveillance Business
Posted on May 18, 2010 for General
"This report provides a 48 minute video presentation that teaches the basics of the video surveillance business including: Size and structure of the market Manufacturers and Products Sales processes Market se"
Training: Basics for Using Video Surveillance
Posted on May 15, 2010 for General
"This report, including a 2 hour podcast inside, is designed to help those new to video surveillance learn the basics of using, selecting and justifying the purchase of video surveillance. Most importantly, we talk"
Video Surveillance Weekly Update May 14 2010
Posted on May 14, 2010 for General
"Updates on 4 VSaaS providers, financial reports, commentary on terrorism and future trends featured this week. The following report collects all premium updates for the week of May 14th."
Testing Decentralized / Edge Recording (Mobotix / MxControlCenter)
Posted on May 11, 2010 for Mobotix
"What if you could eliminate your VMS servers and get your video management software for free? That's the value proposition behind Mobotix's IP video surveillance solution. They refer to this architecture as 'decen"
Testing Panoramic / 360 Cameras (Mobotix Q24)
Posted on May 09, 2010 for Mobotix
"Panoramic / 360 cameras are a growing trend within video surveillance. Megapixel resolution enables cameras to cover wider field of views. 360 cameras take this to the extreme and essentially look in 'every' direc"
Mobotix Camera Configuration Tested
Posted on May 07, 2010 for Mobotix
"We find Mobotix camera's configuration to be significantly different from almost any other IP camera we have tested. The sheer number of options were far greater. Plus the complexity in finding and determining the"
Testing Pelco Digital Sentry VMS Software
Posted on May 04, 2010 for Pelco
"Pelco is not known for its software. While the company is one of the largest global analog surveillance providers, this is primarily for its cameras and recorders. However, Pelco does have VMS software. As they an"
Testing Milestone XProtect Corporate VMS
Posted on May 03, 2010 for Milestone Systems
"As IP video surveillance systems continue to grow, deployments of 1000 or more IP cameras become increasingly common. Larger systems often have special requirements for video management system (VMS) applications i"
Testing Milestone SmartClient and SmartWall
Posted on May 02, 2010 for Milestone Systems
"Enhancing the usability of video management clients is a major trend within video surveillance. As VMS offerings increase, superior user interfaces are viewed as ways to differentiate offerings. In this test, we "
Video Surveillance Monthly Report April 2010
Posted on May 01, 2010 for General
"Rapid expansion of video surveillance training, new test results on video surveillance quality and continued testing were key releases for April 2010. Corporate members may download a 70 page PDF report of all rep"
Testing Milestone XProtect Central
Posted on Apr 28, 2010 for Milestone Systems
"Alarm monitoring and response are key elements for monitoring large surveillance systems. With hundreds or thousands of cameras, many users prefer to receive important information rather than attempting to watch a"
Video Surveillance Investments Directory Q2 2010
Posted on Apr 27, 2010 for Financials
"This directory provides a single source of information on funding and acquisitions in the video surveillance market.  This directory is part of a new section, Video Surveillance Financials, on IP Video Marke"
Training: IP Addressing for Video Surveillance
Posted on Apr 25, 2010 for Convergence
"If you are going to deploy video surveillance, you will need to use IP addresses. This becomes even more important when you move to IP cameras as you will require far more IP addresses (compared to traditional com"
Training: IP Networks for Video Surveillance
Posted on Apr 25, 2010 for Convergence
"Deploying IP video surveillance requires understanding the key devices and technologies used in IP networks. Unlike analog video surveillance, 'connecting' IP cameras has far more options and nuances. In the pro "
Training: Bandwidth Basics for Video Surveillance
Posted on Apr 22, 2010 for Convergence
"Bandwidth is a critical, yet under-emphasized aspect of video surveillance. While some suggest bandwidth is free and unlimited, real world IP video systems deal with bandwidth constraints regularly. If you are goi"
Testing ipConfigure Enterprise Surveillance Manager v. 5.1
Posted on Apr 20, 2010 for ipConfigure
"With interest in web based solutions growing, ipConfigure is an interesting option to explore. Unlike most VMS systems, ipConfigure is a fully web based VMS system targeted at the enterprise market. In this test,"
Training: Frame Rates for IP Cameras
Posted on Apr 19, 2010 for IP Cameras
"Selecting the 'right' frame rate is one of the most frequently discussed and debated aspects of video surveillance. Make a mistake and one can miss key evidence or significantly increase storage cost. Inside the "
Training: Resolution of IP Cameras
Posted on Apr 18, 2010 for IP Cameras
"Increases in camera resolution are the most significant force improving the quality and usability of today's video surveillance.  Indeed, increased resolution is the key benefit of video surveillance's hottes"
Training: PTZ Surveillance Camera Basics
Posted on Apr 15, 2010 for IP Cameras
"PTZ surveillance cameras remain a key tool for surveillance operators, routinely the cornerstone of large security operations that are watching broad areas. It is important to appreciate the key elements in select"
Testing Vivotek's 2MP Bullet Camera with IR (IP7361)
Posted on Apr 14, 2010 for VIVOTEK
"Low light performance is a key consideration for using megapixel. While some 'tricks' can improve low light quality, most megapixel cameras have similar challenges in low light (review our MP comparison report). O"
Testing Genetec's Omnicast Video Management Software
Posted on Apr 11, 2010 for Genetec
"Genetec is one of the most used and well known VMS systems in the marketplace. While it does not generate the same level of press as its most commonly compared rival, Milestone Systems, Genetec has a strong techni"
Recommending Video Surveillance Products
Posted on Apr 09, 2010 for General
"Starting June 1, 2010, IP Video Market will make recommendations on the selection of specific video surveillance products. This post provides background and explanation of our plan. We invite the community to resp"
Testing Viaas Hosted Video / VSaaS Offering
Posted on Apr 07, 2010 for Viaas
"With all the hype growing for managed/hosted video, a key question remains: How well does it actually work? To answer that, we are starting a series of in-depth tests to examine the functionality and performance p"
Testing How Many Pixels are Needed for High Quality Surveillance Video
Posted on Apr 05, 2010 for IP Cameras
"Megapixel cameras foster hope for much higher quality surveillance video but how much more and in what conditions? In this report, we answer these questions in depth based on extensive testing. The most aggressiv"
Video Surveillance Weekly Update Apr 2 2010
Posted on Apr 02, 2010 for General
"Examines: Why education is not enough for video analytics; Pelco's strategic positioning, legal guidelines for video surveillance and more. Aggregates all premium updates for the week."
Video Surveillance Monthly Report March 2010
Posted on Apr 01, 2010 for General
"50 video surveillance posts in March with a total of 81 page of original analysis. Corporate subscribers can download a PDF of the entire month's reporting."
Testing Avigilon's 2MP & 5MP HD Cameras
Posted on Mar 30, 2010 for Avigilon
"Avigilon is well known for its focus on High Definition video surveillance, offering a complete HD solution combining a broad range of megapixel cameras (from 1 - 16 MP) and and integrated Video Management System."
Training: Video Management System (VMS) Fundamentals
Posted on Mar 28, 2010 for NVRs
"In this special report, we provide over 2 hours of unique video training on the fundamentals of selecting and using Video Management Systems. This report is the second in our training series (The first, a pre-requ"
Directory of Video Management System (VMS) Tests
Posted on Mar 27, 2010 for NVRs
"We have developed the broadest and deepest series of testing series on Video Management Software systems.This directory provides links to each test, guidance on future tests and reference to our testing guidelines"
New Video Surveillance Products 2010
Posted on Mar 24, 2010 for Video Surveillance
"The following report provides a directory and analysis of new video surveillance products announced in 2010. The current version focuses on products being released in March 2010. Additionally, we have added a sec"
IP Video Sales Rebound, Analog CCTV Continues to Fall
Posted on Mar 18, 2010 for Financials
"An important market shift for the video surveillance market is occurring. In the last 6 months, while IP video sales have rebounded, analog sales continue to fall. This is in clear contrast to the beginning o"
Testing Ikena's Video Enhancement Software
Posted on Mar 17, 2010 for IP Cameras
"Driven by Hollywood sensationalism, public interest and expectations for miraclous video surveillance enhancement is common -- unrealistic and dangerous. A popular YouTube video captures the essence of Hollywood's"
Training: IP Network Basics for Video Surveillance
Posted on Mar 14, 2010 for Convergence
"Understanding IP networks is increasingly critical to designing and deploying video surveillance. In this special report, we provide nearly 2 hours of video training on the key issues, technologies and choices in "
Testing Avigilon ControlCenter VMS
Posted on Mar 09, 2010 for Avigilon
"While Avigilon is best known for its high resolution cameras (up to 16 MP), Avigilon offers its own VMS, Control Center, a system that is required for using their cameras. With interest in megapixel high, many are"
2010 Video Surveillance Industry Guide
Posted on Mar 08, 2010 for General
"The 612 page 2010 Video Surveillance Industry Guide provides the most comprehensive global coverage of the market, companies and products in video surveillance. It aggregates key analysis and research provided in "
Testing Digifort's VMS (Version 6.3)
Posted on Mar 07, 2010 for NVRs
"As video management software matures, more choices are emerging from around the globe. In the past year, we have heard increasing discussion about the use of Digifort, a company based in Brazil, now expanding inte"
Testing Vitamin D Video Analytics Software
Posted on Mar 06, 2010 for Video Analytics
"With significant tech blog coverage, Vitamin D has generated widespread interest in using their video analytics. Two of the most commonly cited points is their technology, called HTM, that is based on a "new theor"
Testing LuxRiot VMS (Version 1.7)
Posted on Mar 01, 2010 for LuxRiot
"As video management software matures, complaints increase about its high price. Even a small deployment of 16 cameras in a single site can cost $1,500 - $2,500 for basic VMS software without any enterprise managem"
February 2010 Video Surveillance Monthly Summary
Posted on Mar 01, 2010 for General
"Lots of research and heated discussions in February, despite little industry news. Most read topics included our megapixel camera test results comparison, the future of security integrators and the
Testing Sony's HD Camera (SNC-CH140)
Posted on Feb 24, 2010 for Sony
"Sony is well known and respected in the consumer market for its electronic products. The question, though, is how well does that carry over into their security products? In this test of the Sony SNC-CH140, w"
Megapixel Camera Comparison 2010
Posted on Feb 23, 2010 for Megapixel Cameras
"Megapixel cameras are clearly 'hot' - the fastest growing segment in the industry for multiple years now. Which should you use? What makes one megapixel camera better than another? In this groundbreaking compariso"
ObjectVideo's Poor Reputation and Blaming Others
Posted on Feb 18, 2010 for ObjectVideo
"The sad story of video analytics is now well known. Unfortunately, one of the ringleaders of this circus, ObjectVideo, has taken to blaming others while failing to prove their own effectiveness. Poor Reputation "
Readers Respond: 134 Votes, 25 Comments Examined
Posted on Feb 15, 2010 for General
"Over 100 people voted and more than 25 left detailed comments to our recent question/discussion. In this post, we review and respond to the comments offered. 134 people responded to our survey on "How Critical Sh"
The End of Integrators?
Posted on Feb 14, 2010 for Convergence
"By the end of the decade, security and IT integrators are likely to be displaced and replaced by the forces of Internet services, commerce and information. While integrators solved a clear business need over the l"
Testing and Analysis - Free Premium Preview
Posted on Feb 13, 2010 for General
"This preview shows examples of the original, unique research that we provide for members of our video surveillance professional service. We designed this service for users and integrators. We charge annual subscri"
Testing HikVision's 2MP Camera (DS-2CD852MF-E)
Posted on Feb 09, 2010 for Hikvision
"Hikvision is one of the fastest growing video surveillance manufacturers in the world. Already a leader in their home market of China, Hikvision is aggressively expanding direct sales efforts throughout North"
Testing DVTel's Latitude 6.0 VMS Software
Posted on Feb 08, 2010 for DVTel
"One of the key selling points for IP Video software is its greater scalability, flexibility and advanced functionality compared to traditional DVRs. This test of DVTel's Latitude VMS version 6.0 provide"
How Critical Should We Be of Video Surveillance Products?
Posted on Feb 08, 2010 for General
"IP Video Market Info is definitely critical of video surveillance products - routinely looking for hidden problems or over-hyped claims. Many love this, some hate it, others are confused. We think it's essential "
Testing IQinVision's 4 Series and PSIA Integration
Posted on Feb 03, 2010 for IQinVision
"IP camera standards are a hot topic. Determining how, when and with whom these 'standards' will work are key questions. IQinVision was the first company to announce support for the PSIA IP camera 'standard'. With"
Should Manufacturers Publicly Share Technical Docs?
Posted on Feb 02, 2010 for General
"Technical documentation is important for evaluating products and learning how to optimally use them. User manuals, training materials and videos are some of the most critical. Despite this, a significant number of"
FLIR Thermal Network Cameras Examined
Posted on Feb 02, 2010 for Flir
"FLIR has announced the availability of network thermal cameras starting as low as $3,495 USD MSRP. These cameras are additions to the F (fixed) and PT (pan tilt) series from FLIR. Thes"
Testing Panasonic's Megapixel Camera (WV-NP502)
Posted on Feb 02, 2010 for Panasonic
"In this test, we examine's Panasonic WV-NP502 megapixel camera. The camera provides a number of advanced features including wide dynamic range optimization (their Super Dynamic technology), facial detect"
January 2010 Video Surveillance Monthly Summary
Posted on Feb 01, 2010 for General
"January featured the ioimage acquisition, numerous new test results, a heated debate on analog vs. IP and much more."
Testing Videofied's Video Security System
Posted on Jan 25, 2010 for General
"Videofied has gained significant attention for tightly integrating video monitoring/recording into an intrusion detection system. The most commonly cited differentiator is the lack of any wires for any of the equi"
Testing AvaLAN's Wireless Video Surveillance
Posted on Jan 24, 2010 for Wireless
"Wireless IP video surveillance has plenty of hype (claims of 300 Mb/s city wide meshes) and also significant challenges (repeated deployment nightmares). Recently, we helped an integrator friend of ours who needed"
Testing OnSSI's NetDVMS and Ocularis Client Lite
Posted on Jan 19, 2010 for ONSSI
"OnSSI, one of the most well known VMS providers, gained significant attention with their 2009 announcement of the Ocularis 'platform'.
Axis Enters Thermal Camera Market (Q1910-E)
Posted on Jan 18, 2010 for Axis
"Axis has entered the thermal camera market with potentially disruptive pricing and positioning. Axis's first thermal offering - the Q1910/-E (indoor and outdoor options available) is an IP camera with an MSRP of "
Top 5 Reasons Analog Cameras are Easier to Install than IP
Posted on Jan 16, 2010 for IP Cameras
"While IP has many advantages over analog, ease of installation is not one of them. IP cameras are far harder to install even if the installer has extensive networking expertise. And for the majority of security te"
Pelco Layoff Examined
Posted on Jan 13, 2010 for Pelco
"Pelco has announced a layoff of 100 employees, or approximately 4% of their global workforce of 2400. Pelco cites 3 main factors: "the result of slower than expected sales recovery from early 2009 declines, increa"
DVTel Acquires ioimage: Deal Debated
Posted on Jan 12, 2010 for DVTel
"IP Video Surveillance provider DVTel has acquired video analytics specialtist ioimage for an estimated $80 M USD in a stock transaction (based on future benchmarks). This is being reported by multiple Is"
Testing Exacq's VMS Software (exacqVision 3.7)
Posted on Jan 11, 2010 for Exacq
"Exacq provides VMS software and multiple lines of DVR/NVR appliances. While not as well known as some VMS providers, we regularly hear positive comments from integrators and competitors (in the North American mark"
Testing LILIN's PTZ (IPS-2124) and ONVIF Integration
Posted on Jan 10, 2010 for Other Companies
"Merit LILIN was the first manufacturer to announce production support for IP camera 'standards' - specifically ONVIF's protocol. In January 2009, Milestone"
Testing Axis's Q1755 HD Surveillance Camera v. 2
Posted on Jan 05, 2010 for Axis
"This report shares extensive test results, video clips and training screencasts on the Axis Q1755 HD camera. The goal is to educate on how the camera works and what issues to consider when selecting or deploying t"
Testing Milestone XProtect Enterprise VMS Software (6.5f)
Posted on Jan 04, 2010 for Milestone Systems
"Milestone is one of the most used and well-known Video Management Software providers, with 4 VMS versions. Of them, Milestone XProtect Enterprise is the most commonly discussed and referenced by in"
10 Keys for 'Easy to Use'' Video Management Software
Posted on Jan 03, 2010 for NVRs
"In this report, we examine well established usability principles for software, how they are routinely violated and what can be done. Contrary to common suggestions, the answer is not more training, ignoring it bec"
December 2009 Monthly Summary and PDF Download
Posted on Jan 01, 2010 for General
"New market statistics, debates on video management systems, 4 new test results and more."
Testing Canon's PTZ Camera (VB-C60)
Posted on Dec 28, 2009 for Canon
"While megapixel cameras are hot, PTZs remain an important part of video surveillance deployments. Probably the most frequently mentioned product of Canon is their 40x optical zoom, network PTZ camera - the VB-C60."
How Should Video Management Software be Evaluated?
Posted on Dec 28, 2009 for NVRs
"In this report, we propose criteria to evaluate Video Management Software (VMS). Those selecting VMS software may find this useful. Moreover we plan to use this criteria for our upcoming testing series on VMS soft"
2010 Goal: Publish 100 IP Video Surveillance Tests
Posted on Dec 27, 2009 for General
"Our 2010 goal is to publish test results for 100 IP video surveillance products covering the most commonly used IP cameras, VMS software, hybrid DVRs and video analytics. This will provide unprecedented depth of i"
Standardize Exposure Settings for IP Camera Comparisons
Posted on Dec 23, 2009 for IP Cameras
"We recommend all surveillance camera comparisons be performed with standardized exposure settings to ensure fairness and eliminate 'games'. Starting immediately, we will use 1/30th and 1/8th second exposure times "
Testing Oncam Grandeye's Panoramic Cameras (IPC)
Posted on Dec 21, 2009 for Megapixel Cameras
"For almost a decade, panoramic surveillance cameras have been promised as a 'next big thing' but has yet to meet its potential. In that last few years, however, the situation is changing as megapixel and IP video"
Why is Most VMS Software So Damn Hard to Use?
Posted on Dec 20, 2009 for NVRs
"I am shocked at how damn hard most Video Management software is to use. At first we thought it was just one or two but now that we have done significant testing on a dozen VMS systems, it is becoming clear that th"
What's the Best Video Surveillance for a Hotel Chain?
Posted on Dec 15, 2009 for Case Studies
"What's the best video surveillance solution for a hotel chain? In the US alone, there are about 50,000 total hotel properties requiring safety and security solutions. In this report, we examine the needs of an act"
Video Surveillance Market Size and Forecast Guide 2010
Posted on Dec 14, 2009 for Statistics
"This guide references and analyzes publicly announced forecasts and sizing for the video surveillance market. It should provide extensive background for professionals seeking video surveillance statistics on camer"
How Exposure Impacts Low Light Video Surveillance
Posted on Dec 13, 2009 for IP Cameras
"Exposure, and the tricks manufacturers play with exposure, are key to accurately and fairly assessing low light performance of cameras. For instance, take these two images: The images capture the same scene bu"
Testing Pelco's Sarix Megapixel Cameras (IXE20DN)
Posted on Dec 07, 2009 for Pelco
"While Pelco is a leader in analog surveillance cameras, they are not even in the top 10 for 2008 global network camera sales. Pelco aims to rectify this with their Sarix family of IP cameras supporting b"
BRS Labs Layoffs and Skepticism Mount
Posted on Dec 05, 2009 for BRS Labs
"Revelations of problems and concerns with video analytics up-start BRS Labs is mounting. An investigative report by the Houston Chronicle on BRS Labs reveals: In October, "BRS laid off 10 employees who worked o"
Testing Sanyo's HD Surveillance Camera (VCC-HD4000)
Posted on Dec 02, 2009 for Sanyo
"Sanyo is making an aggressive push into the IP video surveillance market introducing a broad line of HD cameras in 2009. Sanyo is positioning high video quality at relatively inexpensive prices.  Th"
Testing Basler's Megapixel Cameras (BIP-1300/1600)
Posted on Dec 01, 2009 for Basler
"Basler is a recent entrant into the IP video surveillance megapixel market. Leveraging its extensive expertise in machine vision, Basler's megapixel surveillance cameras offer CCD imagers, H.264 encoding and a sma"
November 2009 Monthly Summary and PDF Download
Posted on Dec 01, 2009 for General
"November was an active month with two important acquisitions - GE Security and Orsus. Additionally, we published over 100 pages of original analysis this month including our 2010-2012 market forecast and the manag"
Is Axis the IP Video Surveillance Vendor of the Year?
Posted on Nov 30, 2009 for Axis
"Frost & Sullivan has awarded Axis Communications the IP Video Surveillance Vendor of the Year award. The awards were given to those who "demonstrated market-leading revenue growth and business innovation "
Testing Avermedia's Hybrid DVR (EH5216+)
Posted on Nov 24, 2009 for Other Companies
"Hybrid DVRs make the transition to IP simpler. Plus, if the units are close in price to entry level analog only DVRs, the case is easier even for basic applications. In this test we examine Avermedia, a "
NICE Acquires Orsus - Confirms Weak PSIM Market
Posted on Nov 23, 2009 for NICE Systems
"NICE Systems has acquired Orsus for $22 Million. While this looks to be a good deal for NICE, it raises many important questions for the state of the PSIM market. Background On November 23, 2009, NICE confirmed "
QNAP NVRs Low-Cost IP Video Examined
Posted on Nov 22, 2009 for QNAP
"Network attached storage (NAS) manufacturers are rapidly entering the video surveillance market, offering low cost NVRs with advanced storage management compared to traditional video recorders. Perhaps the most w"
Testing EzWatch's Analog CCTV Kit
Posted on Nov 18, 2009 for NVRs
"The future may belong to IP but the present is still dominated by analog cameras. In this report, we test one of the least expensive analog CCTV camera kits (EZKIT1/4-OUTDOOR) from online retailer EzWatch "
Corporate Video Surveillance Recommendations
Posted on Nov 15, 2009 for Case Studies
"What's the best video surveillance solution for a multi-site corporation? Almost all multi-site corporations extensively use security systems such as video surveillance often requiring complex integration and"
Is UTC's Plan for GE Security a Mistake?
Posted on Nov 14, 2009 for GE Security
"UTC's Fire and Security CEO is beginning to reveal UTC's plans for GE Security's assets. We think two of the most important are risky. Here are the 6 key strategic elements (as defined in Slide 9 of UTC's present"
GE Security Sale -- UTC to Buy GE Security
Posted on Nov 11, 2009 for GE Security
"UTC has agreed to buy GE Security - confirmed directly by UTC. Nonetheless, GE Security suffers from significant competitive problems that are widely acknowledged and lamented by members of the security industry. "
Vue Home IP Video Cameras Examined (Avaak)
Posted on Nov 10, 2009 for Other Companies
"Many new products are being introduced for the home IP video market. One that is drawing significant interest is Avaak's Vue. Overview of Avaak's Vue Avaak pitches super simple setup as the Vue requires no cable"
Are 'Hot' IP Cameras a Problem?
Posted on Nov 10, 2009 for IP Cameras
"In our ongoing camera testing, many of the megapixel cameras get really hot, really fast. So hot, in fact, that it would be uncomfortable to hold the camera for more than a few seconds. The question, though, is w"
Is the Recession Really Over?
Posted on Nov 07, 2009 for Recession
"Optimism continues to increase about a growing global economy and a rebounding security industry. There's little doubt that spending is heading back up across the globe after significant losses in the past 12 mont"
Retail Security Statistics Examined
Posted on Nov 04, 2009 for Retail
"How can retail security losses be used to justify the use of video surveillance and security systems? Within the security industry, retail may be the most rigorously quantified market. Unlike many security applic"
Forecast: 200% Growth IP Video Surveillance 2010-2012
Posted on Nov 02, 2009 for Statistics
"Over the next 3 years, attacks against analog CCTV will accelerate on all sides. We forecast IP video surveillance product sales will increase by 200% total between 2010 and 2012, significantly disrupting and over"
October 2009 Monthly Summary and PDF Download
Posted on Nov 01, 2009 for General
"64 total new releases for the month of October including an excellent discussion on the use of video surveillance in schools, Cisco's challenges and progress of IP video standards."
NLSS (Next Level Security) Product Examination
Posted on Oct 31, 2009 for NLSS
"NLSS is developing an all-in-one NVR, access control and intrusion server with built-in analytics in an appliance smaller than your cable box at a price point less than today's mid-level DVRs with a managed servic"
Small School Video Surveillance Recommendations
Posted on Oct 28, 2009 for Case Studies
"What's the best video surveillance solution for a small school? Schools are a fast growing market for video surveillance and one of the most successful markets for IP video. In this report, we examine the needs o"
Surveillance Recorder Standards Examined (PSIA / ONVIF)
Posted on Oct 26, 2009 for Standards
"Security managers suffer from no standards for surveillance recorders. Even large organizations with thousands of cameras and hundreds of sites rarely use more than 1 or 2 manufacturer's recorders (even if they us"
Improvements You Requested for IP Video Market
Posted on Oct 24, 2009 for General
"This report lists over 20 improvements recommended by subscribers of the Video Surveillance Professional Service in a recent survey. Each request is addressed with explanation on plans for improvement.  Not "
Publicly Traded Video Surveillance Company Directory
Posted on Oct 21, 2009 for Financials
"This directory indexes publicly traded video surveillance companies, aggregating recent financial results and analyzing their impact. The directory includes 17companies that either only provide video surveillance "
Axis Video Analytic Platform Examined
Posted on Oct 19, 2009 for Axis
"Axis, the IP camera market share leader, has announced an open application platform for video analytics. This allows customers to run a variety of 3rd party video analytics on Axis cameras. Simultaneously, video a"
Upcoming Reports for November and December 2009
Posted on Oct 18, 2009 for General
"Here is a list of upcoming video surveillance reports that will be released in November and December 2009. Let me know if you have questions or topics that you want to be covered in these reports. 2010 Video Surv"
What Video Surveillance Company Should Cisco Buy?
Posted on Oct 15, 2009 for Cisco
"Buying companies is at the core of Cisco's growth strategy. While Cisco has made two video surveillance purchases a few years ago, both were small by Cisco's scale and left Cisco as a smaller player in this market"
Canon's IP Cameras Examined
Posted on Oct 14, 2009 for Canon
"While Canon is a $50 Billion USD company and a major supplier of digital cameras, they are not a major force in the video surveillance market.  Canon is expanding their video surveillance offering. This repo"
Facial Surveillance Deployment Complexity Examined
Posted on Oct 12, 2009 for 3VR
"Appreciating the key factors in deploying video analytics and facial surveillance are critical for setting the right expectations and achieving successful projects -- a key theme from our recent survey and re"
Emerging Video Surveillance Guide 2009
Posted on Oct 10, 2009 for General
"This directory examines the benefits and risks of emerging video surveillance technologies for security managers and integrators. Special emphasis is placed on identifying the risks. They are regularly ignored yet"
Cisco Targets Customers Who Will Buy Anything From Them
Posted on Oct 10, 2009 for Cisco
"Kudos to Cisco for finally coming out and being honest about their video surveillance strategy. It's basically about extracting as much money from loyal customers as possible. They say as much, "Once we've gotten"
Can Remote Video Monitoring be Crowdsourced?
Posted on Oct 07, 2009 for Convergence
"Crowdsourcing - the process of outsourcing tasks to the general public using the Internet to distribute work - is a hot trend. However will it work and can it compete with traditional remote monitoring providers? "
Will the FTC's Guidelines Blow Up Tech Publications?
Posted on Oct 05, 2009 for General
"The US FTC's new advertiser guidelines could radically change the nature of tech publications through a significant increase in regulation of published content. Despite the media's emphasis of these guidelin"
Security Manager Statistics and Surveys 2009
Posted on Oct 04, 2009 for Statistics
"The needs and constraints of security end users are key elements in determining the selection of security technologies such as video surveillance. This is even more important over the last year as significant econ"
September 2009 Monthly Summary and PDF Download
Posted on Oct 01, 2009 for General
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Underdeveloped IT Skills Challenges IP Video in Japan
Posted on Sep 30, 2009 for General
"Despite, or perhaps partially due to, the great success of manufacturing hardware in Japan, the more abstract fields of IT and software development are greatly underdeveloped.  For example, the products manuf"
Vumii's Night Vision Surveillance Examined
Posted on Sep 29, 2009 for Vumii
"While thermal cameras and IR illuminators are the most common choice for night vision surveillance, Vumii offers an interesting 3rd option. Vummi's cameras produce and control their own IR illumination, allow"
Is the Web Replacing Security Magazines and Shows?
Posted on Sep 28, 2009 for Convergence
"While ASIS show attendance was down and disappointing for the second consecutive year, online traffic to security websites continues to rise significantly. Regular users of online security sites now like"
New Producs Directory ASIS 2009 Finalized
Posted on Sep 25, 2009 for General
"This report examines 37 new products announced for ASIS 2009. It includes links to the individual product's webpages as well as our product analysis based on briefings and Q/A with manufacturers. "
Cisco Admits Failure, Partners with Pelco (v2)
Posted on Sep 21, 2009 for Cisco
"Less than 3 years ago, Cisco threatened the physical security industry with disruption and innovation. Spending more than $100 Million USD, Cisco bought companies manufacturing video management systems and encoder"
Ionodes - Video Surveillance Startup Examined
Posted on Sep 20, 2009 for Genetec
"Ionodes is a recent startup drawing significant interest for its experienced founders and its partnership with Genetec. The product that looks to have the most immediate impact is the Ionodes hybrid NVR, the SV-3"
Video Analytic Search from AgentVi Examined (Vi-Search)
Posted on Sep 20, 2009 for Agent Vi
"Using video analytics to enhance search and investigation is growing. AgentVi has announced Vi-Search, a new product offering that complements its existing alerting solution, Vi-System. Search Offerings This joi"
Should ASIS Endorse Products? (Results)
Posted on Sep 19, 2009 for General
"Vote and make your voice heard on ASIS' product awards. For the first time, ASIS has issued awards to manufacturers. Called ASIS Accolades, ASIS recognizes what it calls "Security's Best" - a list of 10 products. "
Proximex's C100 -- Mainstream PSIM Examined
Posted on Sep 16, 2009 for Proximex
"Proximex is developing a PSIM appliance, called the C100, that aims to be more affordable and simpler to deploy than traditional physical security information management offerings. Challenges of PSIM While a num"
Riskiest Companies 2009 - BRS Labs and TimeSight
Posted on Sep 10, 2009 for General
"BRS Labs and TimeSight are likely the riskiest video surveillance companies. With extensive marketing campaigns and multiple awards received from questionable award programs, they are creating a lot of noise and "
Examining Genetec's SecurityCenter
Posted on Sep 07, 2009 for Genetec
"Genetec's SecurityCenter is a major advance that will increase end user's expectations for large scale video surveillance solutions and impact the competitive dynamics of VMS providers. At a high level, SecurityC"
Awards Benefit Manufacturers -- Not Users
Posted on Sep 06, 2009 for General
"Awards assist manufacturers in selling products rather than identifying the best solutions for user's needs. This is a growing concern as the number of awards are increasing substantially. This month, both A"
August 2009 Monthly Summary and PDF Download
Posted on Sep 04, 2009 for General
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Social Media Irrelevant to Security Professionals
Posted on Sep 03, 2009 for Convergence
"While social media (twitter, facebook, etc.) receives a lot of mainstream media attention, social media is essentially irrelevant to the security market. While it may improve, I think it will be a slow and long pr"
Recession Impacts Video Surveillance: Statistics Examined
Posted on Sep 01, 2009 for Statistics
"The significant impact of the recession is becoming evident in the financial results of leading manufacturers. What was once speculation and debate about being recession proof is now an examination of how deep and"
Examining Pelco's Expansion into Asia / Latin America
Posted on Sep 01, 2009 for Pelco
"Pelco is expanding its operations in Latin America and Asia with the acquisition of its manufacturer representatives for these regions, Crockett International. This is a different approach than common in the US. "
Translating Wireless IP Video Hype into Reality
Posted on Aug 26, 2009 for Wireless
"Combining video and wireless creates a perfect storm of over-hyped expectations. Numerous technical challenges need to be considered for video – especially when architecting over wireless. This is even more"
Analyzing Mobotix's Financial and Strategic Positioning
Posted on Aug 25, 2009 for Mobotix
"Mobotix pursues an aggressive strategy contrarian to most megapixel camera companies. Committed to their decentralized approach, Mobotix has grown to over $60 M USD annual sales and to be one of the largest IP cam"
360 Cameras the Most Significant Advance in CCTV History?
Posted on Aug 25, 2009 for Mobotix
"According to Frost & Sullivan, "the availability on the market of highly effective hemispheric camera technology is the most significant advance CCTV has witnessed in its history, the results of which wil"
Milestone to Release Support for ONVIF and PSIA
Posted on Aug 24, 2009 for Milestone Systems
"Milestone plans to release support for both ONVIF and PSIA IP camera specifications in the 4th quarter of 2009, allowing 3rd party camera manufacturers using either specification to interface with Milestone's IP v"
Guidelines for Commenting on Reports
Posted on Aug 21, 2009 for General
"With over 2000 total comments so far, comments are one of the most useful and important elements of IP Video Market Info. When done appropriately, comments help readers appreciate a broad range of perspectives and"
Video Analytics Survey Results and Recommendations
Posted on Aug 18, 2009 for Video Analytics
"Results are in for our 2 poll questions, "Do Video Analytics Work?" and "What, if any, improvements would you like for Video Analytics?".  Do Analytics Work? 64% of respondents said, "Yes," video analytic"
SD Card's Future for Video Surveillance Storage
Posted on Aug 18, 2009 for Storage
"SD cards are gaining attention as their use in the consumer world for digital cameras, smartphones and laptops increases significantly. In the video surveillance market, it is becoming increasingly common for IP c"
How Much Storage is Needed for Video Surveillance?
Posted on Aug 15, 2009 for Storage
"How much storage is needed for video surveillance is an important question for planning new system deployments and for determining total installation cost. In the last few years, fears have increased dramatically"
ipConfigure's Video Management Offerings Examined
Posted on Aug 14, 2009 for ipConfigure
"Since announcing their selection as the US Post's Office choice for their next-generation video management system, interest in ipConfigure has increased significantly. Adding to that, this week ipConfigure announc"
CSST - China Video Surveillance Offerings Examined
Posted on Aug 12, 2009 for CSST
"CSST is one of the biggest and fastest growing security companies in the world. Founded in 2001, last year CSST generated over $400 M USD revenue. Not only is CSST one of the largest players in one of the fastest "
Do Video Analytics Work? - Survey
Posted on Aug 11, 2009 for Video Analytics
"The question, "Do Video Analytics Work?" is currently receiving a lot of attention. Such a question can be asked both technically and as a matter of opinion. While the technical element is ultimately most importan"
Home Video Surveillance Recommendations
Posted on Aug 10, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"In this report, we offer recommendations for selecting and deploying video surveillance in your home. Though technologically simpler than systems used in businesses, figuring out the right solution for one's home "
Recommendations for Surveillance Startups / Investors
Posted on Aug 09, 2009 for Financials
"While there are many startups in video surveillance, many of them have under-achieved, especially the most prominent, VC backed companies in the market. Indeed, this has caused VentureBeat to symbolize the securit"
Testing Axis STS/AVHS Hosted Video (Secure-i)
Posted on Aug 05, 2009 for Axis
"Axis' hosted video offering, formerly called STS, now called AVHS, is a key contender in the future of video surveillance.  Hosted video offers simpler and more accessible video surveillance solutions. It als"
Is Hacking IP Cameras A Major Risk?
Posted on Aug 03, 2009 for IP Cameras
"Fears are rising that IP cameras can and willl be hacked. At Defcon, a demonstration showed an IP camera's feed intercepted and replaced by a fraudulent video, allowing a hypothetical suspect to steal an object ri"
How Will IP Camera Standards Impact Video Surveillance?
Posted on Aug 03, 2009 for Standards
"Over the next 6 months, more than a dozen manufacturers are likely to announce production support for ONVIF or PSIA IP camera specifications. While the practical impact will take longer, this is the first stage of"
Testing VideoIQ's Video Analytics (iCVR)
Posted on Jul 31, 2009 for VideoIQ
"In this test, we examine one of the most discussed manufacturers in video analytics - VideoIQ. Their claims of automatic calibration and self-learning technology has drawn substantial interest. Their most recent p"
July 2009 Monthly Summary Report Released
Posted on Jul 31, 2009 for General
"The 174 page July 2009 Monthly Summary Report PDF is now available, including: Testing Cisco's SMB Software and Cameras Examining the Benefits of Buying IP Cameras online Top Problems in Managed/Hosted Video Surv"
IP Camera 2009 Mid Year Review
Posted on Jul 27, 2009 for IP Cameras
"Megapixel was the most dominant trend in IP cameras over the first half of 2009. So dominant was megapixel, that not only did most manufacturers release new megapixel cameras but a new non-IP megapixel standard wa"
Calculating Storage/Bandwidth For IP Video Surveillance
Posted on Jul 26, 2009 for Storage
"How to calcuate IP video storage and bandwidth is one of the most frequently requested topics. While plenty of 'calculators' are available, the numbers they generate are usually imprecise guesses since too many su"
Cohu's CCTV/Surveillance Product Offering Examined
Posted on Jul 22, 2009 for Other Companies
"Cohu is a specialist manufacturer for high-end monitoring applications. They are probably best known for their traffic management product offerings. Additionally, Cohu offers a line of ruggedized cameras for indus"
Are Public CCTV Cameras an Utter Fiasco?
Posted on Jul 21, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"The UK's love-hate relationship with CCTV cameras continues. This time, the head of the UK's police video imaging division called their use an "utter fiasco." Setting aside the prudence of creating an internationa"
VMS / NVR / DVR 2009 Mid-Year Market Review
Posted on Jul 20, 2009 for NVRs
"Over the first half of 2009, improvements in deployment simplicity was the strongest theme for video management systems. While few to no groundbreaking features were introduced, more than a dozen manufacturers too"
Japanese Video Surveillance Market Guide Released
Posted on Jul 20, 2009 for General
"Though the Japanese market is one of the largest in the world, it is one of the most difficult for Western companies to understand and succeed. Not only are US common sense and practices not shared in Japan, "
SDM Top 100 US Integrators / US Market Weakens
Posted on Jul 17, 2009 for General
"This month, SDM Magazine released their 14th annual Top Systems Integrators list. The list ranks the top 100 integrators based on 2008 revenue. The list includes analysis and statistics on the overall US security "
Testing StarDot's 5MP Camera (SD500BN)
Posted on Jul 17, 2009 for StarDot
"While not well known in the security market, StarDot is one of a few manufacturers providing 5MP cameras. Though StarDot has been producing megapixel cameras for the tourism, construction and entertainment markets"
Only 5% market share for IP Surveillance Cameras?
Posted on Jul 13, 2009 for Statistics
"A debate is emerging on what the 'true' market share for IP cameras. The generally accepted statistic is approximately 20% of cameras sold annually are IP cameras. These numbers are fairly consistent across the ma"
Video Analytics 2009 Mid-Year Market Review
Posted on Jul 13, 2009 for Video Analytics
"The last six months were rough for video analytics. Little good news and lots of public recognition of video analytic troubles. In our own recent analysis and survey on video surveillance technology trends, video "
Top 5 IP Camera Problems: 2009
Posted on Jul 12, 2009 for IP Cameras
"In the last year, IP cameras have made great strides and while there are still important barriers that constrain broader use, problems are dimishing. Last year, we examined the top 5 problems of IP cameras. In it"
Axis Market Weakness Continues in Q2 2009
Posted on Jul 08, 2009 for Axis
"So much for green shoots - at least for Axis. In their just released Q2 financial report, Axis leads with "No Change in Sales Trend" which is not a good thing considering their abrupt drop from last year's almost "
Testing Arecont Vision's AV3105 H.264 Camera
Posted on Jul 08, 2009 for Arecont Vision
"Arecont Vision's H.264 megapixel product line has drawn an immense amount of interest. At the beginning of 2008, Arecont was the first surveillance company to announce H.264 multi-megapixel and is currently t"
Top 5 Problems of Managed Video Surveillance / SaaS
Posted on Jul 06, 2009 for SaaS
"Managed video is becoming one of the most overhyped trends in the video surveillance industry. A number of factors drive interest. The concept of reducing on-site setup and eliminating deployment of DVR/NVRs is q"
Should You Buy IP Cameras Online?
Posted on Jul 05, 2009 for IP Cameras
"Buying video surveillance cameras on-line is a relatively new but growing trend. Traditionally, end users bought cameras from integrators while integrators bought directly from manufacturers or through their repre"
June 2009 IP Video Monthly Summary Report
Posted on Jul 04, 2009 for General
"HDcctv and the Intransa NVR announcement were the two most discussed topics at IP Video Market for June 2009. Both represent attempting to simplify the challenges in deploying IP video.  HDcctv HDcctv seeks"
Testing Cisco SMB Software and PTZ Camera (PVC300)
Posted on Jul 04, 2009 for Cisco
"This report examines and shows the abilities and performance of key products in Cisco's emerging Small Business Video Surveillance product line. Specially, we test their IP video surveillance software and their PT"
How Do You Solve the Problem of Bad Surveillance Video?
Posted on Jul 01, 2009 for IP Cameras
"One of the most frequent complaints by both industry outsiders and megapixel camera vendors is how bad surveillance video is. It's so bad, many would say that they would challenge the basic point of even having su"
BRS Labs Gets $12 Million More for Video Analytics
Posted on Jun 29, 2009 for BRS Labs
"BRS Labs, the most discussed recent entrant into the video analytics market, has received another $12 Million USD in funding, increasing their total capital raised to $47 Million USD. The investment is from privat"
Can Everfocus Make Megapixel Simple and Inexpensive?
Posted on Jun 28, 2009 for EverFocus
"Two key problems for megapixel cameras are (1) their substantially increased cost relative to analog cameras and (2) the complexity of using IP.  For the high end, this is not a problem. Indeed, the use of I"
BriefCam's Surveillance Search Technology Examined
Posted on Jun 27, 2009 for Other Companies
"BriefCam aims to simplify video surveillance search. They generate intelligent video synopses that enables investigators to watch the key events of hours of video in a fraction of the time. Below is a short intro"
Testing NUUO's IP Video Surveillance Software
Posted on Jun 24, 2009 for NUUO
"NUUO aims to beat companies such as Milestone, OnSSI and Exacq with broader functionalities and product lines at lower cost. What ACTi is to Axis, NUUO hopes to be to the IP video software providers. NUUO is"
Finding Video Surveillance Information
Posted on Jun 22, 2009 for General
"This guide offers recommendations on how to find video surveillance information -- whether you are just getting started or are an expert looking for breaking news and competitive analysis. Recommendations are bro"
Should You Use Cameras With Built In Storage?
Posted on Jun 21, 2009 for Storage
"Many surveillance cameras are now offering on-board storage, enabling the camera to capture and record video all-in-one, thus turning the camera into a recorder (or as some vendors are calling it - integrated came"
HDcctv Alliance Competitive Analysis
Posted on Jun 16, 2009 for Megapixel Cameras
"HDcctv - the move to non-IP megapixel - is gaining an immense amount of media attention. However, how strong will it be against IP, megapixel and Hybrid DVRs? Details are beginning to emerge allowing us to more c"
Genetec, Milestone and OnSSI NVR Appliances Launched
Posted on Jun 16, 2009 for Intransa
"The big IP video software providers have historically been software only - meaning that you could install their software on regular computers (COTS) but you could not get the software pre-loaded on hardware (appli"
Should You Use PTZ Cameras?
Posted on Jun 15, 2009 for IP Cameras
"Though popular, PTZ cameras often create a false sense of security. They make for great demonstrations but are often underutilized or misused. The use of PTZ cameras varies significantly. Offices and fast food re"
Examining Cisco's Small Business Video Surveillance
Posted on Jun 10, 2009 for Cisco
"Cisco is making a major push into the small business market. As part of this, Cisco is increasing both their product offerings and marketing of video surveillance products. Cisco's success (or lack thereof) in th"
IPTV vs IP Video Surveillance
Posted on Jun 09, 2009 for Convergence
"Not all video is the same. Indeed, ideal solutions for one video application can be a waste and completely inappropriate for another application. The Growth of Video Solving IP video problems is critical since IP "
Training: Using a Lux Meter to Improve Surveillance Quality
Posted on Jun 07, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"Getting good images at night is one of the most challenging problems in video surveillance. Making this worse is that generally you cannot trust the illumination ratings provided by manufacturers. The best tool t"
How Well do IP Cameras Work in Low Light?
Posted on Jun 07, 2009 for IP Cameras
"IP cameras have a bad reputation of working poorly in low light conditions. It's part of a greater problem with all surveillance cameras - as critical as low light performance is to video surveillance, high qualit"
Testing Vivotek IP7161 - 2MP MPEG-4 Camera
Posted on Jun 03, 2009 for VIVOTEK
"Vivotek's new 2MP camera (the IP7161) expands low-cost product options in multi-megapixel cameras. The IP7161's specification include support for MPEG-4 (but not H.264) and has a maximum frame rate of 10fps at 16"
Testing Axis Camera Station - VMS Software
Posted on Jun 01, 2009 for Axis
"Axis is much better known for its IP cameras than its VMS software. Nonetheless, their VMS, Camera Station, is quite interesting because of the relative sophistication of the product, Axis' market size and specula"
Will IP Video Software Become Free?
Posted on May 31, 2009 for NVRs
"In the past, video management was quite expensive. Now, increasingly, it is becoming free. Just a few years ago, it was commonplace for a 16 channel DVR to cost $10,000 USD. Today, many manufacturers give the sof"
Testing Wide Angle Megapixel Lenses - Theia SY125M
Posted on May 27, 2009 for Theia
"More pixels provide the opportunity for greater field of views and less cameras. However, stock lenses provided with cameras only offer moderately wide fields (60-70 degrees). A few companies are now developing w"
Guidelines for Testing IP Cameras
Posted on May 26, 2009 for IP Cameras
"What is the best way to test an IP cameras? We have established guidelines for our tests. These guidelines are listed below for your review and comment: Objective The goal of our tests is to provide recommendati"
Should You Use Twitter for Security Monitoring?
Posted on May 23, 2009 for Convergence
"Internet luminary Kevin Rose suggests that we cut out alarm monitoring companies through the use of low cost devices and sharing alerts via Twitter. Friends and neighbors can then monitor those alerts and respond "
Do Megapixel Cameras Provide Better Image Quality?
Posted on May 20, 2009 for Megapixel Cameras
"Pixels get all the attention but image details are what is really important to video surveillance users. The more image details, the more cases that can be solved and the fewer cameras that need to be deployed to "
HDcctv: Non-IP Megapixel Coming to Video Surveillance?
Posted on May 17, 2009 for Megapixel Cameras
"Will non-IP cameras soon provide megapixel resolution? It sounds strange and almost a contradiction in terms. Today, only IP cameras provide anything above standard resolution (like 720p, 1080p, 1.3MP and 2MP came"
New Edition 2009 Video Surveillance Industry Guide
Posted on May 17, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"The 2010 Guide has now replaced the 2009 edition - providing double the coverage of 2009.  The 612 page 2010 Video Surveillance Industry Guide provides the most comprehensive global coverage of the marke"
Storage Manufacturers Enter NVR Market
Posted on May 15, 2009 for Storage
"Competition in the NVR market is heating up with a number of new options for video surveillance professionals to consider. In the last few months, well funded startups Intransa and Pivot3 have both launched NVR so"
Testing No Config IP Camera Remote Viewing (StarVedia)
Posted on May 13, 2009 for Other Companies
"Managed IP Video is hot but one of the key practical problems is making installation simple. While local access is trivial, remote access of IP video can be challenging. Network cameras usually require network con"
IFSEC 2009 Announcement Directory
Posted on May 12, 2009 for General
"Spring is the season of new product announcements and major trade shows for the security industry. This week, Europe's biggest annual security conference, IFSEC, is being held in the UK. This report provides a dir"
Challenges in Choosing Surveillance Cameras
Posted on May 10, 2009 for IP Cameras
"With hundreds of manufacturers to choose from and little comparative information available, choosing the 'right' surveillance camera can be difficult. Worse yet, specifications provided by manufacturers are often "
What Does 3VR Face Recognition Test Results Mean?
Posted on May 07, 2009 for 3VR
"Recently, results from a facial recognition test for the Korean National Police were reported widely by 3VR of obtaining: "85-92 percent accuracy in recognizing and matching faces in a few crowded, highly-tra"
Intelligent Video - State of the Market 2009
Posted on May 06, 2009 for Video Analytics
"With so much hype and now so much disappointment, the state and future of intelligent video can be difficult to judge. I consistently hear business people in the industry ask questions about prospects and opportun"
The Value of Open Video Surveillance Systems
Posted on May 03, 2009 for Convergence
"Everyone in video surveillance praises being open but what does that really mean? And despite the words, how many companies are really open? Significant questions exist about the value of being open, given that mo"
Axis Speaks on the Future of IP Video
Posted on May 03, 2009 for Axis
"The IP video surveillance industry frequently looks to Axis for guidance and recommendations on the future of the market. In this presentation, made at the Milestone Partners conference in February, Axis GM Fredri"
How Costly are Hard Drive Failures?
Posted on Apr 29, 2009 for Storage
"Storage tends to be one of the more costly and problematic parts of video surveillance systems. Most video surveillance systems, even today, do not employ storage redundancy. When drives break, systems can fail an"
What Differentiates Video Surveillance Products?
Posted on Apr 28, 2009 for General
"Figuring out how video surveillance products are different is a challenging task. While some products are literally the same, most of them are actually different. The tough questions are (1) how are they different"
Does Your Manufacturer Make Their Own Products?
Posted on Apr 26, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"A lot of video surveillance products look the same. The reason may be becuase they literally are the same. Big Western manufacturers routinely buy and re-brand a small number of Asian products. During a"
SecuTech Asia 2009 Conference Report
Posted on Apr 23, 2009 for General
"While not very well known in the US and Europe, SecuTech is a suprisingly interesting and strong security industry conference. This year's SecuTech attracted over 700 exhibitors and 20,000 attendees whic"
Designing Maximum Security Video Surveillance
Posted on Apr 21, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"Maximum security facilities have far different requirements for video surveillance than typical commercial use. In a maximum security facility, like a nuclear power plant or prison, adversaries must be stopped on-"
Advantages of RAID6 over RAID5 For Video Surveillance
Posted on Apr 15, 2009 for Storage
"For large scale video surveillance deployments, like casinos, the enhanced redundancy provided in RAID6 over  RAID5 is critical to minimizing video loss and ensuring system performance. [Note: If you are not "
Camera Positioning Key to Video Analytics
Posted on Apr 14, 2009 for Video Analytics
"A routinely overlooked but key aspect to using video analytics is camera positioning. Not simply an implementation issue, camera positioning requirements can have a significant impact on the cost and design of vid"
How to Select Video Analytics
Posted on Apr 14, 2009 for Video Analytics
"Selecting video analytics can be difficult because many factors impact the choice. In this report, I examine the 8 most important questions that should be addressed when evaluating video analytics. The easy part "
Examining New Products From ISC West 2009
Posted on Apr 11, 2009 for General
"This premium report examines the value and potential impact of 12 new products announced at ISC West. If you are looking for the next new thing or trying to determine how video surveillance is changing, this repor"
Is the Video Surveillance Business Starting to Improve?
Posted on Apr 08, 2009 for Recession
"In the last month, a renewed sense of optimism has emerged in the video surveillance industry - mirroring the rise of the global stock markets and culminating in a better than expected turnout at ISC West.  W"
Should You Trust Frost & Sullivan Awards?
Posted on Apr 04, 2009 for General
"Frost & Sullivan awards are common in the security industry. In the last decade, Frost has named dozens of video surveillance companies award winners. Winners have marketed their awards heavily in press releas"
2009 Top Emerging Video Surveillance Trends
Posted on Apr 02, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"Emerging from ISC West, a number of clear trends will likely impact purchasing decisions over the next 12 months. In this premium report, we examine the 6 key factors, including positive and negative trends Poll:"
ISC West 2009 Announcement Directory
Posted on Apr 01, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"This report provides a directory of over 60 links to manufacturer announcements and the best reports from the ISC West 2009. The goal is to simplify finding new information and allow readers to go to the source to"
Analyzing Skypoint: Lenel and OnSSI's Partnership
Posted on Apr 01, 2009 for ONSSI
"Lenel has announced SkyPoint - an IP Video Surveillance product offering OEMed from OnSSI and integrated with Lenel's access control solution. Given Lenel's strength in access control and the extensive functional"
The Danger of Pre-Announcing Products
Posted on Mar 31, 2009 for General
"It is critical to check when new products will actually be available. While vendors may announce and show a 'new' product at a conference, that product may not be available for months or even up to 1 year after it"
Risks of Overloading Video Surveillance Systems
Posted on Mar 29, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"Cameras, software and recorders are all becoming more powerful and complex. Higher resolution, multiple streams, multiple analytics and more powerful CODECs greatly enhance the potential of video surveillance. At "
Is Bosch Over-Selling Video Analytics?
Posted on Mar 25, 2009 for Video Analytics
"Analysts and pundits agree that video analytics has been significantly over-sold in the last few years. Bosch certainly did its part with its IVA Challenge where tradeshow attendees tried to steal a drill position"
2009 Best New Video Surveillance Products
Posted on Mar 22, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"This 16 page premium report explains why and how new video surveillance products offer value. The goal is to help industry professionals quickly identify the products with highest potential. It can be used as a ge"
Surveillance Camera Demo Directory (IP, MP, CCTV)
Posted on Mar 22, 2009 for IP Cameras
"This directory collects and presents webcasts from leading IP and Megapixel surveillance cameras. The goal is to help professionals to more easily understand the various product offerings on the market. Included "
Is Bandwidth a Problem for IP Cameras?
Posted on Mar 22, 2009 for IP Cameras
"Integrators often cite bandwidth as a key concern for deploying IP cameras. Let's examine what the potential issues are and where they may be applicable: You do not have enough bandwidth for IP video (see our b"
Top 5 Mistakes IT People Make in Physical Security
Posted on Mar 19, 2009 for Convergence
"IT convergence creates high anticipation and anxiety. New people entering physical security is one of the most emotional. The security systems market is a lot like Las Vegas - growing quickly, few of us are actual"
Should You Use Video Encoders?
Posted on Mar 18, 2009 for NVRs
"Many people want to go IP but 95% of deployed cameras are analog. Encoders are the most common solution but is that the best approach?  What are Encoders? Encoders are appliances that convert analog video fee"
What is the Future of Trade Magazines?
Posted on Mar 15, 2009 for Recession
"The publication industry is struggling. The recession and growth of the web is shrinking advertising revenues and increasing fears about the future of printed publications. On-line advertising such as craigslist c"
Intellex - American Dynamics Video Surveillance Examined
Posted on Mar 12, 2009 for American Dynamics
"American Dynamics, through its Intellex product line, has been one of the largest and most prominent 'enterprise' DVR providers in the last decade.  They easily have hundreds of thousands of DVRs deployed in "
How Good is ACTi's Video Quality?
Posted on Mar 10, 2009 for ACTi
"An increasing number of budget priced IP cameras are coming onto the market. The key question, though, is how good are the cameras? We all know Axis, Sony, Panasonic, etc. offer high quality products. The key conc"
2009 DVR Comparison Guide Released Ver. 2
Posted on Mar 10, 2009 for NVRs
"This guide helps professionals select and evalaute DVRs by explaining the fundamentals of DVRs, examining the key differentiators among the best products and profiling a number of the leading DVR manufacturers. T"
Coming Battle Between DVR and IP Video Manufacturers
Posted on Mar 09, 2009 for NVRs
"In the next 18 months, DVR and IP video software companies will compete head to head. They will add in each other's key functionalities and the distinction between these manufacturers will largely disappear.  "
Emza Video Analytics for Remote Site Monitoring
Posted on Mar 05, 2009 for Emza
"Emza offers a remote site intrusion detection solution by applying video analytics in a very specific and optimized manner for the application. Remote sites like substations and water plants contain valuable resou"
Reckless Spending in Video Surveillance?
Posted on Mar 05, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"Does video surveillance suffer from similar problems to banking? We are all learning that easy money combined with little regulation ultimately creates disasters. What's interesting is that video surveillance shar"
Examining Pelco Sarix Megapixel Cameras
Posted on Mar 04, 2009 for Pelco
"While Pelco is the largest analog camera supplier, its existing IP offering have been limited and sales modest. In an effort to close that gap, Sarix is Pelco's new IP camera line that focuses on H.264 megapi"
Axis and Milestone on the Recession's Impact
Posted on Mar 02, 2009 for Recession
"As the largest manufacturers of IP cameras and open VMS software, Axis and Milestone are key forces in the video surveillance market. Recently, Axis and Milestone provided interviews to Security Products on the ec"
Why Cisco Video Surveillance has Struggled
Posted on Mar 01, 2009 for Cisco
"Despite the great hype for Cisco's entrance into video surveillance, Cisco has not demonstrated significant success in the market. They have won only a limited number of projects and many, if not most, of those ar"
Obama Budget To Shrink Security Industry
Posted on Feb 27, 2009 for Recession
"With massive deficits building, Obama needs to cut long term spending. Obama's budget blueprint shows that cutting security/defense spending will be central to his plan. Even the US government is acknowledging th"
Watch Video Surveillance Product Demos
Posted on Feb 26, 2009 for General
"Online demo videos are a powerful but underutilized tool in video surveillance. This report helps to: Showcase some of the best online demo videos I have found Encourage manufacturers to produce more online de"
Why 2010 will be Worse than 2009
Posted on Feb 24, 2009 for Recession
"While admitting a slowdown, video surveillance professionals generally claim that (1) the market will rebound in the second half of this year and (2) that the problem is consumer fear. Discussions with dozens of i"
How to Win Deals with Megapixel Cameras
Posted on Feb 22, 2009 for Megapixel Cameras
"Megapixel cameras are the key to fast growth and high profits in the face of the recession. If you are in the video surveillance business, it is imperative that you focus on selling megapixel solutions. While it i"
The Importance of Megapixel Lenses
Posted on Feb 22, 2009 for Megapixel Cameras
"Selecting the right megapixel lens is as confusing as it is important. The wrong choice of lens can make an expensive megapixel camera no better than a cheap analog camera. Unfortunately, manufacturers generally d"
IP Video Close to Standards???
Posted on Feb 19, 2009 for Standards
"Once a new technology gets media coverage, it's common to presume that it's immediately ready for prime time.  This week, a new article declares IP-based video close to standardization. Unfortunately, the art"
How the US Stimulus Impacts Video Surveillance
Posted on Feb 19, 2009 for Recession
"With a deepening recession, many hope that the newly passed US stimulus will bolster the weakening video surveillance market. Given the sheer size of the stimulus ($787 B USD) and the desire to spend it ASAP, the "
Why Analog is Gaining Ground Against IP Video
Posted on Feb 16, 2009 for Convergence
"Those who think the recession is speeding up IP convergence are likely ignorant or hopeful. Indeed, the recession is dramatically slowing convergence and allowing analog companies to catch up. This is already happ"
Axis on Network Camera Trends
Posted on Feb 15, 2009 for Axis
"This report summarizes a presentation made by Axis GM Fredrik Nilsson on the progress and future of IP cameras (presented at the Milestone Partners Conference). As the market leader in IP cameras, knowing Axi"
Does Video Surveillance Threaten Privacy?
Posted on Feb 12, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"The most pervasive criticism of video surveillance is the risk of destroying privacy -- that video surveillance will become Big Brother, enabling the government to spy on anyone, anywhere. These concerns continue "
Recession Impacting Security Projects
Posted on Feb 10, 2009 for Recession
"If you are selling a disruptive technology that greatly reduces cost, then this market is just right for you. However, if you are selling a heavily capital intensive project requiring new installation then you mig"
Economic Meltdown Rocks Security Industry
Posted on Feb 08, 2009 for Recession
"This is no ordinary recession. Dramatic and permanent changes have already begun. In conversations with over 30 end users, integrators and manufacturers over the last 2 weeks, the changes are happening faster and "
IT Tutorial for Physical Security Managers
Posted on Feb 08, 2009 for Convergence
"Much of the fear in IT convergence comes from new technology and operational issues of using IT for physical security systems. The goal of this tutorial is to explain the key concepts and issues involved for secur"
Why DVR Appliances Are Making a Comeback
Posted on Feb 07, 2009 for NVRs
"Hated for the last few years, DVR appliances will make a strong comeback in the next 12 - 18 months. It is clear that many providers are learning from the mistakes of the previous generation (new products are demo"
Top 10 Video Surveillance Companies by Market Share
Posted on Feb 05, 2009 for General
"Market share ranking of the top 10 in video surveillance equipment, cameras and network cameras companies is provided in Axis' 4th quarter financial statement. You may download the presentation for the Top 10 char"
Axis Hammered by Recession
Posted on Feb 04, 2009 for Axis
"Axis video growth dropped from 32% to 9% and, in Europe, revenue actually declined. This is bad news not only for Axis but for the industry. The IP video market is deteoriating even faster than the economy - IP vi"
Are US IP Video Companies Inferior?
Posted on Feb 01, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"The US has few leaders and none of the largest companies in IP video. This, despite the fact that, according to a recent study, there are disproportionately more US IP Video companies than the rest of the world. M"
2009 Megapixel Camera Comparison Released
Posted on Feb 01, 2009 for Megapixel Cameras
"This 20 page report helps you decide amongst the leading megapixel camera products in the market. If you are evaluating megapixel cameras or moving to IP, this report will help you understand the best product for "
What's the difference between HD and Megapixel Cameras?
Posted on Jan 30, 2009 for Megapixel Cameras
"While 2009 may be the year of megapixel cameras, it may also be the year where confusion between HD and megapixel cameras began. Historically, everyone who sold cameras with 1 million pixels or more called them me"
2009 Video Management System Comparison Released
Posted on Jan 30, 2009 for NVRs
"This report helps you decide amongst the leading IP video surveillance software products on the market. If you are moving to IP video or looking to replace DVRs, this report will help you understand the best produ"
Should IT and Security Integrators Partner?
Posted on Jan 23, 2009 for Convergence
"I think partnering is a horrible idea made worse by the numerous analysts who continuously promote it. The only viable solution is for integrators to build in-house expertise in both skill sets.  As an integ"
Intersec and Middle East Growth Observations
Posted on Jan 22, 2009 for General
"Intersec, the largest Middle East security conference, was held this week in Dubai. This report shares my observations and learning as a speaker and attendee of the conference.  My two central observations: "
Video Management Software Comparison
Posted on Jan 22, 2009 for NVRs
"Compares Milestone, OnSSI, Genetec, Cisco, IndigoVision, DvTel and Verint. This 6 page report examines key strengths and weaknesses for each of these manufacturers. The report is intended to be a reference for sal"
Should IT Take Over Physical Security?
Posted on Jan 18, 2009 for Convergence
"Frequent discussions of IT taking over physical security often turn to not simply if it will happen but when it will happen. Such convergence is viewed broadly as a key issue in the future of the security industry"
ObjectVideo Company Update and Analysis
Posted on Jan 15, 2009 for ObjectVideo
"This report shares information from a January 2009 interview with ObjectVideo executives. ObjectVideo is a leading intelligent video / video analytics provider. In 2009, ObjectVideo consists of two major business"
How to Position Video Surveillance Cameras
Posted on Jan 15, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"This report shares best practices for positioning surveillance cameras and is based on standards I developed as an integrator. Figuring out the right number, placement and views of cameras can save significant mon"
Are You Too Stupid to Buy IP Cameras?
Posted on Jan 12, 2009 for IP Cameras
"Why are 4 out of 5 of you still not choosing IP cameras? The IP video vendors keep trying to educate you. Is it that you are clearly that stupid to not get it? Or do you just shut it out? A Serious Issue I belie"
How much does Video Surveillance Cost?
Posted on Jan 11, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"This report provides rough estimated prices for video surveillance products and systems including cameras, video management systems, video analytics, storage and installation. While such numbers cannot be precise "
Upcoming Panoramic Megapixel Camera from Scallop
Posted on Jan 09, 2009 for Megapixel Cameras
"A startup is developing a low cost 180 degree panoramic camera that could have a significant impact in real world video surveillance deployments in 2010. Product Overview The company, Scallop Imaging, "
Getting Inside Information on Video Surveillance Companies
Posted on Jan 07, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"Executives almost never tell you the bad stuff - the risks, the problems, the reasons why not to do business with them. Indeed, the worse it gets, the more rosy the projections often become. The best way to get th"
Video Surveillance & CCTV Introduction Video
Posted on Jan 05, 2009 for Video Surveillance
"Getting started with video surveillance? This report covers the basic elements of video surveillance, walking you through each aspect including cameras, recorders, power, cabling and wireless. In addition to the "
How to Cut Costs Using the Internet
Posted on Jan 04, 2009 for Recession
"The recession is forcing broad reductions. Worse, the era of excess consumer spending is over. In response, most business around the world, whether they buy or sell video surveillance, will have to tighten their b"
How Bad was the 4th Quarter?
Posted on Jan 01, 2009 for Recession
"As an industry, bad. In Oct-Dec, sales decelerated in IP video and turned negative in analog video. The main reason: "project delays." While the growth rate of IP video segment is still positive, growth has decel"
Are Trade Shows Dying?
Posted on Dec 28, 2008 for Recession
"Internet economics and the recession pose a significant risk to the future of trade shows. A broad trend facing all technology industries, we may see dramatic reductions and changes to leading security trade shows"
Video Retention Standards - Need Industry Clearinghouse
Posted on Dec 28, 2008 for Standards
"Beyond CODECS, a need exists for video standards of care, as a supermarket court case below demonstrates. The rules and regulations concerning retention of video information electronically captured by CCTV and IP"
Norbain CEO - Recession Forcing Radical Changes
Posted on Dec 25, 2008 for Recession
"In the best security executive interview I have ever seen, Alun John, the CEO of leading UK manufacturer, Norbain, examines the severe impact of the recession on the industry. I strongly encourage you to read the"
12 Companies Added to News Monitoring
Posted on Dec 22, 2008 for General
"Aiming to broaden global coverage, 12 video surveillance companies have been added to the over 100 companies monitored by IP Video Market Info. This will allow us to capture website updates, news stories and artic"
Top 5 Problems in Video Surveillance Storage
Posted on Dec 21, 2008 for Storage
"Storage is one of the most confusing and debated aspects of video surveillance solutions. Continuously rising expectations for TV or HD quality combined with falling storage prices only makes the issue more challe"
Video Analytics for Perimeter Violation Examined
Posted on Dec 18, 2008 for ioimage
"Provides metrics and analysis of deploying video analytics for perimeter violation - Editor's note For the past 3 years, my organization, C3 Shared Services, has been deploying video analytics for many "
Axis Confirms IP Video Growth Slowing Significantly
Posted on Dec 16, 2008 for Recession
"In a stunning, unprompted move, Axis has issued a press release confirming that growth in IP video is slowing significantly. While the press release offers no new information nor statistics, it does refe"
Video Surveillance Research Service Launched
Posted on Dec 14, 2008 for General
"The Research service provides critical information to help manufacturers, integrators, distributors and investors make better decisions and respond more quickly to new developments by: Monitoring and alerting o"
Mobotix's Megapixel Offering Examined
Posted on Dec 13, 2008 for Mobotix
"While Mobotix sells the most megapixel cameras in the world, Mobotix's product strategy is significantly different from other well known megapixel manufacturers such as IQinVision, Arecont Vision, Lumenera and Axi"
Why Wireless Video Surveillance Systems Fail
Posted on Dec 11, 2008 for Wireless
"Wireless video surveillance systems fail almost as frequently as video analytics - and that should tell you something. Let's examine a fascinating case of anger and frustration for one US municipality. Some import"
Eliminate Distortion in Wide Angle Images
Posted on Dec 09, 2008 for Theia
"Today's megapixel cameras have many advantages as long as you have the right lens for the job. When that includes covering large areas or reducing cost by installing fewer cameras, that lens is a wide angle lens."
Which Video Surveillance Companies are at Most Risk?
Posted on Dec 07, 2008 for Recession
"Assessing risk during a recession is critical. During boom times, company failures are rare. As such, partnerships or product choices can generally be safely made with almost any vendor. However, in a downturn, c"
Texas Instruments Simplifying Smart Cameras
Posted on Dec 07, 2008 for Video Analytics
"To date, smart cameras are more promise than reality. While smart cameras receive significant press and a number of products are available, adoption is still very low - certainly under 1% of all cameras. Texas In"
Pelco Cuts Costs and 1% Employees Layoff
Posted on Dec 04, 2008 for Pelco
"Summary: 19 employees cut, salary freeze implemented, corporate jet to be sold, no more personalized license plates. All in all, this is a very small cut. Relative to the cuts that video surveillance companies ar"
Using Video Surveillance to Fight Terrorism
Posted on Dec 03, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"The Mumbai attacks raise questions about security enhancements. What can CCTV or video surveillance do to address terrorist attacks such as Mumbai?  While the immediate reaction is always to spend money on ne"
Examining the Impact of the Recession
Posted on Dec 01, 2008 for Recession
"With a global recession no longer in doubt, two fundamental issues will shape the video surveillance business: How significantly the global economy will contract How strong will the post-recession economy be "
2009 Video Surveillance Industry Guide Released
Posted on Dec 01, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"This guide helps video surveillance businesses to: Improve your strategy in the face of the global recession Determine the best companies and products  2010 Industry Guide The
Russian Security Market Expected to Grow Significantly
Posted on Nov 27, 2008 for General
"The consensus expert position is that the Russian security market shall continue to grow significantly despite the turbulent global economy. This report examines the Russian security market, explaining the key par"
Will ONVIF or PSIA win the IP Camera Standards Battle?
Posted on Nov 25, 2008 for Standards
"While momentum grows for IP camera standards, significant questions exist as to what will happen with ONVIF and PSIA.  They are two groups pursuing the same fundamental goal of brining interoperability to IP "
Key Factors for High Quality Surveillance Video
Posted on Nov 23, 2008 for IP Cameras
"Getting high quality surveillance video can be challenging. Indeed, many reports or surveys indicate that most users are not happy with the quality of their surveillance video.  This report identifies the key"
Casino Video Surveillance Design Case Study
Posted on Nov 21, 2008 for Case Studies
"Distributed architecture is the key concept behind casino system designs. All encoding and recording is done on the single channel (blade) DVRs, before such devices are connected to the main CCTV network. The adva"
Steelbox Foreclosed - Purchased by ASG
Posted on Nov 20, 2008 for Steelbox
"NVR provider Steelbox Networks has gone out of business in the last month.  Steelbox, a specialist in large scale video management systems, was unable to obtain additional funding. Square 1 Bank owns the asse"
Top 3 Problems of Sales Presentations
Posted on Nov 19, 2008 for General
"Sales presentations are critical yet are routinely ineffecitve. While an appropriate sales presentation can quickly and effectively convince a potential partner to do business, many sales presentations are wastefu"
Selecting Video Management Systems
Posted on Nov 14, 2008 for NVRs
"The numerous options and alternatives in video management systems require careful consideration to ensure selection of optimal solutions for one's needs. Whether or not you choose DVRs, hybrid DVRs, NVRs or IP vid"
Grandeye Major Company Restructuring
Posted on Nov 13, 2008 for Grandeye
"Last month, Grandeye, the 360 megapixel manufacturer, implemented major company restructuring. Below is a summary of what I know and feel confident in its truth. There is basically no public information available "
How IT is Transforming the Security Business
Posted on Nov 12, 2008 for Convergence
"While technical skill sets and competencies dominate the discussions surrounding "convergence," it is the differences in the channels of product delivery between the IT and Security industries that will have the b"
Should Manufacturers Sell Direct to End Users?
Posted on Nov 10, 2008 for Convergence
"An insane idea today will become reality over the next 10 years. Driven by the Internet and accelerated by the recession, the role of the integrator as powerful intermediary will diminish greatly.  This will "
How Obama Impacts the Security Industry
Posted on Nov 04, 2008 for General
"The security bubble is burst. With the election of Obama, US demand for security products will drop significantly as subsidies for security technology are reduced and global tensions are eased. This will place sig"
How to Design a Video Surveillance Solution
Posted on Nov 04, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"Designing a video surveillance solution requires decisions on 7 fundamental questions. This tutorial walks the reader through each issue explaining the basic options and the rationale for selecting different optio"
Should You Use Software-Only Video Management Systems?
Posted on Oct 30, 2008 for NVRs
"Software only has lots of the momentum. But should you use software only? While DVR/NVR appliances are increasingly viewed as antiquated, over 80% of end users still chose traditional appliances over software only"
How Strong is the ROI / TCO of IP Video Surveillance?
Posted on Oct 23, 2008 for Recession
"Many vague vendor claims exist but detailed quantitative evidence is hard to find. While customers are easy on soft ROI / TCO claims in boom times, in the next year they will get much firmer in their demands for s"
2009 IP Video Market Forecast
Posted on Oct 22, 2008 for Statistics
"IP Video market growth will slow by 66% next year due to the unfolding financial implosion. It is critical for all of us to understand where it will slow, why it will slow and how the impact will be most felt. Thi"
Credit Crisis Will Accelerate Convergence
Posted on Oct 21, 2008 for Recession
"As we brace ourselves for the credit crisis and the shakeout in the security industry caused by the acceptance of IP CCTV, it is important that we create a system around us that will stand up to this.We are seeing"
On-Site Optimization Key to Quality Video Analytic Systems
Posted on Oct 20, 2008 for Video Analytics
"There are very good analytic software packages on the market because they have excellent engineers and technicians setting them up; great analytic software needs great people to select and set the proper algorithm"
Axis Financial Results Points to Market Slowdown
Posted on Oct 17, 2008 for Axis
"Axis 3rd quarter results demonstrate signs of a market slowdown, most strongly in Europe but with leading indicators globally. Worldwide video growth decreased from 37% in Q2 to 32% in Q3. Europe video growth plu"
IP Video Will Be Resilient to the Recession
Posted on Oct 17, 2008 for Recession
"In tough economic times, security is the last thing to be cut. IP Video Market Info's forecast treats the market as a unified block, but that is not good analysis. At Sightmind, we sell into enterprise, mostly ins"
Should I use Cisco's Video Surveillance in my Router (ISR)?
Posted on Oct 16, 2008 for Cisco
"Cisco offers a DVR/NVR to be plugged into their office routers. Despite the appealing concept, Cisco's IP Video in a router solution will be uncompetitive and unattractive to most customers. The offering has seri"
Does Lower Expectations Solve Video Analytics Problems?
Posted on Oct 09, 2008 for Video Analytics
"An increasingly popular but dangerous trend is the argument that expectations for video analytics need to be lowered.  The thinking is that since video analytics have had problems in the field, if we lower th"
Is Axis IP camera dominance coming to an end?
Posted on Oct 05, 2008 for Axis
"IP video is becoming mainstream but Axis' IP cameras may lose their dominance in the process. Six critical issues may undermine Axis position and in the process provide consumers with more options and lower prices"
Video Surveillance Platforms
Posted on Oct 03, 2008 for General
"A platform for video surveillance could dramatically improve the effectiveness of video surveillance. However, no manufactuer has developed an actual platform despite frequent marketing claims to the contrary. Thi"
SVC - A Better H.264 Coming For Video Surveillance
Posted on Oct 02, 2008 for IP Cameras
"SVC will solve a key problem of H.264: While H.264 generates a fixed quality and sized video stream, video surveillance users can benefit greatly from the dynamic re-sizing that SVC allows. The two main benefits o"
Eliminate Sales and Marketing
Posted on Sep 30, 2008 for General
"10-20% of all spending on video surveillance goes to sales and marketing costs yet customers find great difficulty determining the best solution for their needs. The solution to this, just like in stocks and real "
Should You Use Auto-Tracking PTZs?
Posted on Sep 25, 2008 for IP Cameras
"Though available for many years, Auto-Tracking PTZs are generating renewed interest with Axis' recent release of their 233D camera.  The claim is that "auto-tracking enables a single PTZ dome camera to cover "
Benefits of Standards for Specifying IP Cameras
Posted on Sep 24, 2008 for Standards
"Specifications are valuable but often are done poorly, creating problems or biasing the bid.  Such challenges are magnified with digital and IP video where multiple codecs and multiple resolutions become comm"
Examining the CCTV Footage from the Marriott Bombing
Posted on Sep 22, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"Below is a recording of the actual CCTV footage from the Marriott bombed in Pakistan. It looks like it's from a DVR, recording about 5-8fps at CIF or 2CIF. This is solid performance for a system that was likely "
The Problem of Buying from Big Companies
Posted on Sep 21, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"Big companies like GE, Tyco, Bosch, Cisco and Honeywell make a broad range of mostly mediocre, overpriced video surveillance products that take advantage of customer's lack of information. While they are powerful "
Analytics - To Lead or Not to Lead
Posted on Sep 19, 2008 for Video Analytics
"I'm not much for Shakespeare, but this is a good question. Over the past few years, many security companies have been leading into an Enterprise IP Video project with analytics as the main driving force. In a pres"
ASIS 2008 Announcements Review
Posted on Sep 16, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"Megapixel cameras, storage solutions and managed video are the 3 areas with the greatest momentum of new product annoncements. A brief review of each follows after 2 general observations: Traffic was light as&nbs"
ASIS Exhibitor Floor Traffic Weak
Posted on Sep 15, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"Traffic on the exhibit floor looks weak.  I had a couple of colleagues guess. Their estimates range from 10% - 30% less than the last few years.  Whatever the specific traffic levels are, it's pretty cle"
IP Camera Standards Battle?
Posted on Sep 12, 2008 for Standards
"While we all speak lovingly about the goodness of standards, the fights to set and control standards can be severe. Indeed, a battle may be emerging in the road to setting IP camera standards. I see 3 main partic"
Video Analytic's Greatest Value - Storage Reduction
Posted on Sep 07, 2008 for Video Analytics
"While video analytic promotion focuses on stopping and solving crime, the greatest value for video analytics historically and for the immediate future is reducing the cost and amount of storage. This report analyz"
How Apple Impacts Video Surveillance
Posted on Sep 04, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"Apple's interest in video surveillance is generating significant interest. This report examines the key areas where Apple will (and will not) impact the video surveillance industry. Key Impact - iPhone/iPod touch"
Value of Managed Video (MVaaS) for Video Surveillance
Posted on Sep 03, 2008 for SaaS
"Managed video is poised to experience similar growth and impact that IP video surveillance software has achieved over the past 5 - 10 years. As such, despite it being relatively unknown, smart video surveillance p"
Top 3 Emerging Technologies in Video Surveillance 2008
Posted on Sep 03, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"Emerging technologies can significantly improve security operations. At ASIS, I encourage you to learn more about 3 particular technologies and to speak with leading providers to learn more.  Even if you cann"
Do Video Analytics Work?
Posted on Sep 01, 2008 for Video Analytics
"Manufacturers say video analytics work.  Customers and integrators often say they do not.  Are manufacturers simply lying? Are customers simply uninformed? Who is right and why does this gap exist? Key "
Recession Starts to Impact Video Surveillance
Posted on Aug 28, 2008 for Recession
"Companies are starting to downsize and reorganize.  Reports from a variety of companies indicate this growing trend.  The impact seems hardest amongst traditional DVR companies and video analytic startup"
Options and Challenge for Video Surveillance Integration
Posted on Aug 26, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"It's tough and getting tougher to figure out the best approach to integrate video surveillance with other security systems. While the industry conversation centers on the value of integration, the real challenge i"
How to Migrate from Analog to IP Cameras
Posted on Aug 23, 2008 for IP Cameras
"Migrating from analog to IP can be tricky, mainly because most everyone has existing infrastructure in place. You rarely can simply throw out that infrastructure and start anew - the economics usually do not suppo"
Top 3 Problems with Choosing Open Systems
Posted on Aug 21, 2008 for Convergence
"While being 'open' is the trend, 'openness' is vague, claimed by all and underestimated in its difficulty to achieve. If you are buying or specifying video management systems, you need to carefully consider this. "
Demonstrating the Value of Megapixel Cameras
Posted on Aug 19, 2008 for Megapixel Cameras
"One of the most exciting impacts of megapixel cameras is how they enable improvements in system designs that deliver better surveillance. This report reviews 3 of the highest quality megapixel demos available"
Understanding Video Surveillance APIs
Posted on Aug 15, 2008 for Convergence
"While APIs are the key to open platforms, they are a frequently misunderstood and over-hyped aspect of physical security. While APIs can provide great benefits, using them is much more complex than often mentione"
Using Video Analytics for Building Automation
Posted on Aug 13, 2008 for Video Analytics
"Using video analytics beyond security may be the most important trend in video analytics.  While marketing and business intelligence applications have received the most attention to date, a growing interest e"
Will BRS Labs Revolutionize Video Analytics?
Posted on Aug 10, 2008 for BRS Labs
"Recently, BRS Labs announced its company to great fanfare.  Indeed, BRS Labs has a very interesting offering but great questions remain about its use and its competitive viability.  This report examines "
Danger of Buying Packages
Posted on Aug 07, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"A dangerous and mass movement is underway for video surveillance companies to sell you packages. Packaging together cameras, encoders and IP video management systems, vendors hope to entice you with an integrated,"
Examining Video Surveillance Storage Clusters
Posted on Aug 06, 2008 for Storage
"In the next few years, we will see a significant transition away from storing video inside DVR/NVR servers. This 'on-board' storage will be replaced by clustered storage that communicates with servers over an IP "
Introduction to City Wide Video Surveillance
Posted on Aug 06, 2008 for Case Studies
"While the publicity goes to mega-cities deploying video surveillance, city wide video surveillance is becoming very cost-effective, valuable and viable for 'normal sized' cities throughout the world. The media cov"
SightLogix Video Analytics Examined
Posted on Aug 04, 2008 for SightLogix
"SightLogix is optimizing a video analytics solution for outdoor use in harsh weather conditions and over large areas. The product aims to be more sophisticated than solutions from Object Video, ioimage and Agent "
The Impact of PCI Compliance on DVR and NVRs
Posted on Aug 02, 2008 for Retail
"Surveillance vendors who sell to retail merchants have undoubtedly heard about PCI compliance, but may not understand exactly what it is and how it impacts the security industry. My company, 3xLogic, recently succ"
How Cell Phones Will Become CCTV Cameras
Posted on Aug 01, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"In a move foreshadowing the future of video surveillance, the NYPD is launching a service for anyone to upload video of crimes captured on their cell phones.In the article, the NYPD commissioner states, ""It's a f"
Megapixel Cameras - The Future of CCTV
Posted on Jul 31, 2008 for Megapixel Cameras
"Megapixel IP security cameras deliver one great benefit that traditional analogue CCTV cameras just cannot match, you'll all be using them tomorrow, read on to find out why (Also read my blog for more good informa"
IP vs CCTV
Posted on Jul 31, 2008 for IP Cameras
"An in-depth Q&A with industry leaders on IP vs CCTV has been published by Security Technology and Design magazine. I have summarized interesting points below and encourage you to use the comments section to discu"
Exploring Verint's Video Strategy
Posted on Jul 28, 2008 for Verint
"Verint's objective is to be an end-to-end solutions provider delivering a complete product offering of IP video products. This is a significant evolution from Verint's early days when the company was mostly known"
Top 5 IP Camera Problems
Posted on Jul 26, 2008 for IP Cameras
"The overwhelming majority of people buying cameras today do not choose IP cameras. While most people see the move to be inevitable, serious debate exists on how long it will take to get there. Recently a number "
Operating Systems Do Matter, Part 1
Posted on Jul 25, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"What importance do software operating systems have in the IP video surveillance software industry? In 2002, I left PeopleSoft to work for Heery where I spent two years designing and implementing the security indu"
The Biggest Problem for the Video Surveillance Industry
Posted on Jul 23, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"Video surveillance faces many specific problems. All of these problems derive from a single crisis facing technology industries today.Look at some of the key problems:Widespread failures using video analytics Ang"
Envysion's Managed Video Offering Examined
Posted on Jul 22, 2008 for Envysion
"Envysion is optimizing a solution for small box retailers. This is good news because small box retailers (e.g., quick serve restaurants and retail stores) are clearly an under served market. With so much focus on"
How the Recession Impacts Video Surveillance
Posted on Jul 20, 2008 for Recession
"The video surveillance market will take a beating regardless of the hope that security is recession-proof. This report reviews the key reasons and impacts of the recession with concluding recommendationsThis rece"
How Tyco/Intellivid Will Impact Retail Video Surveillance
Posted on Jul 17, 2008 for Intellivid
"Tyco's acquisition of Intellivid has the potential to be a great solution for retailers. While it certainly will take time and there are definitely questions to be answered, the fundamental fit is good. Over the"
Why Video Surveillance Companies Should Blog
Posted on Jul 17, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"You are making a mistake by not blogging. It does not matter who you are. Blogging can have a very significant impact on your business at an extremely low cost.You may object that you do not have a blog or that i"
IP Cameras for the Mass Market
Posted on Jul 15, 2008 for ACTi
"While Axis brought IP cameras to the enterprise, ACTi could be fostering IP cameras to the masses. With a broad camera line and extensive NVR support, ACTi offers reduced pricing for simpler features. I believe AC"
The Best Video Surveillance Solutions
Posted on Jul 14, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"The most novel or powerful product is usually viewed as the best. Though usually wrong, it is attractive nonetheless. The solutions most likely to be the best are the most likely to be narrowly focused. This rep"
Why Centralized NVR Recording Does Not Work
Posted on Jul 11, 2008 for NVRs
"Centrally recording video from remote sites is as frequently claimed as it is wrong. It is an exciting concept that fails due to basic technical details. Vendors claiming their system eliminates local recording "
AV3100 installation
Posted on Jul 08, 2008 for Arecont Vision
"The camera system is compact and has good packaging, but the overall embedded system design and firmware has to be improved. The system has some issues with 12VDC direct power supply. Even with updated firmware"
Video Management Optimized for Large-Scale Surveillance
Posted on Jul 08, 2008 for Steelbox
"Steelbox provides a unique and very attractive solution to large scale video surveillance deployments. In applications where more than a hundred cameras are being deployed in a location and a command and control "
Is Public CCTV Effective?
Posted on Jul 08, 2008 for Video Surveillance
"While we continue to spend more on public CCTV systems, the debate on CCTV effectiveness has reached a polarizing and inconclusive standoff. On the one side, you have a number of studies and leading thinkers who "
Exploring IBM Video Analytics (Smart Surveillance System)
Posted on Jul 07, 2008 for Video Analytics
"IBM offers a unique approach to video analytics. I highly recommend understanding it and its trade offs. While I think most users, outside of the most demanding, will prefer less expensive and simpler solutions, I"
Why Customers Choose Centralized Analytics
Posted on Jul 05, 2008 for Video Analytics
"Performing analytics at the DVR/NVR is a very popular choice in video surveillance. Reading the trade magazines and viewing marketing materials, you probably would not think so because 90% of the attention goes t"
Schneier Unfair to CCTV: Exploring CCTV Advantages
Posted on Jul 02, 2008 for IP Cameras
"While Bruce Schneier is a brilliant security thinker, I find his recent arguments against CCTV to be unfair. This is a critical issue because Schneider's opinions are singularly critical to shaping both security "
The Importance of Simplicity for Video Analytics: Exploring ioimage
Posted on Jul 01, 2008 for ioimage
"Maximizing simplicity will be a critical factor in IP Video success. In the early days, having a feature was enough. Now, with so many providers and IP trying to go mainstream, the importance of achieving simpli"
Reviewing Axis' NVR - "Camera Station"
Posted on Jun 30, 2008 for Axis
"While Axis is best known for its cameras, it does provide NVR software (with limited functionalities). Axis recently released a new version of this software, version 3.0, of its "Camera Station."Some may be surpri"
What is the Impact of H.264 on NVRs and User's PCs?
Posted on Jun 25, 2008 for Megapixel Cameras
"The biggest concern in using H.264 lies on the impact that H.264 video streams will have on NVR servers and client PCs. If H.264 video significantly reduces the number of cameras an NVR can support or undermines t"
Why IT will not Take Over Security
Posted on Jun 25, 2008 for Convergence
"Automation is a powerful economic force, one that will ultimately make IT irrelevant to physical security. It may seem paradoxical but the same force that makes information technology ubiquitous will make IT irre"
Exploring the Details on H.264 Megapixel Cameras
Posted on Jun 23, 2008 for Arecont Vision
"H.264 megapixel camera support may be the hottest topic in all of video surveillance today. Nevertheless, details on how H.264 megapixel cameras will work have been somewhat hard to find. Of the megapixel H.264 "
What is Happening to DVRs? Examining March Networks
Posted on Jun 23, 2008 for NVRs
"March Networks recently released an extremely detailed strategic report on the future of their product and its positioning. If you are a March customer, integrator or simply interested in understanding where a ma"
Avigilon's Megapixel Surveillance Offering Examined
Posted on Jun 21, 2008 for Avigilon
"While megapixel cameras are a 'hot' technology, a number of factors including cost, complexity and usability undermine its uptake. Megapixel cameras still represents less than 1 or 2% of the total security cameras"
Top 3 Problems Limiting the Use and Growth of Video Analytics
Posted on Jun 19, 2008 for Video Analytics
"While video analytics holds great promise, people are still asking about the viability of using analytics in the real world. Indeed, as stories of video analytic problems have spread, concerns about the risks of "
The Value of Hybrid NVR/DVRs in IP Video Systems
Posted on Jun 15, 2008 for NVRs
"Hybrid NVR/DVRs are appliances (purposed built computers) that can simultaneously support IP cameras and directly connected analog cameras. This provides simplicity and flexibility. Customers can start with thei"
Introduction to Video CODECs : MJPEG, MPEG-4, H.264
Posted on Jun 14, 2008 for IP Cameras
"CODECs are a critical element of choosing, designing and using video surveillance systems. CODECs can lower the price of overall systems and increase the usability of systems. As such, having a basic understand"
H.264 is Hot: What are the Potential Problems and Risks?
Posted on Jun 13, 2008 for Megapixel Cameras
"Examination of H.264 risk has been far less thorough than attention to its benefits. Indeed, my own recent article examining Arecont Vision's H.264 had only minor coverage of the risks. While I still believe ban"
Will Security Integrators Survive IT Convergence?
Posted on Jun 12, 2008 for Convergence
"Many believe security integrators are dead; walking dinosaurs who are oblivious to their impending extinction. Indeed, many new IT entrants certainly wish that security integrators (and physical security managers"
Introduction to IP Video Surveillance / Network Video Recorders (NVRs)
Posted on Jun 10, 2008 for NVRs
"IP Video Surveillance and Network Video Recorders (NVRs) are two of the most common terms describing the use of IP cameras and network based computers in physical security. Both of these terms are marketing phras"
Bandwidth Tutorial for IP Video Surveillance Systems
Posted on Jun 08, 2008 for Convergence
"When using IP cameras, Megapixel cameras, NVRs or even DVRs, understanding the basics about how much bandwidth is available and how much is needed is critical in planning, designing and deploying IP video surveill"
Why Asymmetric Bandwidth is Important to IP Video Systems
Posted on Jun 08, 2008 for Convergence
"You may notice that your home cable modem offers greater bandwidth going down to your house than going up to the Internet. For instance, while you may have 3 Mb/s download, you can only upload at 384 Kb/s. This i"
360 Panoramic Cameras Going Mainstream
Posted on Jun 05, 2008 for Megapixel Cameras
"After years of unfulfilled promises, panoramic cameras look ready to go mainstream. Increased performance, reduced costs and the rise of IP video systems have transformed a product with great potential into a key"
How to Optimize NVR / DVR Storage
Posted on Jun 05, 2008 for Storage
"Megapixel cameras have brought renewed interest in measures to maximize NVR/DVR storage duration and use. Cost is a big factor as the potential storage needed could increase by 10x or more than historical standar"
Using Video for Marketing and Operations
Posted on Jun 03, 2008 for Envysion
"What's really interesting about "convergence" is using video for marketing and operation purposes rather than security - IT integration. Today, I read a post from the CEO of Envysion that nicely made the point an"
A Unique Approach to Intelligent Video
Posted on Jun 02, 2008 for Intellivid
"Intellivid offers a tightly integrated solution that potentially offers significantly greater value than today's leading DVRs/NVRs.NOTE: Intellivd has been acquired by Tyco. A new special report analyzing the imp"
Security Managers are Not Demanding Higher Image Quality
Posted on Jun 02, 2008 for Megapixel Cameras
"This statement may appear absurd because obviously security managers are buying higher resolution cameras, encoders and recorders. I do not doubt that. However, supplier's lower costs, rather than higher demand, "
How to Read Marketing Material
Posted on May 28, 2008 for Convergence
"Almost all IP video info is vendor marketing. Good decision making requires critically reading and analyzing this material. At first, I did not believe that most information was vendor marketing material. Obvio"
Priorities for Network Uptime in Video Surveillance
Posted on May 27, 2008 for NVRs
"Understanding what measures are feasible and what measures are extremely expensive or not possible is a key element in planning your network uptime strategy. While there are numerous measures available, many are "
Wireless Video Surveillance Tutorial
Posted on May 26, 2008 for Wireless
"While wireless can uniquely solve certain challenges, it is far riskier to deploy and use than wired networks. As such, it is critical to understand when to use wireless systems and the key risks in designing suc"
How to Evaluate New Technology
Posted on May 23, 2008 for Convergence
"Most new technology fails but when it is successful, the business benefits can be enormous. The challenge then is how to efficiently determine what new technology is legit so that you simultaneously avoid disaste"
How does Cisco Video Surveillance affect me?
Posted on May 21, 2008 for Cisco
"For 2 years now, speculation has been high on Cisco's video surveillance play. The Harrah's announcement magnifies this fear and excitement. To help assess the impact, this article reviews Cisco's video surveilla"
Risk of Hiring IT Sales People
Posted on May 17, 2008 for Convergence
"One of the sexiest but riskiest ideas in video surveillance is hiring IT sales people. It's easy to think that we are now moving into IT, the technology is new, the problems are different, the industry is being tr"
How to Calculate Video Surveillance ROIs
Posted on May 16, 2008 for Convergence
"ROI calculations are powerful but can be distorted. While they hold the promise of identifying objective value, they can often obscure the truth. The goal of this review is to help the security manager better un"
The Value of IBM Video Surveillance?
Posted on May 15, 2008 for Convergence
"Two years since the entrance of IBM into video surveillance, the value of IBM is less clear than ever. Today, SecurityInfoWatch reports on the state of IBM video surveillance and it does not look good for IBM.Let"
IP Camera Advantages and Disadvantages
Posted on May 14, 2008 for IP Cameras
"IP cameras have become accepted by the security industry. Yet most cameras are still analog and most video management systems are still DVRs. When and how do we make the transition? Is it a fast transition? Whe"
Megapixel Camera Cheatsheet
Posted on May 13, 2008 for Megapixel Cameras
"Determining how wide a field a view a megapixel camera can be tricky. Thankfully, IQinvision recently releaed a 'cheatsheet' to simplify solving this problem. It's a handy single page pdf . Both are good but I "
Economics of Video Surveillance RAID
Posted on May 10, 2008 for NVRs
"While valued by security managers for years, use of RAID for video surveillance systems has been low. With many organizations migrating to software only solutions, the RAID decision has new challenges.Today, Mile"
Video Analytic False Claims
Posted on May 09, 2008 for Video Analytics
"Numerous wildly inaccurate claims on video analytics were made in today's Dallas News.The negative impact of such fictional claims is a threat to security and our industry.Here are 3 of the worst claims from the a"
Realities of License Plate Recognition (LPR)
Posted on May 08, 2008 for Video Analytics
"LPR is a very demanding application that can only succeed in limited operational conditions deployed by expert security integrators. Historically, publicly available information clearly explaining the operational"
The Key Challenge for Video Analytics
Posted on May 07, 2008 for Video Analytics
"It's all about false positives. Catching the bad guy is pretty easy for today's perimeter violation and abandoned object detection. Not catching anything else -- the sun, the moon, the wind, the birds, the rain,"
IT is not transforming Security
Posted on May 03, 2008 for Convergence
"IT professionals evidently believe the Patriots should replace Belichick with the trainer. According to IT professionals, because injuries are so prevalent in football, salaries are so high and health is so impor"
H.264 makes Megapixel go Mainstream
Posted on Apr 30, 2008 for Arecont Vision
"ArecontVision's upcoming release of H.264 megapixel cameras will spur adoption of megapixel cameras for mainstream security organizations.Until now, bandwidth and storage costs were big problems so even if you wer"
Giving up on DVR Appliances?
Posted on Apr 28, 2008 for March Networks
"DVR appliance manufacturers are swiftly moving away from DVR appliances. This is a very risky move, maybe a necessary move, but chances are it will not work out well for them.March Networks today announced that th"
Breaking Standards is Good
Posted on Apr 26, 2008 for Convergence
"Attacking proprietary systems is en vogue but it's only breaking from standards where innovation occurs. The irony is IT players entering physical security have most seriously broken standards and their breaking "
New Life for Legacy DVR Manufacturers?
Posted on Apr 24, 2008 for ObjectVideo
"The most important strategic move of the year may have occurred last week when ObjectVideo announced the ability to add their analytics to DVRs by a simple software upgrade.For 3 years, smart cameras and software "
PSIM Problems
Posted on Apr 22, 2008 for Convergence
"PSIM is a great concept but has major structural problems that may limit its utility to the very largest security organizations. Expect video and access systems to continue to add features that provide the most f"
MJPEG vs. H.264
Posted on Apr 18, 2008 for IQinVision
"Recently, IQinVision releaed an article advocating benefits of MJPEG. While I found the article technically accurate, well written and worth reading, the nature of the application and its economics demand that MJP"
Outrageous Claims Hurt the Industry
Posted on Apr 16, 2008 for Video Analytics
"I just watched a video clip of an interview and demonstration of VideoIQ's abilities. While the first 3 minutes are standard analytic marketing, the ending of this clip is outrageous. These claims are, at best, w"
March Revealing Details on Strategy Shift
Posted on Apr 10, 2008 for March Networks
"March is revealing new information in its strategic shift to IP solutions. With the Cieffe purchase finalized, March has launched its "VideoSphere" line. This week, March posted a dozen new pages to their websit"

IP Video Market Info 2010