Siqura (ex Optelecom NKF) overstock product offers

As leading IP based CCTV distributors Controlware are able to supply the entire Siqura product range and have a number of overstock products available. Siqura who recently changed their name from Optelecom NKF after a merger with TKH Group are committed to providing competitively priced products that are highly reliable. Controlware add value to the range by providing outstanding technical advice and support along with the best prices available in the UK. Contact video@controlware.co.uk or call 0844 225 9 225 to find out more CCTV over fibre The Siqura fibre range supports both point-to-point and optical add/drop CWDM topologies. The fibre products support fibre to IP conversion while plug and play installation, hot-swappable connectors and remote health monitoring make them extremely user friendly. Click below to find out more about Siqura’s CCTV fibre range MC Series – single and multi-channel CCTV video over fibre products 9000 Series – single and multi channel video over fibre products CCTV Encoders Siqura CCTV encoders and decoders are field-hardened to survive extreme temperatures and support MJPEG, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and H.264 video options. Designed using open streaming architecture (OSA) standards they are compatible with all the leading third-party VMS systems. Encoder options include integrated audio, data, digital input/outputs and can use either an RJ-45 or SFP connector to streamline CCTV surveillance. Find out more about Siqura encoders here. All you need for IP CCTV from ONE distributor Controlware is your one-stop-shop for CCTV products, equipment and networking systems. We can provide all you need for IP CCTV including CCTV cameras, Encoders, Video Servers, Fibre extenders, CCTV management platforms, ANPR, Access Control, Switches, routers, hubs, servers and PC’s. To find out more click here. Value added services – how Controlware can help you….. Controlware can not only provide IP based CCTV products and networking kit but can assist with network design, consultancy, commissioning and support services. For more information click here. Experience is important when selecting a distribution partner; Controlware has vast experience in supporting partners to develop IP CCTV systems. To review some of our work with partners click here

Upgrading CCTV from analogue to IP is easy with encoders

Encoders – the easy way to move CCTV to IP Encoders convert analogue CCTV to IP video and provide an easy way to upgrade your analogue to IP. You can acquire all the benefits that digital technology offers while retaining your investment in your system. As leading value-added distributors of IP CCTV products and systems Controlware provide a wide range of product options to suit all requirements and budgets together with the advice and support to future-proof your CCTV.       Axis encoders combine high quality video encoding with a low cost per channel making them an extremely attractive choice. Axis encoders are ideal for bandwidth efficient, high density encoding requirements. Find out more here or call 0844 225 9 225 for best prices.         Bosch provides a range of new H.264 highly single channel and multi-channel video encoders. Bosch encoders combine high reliability, optional video analytics and all the components for a complete end to end solution. Find out more here or call 0844 225 9 225 for best prices.       Siqura by Optelecom-NKF encoders provide single channel and multi-channel encoders built for tough environments and temperature ranges. The range includes video encoders, flexible install options such as CCTV over fibre and modular switches that are all housed in a universal chassis. Find out more here or call 0844 225 9 225 for best prices. Need help selecting the right encoder for you? Controlware has been at the forefront of IP systems for more than a decade. During this time we have developed our value added services to assist installers and integrators. Technical services including specification, system design and support ensures that you benefit from the best technical solution at the right price point. Call 0844 225 9 225 or email us with your solution requirements today and we can advise the right product or system for you. Controlware and the Controlware Logo are registered trademarks of Controlware Group. Controlware UK – Unit 2B, Votec Centre, Hambridge Lane, Newbury, RG14 5TN. Ph 0844 225 9 225

Helping channel partners get the most from IP based CCTV systems

CCTV channel interview with A&S International feature concering how Controlware can help CCTV installers and integrators get the most out of IP systems.

Q1. In what capacity do you work with traditional installers specializing in analogue technology? How do you complement each other?

Controlware: Due to our experience and skill set with IP video built up over the last 15 years we can offer the missing knowledge or support that the traditional analogue installer doesn’t have – This could be system design, commissioning, hardware sourcing (switches, servers etc.) or maintenance.

 

Q2. What are the usual problem areas (such as technology integration and installation techniques), and how do you solve them? How are compromises made?

Controlware: The usual problems are either around migration and leveraging legacy equipment and correspondingly any proprietary issues that might be faced such as telemetry or integrating hybrid systems.  The compromise is usually to either to have a managed migration plan that may involve additional hardware on a temporary basis or to accept reduced functionality for a period.

 

Q3. Has there been any case/project where it was simply easier to go all analog or all IP? Did you? Why or why not?

Controlware: We are currently rolling out a project for process control / improvement with a utilities company where, due to their IP VPN, it was easier to implement IP as all the WAN transmission infrastructure was already in place.  Therefore we could save costs and still improve remote site functionality and Health and Safety.

 

Q4. What can traditional installers do to better learn the IP/IT language?

Controlware: If installers wish to learn more about IP / IT then they should work with a trusted partner who has experience in IP and can help them develop their skills by working closely on projects and can then continue to help them in future opportunities through improved pre / post sales support.  This type of relationship is core to the Controlware partnership ethos.

 

Q5. What are you doing to better learn the analog/installation language?

Controlware: We understand the challenges that our installer partners face and we have a good knowledge basis on analogue implementation through undertaking industry recognized training but as we see IP as the future we don’t feel the need to invest heavily in this area.

 

Q6. What training programs are offered by manufacturers? What training programs are offered by IP/IT specialists like you?

Controlware: One of the challenges with manufacturer led training is that they are very product specific to that manufacturer whereas what the industry needs is wider IP / IT training on system design and networking such as switching technology, server specification or operating systems.  Within the Controlware group of companies we have a dedicated training organization called ExperTeach to provide exactly this missing link to our partners.

 

Q7. Is there any other support available, from manufacturers and from you?

Controlware: Most manufacturers can help with system design but again this tends to be limited to their own products and misses components like servers or switching or integration with legacy equipment.  Controlware are able to supply a complete consultancy, design and implementation service to what level the integrator requires.

 

Q8. How is effectiveness measured — number of new customers?

Controlware: This is difficult to measure – What I think you are seeing is different types of engineers coming through which allows traditional installers to bid on more and more IP based projects.  This in turn is opening up more business to them in different areas / verticals.

 

Q9. What is the working dynamics like between your company and the manufacturer partners when it comes to after-sales customer service/maintenance/troubleshooting of integrated, IP-based systems?

Controlware: We are able to provide 1^st, 2^nd and even 3^rd line technical support as we understand IP completely and test / train all our pre / post sales engineers on all the products we supply and additional training on software and networking qualifications and undertake a lot of testing and systems approvals before signing over a project.  This is backed up by a full test and evaluation lab where we can fault find in the event of issues being highlighted by our integrators.

 

Q10. What issues can your company handle on itself, and what issues get referred back to the manufacturer partners?

Controlware: Due to the high level of training, test equipment and experience we can handle most problems ourselves and only refer back issues with things like firmware / software faults or clearly faulty hardware.  Most times we are able to give these manufacturer partners detailed feedback on the issues such as how and when the fault occurs and can be replicated, additional logging information or isolation testing to be able to eliminate other factors.

 

Q11. For customers who have come to adopt IP-based security products, what were the top three driving forces?

Controlware: I would say the drive is improved functionality and reliability, IP being seen as the technology of the future (increased deployment of structured cabling, remote communications etc.) and not having to rely on proprietary equipment.

 

Q12. How was the higher cost justified? How was ROI proved or improved?

Controlware: While the item to item cost maybe higher IP based systems have been shown to have a lower TCO than analogue and also RoI is shown through higher uptimes, greater resilience / redundancy and improved functionality and flexibility in deployment.

 

Q13. Among your customers, what verticals lean more toward using IP-based security equipment?

Controlware: Education is a key adopter of IP as they tend to be more forward looking but we are seeing more and more utility suppliers and infrastructure partners looking at IP as they upgrade networks and also Healthcare are looking more and more at IP.

 

Q14. Any specific vertical(s) that your company wishes to break into with networked security products? Why?

Controlware: Retail is always of interest due to the size of the estate and deploy base.  I also think that, with proper planning and implementation, that IP has a lot to offer in both legal compliance, health and safety and marketing as well as traditional security.

 

Q15. What are some issues that need to be addressed in order for networked security products to gain further traction and adoption?

Controlware: The knowledge base is a key point both in the installer base and system specifiers as is the entry price point of IP in certain areas.  Recording platforms / hardware also needs to be reviewed to make IP easier to adopt for both end users and the installers.

 

Q16. Any other anecdotal success stories? For the geographical markets/regions that you are active in (please identify which), what kind of growth in IP-based security systems are you expecting for 2011?

Controlware: We expect to see good growth in IP through 2011 but it is difficult to put an exact number on it due to the challenging global conditions in different regions.  What we are seeing, however, is not only a migration of traditional security to IP but also projects around process control and health and safety compliance – IP fits these types of installations due to their flexibility and reduced TCO costs as they are easier to install, integrate with existing infrastructure and provide far better redundancy options and these arguments can be carried back into the traditional installation base.

If you are interested in becoming a Controlware channel partner sign up here.

 

The First Direct to Fibre IP CCTV PTZ Camera available from Controlware

Improve quality while reducing costs

There are few media available in the video surveillance industry that improve image quality while at the same time reducing costs. Yet fiber optic networks do just that. They also maintain the integrity of signals over longer distances and offer more bandwidth than twisted-pair or coax cables. Not to mention that fiber cabling is impervious to electromagnetic interference, such as that caused by high-voltage power lines and lightning.

Due to the ubiquitous nature and the advantages of fiber optic networks, as well as the current migration from analog to IP streaming, Optelecom-NKF is now offering its Siqura IP PTZ dome cameras with a fiber optic connector option. With a flexible SFP interface built into the PTZ body, a wide range of single mode, multimode, and CDWM modules can be used and an impressive range of mounting options are available.

“Network equipment being developed today needs to be able to handle IP traffic, regardless of the medium connecting it to the network,” said Roger Decker, Director of Solutions and Marketing at Optelecom-NKF. “That is why Optelecom-NKF recently developed five new IP PTZ dome cameras that can connect directly to a fixed network or wireless bridge via either twisted-pair or fiber optic cabling. We want customers to be able to select hardware based on its ability to withstand variances on the network and to provide high-quality streams.”

A solution for every situation

This new camera line consists of five cameras, each optimized for its application, with indoor, outdoor, compact (MSD), and high-speed (HSD) dome camera options. Each camera is capable of quad-streaming, supporting dual H.264 streams in addition to highly configurable MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and MJPEG. This flexibility in compression standards makes it easy for these Siqura cameras to offer the best quality video while at the same time streamlining network performance.

All the Siqura cameras are designed to comply with worldwide adopted standards and are tested with leading VMS vendors. This makes it possible to query or set PTZ coordinate positions or to integrate Siqura cameras into third-party systems. Furthermore, the new Siqura IP PTZ camera line comes with an easy-to-use, access-controlled, Web-based user interface, allowing users to configure or view video streams from a PC or even via handheld devices, such as PDAs.

Since surveillance conditions can vary widely even for just one camera, this Siqura IP PTZ camera series also includes a day/night (IR-cut filter) and backlight compensation as standard features that can be applied manually or automatically when lighting conditions require it. The wide dynamic range functionality ensures excellent video quality, even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Additionally, the Siqura HSD and MSD cameras are part of the Siqura product line, an extensive collection of video surveillance equipment offering complete solutions and reputed for quality and reliability.

For more information and to see the new cameras live contact Controlware on 0844 225 9 225.

Holiday seasons greetings from Controlware

December Controlware wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Seasons greetings from Controlware UK 2010 has been a busy and successful year in which we have provided a number of new and extensions to existing CCTV systems. All of the projects we have been involved with have benefited from our extensive experience as a technology leader for IP based CCTV systems allowing us to advise which products and configurations are best suited for each project. In this way we have worked closely with users and installers, clarifying technical specifications and helping to develop integrated solutions that meet Operational Requirements by not only delivering high quality video images but the latest recording and management features too. The latest CCTV research by Frost & Sullivan, IMS, MBD and others is forecasting that IP is the future for CCTV and that IP technology will drive future growth. We have spoken many times about the benefits of IP CCTV prompting industry-wide debate most notably with “The true cost of IP CCTV” in which we challenged Mike Newton’s (Dedicated Micros CEO) claims that IP CCTV was expensive and unreliable. A series of follow up articles including “CCTV Video Image Quality is Everything” and “Is IP cost competitive?” led to more debate both online in theLinkedin forums, on the Controlware Blog and in print. As we look to continued growth in the New Year I would like to thank you for your support in 2010 and wish you and your families every happiness this Christmas on behalf of the Controlware team. Best Wishes & season’s greetings,   Controlware   Holiday office opening times From the afternoon of the 24th December to 4th January 2011 The sales and marketing office is closed The support desk remains contactable on the out of hours number for 24/7 support as normal. Follow us on Twitter Sign up for the Linkedin CCTV group Read the news, views and opinion on the Controlware Blog Forward to a friend

CCTV software based on open standards provides advantages

Open Standards are the Future of IP Networking where everything seems possible

Integration is the key for CCTV

If your mobile phone can connect with Facebook and give you someone’s contact info or you can have a video conference with people on the other side of the planet for free, it does not seem as though managing and monitoring surveillance cameras just a block away should be much of a problem. However, the world of video networking is not as simple as it might seem. This booming industry contains many devices and technologies from an array of manufacturers and vendors, all vying for the best solutions to meet the problem of how to keep people and places secure.

With such an abundance of options, it would be a pity to limit a surveillance system to a single brand or technology. System designers and owners need to be able to easily connect their systems with other networks and to incorporate new and innovative solutions into the technology of their legacy systems. It is therefore imperative to create standards to ensure that the apparatuses in surveillance systems can communicate with each other as well as interface with other networks.

Blending sundry backgrounds

Standardizing video surveillance technology is no easy feat. The advent of IP networking ultimately merged the broadcast, telecom, and CCTV industries together, each of which had their own way of working with and producing new products and ideas. Even within a single industry, technology diverged greatly.

The broadcast industry started out, for example, with watertight standards (PAL and NTSC) that could literally be used anywhere in the world; they were always the same. Digital streaming changed all of that simply because video compression standards work quite differently. There are many standards and a wide spectrum of implementations is available for each standard; that is, MPEG-2 in one system is not necessarily compatible with the devices in another network. The standard allows for a broad range of profiles and applications that advantageously let users and developers customise their systems and solutions. However, the disadvantage of this is that networks cannot interface with one another.

Standardisation involves generating unified platforms. The systems deployed upon these open standards need to be capable of interfacing with the outside world while still allowing for internal customisation. This latter aspect can, at times, prove itself to be an exceedingly challenging part of video networking. As a result, although great strides have been made to simplify system integration, creating universal standards is and will remain a dynamic process; the varied and rich backgrounds from which the technology develops exclude straightforward answers and force standardisation to exist only as an ongoing struggle to conform to specific needs while building networks that can openly interface with each other.

Integrating different technologies in disparate systems

Optelecom-NKF (manufacturer of Siqura®) believes that video surveillance owners and designers benefit from the ability to select their own hardware, try out new technologies in existing systems, and draw from the diverse disciplines amalgamated in IP networking. Therefore, Optelecom-NKF has for many years now offered its customers an open streaming architecture (OSA) API based on acknowledged standards. This ultimately allows video streams to be viewed anywhere in the world over RTSP, even via handheld devices, such as PDAs, or through applications, such as QuickTime and VLC. Optelecom-NKF has also integrated its products into major video management systems (VMS), such as, XProtect (Milestone), Omnicast (Genetec), Security Center (Genetec), and many others.

In addition, Optelecom-NKF is a contributing member and strong supporter of the ONVIF and PSIA initiatives, the leading efforts in standardization. These movements have already made excellent achievements in helping companies work together to create open platforms for IP video networking.

Meeting the CCTV needs of the future

Optelecom-NKF recently developed an ONVIF-compliant, high-definition (HD) H.264 IP camera series. The traditional box-style BC6x cameras and the vandal-proof fixed dome FD6x cameras provide HD resolution images in H.264, MPEG-4, and MJPEG. With the option to configure multiple combinations of resolution and frame rate, it is possible to satisfy a variety of different live-viewing and recording scenarios, making these cameras ideal for large professional installations where high resolutions and quality images are needed.

The Siqura 6x cameras offer true day/night and backlight compensation as standard features, as well as wide dynamic range (WDR) functionality in some models, to ensure quality images in difficult lighting conditions. Since surveillance solutions need to be flexible when it comes to installation, these new cameras can be powered from AC, DC, or Power over Ethernet (PoE) power sources. Through an intuitive and straightforward Web interface, users can configure features such as motion detection and privacy masks to ensure the security of the surveillance system.

The development of these ONVIF-compliant HD cameras is just another step towards ensuring that Siqura surveillance solutions offer the best system for even the most demanding surveillance situations.

The future of video streaming for CCTV

Video surveillance systems have changed a lot since the arrival of IP technology. Technological advancements make it seem as though anything is possible. Devices in your car can tell you where to go; you can watch what’s happening anywhere in the world almost instantaneously through someone’s cell phone. It seems that networking video surveillance systems should be really simple.

Yet, the video networking industry stems from a disparate collection of companies and technologies, challenging manufacturers today to change the way they think about networks. While analogue CCTV installations were inherently closed (as the name closed circuit television or CCTV indicates), system owners and administrators today need to be able to connect their systems with outside networks, as well as have various devices within a single system that can easily interface with one another. Inventing new solutions, such as the upcoming Siqura ONVIF-compliant HD IP cameras, based on open standards for specific applications is an inevitable aspect of the future of this vibrant industry.

As a supplier of Optelecom-NKF products along with JVC, Sanyo, Genetec, Bosch, contact Controlware to find out how integrated products and systems can benefit you

Best CCTV equipment showcased in new UK demo facility

See the best CCTV equipment from leading manufacturers such as Bosch, JVC, Optelecom-NKF, Pelco, Samsung and Sanyo in a single location.

Distributor Controlware’s new demo facility at their UK offices in Newbury enables existing and new partners to see and trial different manufacturers CCTV equipment back to back.

Partner companies, installers, consultants and end users are able to arrange a visit and get a feel for the CCTV equipment and technologies they want to use in a working environment.

CCTV equipment from leading manufacturers such as Bosch, JVC, Optelecom-NKF, Pelco, Samsung and Sanyo, is available to see and trial live in action. Since the system is based around an open management platform different cameras and encoders can be monitored in the same system.

Behind the CCTV equipment there is also a range of networking equipment that forms the basis of the IP CCTV system. CCTV management platforms, CCTV cameras, CCTV encoder’s, network switches, routers and hubs as well as technologies such as IP, wireless, MPEG-4, H.264, Megapixel and HD all interact to provide one of the most advanced demo suites in the UK – coupled with the widest choice of CCTV equipment.

Anyone who wants to learn more about IP CCTV systems be they reseller, installer, consultant or end user is welcome to visit, discuss their requirements and technical questions with Controlware.

Arrange a visit by calling +44 (0)1635 884800 or email video@controlware.co.uk.

Controlware Demo Suite

CCTV system design options improved with IP

When working with Installers and System Integrators to develop CCTV systems it is often helpful to include the end user in these discussions. That way all parties gain a more comprehensive understanding of what is required in the Must Have / Nice to have / Wish list of features.

Following on from part 1 other Wish list things we could offer included driving outputs to switch on lights in poorly lit areas – and again cost savings could be made by using Raytec LED lighting. This was interesting for me as we were able to use mixed white and red light illuminators in one device, which gave additional cost savings through reduced running costs.

And all this before we had even got to the software!

Once at the control room even more Wishlist items could be ticked off. We could run the system over the End Users Virtual Machine environment and utilise their large SAN. Not having to buy expensive dedicated DVR / NVRs which would need to be deployed locally onsite, allowed them to expand the system potential. They could add more locations and cameras to the network, improving the system functionality and meaning more installation work for the System Integrator and a higher value / margin software sale.

The powerful feature rich element of our Cware Video Management Software also meant improved operational usage. They could deploy the fully functional client with all the alarm handling and escalation onto multiple operators’ stations. The alarms could flash on the operator’s PC toolbar, drawing their attention to anything that required action rather than just sitting watching cameras waiting for something to happen. This meant that they could then work on other things, improving productivity and providing a more interactive and interesting work environment.

All in all through working in partnership with different manufacturers and the CCTV Integrator within the overall solution and running over an IP infrastructure we were able to far exceed the customer’s expectations and correspondingly improve their perception of the System Integrators and also improve the System Integrators slice of the project spend by clever deployment of hardware and software to maximise available budgets, rather than spend these on options that may not have been won by the SI such as additional cabling or digging trenches.

To read part 1, click here. If you would like to find out more about working in partnership with Controlware, please drop me an email at ipcctv@controlware.co.uk.

Open CCTV management software the best way forward for CCTV systems

It is plain to see that the CCTV market will embrace IP as the dominant technology for CCTV systems very soon. The next thing to examine is how the industry is able to quickly integrate IP into today’s new and existing installations.

One of the most attractive things about the IP-based open management platform is the ability to help migrate existing systems to IP without replacing existing infrastructure or the cost of upgrading relatively new components in order to get an attractive new feature. This is why one of Controlware’s fundamental approaches when working alongside partners is to make system design as modular as possible so that components can be integrated as and when required to meet operational requirements, phased project management or simply budgetary needs. By utilising an open management platform over the life of the project (be this one month, one year, 10 years) it allows us to work with partners to meet these requirements in a flexible and logical way.

It would be very difficult to achieve a project successfully if you were tied to a proprietary system because you would need to be able to ensure that you could get all the interoperable components over the lifetime of the system (How many times have we been involved with projects where a key component has gone end of life and the replacement isn’t similar at all?). The use of a proprietary solution could also force you to use inferior parts of that vendor’s overall system that don’t meet your requirements. Other vendors’ products would probably fit your needs much better but you can’t use them because you are held hostage by the very nature of selecting a proprietary system!

By taking the open management platform route the future is far easier. You can mix and match non-compatible edge devices from different manufacturers, you are free to choose which storage and recording hardware vendor you want to work with and also how storage is deployed in relation network topology to help with redundancy or resilience continuity planning. Also you can integrate other technology options including analytics or access control and actively manage migration of legacy systems to meet operational / budgetary requirements.  This is an example of how  Controlware works with its partners – We ensure that the operational requirement of the end user is met rather than just sell you tin.  In order to meet the needs of our customers and partners we work closely to ensure you don’t buy a square peg to fit a round hole – and have to live with the consequences.

If you would like to challenge Controlware to prove that open management can be just as cost effective as proprietary systems, provide a better service than analogue or allow you to enable an upgrade to IP without replacing your entire system then please contact Controlware or have a look at the Cware open management platform.

Analogue or digital IP CCTV? The CCTV technology debate continues…

In response to the True Cost of IP CCTV article by Mark Harraway (Country Manager, Controlware) that was a rebuttal of Mike Newton’s, (CEO of Dedicated Micros), claims that IP CCTV solutions are expensive and unreliable compared to analogue / hybrid solutions, Miguel Sabbe of  DiViSec – Digital Video Security adds his views.

In general, as Mark puts it, it (the original Mike Newton article) seems to be more of a sales pitch rather then a general debate. It goes without saying that I am convinced of the future of true and pure IP.

Allow me to state in detail some of the remarks I have:

•Network failure ? Only poorly defined systems/networks tend to fail. A properly built and configured network is among the most reliable components of an organization. Why else would any and every major organization and entity rely on networks to transfer information and valuable data?

•The burden put on a network by an IP CCTV system, is not purely the fact it’s IP, but rather the type of components put on it, and the actual configuration of the network. Again, poorly configured networks will consume far more resources than properly configured ones.

•As for components put on the network, there is no common standard in cameras, in compression algorithms, in image quality, in fact there is no common ground whatsoever on IP cameras. Some manufacturers even call mjpeg a digital compression algorithm. Point is that there is an enormous difference in bandwidth (and thus in network load) between different IP cameras, even amidst cameras of a same brand! Chosing a proper IP camera, with decent H.264 compression, and a proper implementation of this algorithm, will deliver bandwidth for effective network efficient streams.

•If high numbers of devices need to be implemented, a multicast network should be considered. If multiple, external or public network connections need to be defined, a trancsoding engine should be considered, as correctly suggested.

•Decentralised architectures, edge-enabled systems, as opposed to client server architectures, could indeed be defined as slightly more reliable, simply due to their configuraiton. However, even in typical IP environments (which are here referred to as client/server) back-up storage, fail-safe recording, guaranteed functioning, failover network, dual ring configurations, etc, can be foreseen, with the same limited cost! This client/server architecture is actually also the ‘result’ of the lacking of any common denominator or language in IP CCTV so far. Hopefully, ONVIF or PSIA will solve this issue going forward. At that time, all units and all devices should be capable of communicating directly with one another, thus creating the absolute key advantage of an IP system.

•As for the example of a 750 camera system, and the cost ‘estimation’: first and foremost, the points mentioned are correct indeed of course; network performance, servers costs, CPU requirement for analytics, etc, etc, all put high demands – and thus high costs – for the system! However, at this moment the only environments where I have found 750 cameras running on one single LAN network, storage being centralised in one single location, is either an airport or a casino. Both are high risk, high security facilities, where cost of the CCTV system is less dominant, to say the least.

•Any enterprise, where the security director or the integrator, has the least bit of common sense, will distribute their architecture, thus pushing processing, recording, storage, etc as far to the edge as possible. The least one will do in such projects, is to create different nodes or clusters, each of which “function” on their own.

•The specification, and thus also the cost, of a decoding server, is again related to the lack of a common algorithm: the ‘burden’ to decode an mpeg-4 or H.264 stream is again heavily dependent on the quality of this stream, or the way the compression algorithm is implemented. When using “good” cameras, one can achieve a high number of streams onto one single machine, thus displaying up to almost 100 streams on a single machine. All however depends on the cameras, their compression algorithm, the way it has been implemented, etc etc.

•As for driving video walls, the limits there are defined by video wall manufacturers, rather then by IP CCTV manufacturers. Having said this though, it is true that you do not necessarily need expensive multiple units, decoders, and video wall drivers. Far more effective (and cheaper) solutions exist in the market today!

•The concept of the ICR seems somewhat contradictory to the statements made earlier on distributed architecture: with such ICR, one puts all functions into the camera itself, and the camera is actually referred to as a ‘server’. What processor(s) are used ? How much heat is dissipated ? How much noise is generated ? What are operational specs for such device ? What dimensions will such device have ? With the definition of this ICR, it is again referred to failure of the TCP/IP structure or the network. Repeating the first question, how often do we actually still see true network failures?? Does this ICR have 2 processors? Which? FPGA so they are field upgradeable ? Or ASIC which means they aren’t? How is licensing handled/stored/managed?

•Most interesting aspect of this whole paper: there is no mentioning or referral whatsoever to non-IP parts. The only key message I find in this paper is that of a distributed architecture, vs a centralized one, no more, no less.

All in all, one might argue that several things hold true, that there are numerous reasons to remain with ‘old’ analogue technology, that IP isn’t necessarily the answer to all our concenrs and questions. However, the drive to this new technology, which I prefer to call the merger into IP, in line with what happens all around us, is simply forced onto us by the market itself! Every product or technology we use in our CCTV business, is a direct derivative from a consumer product (VCR, CCTV camera, DVR, NVR, …..). So in this respect, our industry simply follows developments of consumer electronics. So as for what the future brings us: simply look at consumer markets; access anywhere, anytime; full wireless systems; broad bandwidths available all around; massive data transfer over (even public) networks; full HD television; multi mage pixel cameras (still as well as moving images), ever increasing HDD sizes; ever longer storing of images; gigabit networks even in residential environments; ….

The industry is simply going digital, full stop. Look at Sony for example, world’s biggest manufacturer of sensors. For several years already, no more R&D is spent on traditional sensors; all investment are going into digital technology. So even if one would want to remain with analogue, the industry will simply prevent this. This evolution, combined with price decrease of digital technology components (network cost, switches, routers, PC, servers, HDD, storage, …) shows that the shift towards a complete digital world is simply inevitable.

The point of an end-to-end solution vs multi-vendor solutions is – to my belief – a key advantage of the IP world: one can pick and chose various parts and components, and create his solution with different building blocks from different vendors. This way, the customer is ensured he has a solution that perfectly meets his demands, that fits his requirements perfectly, and that offers the best price/quality ratio. Manufacturers in their turn can focus on their core competences, and develop strong VMS systems, high quality IP cameras, cost effective storage systems, new processing & analytics algorithms. When (not if) we have common standards in our industry, customers will be able to simply pick and chose products, systems and solutions, and have the ability to easily connect them together.

To read the original articles about the analogue Vs IP CCTV debate and receive a free cost breakdown for a 750 camera system (mentioned as an example in the original article by Mike Newton), click here.