The Whole Puzzle, Not Just the Pieces
Filed under: CCTV Articles, CCTV Security DVR Cards, Security DVR
A lot of times when a consumer makes a purchase, they are solely focused on the immediate issue that they are trying to resolve. This is especially true when it comes to purchasing surveillance equipment. Most people focus on just the current situation at hand. They do not try to anticipate any further matters that they would encounter later on down the road. Assessing one’s entire place of business or residence is crucial when purchasing surveillance equipment. This is especially true since surveillance equipment can now be integrated with other systems such as point of sale and access control.
A single PC-based DVR now has the capabilities of video recording as well as recording POS time stamps and access control settings and records. Taking an extra hour to think about your application, do some personal research and maybe discuss it with a salesman or technician will save you hours and a significant amount of revenue in the long run. Properly planning out a system that is capable of meeting multiple needs may be a little more costly in the short term. But, it will save you from having to purchase additional equipment. You could also avoid having to pay additional shipping and possibly some return costs if you have to exchange for something totally different. It’s important to try and focus on the complete puzzle and not just the pieces.
Get It Right
Filed under: CCTV Articles, CCTV Camera, Security Camera, Security DVR
There are two main styles of security cameras on the market today and choosing the correct one can have allot to do with how safe your system will be once installed.
The two types of cameras are bullet and dome cameras. If your cameras are installed where they can be reached from the ground or with the aid of a short ladder or something else that can be put in place easily, you might want to consider using the vandal resistant dome camera. They are harder to damage than a bullet camera. But keep in mind if you are installing them on a wall instead of ceiling that you will want one that rotates on three axis. If not, your image will not be upright. If your cameras are mounted out of harm’s way, I would go with the bullet camera as you will find that they are usually more cost effective for the same quality of camera.
Also keep in mind that there are DVR lock boxes available to help secure your DVR. These come in several sizes and are made for stand alone as well as PC based DVR’s.
Migrating into IP
Filed under: General Technology, GeoVision, Security Camera, Security Camera System
As technology is changing, more and more people are feeling that they are falling way behind as far as having some of the features the newer CCTV systems have to offer. One of those features is being able to assign their cameras an IP address and view them over the internet remotely with their computer or phone.
If you are feeling this way, I have just the product for you. It’s called a video server, and it converts analog signals into IP video streams. Basically speaking, the IP video server can stream digitized video over IP networks in the same way that an IP camera can. This is what allows you to assign your camera an IP address and remotely view the camera. These powerful, but small pieces of equipment come with a varying number of channels and features to meet most system needs.
So if you would like to start having some of the features I have described above without having to purchase a whole new system, the video server might be just the product for you.
Network Sharing and Bandwidth
Filed under: CCTV Camera, General Technology, Networking, Security Camera, Security Camera Packages, Security Camera System
One of the first things I hear when beginning a conversation about using IP cameras on an existing network is “Will it eat up all my bandwidth and slow everything way down?” The answer, not unless you’re using extremely high resolution cameras, but using cameras with 1-megapixel of resolution or less should have little effect on bandwidth and still provide high quality images.
One of the first things to do when discussing sharing a network with a potential customer is to find out what they mean by sharing the network. Do they mean sharing the physical cable plant or just switches and infrastructure? As some of you might know, it is possible to share a single network switch without the networks interfering with each other, as long as the switch has the right capabilities.
Some people will recommend completely different networks for security systems, which is not usually necessary, unless of course, the network must be tightly controlled, which in most cases is not necessary. The most important part to remember when determining whether or not to share the network, or parts of it, is how much bandwidth the cameras will take up. One thing to keep in mind here is that megapixel cameras use a lot more bandwidth than a standard resolution camera. Older models of IP cameras that used MPEG4 with 30ips and a CIF of 640 X 480 would produce between 2 and 5 megabits per second (Mbps), depending on the brand. But now with H.264 we are seeing 2-megapixel cameras at 30ips producing up to 6Mbs, again depending on the brand. That is a huge difference when you are using several IP cameras on your system!
Just remember if you are using 1-megapixel cameras or less and have no more than 16 cameras on the system, bandwidth is not something to worry about too much. Cameras with higher resolution will take more consideration in the load your network can handle. Don’t be afraid to ask an expert.
Easy as PoE
Filed under: CCTV Articles, CCTV Camera, General Technology, Power Supply, Security Camera, Security Camera Packages, Security Camera System, Security DVR
There are several reasons why many customers want to move from there current DVR and analog systems into the world of network security. Better picture quality and the ease of merging into the IP world, are just a couple of reasons. One of the reasons the conversion to IP cameras and network security is so appealing is the ease of installation. In the past when you wanted to add a camera to a system you had several things to consider. One of the most important was how to get power to that device.
In the past cameras required two cables, one for data and one for power. With security camera systems constantly expanding, the demand for using only one cable to manage both data and power increased. The solution to this problem is Power over Ethernet (PoE). PoE is the ability to power a device through an Ethernet cable.
There are a couple of things that you will need to know about PoE, if you don’t already. First of all, not all network switches provide PoE, but they are becoming more popular and far more cost effective. PoE switches come in a variety of sizes and prices to fit your security budget. Some switches offer power through all ports, while others only offer power from a few ports.
When purchasing a PoE switch be sure you know what you need and what you are getting. Some switches have limitations, which could conflict with the goals you have for your security system. If you happen to have a switch that does not provide power to your device, all is not lost. These devices can have an injector put in-line to provide power. PoE injectors come in single port and multi-port configurations just as a switch does. Injectors will add cost to your project so be certain that they are required.
As with any project, planning is everything. If you are using PoE be sure to make sure the cameras are PoE compliant and then determine if your switch will be providing that power or if you will need injectors for your project. Installation time can be greatly reduced when using PoE devices, but these same devices can cost quite a bit more than a standard analog systems. Take some time to do the proper research before you commit to a security system and you might save yourself time, money, and a few unnecessary headaches.
Knowing Both Sides of the Business
Filed under: CCTV Articles, General Technology, Security Camera, Security Camera Packages, Security Camera System
We all know it takes a lot of effort to keep up with technology changes in the security industry. Over the last decade we’ve seen storage devices shift from the VCR to the DVR and now to the network video recorder. For those of us in this fast paced industry, we’ve had to do our fair share of homework just to remain educated about emerging security technologies.
To survive as the owner of a security company you not only have to know the technology side of the industry, but you must also have a firm knowledge of the business side. If you have weathered the storm of this unpredictable economy so far, then you’re clearly doing something right. However, if you are going to hold steady through the rest of the storm, you must be prepared for the changes occurring on the business side of the industry.
Just like all the advancements we have seen take place for recording data, there are just as many, or maybe even more taking place on the business side. Take the tax laws for example. Are you getting the maximum benefit you are entitled to as a business owner? If you do your own taxes, but are unaware of the recent changes to these laws, it might be wise to educate yourself in this area. Even if you have an accountant handling your taxes each quarter or year, do you know enough information about the tax laws in this business to ask the right questions? If not, you could be losing money. If you’d like to learn more about taxation and preparation, I suggest contacting local tax firms. Often these firms offer seminars on tax preparation, which can help you learn what documents to save and collect to reduce your tax liability.
If you’re new to the business arena, there are many resources available to you in your local community. Most metropolitan areas have affordable community colleges that offer night and weekend courses in business management. If you’re not close to one of these schools, but have an internet connection you may be able to participate in these same courses via the web. If all else fails, there are many business owners willing to give you advice, so find a good mentor to learn from. Remember to learn about all aspects of your business and establish a plan of continuing education. This industry is not going to stop evolving and we must prepare to change along with it.
Is the DVR on its way out?
Filed under: CCTV Articles, CCTV Camera, Comparisons, General Technology, Security Camera, Security Camera Packages, Security Camera System, Security DVR
As technology changes along with the price for IP based solutions, is our reliance on the DVR decreasing? As we look to the future, it is estimated by some that in the next three years IP based video storage will near the 6 Billion dollar mark, which could mean the need for the DVR could decline dramatically. One of the main reasons for such an increase in IP based storage is due to IP SANs (storage area networks). The cost and complexity of SANs dropped in the late 2000′s, resulting in a much wider adoption across both enterprise and small to medium sized business environments. There are studies that indicate that over 30% of the revenue generated by video surveillance storage, which is a big part of any project, will come from network storage. That is a large increase considering that for now, DVR’s and local storage still make up the bulk of the systems being installed.
As technology pushes onward and more systems move toward an IP based solution, other changes will surely be in store for the security industry. Some of the more cutting edge end users will begin looking at newer technologies such as network storage and video software as a service (VSaaS), which will increase the need for more providers of off-site video management and storage.
Does all this mean we are seeing the need for the DVR coming to an end, and if so how soon? I don’t think that the extinction of the security DVR is as close as some may predict. DVR prices are affordable to almost everyone and these units are still an upgrade for users who have been archiving footage with a VCR. I believe the DVR will remain our primary source of surveillance for many years to come. Keep in mind that technology will eventually lead to change and as in any industry, if we’re not prepared, we could find ourselves on the outside looking in.
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