Find news and information for the executive corporate security director, CSO, facility manager and assets protection manager on issues of policy, products, incidents, risk management, threat assessments and preparedness.
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VIDEO SURVEILLANCE By James Marcella Analog Surveillance Makeover How hybrid solutions can lead legacy customers to IP video success (and a future sale) M any small to medium-sized businesses are still entrenched in analog CCTV. Based on price alone, the traditional DVR-based system seems like good value for the money. But times are changing — and that creates opportunity for security dealers and integrators. There are a variety of IP-based technologies that can create a migration path to network video and help your customer overcome their resistance to change. 52 The SMB market — which makes up the majority of the 65 percent of systems today that still use analog — is starting to look enviously at peers who made the switch to IP for HDTV-quality resolution, intelligence at the edge and easier remote monitoring. Yet, some are still resistant to scrap legacy equipment that can still get the job done. Hybrid DVRs were once the only option; however, today there are different IP-based technologies that can create a migration path to network video and help the end-customer overcome their resistance to change. Video Encoders: The New Hybrid DVR Video encoders take the concept of hybrid DVRs to new heights. When equipped with an SD card option, a four-channel encoder can store up to 64GB — or several weeks of full frame rate 4CIF resolution video — from four separate analog cameras. If attached to a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device, retention rates are increased even more. These solutions are ideal for SMB systems, as customers can leverage their existing analog cameras while basic client viewing applications let them remotely view live video and search recorded video via any authorized network-connected device. Unlike traditional hybrid DVRs, most video encoders include some level of intelligence that adds increased value to aging analog systems. For example, Video Motion Detection (VMD) can alert users to someone entering a room, and tampering alarms can indicate if a camera has been moved, damaged or obstructed. When you load more advanced analytics onto the encoder, such as people counting or cross-line detection, the customer gains additional business intelligence and security. The highest-performance video encoders support up to 16 cameras per "pizza box" unit, while rack-based encoder blades enable enterprise-size solutions to connect up to 84 cameras per chassis — allowing systems to scale to thousands of cameras. Hosted Video: Managing Surveillance in the Cloud Video-Surveillance-as-a-Service (VSaaS) via hosted video affords steady, recurring month- www.SecurityInfoWatch.com | SD&I; | September 2013