We regularly send out Specials via email to our newsletter subscribers. Historical updates and specials are shown within this section of
the website. In order to subscribe to receive our Newsletter and Specials into your email inbox, please click here to
visit the home page and subscribe.
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have been awarded the security upgrade work to be completed in Puddle Duck Ln, Erina. The scope of works was to install IP CCTV cameras over a wireless link to the clients office in their house as well as a video intercom at the main gate which was approx 300m away from the clients house. Brett worked on the wireless link using the latest Ubiquiti antennas and receivers to ensure the very best in wireless video transmission. Brett also recommended the client use the Panasonic Intercom to guarantee the operation of the video feed from the clients entry gate to the house would not falter.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security were engaged to design and install the new Security System for the new Bayswater, Kings Cross Fine Wines Bottle shop. Brett worked closely with their operations manager, to design and install the new security system which included Intruder Alarm with Back to Base Monitoring and an IP CCTV Surveillance system.
Read More…
Bret Gallen and the team at iKey Security have been awarded the 2nd contract to commence the Good St Apartment Intercom upgrades. The Good St, Apartments have approx 90+ units. The existing units intercoms are all beginning to fail and the managing strata agents Comfort Living Strata Management have begun the process of upgrading each of the 8+ buildings. The Intercom will be changed over from back and white video to the very latest 2 wire colour video system with access control added to each building too via HID smart card readers.
Read More…
Bret Gallen and the team at iKey Security have been awarded the first contract to commence the Good St Apartment Intercom upgrades. The Good St, Apartments have approx 90+ units. The existing units intercoms are all beginning to fail and the managing strata agents Comfort Living Strata Management have begun the process of upgrading each of the 8+ buildings. The Intercom will be changed over from back and white video to the very latest 2 wire colour video system with access control added to each building too via HID smart card readers.
Read More…
Brett Gallen at the team at iKey Security have been awarded the intercom contract for the Apartments on Belmont Ave. Brett and his team worked out the best solution was to install the latest wireless GPRS intercom from Dallas Delta. The intercom calls the residents mobiles from the intercoms door station at the buildings front door/s via a 3G/4G wireless dialer. The resident can then unlock the door from their mobile by pressing a pin number which unlocks the door. This was a great benefit to the committee as it saved approx $20K on installation.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have successfully completed JK Williams Stage 2 Security upgrade at their Penrith facility. Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security were engaged as the head Security Contractor after lengthy negotiations to design, supply and install JKW's new IP CCTV Security System. The System included the latest 64CH 4K UHD Recorder with 8MP and 12MP Cameras. The total number of cameras installed across the site was 50 which also included 4 x 12MP 360 degree fisheyes mounted in their transport warehouse. Warren Shepherd from JKW was extremely happy with the design and installation and looks forward to working with Brett and his team into the future
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security were engaged to design and install the new IP Surveillance System for the Rockhampton Hotel. Brett worked closely with their new licensee, Tony Mackey, to design and install the new CCTV system to cover the Bar areas, Gaming Room and Restaurant. Overall the system included a 16CH Tribrid Recorder and 16 IP Cameras.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security were engaged to design and install the new IP Surveillance System for the Watermark Premier Apartments in Bella Vista. Brett worked closely with their buildings manager, Michael, to design and install the new CCTV system to cover the internal and external areas of the apartment. Overall the system included a 32CH Recorder and 16 IP Cameras.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security were engaged to design and install the new IP Surveillance System for the Veterinary Cremation Services site in Yennora. Brett worked closely with the owner, Simon, to design and install the new CCTV system to cover the internal areas, cremation control LED's and the chimney stacks on the roof which formed part of the spec required by the owner and local council. Overall the system included a 16CH Recorder and 14 IP Cameras.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security were engaged to design and install the new security system including Intruder Alarm with 24/7 Back to Base Monitoring and an IP Surveillance System for the Cooma Hotel in NSW's snowy mountain region. Brett worked closely with their new Licensee Tony Mackey, to design and install the new CCTV system to cover the Bar areas, Gaming Room, Bottle Shop and Restaurant. Overall the system included a 64CH Super 4K (UHD) Recorder and 38 IP Cameras across the site. The new intruder alarm will be monitored 24/7 by iKey Security's control room and provided rapid response to all active alarms.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have successfully completed the security installation for Northline Freight's transport facility in Wetherill Park, Sydney southwest.
Brett worked closely with Northlines Corporate Services Coordinator Colin Owen until project completion. The team at iKey Security were up against the major security players in ADT and Chubb however; it was a combination of both price but even more so, service, that won iKey Security the contract.
The security spec given to iKey Security was to design and install a high end security system that consisted of Intruder Alarm, Access Control and the very latest in IP CCTV technology. Integrated 24/7 back to base Alarm and Access Control, with miPASS secured encryption ensures that the site is well secured from all access points.
With a Service and Maintenance Agreement in place, it will see the team at iKey Security provide 24/7 on/off site technical support giving piece of ind that the system installed will be maintained at optimum levels. Brett Gallen has welcomed the partnership with the team at Northline and looks forward to building and maintaining a very close working relationship into the future.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security were engaged to design and install the new Security System for the new Paddington Fine Wines Bottle shop. Brett worked closely with their operations manager, to design and install the new security system which included Intruder Alarm with Back to Base Monitoring and an IP CCTV Surveillance system.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security were engaged to design and install the new IP Surveillance System for the Concord Hotel. Brett worked closely with their operations manager, to design and install the new CCTV system to cover the Bar areas, Gaming Room and Restaurant. Overall the system included a 32CH Recorder and 23 IP Cameras.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security were engaged to design the CCTV refurbishment for the Y-Hotel. As the incumbent security contractor for Y Hotel, Brett was asked to redesign the CCTV layout for the hotels refurbishment. Working closely with the team at Y Hotel, Brett Gallen designed and installed the new CCTV components for the hotels new foyer and reception area. There was also a need to add some access control to the luggage rooms and reception areas all of which completed by iKey Security's team.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have successfully completed the Security System installation of Xylems remote Karratha Industrial Site. Brett has been working closely with Xylem since 2008 and was engaged to design and install the new security system for their remote Karratha industrial site. The team at Xylem wanted to ensure the system was fully integrated to their management site in Sydney; it comprised of Access Control, Intruder Alarm with 24/7 Monitoring as well as a high end IP CCTV System. Brett oversaw the whole project and was even on site to do the final commissioning and testing for Xylems WA management team.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have successfully completed the Security fit out for the new Greenwood Child Care Centre at Chatswood, Meriton Apartments. The System comprised of Access Control with Individual Parent Access, IP CCTV Surveillance and VoIP Telephone System. The contract was won part of a tender with Rescon Builders who have been engaged as the preferred builder of the NSW Greenwood Centres. We look forward to working with Rescon builders well into the future.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have just completed the Security System Upgrades to the NSW SES - Sydney Southern Region command office. The SES were looking to add a video intercom solution to their southern regions office that included remote access and wireless handsets for easier access to their offices. Panasonic was the brand selected by Brett to offer the best solution at a competitive price.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have been working closely with the NSW Anglicare team , providing them advice and system design knowledge to better secure some of their most important sites. They have just finished the security upgrade to their Rooty Hill Carers house. The design of this site was to help secure the property with Intruder Alarm, Access Control as well as give the carers on site improved personal security with Duress Buttons and IP CCTV Cameras; all of which are monitored remotely.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have successfully completed the Security fit out for the new Greenwood Child Care Centre at Waterloo. The System comprised of Access Control with Individual Parent Access, IP CCTV Surveillance and VoIP Telephone System. The contract was won part of a tender with Rescon Builders who have been engaged as the preferred builder of the NSW Greenwood Centres. We look forward to working with Rescon builders well into the future.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have successfully completed the Security fit out for the new Greenwood Child Care Centre at Lane Cove. The System comprised of Access Control with Individual Parent Access, IP CCTV Surveillance and VoIP Telephone System. The contract was won part of a tender with Rescon Builders who have been engaged as the preferred builder of the NSW Greenwood Centres. We look forward to working with Rescon builders well into the future.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have been working closely with the NSW Anglicare team , providing them dvice and system design knowledge to better secure some of their most important sites. They have just finished the security upgrade to their Blacktown Children's boarding house. The design of this site was to help secure the property as well as give the carers on site improved personal security with Duress Buttons and IP CCTV Cameras; all of which are monitored remotely.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have successfully completed JK Williams Stage 1 Security upgrade at their Penrith facility. Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security were engaged as the head Security Contractor after lengthy negotiations to design, supply and install JKW's new Security System. The System was to integrate Access Control across over 30+ Doors and Key Cabinets, Intruder Alarm across the Main Office, Warehouse and detached Warehouse and provide 24/7 back to base monitoring. Warren Shepherd from JKW was extremely happy with the design and installation and looks forward to working with Brett and his team on stage 2 of the upgrade coming soon - IP CCTV.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team have just complete the CCTV Upgrade for the Y Hotel Hyde Park in Sydney's CBD.
iKey Security were contacted to upgrade their existing 17 analogue cameras to IP as well as, incorporate and further 20 cameras to give maximum coverage across the hotel most vulnerable areas.
Brett worked closely with the Hotel Manager and Maintenance Manager and after close consideration, they decided that the Samsung IP platform was the best quality and also offered the best value for money. Across the hotel, they now have 37 Samsung Full HD IP cameras; giving the staff and hotel guest piece of mind that safety is a top priority.
The Y Hotel Management and iKey Security look forward to a long partnership and are already looking at the next project together.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have just completed a Security Upgrade for the Aspect Central Coast, Autistic School.
Brett was contacted by the School to help them improve their current security systems and improve safety and some forms of communications. Brett worked closely with the Principal who suggested they were looking at investing in a "security card" system with reporting, and some type of intercom for the 2 entry gates. During the initial consultation and site visit, Brett was asked if there was something they could suggest to also help improve the communication between the office and the children's playgrounds, as in the past, if there was an incident in the playground the teachers would have to run all the way back to the office to alert others. Brett suggested adding additional "call points" in the 3 separate playgrounds to enable teaches to press a button and have direct communication with the office staff; this was seen as a must have by all of the staff and the principal and was added to the total security spec.
Aspect Terrigal is a non for profit organisation, so Brett also worked closely with the suppliers to apply further discounts or donate what they could to help keep the overall costs down.
"it was great to see everyone do what they could to help keep the costs down, a big thank you to all the suppliers for their donations and massive discounts, a job well done" Brett Gallen
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have just completed the Security fit-out for Anglicare's new Villawood Warehouse.
Brett Gallen was contacted by Anglicare to provide a Security Proposal for their new warehouse, located in Villawood NSW. They were asked to provide a Fully Digital CCTV system with remote viewing abilities on PC's, Tablets and Smartphones.
Following the initial site visit, Brett suggested using the Samsung Security Platform. Samsung Security is by far one of the world leaders in CCTV technology; its latest range of 2MP/3MP IP cameras and Samsung NVR's are second to none. Their image quality and built in video analytics are pushing the boundary's in today's security market. Anglicare have also provided great feedback on their new Security system and are looking forward to working with Brett Gallen and his team in the future.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have just completed the Roselands SNAP Fitness Gym Security upgrade.
As a 24hr Gym, Tony Mackey (Gym Owner) was looking to upgrade is current CCTV system for a fully digital IP system that allowed for remote monitoring via, PC, Tablet and Smartphone. Having the ability to log in anytime, anywhere in the world was important to Tony as he spends time in his other SNAP gyms, one in Orange (NSW) and his most recent location in Malaysia.
Having a system that works is a great advantage to Tony and his staff as a lot of the time the Gym is not always staffed by an employee. It allows the mangers to quickly run through daily footage to see if members are letting "non paying customers" in during times that its not staffed by a Gym employee. It also allows Tony and his team to archive footage for OH&S and incident reporting; it also shows who is and who isn't keeping the gym tidy. One of the main problems for a 24hr Gym is that members come in, use the equipment and leave the equipment out or unclean.
Investing in such a system has given Tony and his team the tools to educate his members on unauthorised people in the gym and also about the usage rules, such as, keep the equipment clean and tidy.
Tony has been so impressed with the System supplied and installed by iKey Security that he has invested in an identical system throughout his Gym in Malaysia; these 2 sites are now integrated through Samsung Security Manager giving Tony eyes 24/7 across both sites through one application.
Read More…
Conceived by Australia’s foremost alarm technician, Gabriel Daher,
Interlogix ZeroWire is a powerful wireless security and automation
solution that’s as attractive for end users as it is for installers. WHEN an engineering version of the ZeroWire wireless security and
automation system was displayed at Security 2013 in Sydney there was no
doubt it was a powerful piece of technology. An all-in-one security and
automation system that could handle 128 sensors, the real power of this
system lay in its embrace of open wireless comms. The system hustled cellular, WiFi and Ethernet connectivity, as well
as offering Z-Wave communications for agnostic control of any Z-Wave
automation devices. Along with being open at the device level, ZeroWire
functionality and reporting was open to customers, too, thanks to a
built-in web server offering browser, Android and Apple iOS capability.
That all seems so obvious today, but when the system was dreamed up, it
was bleeding edge. Now Interlogix, which purchased ZeroWire when it bought Australian
communications manufacturer UHS from Hills Ltd in September 2014, is
leaning in with ZeroWire. The solution, re-sized to 64-zones, was
recently unveiled at Consumer Electronics in Las Vegas and looking at
the specifications it becomes even clearer just how keen Gabriel Daher’s
vision was when he conceived ZeroWire as a wireless everything
solution. Something that’s new with ZeroWire since Daher showed me the system
in July 2013 is video capability. ZeroWire now natively supports IP
cameras and can facilitate both viewing of live video and replay of
video recordings, either to confirm intrusion or for general monitoring.
Adding video really is the icing on a scrumptious cake. But to my mind the greatest strength of ZeroWire is retaining Sigma
Design’s Z-Wave capability. Z-Wave technology is duplex, low power draw,
fast thanks to a 100kbitps rate and has extremely low latency of .05 of
a second. It also operates in the comparative peace and quiet of the
900Mhz band. “ZeroWire is an ideal choice for today’s homeowner looking for a
complete, cost-effective solution that provides security and interactive
home control through personal technology devices”
It’s a credit to Interlogix that Z-Wave is still available. There are
plenty of electronic security manufacturers which would not be prepared
to leave a huge part of their new solution open to third party devices.
That’s because Z-Wave is a broadly open comms standard with devices
made by 250 or more manufacturers. Z-Wave technology is licensed by Sigma and while proprietary in terms
of product badging, under the hood there’s uniformity of wireless
comms. That means Z-Wave devices can intercommunicate between
manufacturers’ controllers. Incorporating Z-Wave means Interlogix is
offering something wonderful to installers and end users that’s rarely
seen in systems of this size and accessibility - a measure of open-ness. Integrated Z-Wave comms means homeowners can manage the whole
spectrum of Z-Wave lights, security, smoke detection, carbon monoxide
detection, flood sensors, air conditioning controls, energy management
controls, medical monitoring alarms, locking devices and heaps more, now
and in the future. In fact, there are around 1000 Z-Wave home
automation devices currently available. Something else to bear in mind with all the talk of Z-Wave is that
ZeroWire also offers integrated Wi-Fi. Now, Wi-Fi is an open wireless
standard but it seems Interlogix will be employing it carefully. Rather
than porting ZeroWire to whatever is the nearest WiFi router, the
current thinking seems to be that this comms path be used to integrate
ZeroWire with UTC products, including Carrier air conditioners and Kidde
fire systems. In terms of outright specifications, the ZeroWire system supports up
to 64 zones and can accept more than 250 users. It has context-sensitive
keys and voice-guided menu for simple installation and operation and
supports door/window, glass break and environmental sensors; motion,
smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. The system can also handle up to 20
key fobs that can be used locally for arming/disarming the panel,
turning on or off a Z-Wave-enabled light, or activating the panic
feature from a compact, remote device. There’s a dual-path reporting over broadband and cellular networks
for increased levels of security. Something that’s interesting is the
fact Interlogix is highlighting the fact ZeroWire’s teeny footprint and
low-profile allow it to be wall-mounted or table-mounted. Whenever I
read the words ‘table-mount’ my mind always spins an image of cloud. “With its advanced cloud features and user-friendly operation, the
ZeroWire system is an ideal choice for today’s homeowner looking for a
complete, cost-effective solution that provides security and interactive
home control through personal technology devices,” according to Paul
Van der Zanden, general manager, global intrusion and alarm monitoring
solutions, Interlogix. Those cloud features work both ways. As well as giving users remote
and mobile access to functionality and reporting, ZeroWire is the
consummate SaaS (security as a service) module, offering enterprising
alarm installers an IP business model with a long line of sales hooks. source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/articles/2015/04/24/interlogix-zerowire-%E2%80%93-security-and-home-automation
Read More…
Hills is stocking the latest in access control technology with the new HID Twist & Go Mobile Access solution now available. Head of Hills security practice Kobi Ben-Shabat said the products are set to change access control across all industries. “These readers allow greater control and flexibility over access than
ever before, with a close range ‘tap’ of a smart phone or HID’s global
patented ‘Twist and Go’ mode to open doors from a distance. “Smart phone access control and near field readers are the next
frontier of security products and Hills is excited about this new
offering for its customers,” Kobi Ben-Shabat said. source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/articles/2015/04/20/hills-showing-latest-hid-twist-and-go-mobile-access-0
Read More…
Watch the Samsung WiseNet III CCTV promotion video here. The WiseNetIII features the most advanced functions from Samsung with
1.3 megapixel to 3 megapixel cameras for high definition images.Designed
to meet the market needs, WiseNetIII cameras will be the standard
product for the professional security systems. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERntWJaHflY&x-yt-ts=1421828030&x-yt-cl=84411374
Read More…
Bosch 3000 control panel Bosch
Security Systems has released its new Solution 2000 and 3000 alarm
panels which are designed to expand and handle evolving automation and
comms modules in the future. THESE 2 new panels are important releases from Bosch and they show
the company is well aware of the vagaries of the future in the domestic
and small commercial market. They key thing is to offer a panel that is
affordable, yet flexible enough take on a wide range of future
technologies – particularly comms and automation. According to Bosch, the new panels were built to meet concepts of
lifestyle, connectivity and expandability. They also incorporate digital
communications technologies such as SMS over IP, IP-alarm reporting,
and the Bosch Remote Security Control app. There are additional expansion options being released in the next few
months that will give installers and end users a greater sense of the
nature of these systems but there’s plenty of potential. The new modules
include cool stuff like video integration and home automation. The controllers come in a black poly shroud inside a metal housing
and it makes for a very compact footprint. Around the outside of the
shroud are termination points. It’s hard to get lost when terminations
are tagged and presented this way. There’s no fumbling around in dark
places for untagged terminations. It’s a very nice looking housing,
which was designed locally by Bosch’s James Layton. But while the panels
have considerable local input, Bosch is in the process of standardising
many aspects of product range.
“The panels are customised for the Australian market,” Layton tells
me. “But the accessories, including sensors and keypads, are worldwide.
This gives us access to more research and development in key areas –
particularly automation.”
These new accessories include Bosch’s new RADION wireless family
which comprises 15 different products, including motion detectors,
window and other dry contacts, key fobs, and smoke detectors, surface
and recessed mount door and window contacts, a universal transmitter.
This makes it suitable for new installations, as well as for use in
existing installations thanks to compatibility with existing DSRF
wireless systems and legacy control panels from Bosch. Bosch’s RADION family offers another special feature. By using up to 8
repeaters, remotely located detectors can be integrated in an alarm
system, expanding system range up to 1350 metres. In addition to
numerous mechanical design features to improve the ease and reliability
of installation, all RADION peripherals can be automatically enrolled
within the intrusion system.
According to Layton, the new 2000 and 3000 alarm panels replace Bosch’s existing Ultima range.
“For a start, the new panels double the number of zones we can
offer,” Layton explains. “The old panel was an 8 zone, this new one is
8/16-zones, while the 4-zone panel is now 4/8-zones. In both cases the
panels can be expanded by zone doubling or zone expanders. But more
flexible zone expansion is only part of the story.
“We basically over-engineered these products and this allows us to
bring them now with features like remote arm/disarm, remote programming
and digital photo-frame function, as well as all the alarm functions,
while offering the ability to expand in new ways. “Because there’s built-in camera and microphone capability in the
touchscreens, we can introduce an intercom, and there are apps for video
monitoring,” Layton says. “Later this year we will bring out an
analogue video integration module or the panels, along with home
automation which will include integration with ZigBee and Z-Wave
products – that means door control, lighting control and management of
air conditioning.” According to Layton, Bosch is working to push the concept of end user choice with these panels. “As well as the various intercom, video and automation capabilities
users can select from IP/NBN alarm reporting without the cost of
wireless communications,” Layton explains. “We over-engineered these products and this allows us to release them
now with features like remote arm/disarm, remote programming and digital
photo-frame function…while offering the ability to expand in new ways” Noticing I’m checking out a wireless comms module, Layton tells me the
module supports 2G/GPRS but the panel is optioned to handle 3G or 4G LTE
comms with a module swap. This is good news, given Telstra’s
announcement last month of 2G’s sunset before the end of 2016. According to Layton, Bosch has recently rolled out a common BUS technology for all countries – the SDI2 BUS.
“The Solution 2000 and 3000 panels have been completely designed for
the Australia/New Zealand market,” says Layton. “Although the back-end
architecture has been based on the US1B panels from the United States,
the front-end interface of the panel has been built to fit the needs of
our market and should be very familiar to any existing or past users of
Bosch Solution panels.
“The key advantage of the common SD12 bus is that Bosch is always
developing new technologies all over the world, and with a common
architecture, it’s a very simple exercise to realise the benefits of
these developments in all markets,” he says. “For example, in the United States, we have just released integration
with Zigbee and Z-Wave home automation protocols – now that this
technology has been developed, we plan to bring it to the Solution
2000/3000 in coming months.”
Bosch Solution 2000 and 3000 features
Bosch’s Solution 2000 and 3000 intrusion panels have a variety of
keypad options. There’s the LCD Icon keypad, an LCD Alphanumeric keypad
which displays information in real text allowing users to quickly
identify the cause of any alarm, and even to control multiple household
areas simultaneously (such as separating the main house and an external
garage or shed). Next are Touchscreen keypads which allow users to turn
their intrusion panel into a lifestyle product with a variety of simple
to use and aesthetically pleasing options and additional features. While offering the same telephone line communication capabilities as
existing intrusion panels, the Solution 2000 and 3000 also have
available a range of communications extension modules that integrate
directly with the panel and provide options such as mobile
communications via the GSM and GPRS networks, along with IP reporting
through the Internet. The IP connection option makes the panel fully NBN-ready with the
majority of monitoring centres in Australia and New Zealand able to
handle the IP communications from the Solution 2000 and 3000. This
offers the improved security of high-poll monitoring with no call
costs. Remote app
Meanwhile, Bosch Remote Security Control app gives users full control
of intrusion panels through AndroidOS or IOS smartphone. Users can arm
and disarm a system, trigger outputs to run external devices (such as
roller doors, air conditioning units, or smart lighting systems), or
simply check what time the kids left in the morning for school – all of
these features and more are built in to the intuitive and quick Bosch
RSC app. Local wireless control of Solution 2000 is easy with wireless keyfobs
that allow users to arm and disarm their system, control external
outputs and trigger a panic alarm if unable to reach the panel’s
keypad. Taking wireless to the next level is Solution 3000, which includes
the option to integrate with the Bosch RADION range of wireless
transmitters. With a growing suite of wireless products such as motion
sensors, door and window reed switches, and remote keyfobs, Bosch RADION
will create new options for how you manage your home security. With support for up to 4 keypads on both panels and the ability to be
split into 2 separate partitions on the Solution 3000, you have the
ability of 1 security system that can act as 2. Both the house and
garage/granny flat can be covered by the one system at one cost. Each partition can even report to a different monitoring centre if
desired – the perfect arrangement for shared premises such as duplex
houses or commercial properties. By John Adams with James Layton
Features of the Bosch 2000 and 3000 include:
* 8/16 Fully Programmable Zones * 41 Codes – 1 Installer, 20 User Codes, 20 RF Keyfobs * 16 Wireless Devices (on Solution 3000) * Partitionable in to 2 separate areas on Solution 3000
* STAY / AWAY Arming Options * Selectable Reports per User Code * Entry and Exit Warning * Automatic Arming * Remote Arming * Zone Lockout * 256-event History Memory * 5 Programmable Outputs * Dynamic Battery Test. “As well as the various intercom, video and automation capabilities
users can select from IP/NBN alarm reporting without the cost of
wireless communications”
source:http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/articles/2014/08/15/bosch-solution-2000-3000-alarm-panels
Read More…
Hikvision’s new 4-Line Smart IP is a solid range of cameras that combines high performance in key areas like wide dynamic range, colour rendition, and pointy prices. In key ways, the 4-Line represents Hikvision’s coming of age. I got a look at a swag of new stuff at the Hikvision demo room in North Ryde late last month. Hikvision’s is one of the better set up demo spaces I’ve seen but best of all, the boys have taken the opportunity to install a broad spread of Hikvision cameras on the roof of the large building housing their office. The building holds a commanding position looking over serious distances with major infrastructure assets in all directions. These include nearby roadways, intersections, and multiple industrial and retail complexes. In this feature, I’m going to focus on the 4-Line series but it’s a difficult thing to do. For a start the Hikvision back story is fascinating and while the boys fill me in on the enormous size of the company, its huge, new manufacturing facilities and 3500 surveillance engineers, it’s just impossible not to warm to their story. Michael Bates and Tony Lagan are sensible men with technical acumen and more than enough experience to give them a frame of reference through which to view Hikvision’s current and future aspirations. Their commitment to the company and their ownership of its drive to become CCTV’s technology leader is palpable throughout this demo. Adding to the challenge today is Hikvision’s 6-Line series and in particular a pair of cameras I take an immediate shine to – the first is an IR equipped 6MP hemispheric. The second is Hikvision’s Darkfighter. I’m going to review these in upcoming issues but we spent a bit of time looking at each during the 4-Line demo and it’s seriously good kit. 4-Line Smart IP
4-Line Smart IP is a range of 16 cameras. For the sake of readability I’m going to generalise here and not include the model numbers. There are box (full body) cameras, indoor domes, IR bullet cameras and outdoor domes, all with resolution options of 1.4 (720p, DWDR, 60ips), 1.3 (120dB, WDR, 30ips), 2MP (1010p with DWDR and 30ips) and 3MP (1080p with 120dB, WDR and 30ips). If you need it, there’s onboard storage to 64GB with all 16 cameras.
The Hikvision demo room has a good spread of 4-Line cameras up and running on the video wall but the camera we are looking at most specifically is the DS-2CD4024F-(A) 3MP Full HD box camera sitting on a stand on the main table. Doing a lap, I can see it’s a handsome camera - the first thing I notice is the blue LED light on its flank. As well making the camera look cool, it allows security staff to see at a glance that the camera has power. Neat. Lagan tells me this unit is available with a standard or P-Iris lens – the latter is a lens and processing combination that improves a scene’s depth of field. In this case, we are looking at the standard lens version. Before we start looking out across the North Ryde scenery, Lagan takes me through the range’s specifications and what really strikes me with the 4-Line is just how well optioned it is. Hikvision’s engineers have left nothing out. The primary specs include a 1/3-inch progressive scan CMOS sensor giving a minimum scene illumination of 0.1 lux at F1.2 and 0.01 in monochrome at F1.2, both with AGC on. Depending on the model you select, there’s a maximum resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. At that resolution you get 20 frames per second. Come back to 1920 x 1080 and 1280 x 720 and it’s 60 or 30 frames per second, depending on which camera you have. WDR is a very strong 120dB and there’s digital noise reduction and auto back focus. Although we are looking at a full body camera without IR, you can select an IR bullet camera with a Smart IR function allows IR strength adjustment governed by analytics. Power is reduced when faces are closer to the camera, reducing blooming. Compression options are H.264, MPEG4 and MJPEG, with H.264 in baseline profile, main profile and high profile. This is nice work from Hikvision. H.264 is a framework rather than a standard – for the company to have gone to the trouble of developing high profile H.264 shows great integrity in my opinion. Depending on the compression option selected, video bit rate runs from 32Kbps to 16Mbps. “The first thing I notice is the WDR performance, which is exemplary for a 3MP camera. The transition from internal to external view is pretty much seamless to my eye” A big thing these days is clever bandwidth and storage management and Hikvision is on the money here. An advanced codec is used to increase image quality by 30 per cent at 2Mbps in 720p mode – these are good numbers in the real world. Also helping out with bandwidth management is region of interest which allows techs or users to pare back the resolution of non essential parts of a camera’s view – the sky, a ceiling or a blank wall, for instance. And speaking of walls, 4-Line also sports a corridor view which maximises useful pixels in a hallway. You simply select Rotate Mode when commissioning the camera. Meanwhile, getting live images in front of security staff is handled by triple streaming and there’s autofocus, which saves operators from having to make adjustments due to drift, changes in a scene or action that takes place right in front of a camera.
source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/articles/2014/07/17/hikvision-4-line-smart-ip-camera-review
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have successfully completed the security installation for Northline Freight's state of the art transport facility in Sydney's southwest.
Brett worked closely with Northlines Corporate Services Coordinator Colin Owen from the middle of 2013 until project completion. The team at iKey Security were up against the major security players in ADT and Chubb however; it was a combination of both price but even more so, service, that won iKey Security the contract.
The security spec given to iKey Security was to design and install a high end security system that consisted of Intruder Alarm, Access Control and the very latest in IP CCTV technology. In total there system has over 55 IP cameras running on the DigiFort IP Platform; together with Video Analytics and Number Plate Recognition, there is nothing this system cant deliver. Intergraded 24/7 back to base Alarm and Access Control, with miPASS secured encryption ensures that the site is well secured from all access points.
With a five year Service and Maintenance Agreement in place, it will see the team at iKey Security provide 24/7 on/off site technical support giving piece of ind that the system installed will be maintained at optimum levels. Brett Gallen has welcomed the partnership with the team at Northline and looks forward to building and maintaining a very close working relationship into the future.
Read More…
Older installers tend to
install the alarm panels they first learned to program. The only things
that shake many out of their comfort zones are profound unreliability,
quantum leaps in technology and plunges in price. But for new installers
there are choices to make. ALARM systems are the most fundamental electronic security
solutions. They consist of sensors, zone comms paths, a controller and a
communications module, which alerts a remote third party monitoring
team to intrusion so it can organise response. It’s all quite
straightforward laid out like this. But
despite appearances there’s plenty to think about from the selection of
brand, the performance of controllers, the decision to go with wireless
or hardwired zone loops, the choice of sensors and the type of
monitoring technology employed. Recent introductions of touch screens,
remote apps, video verification and home automation make the decision
more complex still. When
it comes to more complicated ancillaries, the need to ensure you
install the best equipment becomes greater still. If you choose to
up-sell clients to greater complexity, it must be supported by
performance and by reliability or it will become an albatross around
your neck. Cost
and reliability are intertwined – that’s because better systems come at
a price. Not a very much higher price, mind you. Fact is, the cost of
quality alarm kits is extremely low. It’s obviously possible to spend
thousands on an alarm system and turn a suburban house into Fort Knox
but there’s always a trade-off between cost and performance – and
winning or losing the job. Just be sure to spend a little more on the
best systems and components and be astute enough to sell superior
technology to users. As
an installer, the issue when you’re providing alarm systems is ensuring
that the technology you install and the way you install it guarantees
you will never be called out for a fun half day hunting bugs in a system
that’s unsupported in this hemisphere. It sounds a small thing but it’s
absolutely vital. Reliability
is also about customer service and, quite obviously, customer service
is what your reputation as an installer is built on. Reliability applies
to every aspect of a system, from the sensors to the terminations, from
keyfobs to the up-time of the remote comms path to the control room. I’ve
personally had 4 alarm systems in my life. The most dependable was a
DAS NX16. I’ve forgotten what the other systems were now but I do know I
stopped using them. One developed a controller fault and would no
longer seal. Another ate all its sensor batteries in a month then
reported hundreds and hundreds of low battery signals at 50 cents a call
while I was on 3 weeks holiday. How I laughed! Another could not resist
going into random, raucous alarm for reasons unknown. One day the
police came to call and I never armed that alarm system again. As
a new installer then, choose a quality manufacturer that offers a long
warranty on a product that’s tediously reliable. Choose sensors for the
application – not whatever costs the least. And again, make the effort
to sell your quality selection to users. Be sure users
understand that when they ask you to install $20 alarm sensors, they are
actually going to get $10 alarm sensors. This
rule about quality sensors always applies. There’s no point installing
slick looking touch screen interfaces in every bedroom that can be
accessed from the latest iPad while on safari in the Masai Mara if every
afternoon for a 3 month period over winter the lowering sun sparks off
the top of that glass table in the family room and blasts a $10 PIR into
false alarm. This
is an area you need to think hard about. Reliability inferred by
quality (and sensible installation) means resistance to false alarms.
False alarms are the bane of the lives of users. They are the number one
reason users give up using their systems and choose to let their
monitoring contracts lapse. If
you are going to install an alarm system, it must be fit for purpose.
It’s not there to detect sunbeams, it’s not there to detect cats, flies
or thermal currents. It’s not there to detect the UHF conversations of
truckies on the freeway. It’s there to detect humans, and only humans.
And detecting only humans requires an elevated level of design, build
and installation quality not represented by slapped in, mass produced
knock-offs trading on volume rather than reputation. You
will definitely ask yourself wired or wireless? It’s a harder choice
than it sounds. Sure wireless is easy to install. A child could do it.
The trouble is that some wireless is reliable and some is less reliable
and some sites are harder than others for RF to get around. Wireless is
great if done well but cheap wireless sensors are horrid. In comparison, hardwire is expensive once.
Hardwire might be tougher to install but it never munches batteries, it
never suffers apoplectic fits induced by stray EMI, the nebulous nature
of which couldn’t be established by teams of white-coated scientists
from the CERN Institute. Let’s be very clear on this. Do your homework
on wireless. If you are going to use it, use the best. “If
you are going to install an alarm system, it must be fit for purpose.
It’s not there to detect sunbeams, it’s not there to detect cats, flies
or thermal currents.”
Source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/13-07-17/quality_the_key_to_reliable_alarm_systems.aspx
Read More…
NEW Pacom SmartIP-4E and 8E
network video recorders have 4 and 8 IP channel inputs and come with a
built in PoE switch (4 and 8 input) making them easy to install, setup,
and configure. The Pacom SmartIP NVRs are compatible with the EVOnet range of
cameras as well as ONVIF compatible cameras (TBA firmware upgrade
pending). The units come with a 2TB Hard Drive and have the capacity for
one additional hard drive. Each NVR comes
with a HDMI and VGA (selectable) output to provide local viewing and
playback. The Quick Wizard feature simplifies the setup and
configuration, especially when using the EVOnet range of cameras which
are automatically discovered and pre-configured for recording at a
defined resolution and frame rate. To
complement the launch of the SmartIP NVR range, a new choice of EVOnet
IP Cameras (Vandalproof Dome, IR Vandalproof Dome, as well as Full Body
Digital and True Day/Night versions) have been released.
Read More…
Hemispheric cameras with
fisheye lenses have the ability to give a 180-degree wide angle view,
making them ideal for a range of applications from retail to foyers, to
lifts, to transportation. IT was inevitable that a camera with a 180-degree wide angle lens
be developed. The combination of PoE, compact size, robust construction
and a quality fish eye lens makes for an extremely capable camera that
is perfect for applications demanding 180-degree views out to a distance
of about 15-20m. Their
lenses characteristics really are the key feature of hemispheric
cameras. Among the first practical uses for fish eye lenses after their
invention in 1906 was in meteorology where they were known as ‘whole-sky
lenses’ and were used to study cloud formation. If you take the visual
image in your mind of a whole-sky lens and turn it upside down over a
scene then you get a very good impression of what these cameras offer. Important
to bear in mind here is that the 180-degree views we are talking about
are the lower 180 degrees of a 360-degree sphere – that means a
hemispheric camera with a 180-degree lens actually gives a 360
compass-degree view of a scene. If wall-mounted the camera may give
180-degree views and some cameras offer this configuration as a
selectable option. A
great strength of hemispheric cameras is that they don’t miss any
action in a scene – a person will not move from one camera to another as
they would with fixed cameras or standard PTZ units. This continuity
applies to recordings, too, and greatly enhances court admissibility of
image streams. A
fisheye lens uses visual distortion to create a hemispherical view –
what this means is that these lenses don’t give rectilinear images –
there are no straight lines. Instead you get equisolid angles leading to
a convex image. Hemispherical surveillance cameras use image correction
to straighten out scenes when users zoom into scenes. Some do this so
well their digital zooms appear flawless. Things
to bear in mind when comparing hemispheric cameras include the fact
different fisheye lenses have different characteristic distortions –
different lens mapping functions. There are variations in image quality
that are best directly compared by objective test. Hemispheric
cameras with their wide angle views and fixed focal lengths are very
much all rounders. They are perfect for a range of internal applications
where a complete synthesis of a scene is most desirable and where
distances are not so great that face recognition is impossible. Mobotix Q24
The
PoE IP65-rated Q24 from Mobotix is the original IP-based hemispheric
camera. It’s key components include a hemispheric camera comprising a
fisheye lens, an image sensor and integrated image correction software. The
Q24, like other hemispherics, is designed to be ceiling mounting
(though it can be wall mounted using a special bracket) and if located
in the centre of the room it gives a 360-degree of the entire room. I’ve
seen the Q24 in a number of applications and its performance is
excellent. The camera is more than capable in areas with a 20m diameter
from the camera point – that’s a very large hall or foyer. Same
as all hemispherics, the fisheye gives a convex image but this is
corrected by the integrated distortion correction software, so the scene
actually appears very true to the eye. Something that’s very nice about
the Mobotix camera and management software is that it allows users to
view several image sections at once. These image sections can be
recorded separately, as well as being monitored separately. The
Q24 has a ½-inch CMOS progressive scan chip whose specifications
include minimum scene illumination of 1 lux in colour and 0.1 lux in
monochrome. Maximum image resolution is 2048 x 1536 (3MP) in colour and
1280 x 960 in monochrome. Images
format selections include 160 x 120 pixels to 2048 x 1536 pixels with
an L11 lens. There’s also PTZ view, quad view, panorama broad view
image, double panoramic view, and a panorama focus with 3 views.
Image
compression is MxPEG, M-JPEG, JPG, H.264 (Video-VoIP-Telephony) and
maximum frame rates in MxPEG VGA is 30 fps, 1MP is 30 fps and 3MP is 20
fps. Other
features include internal DVR MicroSD slot (camera internal video
recording up to 64 GB), external storage directly on NAS and PC/Server
without additional recording software. VMS is MxEasy for remote
management while control room software is MxControlCenter 2.1 Image
processing capabilities include backlight compensation, automatic white
balance, image distortion correction (panoramic image correction
included), video sensor (motion detection). There’s a virtual PTZ with
digital PTZ and a continuous 8x zoom. There’s
triggering of events by integrated multiple-window motion detection,
external signal, temperature sensor, notification over email, FTP,
IP-Telephony (VoIP, SIP), visual/acoustic alarm Pre- and post-alarm
images. I
can’t jump away from Mobotix hemispheric cameras without mentioning the
S14, which combines the P3 camera board with a pair of hemispheric
cameras on 2m cables to increase the flexibility of installations. Vivotek’s 5MP FE8172
Vivotek’s
FE8172 is a hemispheric fisheye fixed dome network camera, with a 5MP
resolution sensor. The Vivotek FE8172’s fisheye lens delivers a
180-degree panoramic view when wall-mounted or 360-degree surround view
when ceiling/floor/table-mounted. The
VIVOTEK FE8172 offers various display layouts, including original
surround view, panoramic view, and regional view for various mounting
applications. There are strong image processing capabilities that allow
hemispherical images captured from the fisheye camera can be converted
into conventional rectilinear projection for viewing and analysis. In
both the panoramic as well as regional viewing modes, users can utilize
the ePTZ function to zoom in and focus on a region of interest (ROI).
The new pixel calculator function helps the user to ensure the image
quality of a desired area. Features
of the Vivotek FE8172 include up to 30 fps at 1080p Full HD with the
1.05 mm fisheye lens giving 180-degree panoramic view and 360-degree
surround view. There’s a removable IR-cut filter for day/night function
There’s
real-time H.264, MPEG-4 and MJPEG Compression (Triple Codec) and WDR
enhancement, built-in 802.3af compliant PoE and an integrated
MicroSD/SDHC/SDXC Card Slot for on-board storage. I’ve
seen the FE8172 deployed and was impressed with its performance. For
such a small form factor there’s a huge amount of information generated
by this camera. Also impressive was Vivotek’s management software which
is intuitive, with plenty of display options. AXIS M3007-PV The
AXIS M3007-PV PoE network camera is a fixed mini dome with 360-degree
and 180-degree panoramic views at up to 5MP resolutions. The camera is
compact, vandal and dust-resistant design, and can be installed on walls
or ceilings. There’s a digital PTZ and multi-view streaming with
de-warped views, along with edge storage with support for micro-SDHC
cards. According
to Axis the camera offers useful panoramic views of areas as large as
650 square metres – that’s about the size of a large hall or hotel
foyer. AXIS M3007-PV offers different views – including a 360-degree
overview and de-warped views such as panorama, double panorama and quad
views. The quad view is ideal when the camera is positioned at an
intersection of corridors. The
camera also provides 4 individually cropped out and dewarped view areas
where users can digitally pan, tilt and zoom in on areas of interest.
Multiple video streams in H.264 and Motion JPEG can be sent
simultaneously. The
AXIS M3007-PV offers video motion detection and active tampering alarm.
In the 360-degree overview mode, the camera also supports the
installation of intelligent video applications, such as people counting
and heat mapping. Panasonic panoramic family The
new kids on the hemispheric block, Panasonic’s panoramic cameras are
built around the company’s i-Pro SmartHD technology. The models are the
indoor camera WV-SF438E and the outdoor WV-SW458E, which features a
dehumidification device to prevent fogging, in an IP66-rated weather
resistant dome. Meanwhile, the WV-SW458M is designed specifically for
transport applications such as buses or trains. These
cameras use high profile H.264 compression to keep bandwidth
requirements low and have Super Dynamic technology for difficult, wide
dynamic lighting conditions. Their 3MP/1080P resolutions can be used for
a multitude of views including, fisheye view, double panorama which is
two 180-degree horizontal views one upon the other, quad views, and many
more. Pan
Tilt Zoom operation is possible including preset positions and auto
panning, all without any mechanical movement. Full duplex audio is
built into the camera; SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot for recording in the
camera, and all images are compensated for distortion by the camera. To
reduce the bandwidth further, the cameras use VIQS (Variable Image
Quality on Specified area). It allows the installer to draw a box around
a low priority area of the picture then the bit rate within the box is
reduced, reducing overall bandwidth. Installation
is easy using PoE or 12vdc to power the camera and is compatible with
the Panasonic Network Recorder WJ-NV200 for quick easy setup. Neat
features include Face Detection, Video Motion Detection, and Privacy
Zones are also incorporated in the cameras, ensuring optional
performance. I’ve
seen these cameras in operation and their performance is extremely
good, just as you’d expect, with excellent colour rendition and strong
WDR capability. Source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/13-06-19/hemispheric_hd_camera_options.aspx
Read More…
Aussie installers need to
get used to the idea of IP-based alarm systems. It’s true there is a
little bit of time to go in some areas, but as the NBN carves through
the Australian comms-scape things are going to change fast. IT has taken perhaps 15 years for wide area IP connectivity to
become central to business operations but today loss of IP networks
means business grinds to a halt. The centrality of digital
communications, its ubiquitousness and the certain disconnection of old
comms paths guarantees us an IP future. There
are multiple considerations here and it's quite possible that like the
CCTV industry the alarms industry will see an extended period of
hybridisation, with new installations being full digital and older ones
jumping onto networks using some form of encoding. In
either case IP alarm monitoring is not a choice, it's inevitable.
Telcos want to see the back of analogue and the reason for this is lack
of bandwidth. Digital comms which can be compressed and rebuilt and
readily pumped about through 1GB Cat-6, fibre, or 3G and 4G wireless
links, is more compact. This is an important consideration. We
know that we pay for our IP connectivity on the basis of bandwidth. And
the more bandwidth telcos can squeeze into their infrastructure, the
greater their RMR. It's a simple and powerful business imperative.
Regardless of any disadvantages, digital will win because it makes
suppliers more money. We
often hear about the disadvantages of IP – the terror of lost links and
the idea of all those black hatters out there, just gagging to chop
their way into our domestic alarm systems. But there are plenty of
advantages and perhaps the greatest of these are the most fundamental. Analogue
signals are a direct connection, an oscillating waveform. Whether it's
DTMF or some other option, you need a direct path between transmitter
and receiver in real time. Ok, you can split analogue signals and rout
them through different exchanges but it's complicated and more
expensive. In
comparison, IP signals are essentially digital packets of information.
If you've been reading SE&N for a while you'll know these little
data packets come replete with a header that allows them to find their
way through circuitous networks. A bit like the DNA of a cell, these
packets contain instructions on how to rebuild the message when it
arrives at the monitoring centre – this gives packet switching a
flexibility you never get with analogue. Combine
this with modern self healing networks and you get a solution that
ensures packets that get lost or encounter a blockage are almost always
going to find their way to the receiver and when they do, the message
will be able to be reconstructed perfectly. This makes digital signals
very, very robust. But
the biggest advantages – the ones we've been harping on about at
SE&N for years now – are the fact that digital opens up
communications in a way that allows security systems to be smarter, more
powerful, and more intuitive than they ever have before. For
a start digital comms are duplex and that means direct connection with
the front door on a mobile device or workstation anywhere on earth via
simple browser interface. And this 2-way communication need not just be
voice, it can be video as well, or any sort of event reporting data or
output instruction a manufacturer devises. It's silly to say there's no
end to it, but there's a lot of scope for new stuff. There
are other potential advantages, too. Some a little frightening, I grant
you. Typical alarm systems and CCTV systems demand star configs of
copper cable to get aboard control LANs. But in a full digital
environment, a device might port to a switch, or it might access the
network over WiFi. This latter is the big one in my opinion. WiFi based
cameras and sensors are a sure thing at some layer of our market. For
many installers the entire concept of IP is too much to bear. But once
you're across the fundamentals of IP, installation is immeasurably
simpler. Everything is uniform, everything is more predictable, every
system and in some cases, every device can be interrogated as part of
automated maintenance procedures. Firmware upgrades can be automatic or
propagated across whole networks of devices. Furthermore,
such a system needs to be managed and it’s unlikely IT departments are
going to want responsibility for physical security in commercial
environments, while in domestic environments, true IT capability is
usually in short supply. The
standardization of monitoring comms with IP industry standards draws a
long bow in the short term. When you consider the plethora of
proprietary standards that govern the functionality of security systems,
the idea of bringing them all together in a single communications
protocol is daunting. I think it will be a process that will take
decades. Solid state security systems are profoundly reliable and as we
all know, few organisations will pull functioning systems out just for
the hell of it in these competitive times. What
we are going see then is a process which includes the introduction of
full IP security systems which will be installed moving forward. Behind
these new systems will remain a vast installed base of legacy equipment
that we are going to need to bring online using whichever method works
best for our clients. This
is easier than it appears and it's going to be a profitable process.
There are a number of devices on the market that are dedicated to the
process of bringing alarm systems online. In fact it's very fair to say
this part of the market is maturing and will continue to mature over the
next couple of years. If
there's a challenge to bringing the installed base online, it's
selecting an encoding solution that's able to handle a wide range of
DTMF signals from multiple alarm manufacturers. As we know, most
installers stay with the same alarm manufacturer for long periods of
time but for companies that specialise in bringing systems online, a
polyglot encoding solution will be needed. For
installers, choosing the right product will include other
considerations. The RMR model in video surveillance runs all the way to
the top so you need to select carefully and be sure your needs and your
client’s needs are best served by the technology and the manufacturer
you select. There's
no doubt this hybrid period will bring plenty of opportunity and it
depends on the sales capability of installers as to whether users to
pull out existing systems and upgrade to 21st century digital technology
or choose to drive hybrids. “Solid
state security systems are profoundly reliable and as we all know, few
organisations will pull functioning systems out just for the hell of it
in these competitive times”
source:http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/13-06-11/are_hybrids_the_future_of_monitoring_.aspx
Read More…
THERE’S increasing IT maturity taking place in
the electronic and networked security industry and it’s extremely good
to see. We need to see more of this maturity and I don’t think it
matters how installers come to embrace IT ecosystem, as long as they
embrace it. I think we’d all agree that for a long time there’s been a divide
between most security integrators and the IT function. It would be a
mistake to suggest this division has been industry-wide because the best
security integrators are eating IT for breakfast but for many
installers handling stuff like IP addresses and port forwards is still a
bit much. The
response to this resistance has come from all directions. We’ve seen
some distributors supplying systems that are entirely pre-commissioned
(think Pacom and Lan1), and we’ve seen manufacturers and distributors
simplifying IP solutions significantly. This
increasing closeness between manufacturers/distributors and integrators
is telling, in my opinion. It extends from training to commissioning,
to alliances on installations and new product development. I think it’s
in great part an evolutionary response to the nature of our live market,
which has less money to spend but which requires greater technical
support. In
the U.S. there’s also evidence of consolidation at both vendor level
and integrator level. This reflects pressure and a willingness to take
real risks to win future opportunity. I do see some evidence of that
going on in Australia, though to a far lesser extent than the U.S. In my
opinion there are only a handful of organisations here with the fiscal
muscle to make worthwhile acquisitions and almost none brave enough to
spend big in this slow market. I think when buys do come, we’ll see them
take place between IT companies and physical security suppliers and
integrators. At
all times and all levels we are seeing more and more product that
depends on network support. Major trends of simplification include
network sniffers that find devices and propagate them into management
solutions. And supporting these devices are increasingly stripped down
VMS solutions running on tablets and smartphones. This
last is a major trend with recent releases of Mobotix App, the pivotal
release of Milestone’s new multi-platform Arcus VMS to third party
camera manufacturers and Bosch’s new dynamic transcoding technology. But
Milestone Arcus is an interesting move from one of the industry’s
leading VMS makers. Taking cutting edge technology to the mass market in
this way is another sign of a maturing market. You
could be forgiven for thinking it’s all about video surveillance again
but it’s not. I was really pleased to read about the new Optex Redwall
PoE detector during the month. This sensor is designed to slot into PSIM
or VMS applications. I’m looking forward to the release of PoE sensors
for business and domestic applications in the mid-term future. Whether
these will be hardwired or WiFi, time will tell. While
some may suggest I’m going a bit far with all-IP alarm systems, I’d
argue not. With PSIA releasing its new standards for intrusion alarms
and access control during the month, it’s impossible to deny that there
will come a time when alarm systems are going to conform to network
standards. You
only have to look at the success of ONVIF to see that once a couple of
key companies head in the direction of some gleaming new niche, the rest
of the herd form up close behind them. It only takes one bright spark
to create a basic IP-alarm system using readily available technology and
the rest will be history. A 50-dollar HD camera-quad PIR with a SIM
card? It’s not the Ness Security Guard but it could be. When
it comes to larger solutions, will an all-IP alarm system be a network
device? Probably yes and partly no. An alarm panel needs to retain the
ability to stand alone though there’s no reason a PoE device could not
manage this just as well as a majority analogue system. You
have to put yourself into the headspace of the people building the
systems of the future for the people who will use them. The signs start
with market leaders. To my mind, the best new alarm panels are
undeniably network-capable platforms upgradeable by firmware. With IP
ports, flash drives and USB connectivity onboard they’re only a couple
of pieces of functionality away from our fully networked future. source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/13-04-11/security_market_growing_up.aspx
Read More…
Interlogix is putting the finishing touches onto
its new Tecom Challenger10 security control panel, a solution that
offers vastly expanded performance and full backwards compatibility with
Challenger v8. Developed by Tecom Systems in Melbourne, Tecom’s Challenger
security management panel is an institution across Australia and New
Zealand, handling intrusion alarms and access control at around 150,000
sites. Over decades Challenger has built a reputation for stubborn
reliability. It’s a reputation that has maintained this access control
and intrusion alarm panel’s solid standing through multiple changes in
corporate ownership and a resulting slow rate of upgrade. But
while Version 8 of the Challenger panel was a tough monkey, the passage
of time had made it limiting for larger modern applications. Challenger
v8 also used programming language that had become outdated and
difficult to tune on the fly. All this said, it’s a testament to the
longevity of the design that Challenger v8 is not being retired but now
slots in underneath Challenger10, integrating with it seamlessly through
the same management software solutions. The
soon to be released Tecom Challenger10 is all new, designed in
Australia and built using the latest processors, SMD technology, and
programming language to international standards. It’s not only powerful
but designed to retain all Challenger v8’s capabilities requested by
installers over many years, while also facilitating ongoing improvements
over the course of a long life. Important too, it’s not just a single
product from the point of view of Interlogix, but a platform designed to
be endlessly developed, a first step in a powerful new direction. I
think it’s an understatement to say that we’ve all been looking forward
to seeing Tecom Challenger10 for a long time and so it was with a
degree of real excitement that I drove down to the DAS office at
Riverwood in Sydney to talk with the manufacturer and distributors about
the new system. You don’t get to see a local security system of serious
importance released every day. Process of development
This
new product was developed by UTC’s Interlogix but in a key move, the
engineers decided to give the product back its original identity by
adding Tecom to the name. That’s not the only thing that’s original
about the system. Former Tecom Systems’ MD Dean Reilly has had a
significant influence on the team and his input into this new system has
been instrumental. When
I arrive at DAS my reception committee consists of Interlogix’s Martin
Dillon and DAS’ George Salman and Troy Payne. Sitting on the table of
the training room is a flat blue and white cardboard box with the word
‘Tecom’ across the top. The boys are all excited and rather than the
usual 5 minutes of chat we take no time whatsoever in getting down to
the business at hand. There
it is, I say, waving at the box. It’s been a long time coming but it’s
bloody good to see Tecom Challenger10! While the market has been waiting
for this upgrade a while, how long was the actual development process? “About
15 months from start to finish so pretty rapid, considering we had a
locked-down design,” Martin Dillon tells me. “There have been few
hardware changes – we strengthened the USB port - since October, though
the new firmware is continually evolving. “We
made some big decisions last year in relation to what we were doing
with the product. We set a firm date for release and we are on schedule –
the product is in manufacture now. It’s been a little while coming but
now it’s here.” Dean Reilly was involved with this project wasn’t he? There was a lot of buzz in the industry when he signed on. “Yes,
Dean now works with us and has since April last year,” says Dillon.
“He’s the lead guy on the development. I think Dean has the unique
capability of building solutions for customers. There’s a lot of Dean
Reilly in that design.” According to Dillon, the engineering team designed Challenger10 as a future platform. “The
non-negotiables were firstly that it had to be a Challenger so all
those installers out there who know how a Challenger works could install
and commission it - we wanted to preserve that skill-set. And secondly,
Challenger10 had to be entirely backwards compatible,” Dillon
explains. “That’s
right,” adds George Salman. “And given it was backwards compatible the
other thing we wanted to ensure from the perspective of installers was
that they could take the screws off the Challenger v8 and then install
the Challenger 10 in the same screw holes with the same screws, with all
the connectors in exactly the same places.” Dillon agrees. “Yes
- we really made a big point of incorporating those mechanical
similarities. It means all the existing cabling can be used with no
patches or messing about for the technicians,” he explains. “This
made the panel much harder to build, I think. If you give engineers a
blank sheet of paper off they’ll go but if you ask them to build a
product that’s open to development yet can support multiple layers of
functionality from another product, then that’s a lot harder and imposes
challenges and constraints. “The
non-negotiables were firstly that it had to be a Challenger so all
those installers out there who know how a Challenger works could install
and commission it - we wanted to preserve that skill-set. And secondly,
Challenger10 had to be entirely backwards compatible”
“You
are building a totally new product that still has to communicate with
this other stuff that was built with a totally different design
philosophy. But we think this is really important,” Dillon says. “We
have good customers out there who have a lot of money invested in our
product and we want to help them protect their investment. We don’t want
to say to a customer – want to upgrade? Ask your boss for a pile of
money because the existing system will have to be ripped out. “And
what’s really important for multi-site customers is that this system
design allows them to mix and match. If they’ve got 100 Challenger v8s
and only 10 sites needing the upgraded features of Challenger10, we can
just upgrade those 10 sites and they can keep the Challenger v8s.” Dillon
says at all times the engineers and the rest of the team were intensely
conscious the panel had to be a Challenger and to leverage that
existing skill set. “I
know with some products training is a big commitment – if an integrator
has to train 20 guys for 3 days – that’s a big ask,” he says. “And
then you have a barrier. Installers may not do the course, may not
understand the product and then it begins to impact their installations –
a system may not function as well as it could function and this impacts
on its reputation. “But
that is not an issue with Challenger10. We did training in Melbourne as
part of our beta program – we got a bunch of installers in and put them
through the bridging training. To be honest the biggest challenge was
getting feedback from them because they were so confident with it – they
did not need to ring us for help – it was plug-and-play.” According to Dillon, Challenger V8 will remain as part of the product suite. “Challenger10
has IP onboard and scalability but if you only want 16 inputs and a
dialler then we don’t want to force the customer to pay for something
they don’t need,” he explains. “The Challenger v8 will be retained for
use in smaller applications.” Also
important to point out is here is that Challenger10 has been built with
plenty of room to grow and expand in all directions – including
firmware. “We
talked about the future a lot during the development process and we
have a full roadmap of product that’s going to follow it,” Dillon says. “We
are aware that there are going to be changes with comms in the future -
the power of the Internet. Products these days are aligning with IT
standards. These allow your solution to evolve with technology shifts
and individual pieces of functionality. That’s a non negotiable for us.” According to Troy Payne, this takes integrators along for the ride. “There
are some top notch integrators out there that are up on technology but
the majority are scared. They are not overly confident. If you take
those guys along for the ride with network-capable systems, then you are
educating the industry as well.” Fundamentals of the board
So
– what are the basics of the Challenger10? From an alarm input
capability Challenger10 is 4 times larger than Challenger v8. From an
output capability, it’s double the size and its access control
capability has also doubled. That means 1008 inputs, 512 outputs, 96
doors or intelligent lifts, and 99 areas up from 16 as well as 32 RASs.
There are 2000 cardholders native in the panel and there are 10,000
offline events – that’s a lot of events if comms paths are down. This
panel operates completely standalone, as the old one does and you can
still program the system from a keypad, same as the old one. There’s
also a secondary comms bus and there are 3 expansion slots on board.
There’s also Ethernet on the board, there’s a USB connection for an
installer’s tool like Titan and there’s an SD card slot for backing the
panel’s database up for yourself or for the customers. Basically
what this means is that if you need to change out a panel you can copy
the database to a card, pull the board, put in a new one, put in the
card, go to the RAS and load the database and you are going again. “Clearly
it’s state-of-the-art technology,” says Dillon. “We worked very closely
with the chipset manufacturers to make sure we have the best solution.
We’ve also put a lot of effort into upgrading our manufacturing process
and you can see that in the quality of the board. “You
can see all the tiny solder points on the back of the board,” he
explains, handing me the board. “There are about 800 connectors there
and there’s an automated tester that checks every component on the board
in circuit during manufacture to ensure it’s the correct value. “Boards
then go through an optical verification that can read board values and
check whether the correct IC has been installed in the right location
and orientation when that’s finished we run a functional test on the
board and then upload the firmware into the board through a single test
process and all our boards in the future will follow the same path. “We
are very pleased with the outcome – manufacturing these days is very
automated and that means there’s less chance of reliability issues. We
met international testing standards put boards in ovens and freezers,
and TEM cells, it’s not what you have to do but we built Challenger10 as
a platform for moving forward. And if in 5 years there’s an amazing new
processor available we will modify the design of the board and just
drop it in.” It’s
nicely done, I say, turning the board over in my hands. Considered in
the light of other board work I see this new Tecom panel is a study in
modern SMD. There’s nothing rough about this product whatever. And that
row of ports – RJ-45, SD and USB - keeps drawing my eye. The Challenger
v8 board is also on the table in front of me and it’s simply a different
animal. It’s
robust and functional and history has showed it to be very reliable and
it will still be available for those who choose to install it, but it’s
not in the same league as Challenger10. Peering at the top of the new
board there are whole suburbs of components that my 46-year-old eyes
cannot see and compared to days of yore, even the processors are tiny. “Challenger10
is 4 times larger than Challenger v8. From an output capability, it’s
double the size and its access control capability has also doubled. That
means 1008 inputs, 512 outputs, 96 doors or intelligent lifts, and 99
areas up from 16 as well as 32 RASs”
“Looking
at that board and remembering the manufacturing that was done when I
was at Tecom Systems years ago I was thinking there are hardly any
components on the older boards when you consider their contribution to
functionality,” Salman observes. “The
modern boards are so different, the technology is just incredible. It’s
more than 10x times the processing power of the board it replaces. It’s
2013 technology but it’s not going to be obsolete in 2015 – it will be
current because it’s designed to allow us to keep it current and to keep
expanding it – there’s heaps of grunt in Challenger10.” Something
else that’s clear as we play with the hardware is that the case has
lashings of shoulder room in it. That means there will be no problems
shoe-horning DGP expanders, 8-input expanders, batteries and door
controllers aboard. And there’s room for easy of cabling all around the
panel. “One
of the key things of this panel’s functionality is that we can run 10
concurrent communications paths,” Dillon says. “This means Challenger10
can talk to management software in a control room, multiple control
rooms, multiple management software packages. Consultants have really
latched on to this capability. Some sites want a system that can
communicate not redundantly to multiple sites but concurrently.” According
to DAS’ product manager – integrated access, Troy Payne, in the past to
handle maintenance or expand the system you would have to take the main
management software offline. “Now
because you have the 10 communication paths what you can do is still
have your panel connected live in real time to the management software
as well as having the technician online making changes and doing tests.
And you can configure the comms paths anyway you want to – it’s very
powerful,” Payne says. “And
as Martin mentioned earlier, you can also have v8’s and Challenger 10s
running on the same management system with the same look and feel,” he
says. “This
means that for end users and technicians there’s very little retraining
required. The installers bridging course is short – it runs for a full
day but we have had guys get through it in 3 hours.” From
the point of view of the old system and the new, what was the
motivating factor for its development, what fundamental characteristic
did the old system lack the new system offers? I ask. “Scale
is one thing – which we have addressed – that was not particularly
difficult for us to deal with but I think as much as anything it was
moving to a modern platform,” Dillon tells me. “We
needed a new platform with plenty of headroom in it – again, this is a
beginning, not the end of the product’s development. It’s like these
expansion slots – we are still working on exactly what they are going to
be. They’ll be communication modules, they’ll be lighting modules
driven by firmware which takes the risk of software away from the system
and increases simplicity.” According
to Payne something that’s very important when considering future
expandability is that Challenger10 has fundamentally moved forward in
its core capabilities. “Consider
that where the Challenger v8 uses an 8-bit processor, the Challenger10
uses a 32-bit processor, which gives you code expansion and it just
increases the possibilities moving forward,” Payne explains. “With
the new Challenger10, it makes it easier for engineers to make those
changes. The old Challenger v8 is not as flexible, so Challenger10 is
designed in a much newer language.” What about the management system? I ask. “We
are doing a lot of work on software,” Dillon says. “We have increased
our software team 3 or 4-fold. We have about 15 people working on
management software. This will talk to all legacy systems including
Titan and then Forcefield and Security Commander. We are doing a lot of
work on those platforms to bring them forward as well. Titan is being
released now. “There’s
been a lot of work done on Titan to make it compatible with
Challenger10 so as to handle all the functionality but retain the look
and feel you get with v8 so these can be managed together as a single
system,” Payne explains. “All
the expanded functionality of the new system is available in our
software platforms and it’s available in a familiar way. Installers and
end users will be instantly familiar with managing the new system.” Process of upgrade
Pretty
obviously, given the enormous installed base in the market, one of the
most common applications is going to be upgrades and that means the
process of upgrade needs to be simple. According to Dillon, a lot of
work went into ensuring the process was intuitive and not surprisingly, a
lot of work on the beta test sides related to confirming this
simplicity. “We
did a lot of beta testing in a lot of large sites” Dillon says. “The
installer comes along and plugs into the upload pins of the Challenger
v8 with a special cable the way they always would and then uploads the
database out of the panel, turns off the Challenger V8 then pulls the
plugs and terminations off and removes the board. “They
then click a radial button in Titan to change the uploaded database
across to Challenger10 – there’s a conversion application in the Titan
software – this migrates the Challenger v8 database to a Challenger 10
database in a couple of minutes. “Next,
installers replace the Challenger v8 panel with a Challenger10 panel,
then they re-install the terminations and plugs in exactly the same
places, power the board up and then just push the database down into the
Challenger 10 panel through the onboard USB port. Finally, they go to
the RAS and turn the system on and it works. That simplicity is really
the key to this.” According
to Dillon, one of the beta sites was a large installation with hundreds
of inputs and he says the installation team was in and out in about one
hour and ten minutes. “And
this is deliberate. We really want to give our customers a migration
path with us. They can keep their RAS, keep their door controllers and
hardware and there’s very minimal retraining.” Something
else that was important to get right was the power supply. It’s a
fundamental thing but reliable power means a reliable system – it’s the
lifeblood of the entire solution. “This
new power supply is second to none,” says Payne. “I know everything has
a power supply and it’s not flashy to talk about it but this power
supply is so smart it can detect limitation of the input current and if
it sees the voltage decrease too fast or too far it will shut the board
down bar the dialler and dial out and report a power fail. “Not
only that you have individually thermally-fused outputs on everything
so when they are pushed over-current they will cut and not cut back in
until the problem is rectified. Once the problem is sorted, the thermal
fuse will cut back in and everything’s normal again. So there are no
glass fuses, no replacing fuses, there are really no spare parts to
it.” Supporting
these physical capabilities, there’s powerful firmware functionality
for monitoring power condition that’s accessible via the keypad. “Built
into the Challenger10 firmware you have an intelligent power supply
checker so you can check voltages, draw, battery amperage and draw. That
diagnostic alone is a huge tool for installers. It can also allow
installers to compare diagnostic signatures so as to identify developing
problems. It might be cable degradation that will eventually cause
faults. Once the problem has been sorted the installer hits refresh on
the keypad and the system updates the status.” According
to Payne, Challenger10 is designed this way so that if there is a
problem on the board – say some one has cut a cable in the field and
caused a short circuit on the board somewhere, the system will start
shutting the board down in a way that protects the board and retains
comms. “The
system will shut down inputs and outputs, whatever it needs to do and
it communicates these actions through to management software,” says
Payne. “The ultimate task of a security panel is to notify someone that
there is an event – so it does the right thing and keeps its comms paths
open to notify operators or management that there is an issue before
closing down.” Conclusion
It’s
an understatement to point out that design and engineering team at
Interlogix and the distributors at Direct Alarm Supplies are thrilled to
bits with the new system. It’s rare to find senior management letting
real feeling creep into their voices but there’s no lack of feeling
here. “Our
guys nationally are just pumped – they’ve been waiting for this for
quite some time and so has our customer base – there’s huge anticipation
for this release,” says Salman. “We are already talking about the
release – it’s exciting and it generates a lot of additional activity.
We are so excited, we really are. The scope for us to retrofit is
brilliant.” It’s the same for Troy Payne. “This
is without a doubt the biggest product release within DAS in the 11
years that I have been with the company,” he says. “I am literally
bouncing off walls every day. I just can’t wait for this product to come
out. The excitement in the voices of the long term integrated access
sales reps within DAS when we talk about this product is ridiculous.” “And
we feel the same at Interlogix,” says Dillon. “I’ve been in the
industry a long time and I said to our engineering team that this is a
once-in-a-career opportunity. It’s not just about this piece of hardware
either but what is happening with the whole Challenger portfolio - what
is going to unfold over the coming years. This is the launchpad. We’re
all excited about it.” As
we’ve been chatting, Hills Industries Security Group general manager,
Rob Meachem has walked into the room and like the rest of the team he’s
eager to get the Challenger10 into the field. “Yes,
we’ve all been waiting a while and it’s going to be awesome, it really
is,” Meachem says. “What’s great with Challenger10 is that everything we
have talked about over the years is there - the backwards
compatibility, the same board layout, and that’s really important. You
can come up with all these brilliant new features but if you don’t make
the installers lives easy then you are in serious trouble. “How
do you get a future-proof platform without taking away the key
functionality of the past? That’s why I think there was a huge sigh of
relief when we saw Challenger10. It was what we needed. It’s powerful
and expandable and future-proof and installers will not have to
re-cable, they will not have to change the box, they do not need to do
huge training, they can just get stuck into it. And if you look at the
greatest product success stories, these are the things that are so
important.” Fact file:
Features of the Challenger10 include: * 99 Areas
* 255 area groups
* 16 inputs onboard (1008 system inputs)
* 96 doors of Access control or lift control
* Onboard SD card, Ethernet, USB RS-232, Dialler
* 2000 users
* Stores 10,000 events
* Programmable via LCD keypad of management software
* Automated arming and disarming time and day
* Simultaneously communicate with up to 10 monitoring stations and software packages
* Multiple holiday types over multiple days repeating annually
* Intelligent onboard power supply checked on keypad
* Multiple internal areas linked to a perimeter area
* Simplified cabling to avoid earth wires
* Auto resettable fuse protection
* Flash upgradeable firmware. “Our
guys nationally are just pumped – they’ve been waiting for this for
quite some time and so has our customer base – there’s huge anticipation
for this release” source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/13-04-05/it_s_here_new_tecom_challenger10.aspx
Read More…
MELBOURNE’S Herald Sun has reported a gambler
used video from security cameras to see opponent's cards and scam the
Crown Towers Casino for around $A32 million in 8 key hands.
According to the report, the gambler was being hosted in one of
Crown's high-roller suites. Apparently during the play, an unauthorised
person was given remote access to the casino's surveillance systems and
was able to relay information about opponents' hands to the gambler. One
imaginable possibility is that a member of the gamblers’ own entourage
was allowed to monitor scenes using security cameras that were then used
to watch other players but this seems highly irregular and is likely to
fly in the face of tight official procedure. Victorian
Law Reform Commission report states that Crown Casino has "one of the
most advanced, complex and comprehensive video surveillance systems
currently in use in Victoria". In
the wake of the scam a gambling expert Barron Stringfellow told ABC
Melbourne that hacking a casino's security system isn't as hard as one
would imagine. "It's very easy to intercept a signal from many casinos
that don't take precautions." However,
Robert D. Grossman, a US security consultant who works extensively with
casinos, is reported to be surprised by the scam as it’s unusual to
obtain unauthorised access to a gaming surveillance system. It’s
hard not to speculate that if a third party was given access to cameras
it must have been under very unusual circumstances. Standard casino
surveillance procedures are strict, modern digital cameras generally
live on secure subnets with little or no remote access, gaming cameras
are separated from security cameras and gaming CCTV teams are strictly
vetted. Meanwhile, a Crown spokesman said the casino was investigating the rort. "Crown's
surveillance department recently reported concerns over a sophisticated
betting scam," he said. "A Crown investigation is under way and is
ongoing." Source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/13-03-24/cameras_hijacked_during_a36_million_crown_casino_melbourne_scam_.aspx
Read More…
The new FaceStation
is a dedicated face recognition terminal which provides a perfect
combination of convenience and high security. Optimizing Suprema’s
renowned biometric technology combined with state-of-the-art hardware,
FaceStation allows fast and accurate access control security like no
other product in the market. FaceStation comes with a wide array of
features & functions, which can be accessed through an intuitive
touch screen GUI. The device also features embedded web server for
easier device control, and supports both analogue and digital video
phone integration.
FaceStation from Suprema features:
Next generation face recognition technology High performance face recognition by Suprema’s proprietary algorithm Unparalleled image processing performance using both visual camera and IR camera Intelligent adaptive/active LED illumination for increased accuracy Powerful dual-CPU architecture GHz DSP dedicated to face recognition 667MHz RISC for device operation 4.3" Touchscreen LCD & intuitive GUI Ultra wide 4.3” WVGA touch screen LCD Solid and scratch-free surface for extra durability Fully customizable, intuitive and user friendly GUI Distributed IP access control system Provides reader and controller features in one device TCP/IP, WiFi and PoE(Power over Ethernet) Video phone interface Provides built-in camera, microphone and speaker Supports both IP based video phones and analog video phones BioStar VideoPhone software to support single/multi operator interphone systems Versatile interfaces - extra flexibility Provides 2-channel RS485, RS232, Wiegand and USB Provides 4 inputs and 2 output relays Optional I/O ports for further expansion (Secure I/O) source: http://www.sourcesecurity.com/new-products/listing/1/product-profile/access-control/readers-and-controllers/readers/suprema-facestation-access-control-reader.html
Read More…
Many forward-thinking organisations are rightly reassessing their security options In many industries, security and dependability are at the
forefront of customers’ minds. But the fact is that firewalls and
encryptions will only ever form part of the solution. Jon Mooney and
Dave Bulless, security experts at Ingersoll Rand
in the US and UK respectively, discuss the benefits of biometric
technology in the protection of people, businesses and assets.
Highlighting the many advantages of hand readers and fingerprint
recognition scanners used in conjunction with access control / identity
management software, the writers state that biometric access control is
one of the most secure options available.
The key challenge for offsite storage and information handling
facilities has always been to provide employees and customers with
immediate access, while maintaining a high level of security. However, a
simple access card-based system, where cards can be lost or stolen, is
not the answer. You can’t rely on your customers to remember their card
each time they visit your facility.
Using biometrics for reliable access control The reality is that although biometrics is arguably the most secure option in terms of people and assets, many still don’t understand the mechanics behind it and often perceive it as a threat... Many forward-thinking organisations are rightly reassessing their
security options after realising that card-based systems no longer
provide the required protection or the level of convenience to meet
their needs. For data industry leaders, when assessing the questions of
physical access control, the overwhelming answer is biometric
technology.
Hand recognition readers and fingerprint recognition scanners, in
particular, provide a level of security beyond that of a conventional
card system by verifying the identity of the person. At the same time
they eliminate the burden and expense of a card-based system. For
some, hand readers and finger scanners sound like the stuff of Bond
movies but the reality is, this is where security teams arguably need to
be focusing their efforts. Hand readers and finger scanners make up 80
per cent of biometric access control applications. They are
complementary, as each meets specific needs of the market. Biometric fingerprint readers - advantages Fingerprint recognition scanners are currently being used most
successfully in smaller organisations. Best suited to low volume
openings, for instance where doors are accessed by less than 100 people
or at a slower rate, finger recognition technology offers a secure
option where cost is a key consideration. It is often employed for the
protection of sensitive documents and for high-value storage. Larger installations use biometric hand readers at the entrance Biometric hand readers – advantages in identity management Hand reader technology, by contrast, presents an ideal solution for
many larger organisations. Due to its accuracy and speed with which user
identification can be assessed, it provides essential control without
slowing the flow of a large group of people. Typically, larger
installations use biometric hand readers at the entrance, on the
security corridor and at individual customer areas. Administration of
the system is handled by access control/ identity management software,
which can be tailored to the client’s specific requirements including
remote enrolment for multi-facility management and expiring privileges
for temporary access. The hand readers interface directly with their
access control panels and can be configured to control a lock
independent of a panel.
The set-up process for adding someone to a hand reader system is
simple. Once a person has enrolled in the hand reader software, the
system creates a similar account in the primary access control system
and the user’s hand effectively acts as a badge. The hand reader then
compares the hand template with the stored biometric template triggered
by a card or pin and, if it matches, sends an output representing the
badge or pin number to the primary system. The primary system then
decides whether the person is allowed entry.
Dispelling the myths surrounding biometric solutions
The reality is that although biometrics is arguably the most secure
option in terms of people and assets, many still don’t understand the
mechanics behind it and often perceive it as a threat... The
fundamental point about hand recognition readers and finger recognition
scanners is that they recognise people, not plastic cards. This is
paramount for organisations that require high security, and absolutely
critical to the prevention of unauthorised access to hardware and
sensitive information. They provide an additional layer of security,
ensuring that lost or stolen cards are not later used to access
facilities. Crucially, they ensure that ‘you are you.’ For some, hand readers and finger scanners sounds like the stuff of Bond movies but the reality is, this is where security teams arguably need to be focusing their efforts Biometrics, such as hand readers do not require any details about an
individual other than their name. Details of home addresses, bank
account numbers or other personal information are not stored in any file
or database. The measurements taken of an individual’s hand are simply
converted through a unique algorithm into a number, which is stored in
the database. In fact, even if someone gained entry to thePC that the
software is stored on, they would not find any personal information. It
must also be remembered that the main organisations will be using
biometrics once individuals have pre-registered within their facilities
either as employees or contractors. The finger, palm, iris or face is
then used merely to confirm the individual is who they say they are and
genuinely does require access.
There’s no doubt that there are data protection issues in many
schools and other organisations, particularly in relation to personal
information, addresses and other confidential information from social
services for example. But, biometrics is not part of this problem and
should not be lumped together with wider computer security issues. The reality is that biometrics is safe, cost effective and it does what
alternatives, such as card-based access systems can’t do, and that’s
keep people and assets fully secure. The fact is, whether you’re an
educational institute or a data organisation, investment in the right
security technology is vital. Biometrics is not the problem. In fact, in
security terms, it is the answer. The fundamental point about biometric hand readers and finger scanners is that they recognise people, not plastic cards Biometric systems checklist:
• Investigation – Where are you now? Has your
organisation recently grown or accumulated new assets and are you fully
protected? Be honest, interrogate your levels of access and protection
and ensure that your systems are fit for purpose.
• Records – do you have a series of auditable checks
and records in place? Make sure that your security systems offer you a
complete view of access patterns and potential issues across all of your
facilities.
• Scalability – perhaps you require increased
security but can’t afford a significant investment? If so, make sure
that you start with a secure, scalable platform as a minimum which can
be built upon over time, as funds allow. • Technology – is there a better biometric system
out there for your needs? Keep on top of the latest technology news and
be open about the needs of your organisation. Don’t wait until it’s too
late. source: http://www.sourcesecurity.com/news/articles/co-2140-ga-co-9770-ga.10361.html
Read More…
If you’re thinking HD cameras are all the same, you’re wrong. Even
within a single manufacturer’s product line-up there are fundamental
variations in resolution across all possible environmental applications,
to say nothing of variations in compression and image processing. IT would be nice to think that HD cameras were all identical – that
they conformed to a cast iron specification and we could depend on
their performance to be true in all applications. But that’s simply not
the case. There’s
plenty to think about when it comes to choosing the best HD cameras and
in this issue we spoke to a number of different manufacturers and
commentators about the sorts of things integrators, installers and end
users should be looking for in their HD camera solutions. First
cab off the rank is Vlado Damjanovski of C.R. Kennedy and ViDi Labs.
Damjanovski’s credentials go pretty much without saying and he has no
doubt the area of importance when it comes to HD camera selection – it’s
image quality. “Image quality is the key and this depends firstly and foremost on the sensor
used,” Damjanovski says. “I refer here to resolution, dynamic range,
noise and speed of read-out. There are only a handful HD sensor
manufacturers in the world, and as such there wouldn’t be a big
difference when the raw image coming from an HD image sensor is
concerned. “Instead
the big difference may come from the intelligent processing of the raw
video and its interface to the external world. And, if the signal is
compressed, how good the compression is, what level of compression is
used and what default settings are used. “Another
very important feature is how many concurrent encoders can be used (if
more than one) for the purposes of dual or triple streaming, one for
recording, display and another perhaps for remote streaming with lower
bandwidth. Also, for larger projects how multicasting is handled might
be the next most important thing. “Of
course, the standard installer demands are still relevant,” Damjanovski
says. “These include ease of installation (preview), PoE, mounting,
etc. This depends on the camera manufacturer, not the sensor
manufacturer. Additional factors of course are the lens quality. We all
know that if a lens is of an inferior quality (compared to the sensor
resolution), it is impossible to make the HD video any better.” Given
the multiplicity of qualities we’ve touched on here, what specific
features should installers look for when choosing a quality HD camera? “In
CCTV, most often it is the low light performance that might be decisive
for a lot of projects,” explains Damjanovski. “But, as many would
appreciate, the pixel size in most HD sensors is even smaller than the
analog resolution sensor, hence it will be a tough ask to get an HD
camera to outperform a good SD analog in low light. “So
my advice to installers is to be aware of where the HD camera needs to
be installed first. HD cameras will produce better picture, there is no
doubt, but if low light performance is the most important requirement,
installers should consider additional illumination (normal or IR) to
produce better signal of HD at low light. “Next
thing to consider is having power-over-Ethernet (PoE) to simplify
cabling, but also the HD camera sensor capability. Some manufacturers,
like Dallmeier, offers cameras with multi-formats (SD, 720, 1080, 3 MP,
4MP or 5 MP) switchable through the software. “Certainly,
the most important of all might be the image quality, so before you
decide to invest in HD cameras, get a sample footage and check the video
quality for yourself. Even better, get various cameras and test them on
your site at the light levels typical for that site.” So 720p or 1080p, which is best? Does improved compression mean there’s no longer a need for 720p? “Theoretically,
more resolution is always better, but, some will argue that a 720p
sensor may have larger pixels, hence better low light performance, and
makes smaller stream, as it has half the amount of pixels (1280 x 720)
then the 1080 (1920 x 1080),” Damjanovksi says. “But
be aware that some cameras, like the Dallmeier DF4910 range, offer a
choice of resolution in the same camera, because the sensor they use in
this camera is a 5MP sensor and it allows you to choose whatever suits
the application. “Even
better, such a camera uses pixel-binning when in 720p mode to produce
better low light performance, so it all depends on the camera design.
The most obvious benefit of such multi-format sensor cameras is the
angle of view switching without changing the lens - when a sensor mode
is changed the angle of view changes.” There
are lingering questions over the weaknesses of HD cameras – for
instance, how are they in low light compared to the best analogue
cameras? How are they in very strong backlight? What about white noise in low light scenes impacting on storage volumes? “The
low light performance is very much dependant on the sensor type and
pixel size,” Damjanovski says. “A typical HD sensor pixel size would be
around 2 microns (4 square microns), and on some sensors even smaller.
As a comparison, analog sensors typical pixel size is 6 microns (36
square microns). “In
surface area this is 9 times bigger in the SD cameras compared to the
HD. This is the most important factor defining low light performance
under the same conditions (temperature and camera processing) and
applies to majority of cameras in our industry today. But, the
technology development doesn’t stop, and we will soon see some new
inventions, like back-illuminated CMOS sensor. “These
are used on the iPhones, and other smart phones and they will increase
low light performance without increasing the pixel size. The dynamic
range, back-light processing is directly dependant on the pixels size
too, but here too, there are some developments where double exposure is
used to simulate high dynamic range. “As
for the storage of noisy signals, yes, it is true that noise affects
the storage requirements. But, a good compression means not only good
encoder in the HD camera, but also noise reduction before compressing,
thus achieving reasonably low streams with very high picture quality.” According
to Damjanovski, an example from Dallmeier again, is the DF4910 that he
says can produce an excellent true 1080p HD signal with as low as 4 Mb/s
using H.264 (at 25 fps). “With
this camera model, we can switch to a 5MP signal using the same 4 Mb/s
H.264 encoding (with slightly reduced frame rate of 10 fps). As I said
earlier, if for a particular job the very low light performance is the
most important thing, then, perhaps good quality analogue should still
be considered.” How important is lens selection with HD cameras? Is digital or optical zoom preferable, or both? “The
lens is most important thing after sensor quality,” says Damjanovski.
“Whether I prefer digital or optical zoom, it all depends in what
context. With the Dallmeier’s Panomera design for example, digital
zooming looks quite different. So, even though I would usually argue
that optical zoom offers better magnification of details. “In
the case of Panomera it is different because the Panomera digital
zooming far outperforms optical zooming simply because of the different
approach in designing this multi-sensor multi-focal camera. With
Panomera’s digital zooming you can see the whole picture without losing
the details where you have not zoomed in, and this is done for both live
and playback video. “With a normal optical zoom once you point the camera to a specific area that is it - you can’t see anything else,” Damjanovski says. “And
of course, if you have recorded such a zoomed in video signal and
recorded it, it is not possible to retrieve what the zoomed camera has
not seen. Certainly if you know where and when the incident will occur,
and zoom in that direction, the optical zooming will be more
beneficial.” “In
the past, HD cameras would not be recommended for low light
applications. However, with the continuous improvements in technology,
HD cameras are now available for these conditions” What about the new H.265 standard? Is it likely to reduce the bandwidth
demands of MP video streams and/or lead to higher resolution cameras
being adopted – bigger 5MP cameras? Or do you argue for many
installations, particularly indoors, 1080p is going to be more than
enough? “The
upcoming H.265 will further improve network capacity and design, but I
don’t think it will not encourage (nor stop) any development on resolution,”
Damjanovski says. “It is only going to be as useful as the H.265
encoder chips get introduced into our CCTV products. This might be very
soon, or it may take another 5 years perhaps. “Yes,
it is said that it will offer at least 50 per cent bandwidth saving
over H.264 for the same visual quality, and this would certainly be
welcomed in CCTV. But this bandwidth saving will be paid for by the
higher processing power that will be required from the PC machines
decoding such compression in the software. So, once again, with H.265,
we will come to yet another demand for new and faster computers, better
network switchers and better network designs. “The
fact is, the “good old” MPEG-2 is still available and in many cases
like your cable television) still used, without stopping the HD
technology develop. In my opinion the biggest benefit our industry could
have is the development of new sensor technologies with better low
light performances (one of which is back-illuminated sensors) higher
dynamic range and smaller sensor size, with the very important - lens
quality improvements.” Meanwhile,
Pacific Communications Mark Shannon says that from the end-user’s
perspective, the key features of a quality HD camera, as a minimum, are
brilliant images, the ability to show near real life images (picture and
colour rendition accuracy), sharp focus, low light capabilities
including Day/Night operation, good wide dynamic range, and low
bandwidth requirement. Shannon
says that installers should also look for cameras that provide ease of
set up, configuration, and installation. These features are provided by
cameras with attributes including a local monitor output for lens setup,
Auto Back Focus, convenient location of Ethernet connection at the back
of the camera and a variety of mounting options and accessories. And when it comes to 720p or 1080p Shannon says it’s all about the application and the budget of the customer. “Camera
selection is still as balanced a consideration today as it has ever
been with analogue,” he explains. “However, at present the network
bandwidth and storage are additional considerations. System design and
camera application is a skill and not a one size fits all and this will
never change.” Shannon
says that in recent years, HD cameras have come a long way in
overcoming their inadequacies such as performance degradation in low
light and strong backlight. “In
saying this, all cameras need lighting to provide good images and
accurate rendition, whether it be overt (white light) or covert (IR
light) depends on the applications,” he explains. “In the past,
HD cameras would not be recommended for low light applications. However,
with the continuous improvements in technology, HD cameras are now
available for these conditions. “Lens
selection is also critical with HD cameras. In most applications,
optical zoom is generally used because it gives an accurate
magnification of the image (does not introduce artefacts).” According
to Shannon, H.265 should be seen in the light of the ongoing
improvements taking place in the video surveillance market. “Ten
years ago, no one imagined that HD will be in the IP video surveillance
market,” he explains. “Today, HD cameras are the norm in the IP video
surveillance market. In the future, the advancement of technology will
go hand in hand with the improvement of IP surveillance cameras;
therefore, there will be a migration to higher resolution with better
compression and storage on offer.” Over
at Axis Communications’ Chris Tangsilsat says key features of a quality
HD camera for end users include things such as pixel count, frame rate
and colour representation but he points out they are only the tip of the
iceberg when it comes to what end users look for in a quality HDTV IP
camera. “We
also need to consider versatility as the objective of having
surveillance for most end users is to obtain ‘usable’ video at all times
regardless of lighting and other environmental conditions,” he
explains. “For
example a HDTV camera located in a building lobby may provide usable
quality images for the majority of the day but is subjected to intense
backlight in the late afternoon and inadequate lighting after hours.” When
it comes to installers, Tangsilsat says that apart from quality images
he thinks the majority of systems integrators out there would place an
equally high value on the reliability and ease of installation of these
units. “Whether
the installer spends 20 minutes or 1 hour installing and configuring a
camera will make a sizable impact on labour cost, especially when you
consider that some installations could potentially consist of hundreds
or thousands of cameras either at a single site or spread across
multiple locations,” Tangsilsat says. “Post
installation, the reliability of the product will determine how much
time the installer keeps investing resources in returning to the same
site for maintenance and repair, or is able to move on and tackle the
next project.” Interestingly,
Tangsilsat says he doesn’t believe there is what could be considered to
be a better resolution format – either 720p or 1080p when it comes to
HD. “It’s
more important to identify the customer’s requirement in terms of level
of detail vs. coverage area,” he says. “For example identifying
customers entering a store may require a 720p HDTV camera focused on an
area that’s 2 meters wide, while keeping track of whether a meeting room
is occupied may only require an SVGA (800x600) camera covering an area 5
meters wide. “Alternatively,
capturing license plates of trucks moving into a loading dock could
warrant the use of a 1080p HDTV camera. There will always be a need for a
large variation in resolutions. Additionally, implementing an effective
surveillance solution could be as simple as using a pair of 720p HDTV
cameras in a small retail environment. “In
such a case, a camera is placed at the entry point using a high focal
length lens to capture of the faces of anyone entering in detail, while
another camera of the same type would use a wide angle lens to provide a
general overview of the store. It’s all about strategic placement and
identifying where the customer requires that extra level of detail.” And what are the weaknesses of HD cameras in low light and in backlight? “If
you were to ask me this same question 5 years ago I would say that in
extreme low light conditions there are some quality analogue cameras
which will outperform the IP offerings,” Tangsilasat says. “However,
due to the continued development of IP surveillance technology, I can
say that the latest generation of HDTV IP cameras offers superior image
sensors and encoding chipsets and will have better low light performance
compared to their current model analogue counterparts. “Low
light performance through features such as Axis’ Light Finder, however,
have not been the only development as in order to increase the level of
versatility, features such as Wide Dynamic Capture are also available
in order to cope with strong backlight scenarios. All of this leads to a
usable quality image containing less artefacts/white noise resulting in
lower storage requirements.” When it comes to optical or digital lens selection, Tangsilsat says he thinks lens selection is highly critical. “A
good quality lens will truly demonstrate what the camera is capable or,
while a poor quality or incompatible lens will degrade and misrepresent
the quality of the camera,” he explains. “Installers
will notice that each Axis IP camera will always include a lens as part
of the same product code. This is because all lenses which are included
with the cameras along with optional types listed on our website have
undergone testing within our R&D to confirm they are compatible with
the intended model and provide the optimum image quality.” According
to Tangsilsat, optical vs. digital, this has been a topic of discussion
ever since megapixel cameras were first introduced and he says it will
continue to be so as higher megapixel cameras evolve alongside higher
optical zoom types. “There
really isn’t a right or wrong here - in most cases the choice comes
down to the end user’s requirements and resources in place,” he
explains. “Digital
zoom will allow the user to retain a wide general overview of a scene
with limited ability to zoom into certain areas, while optical zoom
sacrifices the general overview in place of superior detail on areas of
interest. “Again,
this comes down to the end user requirement as one customer may just
want a static high resolution, wide angle camera to record with the
ability to digitally zoom after an incident. Another customer may have a
control room with operators actively manning the PTZ cameras with
optical zoom.” Tangsilsat
says the new H.265 standard is definitely interesting news and he
believes that once adopted it will ensure a reduction in both bandwidth
and storage requirements. “However,
whether we will see a push within the market for higher resolution
cameras as a direct result remains to be seen as there are other factors
to consider when it comes to usable quality images in surveillance. “These
factors include low light performance. Due to the way current image
sensors convert light into images, a 720p HDTV camera will outperform a 5
Megapixel or higher resolution model in low light scenarios regardless
of post capture compression method. “Also
important is frame rate. IP cameras up to 1080p HDTV resolution will
easily achieve a full 25/30 frames per second. At 3 Megapixel this
typically drops to around 21 fps, and at 5 Megapixel 12 fps. Will moving
into higher resolution ranges regardless of compression method start to
result in unusable frame rates? That’s something to think about.” “1080p
cameras will easily achieve a full 25/30 frames per second. At 3
Megapixel this drops to around 21 fps, and at 5 Megapixel, 12 fps. Will
moving into higher resolution ranges start to result in unusable frame
rates?”
Source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/13-03-22/choosing_hd_cameras_part_one.aspx
Read More…
Panasonic has released its i-PRO SmartHD 360° panoramic 3.0 megapixel
indoor (WV-SF438) and outdoor IP66 rated weather and vandal resistant
(WV-SW458) cameras. The cameras feature a full 360 degree field of view that eliminates
blind spots, and enables multiple users to have an independent
pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) experience. The cameras low-profile design allows it
to be deployed in spaces where conventional motorized PTZ cameras will
not fit. Key
features include full 1080p resolution at 30fps with Panasonic’s
exclusive Mega Super Dynamic processing, on-board image correction to
minimize optical distortion and ensure highly accurate images, and
multiple transmission modes for versatile monitoring of wide areas with a
single camera. Additional intelligent features include face detection
and the ability to be controlled remotely via a Smartphone. The
new i-PRO SmartHD 360° panoramic 3.0 megapixel dome cameras incorporate
H.264 high profile compression technology to minimize transmission and
recording bandwidth requirements. Up to a 50 percent reduction in
network bandwidth is further achieved with Panasonic's UniPhier
proprietary System LSI platform. H.264
maximum bit rate/client and total bit rate control provides flexible
network management, and Frame Rate Priority mode adjusts bit rate and
compression ratio to ensure a specified frame rate. Multiple H.264 (high
profile) streams and JPEG streams ensure simultaneous real-time
monitoring and high-resolution recording. “Panasonic
once again responds to the needs of our clients with the release of the
new 360-degree cameras. The 3.1 megapixel in the outdoor (WV-SF458) in
single PTZ mode is perfect for attended viewing,” said Giacomo Catucci,
president of Advanced Telesystems. “The
indoor (WV-SF438) is ideal for our retail store clients where it can
replace up to four legacy cameras while reducing the cost of staging,
installation and cabling.” Additional
performance features include Panasonic's Mega Super Dynamic and
Adaptive Black Stretch (ABS) technologies that deliver 128x wider
dynamic range compared to conventional cameras; 3D-DNR digital noise
reduction; Day/Night operation; Video Motion Detection (VMD) with four
programmable detection areas, 15-step sensitivity levels and 10-step
detection sizes; an SDXC/SDHC/SD memory card slot for H.264/JPEG
on-board edge recording, alarm recording and/or backup recording upon
network failure (JPEG); plus full duplex bi-directional audio, which
allows interactive communication between the camera site and monitoring
site. The
new 360-degree panoramic 3.0 megapixel dome cameras are ideal for
growing markets such as healthcare, education, hospitality and retail in
providing a safer environment for staff and visitors. In addition,
video surveillance systems are increasingly being used for business
optimization purposes such as targeted marketing, supply chain
optimization and facilities monitoring, and to address issues relating
to risk management, fraud and loss prevention. Source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/13-03-22/panasonic_s_i-pro_smarthd_360_panoramic_3mp_dome.aspx
Read More…
SECURITY 2013 Exhibition
& Conference will be held from 24-26 July, at the Sydney Convention
& Exhibition Centre. The event will include seminars focusing on
future tech including the internet of things. Now in its 28th year, the event
is expected to attract 4,500 visitors from government and private
enterprises and more than 150 leading local and international suppliers
will be showcasing the latest business security solutions for the
Australasia market. The exhibition will be complemented by an
extensive conference and seminar program which will focus on the
security trends and strategies shaping the industry in the year ahead. “We
are constantly looking at ways to evolve the exhibition to ensure it
stays at the forefront of this dynamic and growing industry,” Kylie
McRorie, exhibition manager, Security 2013 Exhibition, said. “Through
some exciting new features and partnerships, Security 2013 will look
ahead to the next generation of security and will offer the industry
even greater value in 2013.” Hosted
by the Australian Security Industry Association Limited (ASIAL), the
industry¹s peak body in Australia, the Security 2013 Conference will be
held in conjunction with the exhibition. In another bold move by the
organisers, the conference will come to the show floor in 2013 providing
delegates with a complete exhibition and conference experience and
greater opportunities to connect with the industry. “As
security needs rapidly evolve to meet the ever changing requirements of
society, Security 2013 Conference will provide a unique platform for
visitors to hear about the most pressing issues facing the industry
today,” commented John Fleming, general manager, ASIAL. “With
an impressive line-up of acclaimed security experts from Australia,
Security Conference 2013 is a must attend event for security
professionals, government officials and technology leaders who are eager
to understand what lies ahead for the future of security.” A
new product showcase will be sponsored by Verint and there’s to be a
focus in the seminar program on practical and educational seminars,
including a series of panel discussions featuring real-life case
studies. The event organisers are calling for expressions of interest
from industry experts in a range of topics and trends, including but not
limited to the Cold Cyberwar, sub-system integration for business
intelligence and other lateral applications and strategies for a safer
Sydney. Speaker
submissions close on 5 April. Please contact Kylie McRorie for more
details or to express interest on (+61) 3 9261 4504 or email kmcrorie
[at] divexhibitions.com.au. Security 2013 is free to attend for industry
professionals. Registration opens in March at www.securityexpo.com.au Source - http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/13-03-01/security_2013_exhibition_conference.aspx
Read More…
WHAT will some key trends of
2013 be? Where is technology heading? What can end users and installers
expect from the next 12 months and what might the trends of the next
year tell us about the medium term future of the networked electronic
security industry? For a start, they suggest it’s still a hybrid industry when it
comes to video surveillance. A number of the leading camera
manufacturers have released new analogue offerings recently. We’re meant
to meet the pivot point for IP video in 2013 but the market is an oddly
diverse beast. Servers
at the edge. Yes – those microSD slots on IP cameras can now be loaded
with 128GB chips costing around $200 and chip prices are likely to fall
by 25 per cent through 2013. When you consider the cost of rack-mount
servers, edge storage becomes an appealing option. Touch
screen alarm interfaces. Almost every manufacturer has one and in some
cases they cost less than $100. Installers not upselling touch screens
to end users simply aren’t trying hard enough. Remote
management apps for authorised users. This is the year of remote
management apps. Needless to say, it’s important for end users to bear
in mind that apps are not always secure. Authorised mobile devices
should be armoured using appropriate security solutions that encrypt
passwords and allow remote wipe. It’s
not just alarm systems that are being managed in this way. Video
surveillance solutions are integrating mobile devices into their fabric.
Yeah, that’s right. Unsecured smart phones linked to blue tooth, WiFi
and public internet are now devices and managers on your CCTV subnet.
Sure, it’s cool but security must come before utility. In
2013 you’re going to hear a lot of talk about cloud. As I point out
about 80 times in this issue, cloud is a software or hardware service
delivered over a network so a lot of you are more familiar with cloud
than you think. But there are different patterns of cloud. Something
to be interested in too, is the way cloud is taking on a proprietary
air. This is both an opportunity for manufacturers and integrators who
can steer users towards a provider with which they have a commercial
alliance, and a pain for end users who will start wondering just how
open their open systems really are. And
there’s some new weird about mobile comms. Last month the U.S.
Government egged on by Verizon and AT&T made it an offence under the
Digital Millenium Copyright Act to open a subsidised mobile device to
another carrier. Yeah. Once you’re in, you’re in. The
penalties are spectacular in their moral inconsistency - a $500,000
fine and 5 years gaol for the first offence. These rules don’t apply in
Australia yet but we are in lockstep with the U.S. elsewhere so make
sure you insist on open comms mobile devices if you think you need them. Better
video compression. H.265 HVEC has been approved but while you might not
see a 4K device until year’s end, you’re going to hear more and more
about 8MP at 30 frames per second thanks to H.265. There’s blue sky over
H.265 with good cause. It will save money on storage, expand edge
options, improve resolution, reduce network load, possibly all at the
same time. Simplification
of installations. Installing IP systems is tricky so for the past 5
years manufacturers have been furiously simplifying the processes
required to get a device onto a network. Don’t expect plug and play but
do expect IP-based installs to get easier. Price
falls in high end alarm sensors. I think we’ll see some price falls in
high end alarm sensors. We have 3 brilliant manufacturers competing at
the very high end including Optex, Risco’s Rokonet and Aritech. Take a
look at them. Chinese
and Taiwanese manufacturers. We’ll see more and better product from
these companies and the competition generated between them and the
traditional players will continue to present integrators and end users
with brilliant product at great prices. Source - http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/13-02-09/trends_in_the_electronic_security_industry_in_2013.aspx
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security Solutions have successfully completed the Security System upgrade for Xylem Inc.’s office in Townsville Qld. Xylem Inc. (formally known as ITT Water and Waste Water) has been working closely with Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security since 2008 and they have now completed their 4th Security upgrade together, this time in Townsville, Qld. Brett was engaged through their IT and Operations department to design and install a complete Security System which encompassed Intruder Alarm with 24/7 Back to Base Monitoring, Access Control (card access) and CCTV Surveillance. Xylem’s IT Manager has been working closely with Brett over the last 6mths to restructure their current security
set up to have consistency across Australia. They were looking for a
solution that would help them across Australia and that exactly what
iKey Security gave them. Xylem
Inc. team of employees now have the ability to travel throughout
Australia with one alarm code and one access pass, they have now
eliminated the problem of having to set up all these credentials when
travelling (especially each time); they couldn’t have been more happier. As this relationship continues to grow, they are now working to include the other offices across Australia as soon as possible.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security Solutions have successfully completed the Security System upgrade for Xylem Inc.’s office in Mackay Qld. Xylem Inc. (formally known as ITT Water and Waste Water) has been working closely with Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security since 2008 and they have now completed their 3rd Security upgrade together this time in Mackay, Qld. Brett was engaged through their IT and Operations department to design and install a complete Security System which encompassed Intruder Alarm with 24/7 Back to Base Monitoring, Access Control (card access) and CCTV Surveillance. Xylem’s IT Manager has been working closely with Brett over the last 6mths to restructure their current security set up to have consistency across Australia. They were looking for a solution that would help them across Australia and that exactly what iKey Security gave them. Xylem Inc. team of employees now have the ability to travel throughout Australia with one alarm code and one access pass, they have now eliminated the problem of having to set up all these credentials when travelling (especially each time); they couldn’t have been more happier. As this relationship continues to grow, they are now working to include the other offices across Australia as soon as possible.
Read More…
THE electronic access control systems (EACS) market could be worth $US16.3 billion by 2017, according to the “Electronic Access Control Systems Market: Global Forecast & Analysis (2012-2017)”. The report states that the EACS market comprises authentication systems, intruder alarm and perimeter security systems. Although the market faces issues of technological dormancy and high cost, heightened security concerns backed by government and regulatory mandates have helped to advance in the EACS market. Demand for solutions that integrate immediate onsite response with electronic security and alarm systems is also driving growth, according to the report. North America is leading the total EACS market, followed by Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Europe. In the APAC region, revivals of stalled construction projects and infrastructural boom have opened new avenues for the market. The sudden civil uprisings in the Middle East and Africa are also compelling the governments and enterprises to rethink their security measures, according to the study. The report names Bosch Security Systems, Siemens Building Technologies, Honeywell, Schneider Electric, ASSA ABLOY, Tyco Int’l, Magal Security Systems and Future Fibre Technology among the major global players in the market. source - http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/13-01-31/access_control_will_hit_us16b_by_2017.aspx
Read More…
Vipac is a multi-disciplinary technical consultancy specialising in mechanical and systems engineering, testing and instrumentation in a range of industries. They have an international reach with offices across Australia and local presence in South East Asia and the Middle East.
iKey Security were selected from a group of Security companies to design, supply and install Vipac’s new security system for the Sydney head office in Lane Cove. Because of Vipac’s need for high end security, iKey Security were selected due to their experience and expertise in Access Control. The team at Vipac have offices across Australia and are now on their way to simplifying their security set up nationally thanks to an innovative recommendation from iKey Security.
Read More…
Baie Apartments, Neutral Bay Committee have selected Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security to supply and install their new CCTV Surveillance System. Following an increase number of break ins and attempted break ins, the committee engaged iKey Security to assess their security needs and complete an onsite risk assessment. iKey Security's risk assessment concluded that their first priority be the installation of a new CCTV Surveillance system which would immediately at as a deterrent for future break ins. iKey Security have also been engaged to help Service and Maintain the system on an annually basis, giving not only the committee, but all of the tenants peace of mind that the system will always be at its best.
Read More…
The Avante Group is one of the world’s best small IT consulting firms,
providing technology, outsourcing, consulting and trusted IT
partnerships. They believe that exceptional business IT is about just the
right blend of people, technology, process, passion, experience and
culture.
With their small teams located across the globe, brilliant IT services are
never far away. This is why Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security were selected to upgrade their security system for the new Sydney Head Office in Ultimo. The new security system uses the latest technology in access control and intruder alarm with a view to integrate cctv surveillance at any given time. It has been connected to their network Infrastructure for easy connectivity and in-house management by their superior IT department
Read More…
The Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) and ASIAL have released guidelines for the installation and servicing of smoke detectors/sensors connected to residential and commercial security systems. Consumer Guidelines
Read More…
Diversified Australian Company, Hills Holdings Limited today announced it had reached agreement to buy Lan1. Lan1 is a leading solutions provider of IP Storage, IP Networking, IP Security and IP CCTV and access control. “In
recent years the businesses in our Electronics & Communications
Division have all been experiencing the transition from analogue
technology to digital technology,” said Hills chief executive officer,
Graham Twartz. “Access to
products and services in support of IP and networking applications is
important for the future development of our businesses.” Twartz
noted “This acquisition demonstrates a further step in Hills strategic
direction to invest in emerging and growing technologies to complement
our market leading position in Electronics & Communications
markets.” Lan1
is expected to turnover in excess of $30M in financial year 2013 and
provides engineering support, training, assistance with design and
configuration and implementation of IP products. Lan1
is based in Sydney with operations in key states. It is Hills intention
to run Lan1 as a stand-alone entity while leveraging its product range
and network expertise to other Electronics &Communications
businesses. Lan1 CEO Daniel Lee said Lan1 was delighted to be joining the Hills team. “Having
Hills support and infrastructure provides us a platform to enable
significant growth,” Lee said. “Our technology offerings integrate
extremely well into the Hills Electronics & Communications group and
we look forward to working closely with them”. The transaction is subject to a number of pre conditions and is expected to settle in October 2012.
Read More…
What we consider to be the biggest technical
breakthrough in alarm monitoring is still failing to take off in the
manner we’d expect. It’s video monitoring, including video verification
of intrusion events, a technology that reduces false alarm call outs and
allows operators to ring police directly in the event of a verified
burglary. THERE’S no doubt whatever that
technology is now capable of delivering video verification and alarm
monitoring in real time over existing networks. Thanks to H.264 and the
advent of low cost, high resolution cameras equipped with IR capability,
getting usable images down the line is a straightforward process. To
me there’s more capability in remote video monitoring than we are
currently seeing, especially given the technology offers monitoring
stations the ability to deliver a drop-in service, where operators will
call up a customer camera if an alert button is pressed and keep an eye
on a situation – perhaps in a late night retail store. Another neat
application is delivery of video for monitoring of an opening/closing or
arming/disarming event. Deploying
video to monitor events naturally leads to using video as a potential
replacement for guard services and if there’s a team capable of handling
response, this can work well, particularly if there’s audio combined
with video. Challenging, is the fact that a video solution is remote and
it cannot intervene or respond in the same way a security officer can. Where
video monitoring can help though, is in checking license plates of
vehicles for transport companies and opening gates remotely if the
vehicle appears in the day’s manifest. Large operations may have
thousands of heavy vehicle movements a day and being able to handle
multiple entries from a single control point delivers significant
savings, particular after hours and on weekends. But
to me video verification is currently the biggest potential application
of remote video monitoring – less in domestic than in commercial
applications. I think at some point in the future, video verification
will be a standard demanded by insurance companies – perhaps not for all
businesses but for high risk businesses or those experiencing multiple
break-ins or incidents. One
of the great things about video verification, and one of the reasons
industry associations should get behind the technology in my opinion, is
its impact on false alarms. There’s no doubt there’s a double-edged
sword here, given that reducing the number of responses by 80 or 90 per
cent would be likely to lead to patrol company failures. In some ways
then, false alarms provide a built-in subsidy allowing the existence of
patrol companies that also respond to genuine alarm events. This
said, best practise should dictate an end to all false alarms and more
than any other technology, video verification offers our industry the
capability to deliver this level of performance to customers prepared to
pay for it. Not only does video verification offer the ability to end
all false alarms, it’s a relatively easy fix, too. In
other parts of the world, pressure on shrinking police forces is likely
to drive the move to video verification. Typically, the folks in blue
will not respond to an unverified alarm event – ever – and that’s in
Australia as well as overseas. Should
video verification ever be written into an Australian standard as best
practise for alarm systems? In my opinion it should be, giving
installers and monitoring stations a selling point that differentiates
their clearly superior monitoring and alarm installation services. One
of the challenges for monitoring and alarm installation companies is
lean returns on installs and ongoing monitoring revenue. Video
verification offers an additional selling point that leverages existing
capabilities with a minimum of extra hardware. A
key issue with all kinds of video verification is that there are no
industry standards for resolution, delivery path, compression type,
encryption level, minimum scene illumination (say 5m with IR), or any
other relevant performance parameter. Given the thought that goes into
ensuring alarm comms get through with the least possible delay, I think
it’s a mistake for video verification to evolve into a welter of
proprietary ‘standards’ with no guiding principles. In
fairness, such official standards could be relatively broad, covering a
range of resolutions, encryption protocols and comms paths, with a
security level assigned to each solution, allowing end users to be sure
what it is they are paying for. But there’s a bigger issue here. Without
a common standard, a common reporting protocol, a common receiver-type
(off-shelf server with common software, or an alarm monitoring software
that integrates video), monitoring stations are painted into a farcical
corner when it comes to the only technology that could eliminate false
alarms for all time. They’ll have a choice - to standardize on one
proprietary video solution and accept no others, or duplicate their
video verification systems endlessly. This
could mean dozens of video verification systems in one control room,
none compatible with any other, or it could mean the monitoring station
will need to build its own private video verification solution and
integrate everyone’s cameras or video verification solutions into it.
Further, installers are not likely to only install one brand so they’ll
install what costs a customer least, changing monitoring stations to get
the support they require. At
present there are only a handful of providers offering video
verification and given the proprietary nature of their systems, each has
standardised on a single system by default. But taking video
verification to its ultimate conclusion is going to require plenty of
work and plenty of talk between manufacturers, monitoring stations,
installers and end users. In
the early days of the alarm industry, all reporting techniques were
proprietary and it was only after the late 1980s that considerable
standardization appeared. That plethora of standards was the bane of
early monitoring companies and it looks likely that in the absence of
concerted action, the expansion and integration of video verification
might follow the same torturous course. “They’ll
have a choice - to standardize on one proprietary video solution and
accept no others, or duplicate their video verification systems
endlessly. This could mean dozens of video verification systems in one
control room, none compatible with any other”
source - http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/12-08-22/considerations_of_video_monitoring.aspx
Read More…
The team at iKey Security Solutions and I have successfully completed the Building Security Upgrade for 107 Walker St, North Sydney. Working with the buildings committee over a 15mth period, iKey Security were engaged to provide a total building management solution including Access Control (card swipe access), Alarm and CCTV. The building itself provided the team at iKey Security a challenge as the building is well over 40yrs old (including the 2 elevators). The site consisted of 9 levels with 42 individual office suites, 2 lower ground car parks, a main building entrance with double sliding glass doors and the 2 elevators. iKey Security installed secured access on over 30 individual suites, inside both of the elevators and the main building entrance doors. There have also been CCTV cameras installed across the site recording 24/7 from inside the foyer to down into both of the car parks; these additional cameras will act as even more of a deterrent to would-be vandals or criminals. Earlier this month, the buildings committee and the team at iKey Security signed an annual Service, Maintenance and Management agreement which will see iKey Security not only maintain the system, but provide 24/7 on-site support and manage the entire system on the committees behalf. iKey Security Solutions has delivered the best security technologies to Australian Businesses since 2001. With more than 15 years’ experience in the security industry, we work with our customers to deliver innovative, user-friendly security applications that protect and enhance daily business operations.
Read More…
Brett Gallen from iKey Security Solutions and John Acord from Forecourt Electrical have successfully completed the Electrical fitout for Newcastle's busiest McDonalds, King St.
Working with MomentumBuilt (contracted builder), Brett and John were able to complete the entire fitout without fault. We look forward to building a continuous working relationship with MomentumBuilt and are optimistic about the future and the projects ahead.
Read More…
Of the past couple of years we’ve visited major camera manufacturers and wholesalers a couple of times to get a feel for the balance of analogue and IP camera sales. The end of 2011 feels a good time to get another snapshot on the canary in the datamine. WE’VE all had a growing sense of the increasing prevalence of IP cameras and fully networked surveillance systems over the past 18 months or so – there’s a growing momentum in the sector that can’t be denied. Not surprisingly, the numbers camera makers and distributors offer suggest analogue and IP are now at or will reach parity sometime next year. It’s a pivotal moment and one that has been a decade in coming. Since those first sepia-toned CMOS IP cameras were released in the late ‘90s, full digital surveillance cameras have developed at a frantic pace and now offer end users and installers that most wonderful of network devices, the customisable platform. If anything should indicate to our readership – users and installers – the veracity of the arguments for IP, then this should be it. Our market has spoken. The time for motivated reasoning is past. We need to own our networked future fully – for better or for worse – the worse being an acceptance of revenue loss to network infrastructure. We’ve chosen not to speak with pure IP camera manufacturers or distributors, given their build or sales will reflect their complete bias to digital. Instead we are looking for a feel for the balance of sales in business that support both sides of the market. First cab of the rank is Cliff Simons of QVS, who says that the company’s sales are now 50 per cent analogue and 50 per cent IP, with 80 per cent of the IP being HD or megapixel and only 20 per cent being 4CIF devices. That 80 per cent IP being HD or megapixel is a key for me. The future is staring us right between the eyes. According to Simons, about 10 per cent of QVS’ high end analogue cameras are sold with encoders and the business is still sufficiently worthwhile that there are plans for new releases of analogue cameras next year. “Most quotes going forward are for IP systems where companies are looking for higher resolution cameras and longer storage scenarios,” Simons explains. For all their strengths, Simons agrees there are still certain weaknesses with HD but he says are being addressed by the latest technologies. “HD is still suffering in low light but there are some nice IR LED assisted cameras to help compensate,” he says. “Wide Dynamic Range is also much better now. Costs have reduced dramatically too, making HD cameras much more affordable. The key issue is getting the right lens for the camera. I think there is a shortage of affordable lenses for 5MP cameras and up.” Regardless of these issues, Simons thinks 720p and 1080p HD cameras are simply superior across the board – taking certain extreme applications out of the picture. “Yes, the pictures are fantastic. We can place 2 x 8MP Cameras back-to-back with no moving parts and achieve what a PTZ used to do without missing anything at all. And this is just one example.” Over at Pacific Communications, Keiron McDonough says the company has seen a steady progression in the take-up of IP products. According to McDonough, the decreasing prices of IP products compared to analogue, are further driving the IP take up. We’ve spoken before in SE&N about cameras as a digital platform and Panasonic’s SmartHD range certainly was a pioneer in smart digital features like face detection and banknote recognition settings for POS applications, as well as VMD. Importantly, McDonough says Panasonic is planning on expanding its range of digital features over the next year. “There are some very exciting features coming up in analytics, camera performance and more. We are very excited by this…watch this space.” On the key issue of minimum scene illumination, McDonough believes 0.3 lux in colour and 0.05 lux in black and white are sufficient for most applications – and good enough to make analogue yesterday’s technology. “SmartHD cameras use Panasonic’s unique MOS sensor technology that gives great low-light sensitivity, equal to most analogue cameras, plus you get megapixel resolution. In addition, low noise and a full digital path from camera to NVR make the SmartHD solution a smart step forward.” A key area of interest for installers and users is whether the standard for CCTV will correlate with SMPTE’s 1080p HD standard or if there’s room for proprietary interpretations of 1080p and 720p with similarly high standards of resolution, compression and frame rate. “SmartHD cameras use Panasonic’s unique MOS sensor technology that gives great low-light sensitivity, equal to most analogue cameras, plus you get megapixel resolution.” “Historically, CCTV has its own specific technology and many of it is borrowed from the Broadcast TV,” McDonough explains. “We believe CCTV manufacturers will closely correlate with any current standards. But other resolutions and standards may arise from particular requirements from a project or to implement a particular camera feature.” The key with any new technology is how quickly customers handle the transition. In the case of SmartHD, McDonough says existing customers adapting, and IT-capable clients are embracing the company’s technology. “For existing customers, Panasonic’s SmartHD NVR (WJ-NV200) makes life easy with a simple setup wizard making configuration of the NVR arguably easier to setup than a standard DVR,” he explains. “Because of this most customers are adapting well. In addition our Hills training institute will be softening the transition by offering training on the complete Panasonic IP product. “As part of this transition IT departments are now interacting more with CCTV systems that typically was confined to the guardroom. The result is new IT-capable clients.” Over at Bosch Sean Borg believes there’s been a major change in the past year. “I think we are starting to see a steep curve all of a sudden – only this year are we starting to see people starting to decide – well you know what – it’s time to buy 720p cameras,” Borg says. “It’s probably in part because more DVRs can handle IP, record HD and manufacturers have made it easier to set the system up. “Before now, setup was a bit antiquated and difficult to get this and plug it into that and make sure this drive was mapped to that system – now everything is finding each other, becoming more plug and play and I think that’s helping. And there’s a lot more education out there. I think it’s fair to say that we really should have been there by now with IP.” "HD is still suffering in low light but there are some nice IR LED assisted cameras to help compensate. “Wide Dynamic Range is also much better now." Part of the reason for the slowness of the transition isn’t the technology itself, it’s the age of the decision makers in installation and integration companies, according to Mark Edwards of Central Security Distribution. “In our experience, all the owners of businesses that are older – say mid-40s and above – are little slower to adopt IP solutions,” he explains. “This is not universal by any means but the companies with younger guys as decision makers are generally much faster with new IP technology. They come from that background. “The guys used to running cables and plugging coax in and not having to deal with the IT side of it are harder to drag through. There certainly are a few exceptions but it’s hard to get the analogue guys to change.” According to Edwards a key moment this year was when the CSD people say the new 1080p cameras at Security 2011 in Sydney. “When our team saw the new HD 1080p cameras and DVRs they were raving about them,” he says. “As our next step we will be bringing that technology in and then I think the analogue will really fade off.” As part of its move to IP, CSD distributes and supports Mobotix cameras which are renowned for their performance and that are increasingly competitive in price. “We carry Mobotix as our IP camera solution – we supply the electronic security industry with the product and stock is on the shelf with us – there’s no delivery delays,” Edwards explains. “Mobotix is incredible stuff. The products we have – when you compare the images – we don’t have anything like them so Mobotix is our flagship when it comes to IP video CCTV.” A really interesting study of the analogue/IP transition is Sony, which manufactures most the chipsets for the security industry and was brilliant at analogue and is equally brilliant at IP Video. Surprisingly, Sony’s numbers reflect a very strong pull to IP, despite the fact Sony is in the top 3 in analogue camera makers in terms of image quality, in our opinion. This reflect Sony’s pulling back on analogue CCTV and focusing on chipsets just as the analogue/IP transition began, as well as highlighting the fact Sony was an IP camera pioneer and has been in from the start. “Currently IP sales are 85 per cent versus 15 per cent for analogue with our current range, however, we have a new range of 650 and 700TVL analog cameras due for release in 2012 with wide dynamic range,” says Sony’s Steve Charles. “We have sold over 5000 channels of encoders over the past couple of years but we now see this now scaling back. Our focus is now on the soon to be released Z Series IP over Coax Hybrid SLOC cameras. “We still see growth in the higher end of the analog sector and over the course of 2012 we plan to further expand our existing analog business,” Charles says. “But IP business will remain our core focus and with the release additional complimentary products and cameras we expect to grow our IP business exponentially in 2012. Pointedly, Charles says a key reason end users choose analogue cameras over IP or megapixel in today’s market is due to existing coaxial infra-structure but he says that with the release of the Hybrid Z Series range, customers who choose to remain with analogue will have a HD alternative” When talk turns to outright performance, Charles does not think analogue can compete with HD. “No - IP camera performance is superior and now end users are more tech savvy - they are used to HD standards and picture quality,” he says. “We expect the cross over point where IP and analog market share cross paths is only 1 - 2 years away.” “Before now, setup was a bit antiquated and difficult to get this and plug it into that and make sure this drive was mapped to that system – now everything is finding each other, becoming more plug and play and I think that’s helping.” Source - http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com.au/NewsDetail/12-01-16/the_great_divide_digital_vs_analogue.aspx
Read More…
Bosch AutoDome 800 1080p HD Bosch is starting to flex some muscle in the HD video space with the release of its AutoDome 800 and AutoDome Junior models. With Dinion HD chipsets, these full-movement PTZs offer high resolution and all the other goodies. WE’VE stated a few times in the past 12 months that the HD standard is going to both free up and demand design teams take digital functionality to the next level. With its recent release of the HD AutoDome range, Bosch has achieved the Holy Grail – leapfrogging itself into the front rank of HD 1080p players while delivering users a stack of digital functionality. A great move from Bosch is giving the market a one-two punch in the form of the IP66 AutoDome 800 for external applications and the AutoDome Junior designed specifically for internal apps requiring a more compact footprint with no compromise on performance. At the heart of each of these cameras is a Bosch Dinion HD chipset that isn’t made by one of the 3 big providers – Sony, Hitachi or JVC. That means with Bosch you are getting proprietary design and a feature set you won’t be disappointed to find in a much cheaper camera in 6 months time. The 800 gets a 3-inch CMOS sensor while the Junior gets a 2.5-inch setup. “Our HD cameras are doing very well in the market and the technology from our 1080p HD camera is now manifesting itself into our moving camera portfolio,” explains Bosch’s Sean Borg. “Personally, I think standard definition will phase out. “Both these cameras have a full optical and digital zoom with the AutoDome 800 having a 20x optical zoom and the AutoDome Junior having 10x optical zoom (16x digital). Back in the analogue days we had 36x optical zoom but this was not as powerful as 20x optical zoom with HD. The transition to HD gives far superior performance.” According to Borg, the 800 and the Junior have full HD streaming allowing them to handle 1080p at 30 images a second or it’s possible to reduce resolution to 720p and stream 60 images per second. “We’ve got video content analysis onboard which is not a common feature of pan and tilt units – we’re proud of that capability,” says Borg. “Other features include stabilization, advanced privacy masking, 64 user presets, preset tours and alarms. Both cameras support H.264 main profile compression. Autotrack II automated motion tracking. “From a networking perspective you can run these units over PoE Plus so you don’t have to power them locally. And as with all our HD cameras, they are all ONVIF compliant and that means companies like Genetec, Milestone, Avigilon, DVTel in December – and many others – all can take our cameras.” AutoDome 800 The AutoDome 800 Series’ 1/3-inch CMOS sensor, offers 1080p resolution and sensitivity to below 1.0 lux. The AutoDome 800 Series supports 1080p30, 720p60, 720p30, 480p30 (WVGA), and 240p30 (WQVGA) resolutions for 50 Hz and 60 Hz models at 16:9 aspect ratio. Nice features of the AutoDome 800 include bandwidth throttling to manage bandwidth and storage requirements, as well as network-based control of PTZ operation, presets, tours and alarms as well as web-based configuration of all dome settings. That 1080p HD resolution at 30 images per second delivers 6 times the detail level of standard definition cameras, ensuring crisp video even when zooming in digitally to extend the camera’s range. In addition, the 16:9 aspect ratio increases situational awareness by maximizing the field of view without compromising image clarity. The high-performance 200x (20x optical/10x digital) offers variable pan and tilt speeds and AutoPivot ensure optimal camera control and viewing at all zoom levels. There are 99 user-defined presets as well as tour and AutoPan modes as well as integration with Bosch video products including the Bosch Video Client and the Bosch Recording Station, as well as the full range of Bosch video over IP products. Pan and tilt preset repeatability are accurate to within ±0.1 degrees and the AutoDome 800 Series delivers variable pan/tilt speeds from a crawl speed of only 0.1 degrees per second up to an ultra-quick 120 degrees per second. The dome is capable of pan speeds of 360 degrees per second and tilt speeds of 100 degrees per second between prepositions. Meanwhile, AutoScaling (proportional zoom) and AutoPivot (automatically rotates and flips the camera) features ensure optimal control. The AutoDome 800 Series uses an advanced H.264 encoder to create DVD-quality streaming video at ultra-low bit rates. Use of H.264 encoding, bandwidth throttling, and multicasting capabilities, minimizes bandwidth and storage usage to significantly reduce costs. Bosch's quad-streaming feature offers 3 H.264 streams and an M-JPEG stream in full and reduced bandwidth modes. During full bandwidth operation (full HD 1080p30 or high frame rate 720p60) the second stream is an exact copy of the first stream. In reduced bandwidth mode (720p30), the second stream is an independently configurable, downscaled-resolution stream. In both modes the third H.264 stream consists of HD I-frames only. As mentioned earlier, smarts are a big part of the AutoDome 800’s feature list. The AutoDome 800 Series comes with Bosch’s Intelligent Video Analysis (IVA) built-in. IVA is state-of-the-art intelligent video analysis that reliably detects, tracks, and analyzes moving objects while suppressing unwanted alarms from spurious sources in the image. The AutoDome 800 Series features recessed screws and latches for increased tamper resistance and has an operating temperature down to –45°C (–49°F). The outdoor pendant comes fully-assembled with a sunshield and ready for wall or pipe applications with the proper mounting hardware (purchased separately). In addition, the pendant housing comes equipped with a low-impact, high-resolution acrylic bubble for enhanced image clarity. Additional features include 2 alarm inputs and 1 open-collector alarm output, which can drive an external device. There’s also built-in iSCSI support allowing the AutoDome 800 Series to stream video directly to an iSCSI RAID array. There are 24 black or grey privacy masks displayed in the same scene. As the camera is zoomed, each mask changes size so the covered object cannot be seen. AutoDome 800 offers 20x optical zoom, 10x digital, 0.8 lux low light performance, signal-to-noise ration of 50dB, backlight compensation, White Balance ATW, Indoor, Outdoor, AWB Hold, Extended ATW, Manual Day/Night Monochrome, Color, Auto. There’s a data rate of 9.6 kbps to 6 Mbps depending on Overall IP Delay 240 ms AutoDome Junior Bosch’s AutoDome Junior is one of the best specced indoor PTZs money can buy. Starting off with full 1080p HD resolution and sub-1.0 lux minimum scene illumination from its 2.5-inch progressive scan CMOS, the Junior keeps on delivering with 160x zoom (that’s 10x optical, 16x digital) and day/night functionality. Diameter is 12.8 cm making the AutoDome Junior HD half the size of its big brother, the AutoDome 800. The small size has no impact on the breadth of the feature set, however, which is almost identical in features and capability to the bigger AutoDome 800. You get variable pan and tilt speeds and AutoPivot ensure optimal camera control and viewing at all zoom levels, as well as 64 user-defined presets as well as tour and AutoPan modes. The AutoDome Junior HD allows for a total of 15 individual, easy to configure privacy masks, per scene. There’s also the same direct network connection using H.264 and JPEG compression and bandwidth throttling to manage bandwidth and storage along with the same network-based control of all dome functionality including PTZ operation, presets, tours and alarms as well as web-based configuration of all dome settings. Pan and tilt preset repeatability are accurate to within ±0.1 degrees and there’s variable pan/tilt speeds from a crawl speed of only 1 degree per second up to an ultra-quick 120 degrees per second. The dome is capable of pan speeds of 360 degrees per second and tilt speeds of 100 degrees per second between prepositions. AutoDome Junior HD uses that advanced H.264 encoder to create DVD-quality streaming video at ultra-low bit rates. Use of H.264 encoding, bandwidth throttling, and multicasting capabilities, minimizes bandwidth and storage usage to significantly reduce costs. AutoDome Junior HD supports 1080p30, 720p60, 720p30, 480p30 (WVGA), and 240p30 (WQVGA) resolutions for 50 Hz and 60 Hz models at 16:9 aspect ratio. You get quad-streaming feature of the same 3 H.264 streams together with an M-JPEG stream in full and reduced bandwidth modes. During full bandwidth operation (full HD 1080p30 or high frame rate 720p60) the second stream is an exact copy of the first stream. In reduced bandwidth mode (720p30), the second stream is an independently configurable, downscaled-resolution stream. In both modes the third H.264 stream consists of HD I-frames only. There’s built-in video content analysis including MOTION+ video motion detection based on pixel change and includes object size filtering capabilities and sophisticated tamper detection capabilities. The AutoDome Junior HD also features Bosch’s Intelligent Video Analysis (IVA) – same as the AutoDome 800 does. This IVA is state-of-the-art intelligent video analysis that reliably detects, tracks, and analyzes moving objects while suppressing unwanted alarms from spurious sources in the image. There’s also image stabilization algorithms including shake in both horizontal and vertical axes, as well as a heavy-duty, tamper-resistant aluminium housing protects the camera from vandalism and theft. There’s built-in iSCSI support, an embedded web server that lets the installer access all the user settings, make camera adjustments, and update firmware via a standard web browser or via the Bosch Video Management System. Both the AutoDome Junior and the AutoDome 800 cameras conform to the ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) specification guaranteeing interoperability between network video products regardless of manufacturer. These are a strong release from Bosch that both meet the market’s current needs and deliver a platform for future development. Source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com.au/NewsDetail/11-12-21/bosch_autodome_800_1080p_hd.aspx
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security have been successful in their joint tender with Forecourt Electrical for the Electrical Services at the King St McDonalds in Newcastle. Brett Gallen (Director - iKey Security) and John Acord (Managing Director - Forecourt Electrical) have been working together over the past couple of years and this year joined forces to compete in the ever demanding construction industry. The have since been awarded their first contract together, the complete electrical contract for the King St McDonalds in Newcastle. The current restaurant will be completely demolished and rebuilt in 4 stages, while never shutting its doors to the public. Brett and John are both very excited about the potential this joint venture will bring to both of their current businesses and feel optimistic about the future of their working relationship.
Read More…
Bosch Security’s Blue Line Gen2 family of detectors offers installers the things they want – long warranty, proven technology and easy installation and upgrade. JUST released by Bosch Security are the latest Blue Line Gen2 sensors. The range kicks off with the standard Blue Line Gen2 PIR Motion Detectors (ISC-BPR2) which use a pair of Fresnel lenses to produce sharply-focused images so as to give superior response to intruders. These lenses provide a high density 77-zone, 7-layer pattern, and there’s a selectable lookdown lens provides an additional three lookdown zones. This standard PIR also comes as a pet-friendly option. Next in line is the Blue Line Gen2 Quad PIR motion detector. This more advanced unit employs a couple of individual sensors that operate like two PIRs in a single detector. Each sensor processes signals separately. Both must activate to generate an alarm signal. This improves false alarm immunity relative to a standard PIR, because false alarm sources such as noise spikes and small animals are ignored. Quad detectors also provide superior catch performance versus a standard PIR. They are particularly well suited for challenging installation situations; for example, cases where cross catch of intruders cannot be guaranteed or where intruders are able to cross the detection pattern very quickly. At the top of the heap is the Blue Line Gen2 TriTech motion detector (ISC-BDL2), which uses a combination of passive infrared (PIR) and microwave detection technologies with advanced signal processing. There are pet-friendly models of this sensor too, that generate alarms for human intruders without generating false alarms for pets. Each of the 3 sensors in the Blue Line Gen2 range also comes in wireless versions making installation very simple indeed. Bosch’s wireless is Digiflex technology and it’s widely recognised as superb. “Upgrading sensors traditionally meant the panel had to be powered down and the sensors pulled out and replaced with others device or another brand. But with Blue Line Gen 2, you just undo one screw and then slide the sensor off the baseplate” Bosch’s Andrew Gray says key design features of the range include sealed optics to ensure no dust or insects can get onto the board, sensor or lens. Also central to Blue Line Gen2 are serviceability, upgradeability and a universal appearance for all detectors in the family. Reliability is guaranteed by a 3-year warranty. An especially neat feature of Blue Line Gen2 is its ability to be replaced in the field to meet changing needs simply by clicking the sensor off the wall. “These sensors are all self-locking so it’s simple to get them onto and off of the baseplate,” Gray explains. “They’ve been designed like this to make replacement easier. Let’s say there’s a Blue Line Gen2 PIR in a house working away and the homeowner buys a pet. “It’s now possible to upgrade the sensors in a couple of minutes – traditionally this meant that the panel had to be powered down and the sensors pulled out and replaced with others device or another brand. But with Blue Line Gen 2, you just undo one screw and then slide the sensor off the baseplate, then slide the new sensor onto the baseplate and click-lock it into position – no tools required - done. Detector changed. The wiring is all to the baseplate.” Gray explains that it’s not just all the baseplates that are the same, all the sensors are designed to look the same. “You might have an installation where there’s a TriTech in the garage where the dog lives and in the granny flat where there’s no easy way to cable you might have a wireless sensor and both look identical to the hard-wired quad sensors installed throughout the house where there are no pets. You can have 3 or 4 different models of sensor and all are the same – the presentation is identical.” For installers there’s an integrated spirit level so it’s easy to get the baseplate straight on the wall. The removable commercial grade terminal strip further reduces mounting time and simplifies wiring. Having optics and electronics tucked in the front enclosure and sealed with a protective cover prevents damage during installation due to static or tool slips. There’s also flexible mounting height allowing techs to position detectors at 2.3 to 2.7 metres without adjustment and all models provide 12 metre-deep coverage. At this point, Gray goes through a simulation of the installing and replacing a Blue Line Gen2 sensor and the process is too simple for words. Once the basic wiring is completed and the baseplate attached using that ever so handy bubble guide, replacing sensors is a matter of snapping them in and out one-handed. “Price varies – to the trade it’s about $A80 for a Tritech, $50 for Quad and $30 for a PIR but there’s discount on quantities,” Gray explains. “Interestingly, the TriTech is our best selling detector. It’s proven technology and does not false alarm. Some installers put a detector in that’s as cheap as possible to save money then wind up driving across town to fix or replace it. It’s a false economy. “When you are warrantying the installation for 12 months on labour and 3 years on parts and install the wrong sensor and get false alarms it will cost you. TriTech means you never go back and the customer is always happy. If a customer gets 1 or 2 false alarms they will never use or recommend an installer.” Sensor functionality Each of the Blue Line Gen2 sensors offers a range of onboard functions starting off with First Step Processing (FSP) which Bosch says offers almost instant response to human targets without producing false alarms from other sources. FSP adjusts the detector's sensitivity based on signal amplitude, polarity, slope, and timing. This eliminates the need for the installer to select the sensitivity level, thus improving ease of installation and reliability. There’s also dynamic temperature compensation which sees the detector intelligently adjust its sensitivity so that it can identify human intruders at virtually any temperature. Wall-to-wall coverage of a target area is provided by an improved lookdown zone and universal coverage of 12m x 12m more than enough for most domestic and commercial applications. There’s that self-locking enclosure, with integrated bubble level and custom gap-free, lift-gate terminal blocks to make installation and sensor head replacement easier, while optics and electronics are assembled in the front enclosure are protected from installation damage. The sealed optical chamber also prevents drafts and insects from affecting the detector and an externally visible alarm LED that can be disabled after installation allows easy walk-test. When it comes to mounting, these sensors can be positioned on flat walls (surface, semi-flush), with the optional B335 Swivel-mount Bracket, or using the optional B328 Gimbal-mount Bracket. They can be located in a corner (the junction of two perpendicular walls) or on the ceiling with the optional B338 Ceiling-mount bracket. If installers go with the pet-friendly models it’s possible to turn pet immunity on or off based upon application requirements. When pet immunity is turned off, the detector provides superior catch performance identical to the non-pet models. When pet immunity is turned on, the detector can distinguish between signals caused by humans and signals caused by pets. It ignores signals caused by one or two pets up to 20kg (45 lb) or numerous rodents. The Tritech detector also features Microwave Noise Adaptive Processing that adjusts to background disturbances, reducing false alarms without any impact on intruder detection sensitivity. On the technical side these sensors comply with EN50130-5 Class II, can handle relative humidity from 0 to 95 per cent non-condensing or for UL-Listed products, 0 to 85 per cent, non-condensing. The operating temperature is -30C to +55C, dimensions are 105mm x 61mm x 44 mm, material is high-impact ABS plastic and there’s RFI immunity (150 kHz to 2 GHz at field strengths less than 30 V/m). There’s also a connect tamper circuit to provide 24-hour protection circuit. Source - http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com.au/NewsDetail/11-08-30/new_bosch_big_blue_gen2.aspx
Read More…
If you’re mulling over access control solutions it’s worth bearing in mind that properly applied, access control really is the heart of a proactive electronic security solution. WHEN you think about access control one of the key challenges is recognising the exactly what such a solution constitutes. If you’re a cardholder, access control is a reader and a card. If you’re handling cardholder admin, it’s software management. If you’re a security manager, it’s automated reports and ongoing card costs. If you’re an installer, access control is more complicated – a sprawling network of readers, locks, door controllers and central controllers linked to local area networks via adjacent switches. But even this more nuanced view of the structure of an access control solution fails to capture the complexity and capability of the modern system. That’s because access control brings together hardware, comms and software components in a way no other electronic security systems do. Access control systems, unlike unmonitored video surveillance or alarms, have the capability to act physically on the basis of system design, software rules and electrical inputs/outputs – whether that is denying entry upon presentation of an unauthorised credential or the rejection of all cardholder entries in the event of fire. But just what constitutes an access control system and what gives these solutions their proactive power? At the heart of every access control system is the door controller, a solid state board in a dedicated housing that’s located near every entry point in a building to provide control of local doors. As a rule, controllers handle 2 doors per board or a single door with access control in both directions. Expander boards offer exponential growth. “At the heart of every access control system is the door controller, a solid state board in a dedicated housing that’s located near every entry point in a building to provides control of local doors” The door controller will provide power to electric strikes or magnetic locks via high current relays, along with Weigand reader inputs. There will also be inputs allowing door position to be reported in real time and outputs allowing activation of lights, cameras or operation of door strikes from a control room or the secure side of the door. Depending on the nature of the system, multiple 2-door controllers can be installed in parallel, or larger door controllers can handle high-rise applications. Along with power for door hardware and alarm inputs, a modern 2-door controller will also feature a network input to allow connection to a common data network for monitoring and administration. Once on the network, controllers can be managed locally or remotely and they’ll appear seamlessly on central management software. Another key element of door controllers is event buffering and a cache that allows distributed intelligence in the event of network failure or overload. There will also be features like anti-passback for those doors with inwards and outwards readers. It’s important to point out here that not all door controllers are created equal – not so much in terms of quality when considering the most popular products installed in Australia but in terms of designed purpose. Some 2-door controllers are simply 2-door controllers that might store the details of 128 cardholders. Going up a level there are door controllers that will handle 2 doors with a pair of readers (in and out) per door. Or they might handle 4 doors (with expansion to 8) and include 16 alarm zones, multiple areas and support 10,000 users standard. Then there are solutions that can handle 8 doors, 92,000 cardholders and 16 perimeter controllers. Complicating the issue are powerful access control and alarm controllers which are capable of supporting small/medium business applications, or multiple business units or offices on a site. Such systems can also be networked to form corporate and enterprise solutions controlled by powerful software. These advanced systems reflect the integral role of door controllers as network-based modules in a modern access control solution. Downstream of door controllers things are relatively straightforward, though there’s still plenty to think about. On the comms side, we’re talking RS-485 infrastructure. Then there’s door hardware starting out with electric strikes, electric mortise locks and electromagnetic locks. We’re not going to go into depth on locking devices here. Suffice to say, you need to choose a locking device that offers the correct balance of security, economy, reliability and performance. You also need to be sure your locks offer the sort of alarm reporting capability you need, including door open too long and tamper. Something else to bear in mind is that the some of the latest lock designs incorporate increased attack resistance and alarm capabilities – you need to take these features into account given they’ll option up your system’s security level. You also need to think about door closers when you’re installing locking hardware. The other important element at the door is the reader and with readers you’ve got a number of considerations relating to security levels, initial costs and lifetime cost of credential technology. This latter applies most directly to card-based solutions and relates to the cost of administering and replacing physical cards – usually proximity or smart prox. Card solutions include the ubiquitous 125Hz readers, 13.56MHz contactless smart card technologies and MIFARE and DESFire cards. Depending on the readers chosen, you may have a combination of keypad, mag stripe, keypad and proximity, proximity-only, or smartprox. Smartcards offer higher security levels, integration with payment systems and support for biometric credentials but at a higher card cost. Then there are straight biometric readers which remain outside the mainstream in Australia. This is odd considering the huge falls in cost we’ve seen over the past ten years. Biometric solutions kiss goodbye the ongoing cost of maintaining card libraries, which can be considerable over the life of a system. That’s appealing from an end user perspective. When you think readers you’ll also need to think about long range readers for vehicles and the power and number of these will depend on what sort of business you are protecting. With cars and vans, standard prox card readers may be enough but if there are heavy vehicles and your site includes boom gates, sliding gates and gatehouses, things go to another level altogether. In a comprehensive access control solution, additional downstream devices will include alarm inputs (security, safety and fire protection), CCTV cameras, thermal cameras, perimeter detection devices and more. All these devices will increase the resolution – the sensitivity – of an electronic security system. Upstream of the door controllers you’ll find network devices, network infrastructure, servers, workstations and attendant management software. The ability to port to networks may be an integral part of door controllers but there may be expanders required. Think about network encryption here – 128-bit 3DES is preferable. Network components are most likely to be those that make up your site’s data network. Access control and alarm signals are so small they take up no bandwidth on a modern network. Integrated video surveillance is in another dimension altogether but for the purposes of this discussion we’ll assume video runs on a subnet and is to be driven through integrated management software at a workstation or dedicated server level. The nature of the network will dictate system monitoring. Enterprise-wide used to be a solution that only applied to the big boys – the biggest end users and expensive enterprise-focused access control solutions. That’s changing fast now, with easy connection of door controllers on a handful of sites together with video integration allowing management fingertip sensitivity. Clearly the NBN rollout, which continues apace, will offer affordable application of big bandwidths and drive network infrastructure, making leveraging WAN-based VPNs the simplest of procedures. Current projections suggest a port speed of about 100/40 with a 1TB limit for just $189 per month and this is before the grind of market forces applies. At these prices, combining access and video surveillance across multiple sites becomes not only possible but eminently sensible. The integration of access control hardware into a network environment is also gathering way. Controllers are being designed for rack mounting that will make location in network rooms and integration onto networks normal practice. When you consider the long history of computer-based and network-based access control access control systems, bringing controllers out of dark closets under buildings and into online environments makes perfect sense. Source - http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com.au/NewsDetail/11-08-29/access_control_fundamentals_door_control.aspx
Read More…
Things look messy for the Australian monitoring industry. Not only does the market face the ultimate phase out of PSTN lines leaving a million alarm systems mute, 2GSM and associated GPRS services don’t look to have a clear future either. NOT surprisingly, the electronic security industry’s central powers – ASIAL and the Australian Standards Alarms Sub Committee – face an uphill battle over the next few years. While the NBN Co is now a little more forthcoming on issues relating to getting alarm systems onto its broadband network, the processes required to achieve this remain nebulous. It’s tempting to go so far as to suggest the expertise necessary to handle the issues the alarm monitoring industry faces is so thin on the ground that outsiders are needed to resolve them. Reports circulating after recent meetings to discuss challenges suggest confusion reigns with little understanding and less agreement. Something else that’s stoking the fire is the fact monitoring has always been a tough, old gut. The result of generations of competitive spirit is layers of competing technology each with its cadre of fiercely independent players, none of which is prepared to listen to others, all suspicious of perceived attempts to lever competitive advantage. There’s also an analogue/IP divide. The general press has a tendency to talk about this digital division as if it’s some sort of generational change. In this case, dialler would be the precinct of greybeards locked inside their rebate towers. IP meanwhile, is the preserve of young digital progressives with badly styled hair and pants half down. The reality is that such delineations are utter bollocks. Most our industry’s true digital visionaries are in their 50s and 60s and have won ongoing success by evolving their businesses to suit the changing environments of the past 15 years. These are the guys we need to be listening to now because it’s not just a gentle trend facing monitoring companies and end users but the advent of a whole new technological stratum. One of the nice things about monitoring right now is the richness of comms technology. The latest alarm communications devices have 4 or even 5 communications paths – multiple wireless routes, IP and PSTN. The beauty of this has been that regardless of the sometimes patchy nature of new solutions, there’s always been a wicket keeper waiting to take the spinning ball - the most dependable of which has always been digital dialler. Now, digital dialler running on the PSTN network is a boring technology but the truth is it supports an end-to-end copper link from alarm panel to monitoring station that once formed shifts data at the speed of light. It’s this reliable old nanny that monitoring stations will shortly kiss goodbye. In the absence of PSTN there’s the NBN and all the spookiness therein, and there’s wireless technology. Of the 2, wireless – that’s currently 2GSM and the GPRS overlay – is the most tempting. There are no dangerous network components to create law suits with wireless, instead there’s a clean end-to-end link (you know what I mean) between the panel and the monitoring station that is supported by all the resources of a gigantic telco. And there are solutions with runs on the board. There’s no doubt the GSM network is increasingly reliable. The first GSM network in Australia was Telstra’s – launched back in 1993 on the 900MHz band and later upgraded to 1800MHz and further enhanced with GPRS packet data transmission capabilities. With coverage to 93 per cent of Australia’s population, 2G GSM and GPRS work well and offer capable wireless services. The products they support are mature. But insiders are now suggesting 2GSM’s days may be numbered and if true, this most straightforward solution to the phasing out of digital dialler faces an uncertain future. Logically, 2GSM and reliant GPRS products will move to 3G850 and/or superfast HSDPA formats but you can’t click your fingers and redo all existing wireless comms panels any more than you can replace one million dialler-based alarms with alternative IP and wireless-based comms technologies. Given the complexities, it’s hard to see how the monitoring industry will resolve these issues. Dialler worked because it was a baseline comms technology, owned by nobody. Any rebates accrued to the monitoring station holding the lines. But wireless – whichever wireless this happens to be – is a whole other thing. There are a number of quality providers of wireless monitoring solutions and despite the bickering over the years, all have been in the market a good while and showed plenty of commitment to their clients. But regardless of their various strengths, the wireless solutions they offer are their own communications solutions. They’re not an industry standard – they’re proprietary technologies based on GSM and GSM-dependent GPRS overlays. And they rely on the fickleness of telco-owned infrastructure. So what’s the alternative? Is it IP? Could a device be created that allowed direct communication between panels and control rooms over public space with no security risk, no intrusion of routers of dubious quality? It’s hard to see how. One way or another it would mean alarms sharing bandwidth in a domestic IT environment with music and video downloads and relying on network ancillaries of unknown quality. A home or small office network is no place for an alarm panel if security is being taken seriously - not without backup, anyway. This is a messy place for the monitoring industry to find itself but there are opportunities for new business and for coherent leadership. The Australian alarm industry needs to find a roadmap for its monitoring future and it needs to find one fast. Source - http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com.au/NewsDetail/11-08-30/monitoring_weathering_a_perfect_storm.aspx
Read More…
Come and join us for the inaugural Central Coast Home Expo!! We will have great specials for those that attend and look forward to showcasing the very latest in home security solutions.
Read More…
Bosch has released the Dinion HD 1080p Day/Night IP camera, the latest addition to the Bosch high definition (HD) portfolio. The high quality camera achieves best-in-class performance, combining full HD resolution images with excellent low light operation and color reproduction. The Dinion HD 1080p Day/Night IP camera delivers uncompromising vision even in busy, colorful scenes. 1080p is equivalent to 2 megapixels, conforming to the HD standard. The entire advanced image pipeline, from lens to image processing, ensures images stay sharp throughout the scene. This allows reliable identification of faces, objects and alphanumeric information over a wide area. Operators can zoom in to any part of a scene to examine specific details without losing clarity. A specially selected image sensor enables superior detection and analysis. Images are exceptionally clear, making it easier to identify items, while different color tones can be distinguished even in poor lighting. Spotting alarm situations is easy and very dependable. Built-in Bosch HD-optimized IVA (Intelligent Video Analysis) flags any events on-screen so that operators never miss suspicious activities. IVA captures comprehensive details of scenes which can be stored for later review using Bosch Forensic Search. The Dinion HD 1080p Day/Night IP camera features a new, next-generation camera design. Constructed with careful attention to detail, the camera has a professional look and feel and features an extended operating temperature range, making it ideal for hot or cold climates. Installation and setup is very simple. The camera starts up quickly and has a user-friendly control interface. The best-in-class motorized auto-back-focus makes it easy to get the sharpest image the first time. Power over Ethernet means no additional power supplies are needed and the camera is extremely energy efficient, consuming just 3.5 watt. Check out the new Dinion HD IP on the Bosch stand at Security 2011 Source - http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com.au/NewsDetail/11-08-20/new_dinion_hd_1080p_day_night_ip_camera_from_bosch.aspx
Read More…
IT’S been an unusual time for security industry types, with 2 exhibitions back-to-back and a spate of recent road shows meaning a lot of work has been done showing off new product over the past couple of months. The abundance of new stuff tends to give the impression of an industry in motion and that’s a nice feeling to have, given the slow couple of years we’ve experienced. The overarching feeling for me is that mid-year and leading into year-end we’re going to see more new product than we might have expected and a lot of it is going to be in access control, an area that’s been subdued for some time. In fact, for a long time, integration with CCTV systems has seemed to onlookers as the biggest deal in access control. This year there is a stack of major new software releases both happening now and pending soon, including new DAS Security Commander software for Challenger, Protege’s GX flexible management software and later in the year we’re going to see big new things from Inner Range. With increased activity from CEM Systems, Kantech, Salto and ASSA ABLOY there’s going to be growth in this area of the like we’ve not seen since the froth and bubble that surrounded Cardax, Tecom, Inner Range and Genesis back in the mid-1990s. What’s interesting is the breadth of the new products we’re seeing. It’s not just a matter of a couple of new software releases – competitiveness is noticeable at all levels of this market. There are new readers from HID, Sagem, Hitachi, CEM Systems and others. High quality network-based product is coming from Chase with PCSC, HID with Vertx, ongoing enhancements to controllers from that perennial over-achiever, Gallagher with CardaxFT, as well as ongoing enhancements to the controllers of Australia’s most popular access control solutions. Automation is also sparking up with Protege’s GX claimed to be especially capable and interesting applications taking place in Australia and overseas with Concept where automation and integration capabilities are being leveraged to offer operational functionality in industrial and service applications. It’s always risky to predict anything about the future of biometric readers but there are more of these readers visible and they are smaller, less expensive and more appealing than they’ve ever been. The range of Sagem fingerprint readers deserves attention more than ever and Hitachi’s Finger Vein ID has big wins in Japan. When it comes to wireless linking of mechanical or locally powered locking solutions you’re talking about gear from the likes of Salto, and ASSA ABLOY with Aperio. There are applications where these technologies are an excellent and cost effective way to increase security levels on large sites. Another area of access control where we are seeing ongoing development is intercoms, which are increasingly networked, surveillance-capable and downright functional for domestic and commercial applications. Taken as a whole, my expectation is that increased competition in the access control segment will deliver improvements in both technology and functionality in all areas. Seldom do we see so many key releases occurring virtually simultaneously, in the scheme of typical R&D timelines. Some of these improvements will be expected, others will be inventive and unusual, such as FSH’s integration of a CCTV camera into its delayed egress MEM 2400EXTC delayed egress lock. All these improvements will demand a reaction from competitors, driving the next generation of access control solutions to ever greater levels of sophistication. Source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com.au/NewsDetail/11-08-17/access_control_industry_revving_up.aspx
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security Solutions have just become a new member with the Harbourside Chamber Group at North Sydney. The team is excited about joining their local chamber group and hope to increase the local knowledge about what business want form their local security providers. iKey Security Director, Brett Gallen, is "looking forward to the opportunity of working with local businesses and business owners and providing them with 'what they want' when it come to their security". The team at iKey Security have grown their business from strength to strength and according to their directors, "their success has been built on partnerships from the day they started their business". They're optimistic about increasing their local business clients by offering all chamber members some great introductory offers throughout 2011.
Read More…
Samsung has introduced a new range of ONVIF compliant 3 megapixel cameras capable of displaying Full HD 1080p resolution to deliver outstanding evidence grade images. The three cameras in the range, the SNB-7000 camera, the SND-7080(F) internal dome (with flush-mount option) and the SNV-7080 weatherproof vandal resistant dome, all incorporate Samsung Techwin's WiseNet2 DSP chipset which has been specifically designed to provide users with maximum benefit from the latest megapixel and high definition technology and includes Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) operation for use in challenging lighting conditions. Capable of displaying multiple resolutions from CIF (352 x 288) through to 16:9 format 1080p Full HD (1920 x 1080p) and up to full 3 megapixel (2048 x 1536), all three models support dual-streaming of video using H.264 and MJPEG compression. The cameras can therefore be simultaneously used for real-time monitoring, mobile monitoring, high quality or high-efficiency recording, SD memory recording and/or E-mail notification purposes. In addition, Samsung's Smart Codec compression technology allows specific areas of interest within a scene to be captured at a higher resolution than the rest. This means that areas such as doorways, human faces, or windows are transmitted or recorded at full resolution, whilst other areas within the scene are reduced to save file sizes and put the user firmly in control of bandwidth management. Four point polygonal privacy zones, bi-directional audio support and PoE (Power over Ethernet) are just a few of the impressive features built into all three models whilst lens focusing can be controlled via the network using the cameras' manual and one-shot auto focus function incorporated into the SND-7080(F) and SNV-7080. Other key features include: Progressive scan technology, which provides sharper edges on moving subjects and vehicles in order to enhance image quality. It is most noticeable on paused images, providing picture-perfect stills of, for example, number plates without any blurring. Wide Dynamic Range for applications where there are strong contrasts between light and dark areas, such as shop entrances with glass entrance doors, Samsung's latest WDR technology adjusts both the bright areas and dark shadows much more effectively to provide a well-balanced image across the entire scene. Third generation Samsung Super Noise Reduction technology, which not only allows a colour image to be captured in much lower lighting conditions than traditionally possible, but it also eliminates image noise in low light conditions without creating blur or ghosting. This has a dramatic effect on reducing bandwidth requirements when networking and can save up to 70% recording space on the recording device. Fully compatible with Samsung's licence-free NET-i viewer software, which allows remote viewing, control and administration of single or multiple site security systems via a PC anywhere in the world. What's more, with the iPOLiS iPhone and Android applications, users are able to access their systems on the move. The SND-7080 and SNV-7080 are offered with an extensive range of accessories and brackets to provide a choice of wall, pole, parapet, pendant, corner and in-ceiling mounts.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and his team at iKey Security have just begun working with Goodman Building Services. Brett was first introduced to Goodman while completing the ITT Water and Wastewater project at Eastern Creek. After getting final approval they have begun servicing Goodman clients such as Coles and their Nation Distribution Centres. The team at iKey Security is looking for to working with Goodman building services and supporting their clients throughout Sydney and greater Sydney.
Read More…
Brett Gallen and the team at iKey Security Solutions have successfully joined the Erina Chamber of Commerce. Since the opening of the Central Coast office, the team at iKey Security were looking for new business netwoking opportunities in the area and though that by joining the Erina Chamber of Commerce they could build up their local business knowledge as well as offer there products and services to any and all local businesses. The team at iKey Security are looking forward to meeting with everyone in the chapter and are optimistic about helping local businesses improve their current security systems in place.
Read More…
