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E-Security Technology Tracker Newsletter
FEBRUARY 2009
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4500 SW Kruse Way, Ste. 100, Lake Oswego, OR 97035
503.699.3131 | info@el-security.com
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Advising Facility Managers, Security Administrators, &
System Specifiers of the latest Electronic Security Trends!
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FEBRUARY 2009 |
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What's Hot!
WiFi
System CCTV support for Facilities from Azalea Networks
The
Azalea broadband wireless network infrastructure provides wireless video
surveillance with superior performance at a lower cost of ownership.
Azalea's solution
is perfect for scaling your network at anytime, anywhere without the
cost of trenching or the loss of video quality that can negatively
affect many applications. Law
enforcement agencies, for example, have found surveillance to be a
particularly powerful tool for deterring crime, responding to incidents
faster, and performing the forensic analysis required to identify and
prosecute perpetrators. And organizations with infrastructures dispersed
over broad areas are also now realizing similar results for public
transportation, university and corporate campuses, business parks, and
various industries from construction and logistics to mining and oil and
gas. Azalea's video solution provides clearer, cleaner video and better
throughput even over multiple hops, offering cost-effective scalability
for your network without sacrificing performance.
Learn more and view
a demonstration of Azalea's AVT™ video capabilities and download a free
video surveillance white paper at
www.azaleanet.com/video-surveillance
Or call 1-866-939-6374.
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Azalea Network information was provided by Ben Keith, Gold Line
Marketing Int'l, Inc., Seattle, WA
Contact Ben Keith at: (206)
932-1694 or
email: bekglm1@aol.com |
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The Word on the Street
HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT CAMERA & LENS
With the advent of the DVR (Digital Video Recorder) a few years ago, and
now with the newer technology NVR (Network Video Recorder), there is a
lot more to consider about selecting the right video camera for the
particular placement location of each camera. Why? For the first time,
system operators are able to control the recording frame rate and
quality of video recording on a camera-by-camera basis.
No longer will one camera fit all applications!
To illustrate
the problem, let me provide two scenarios; one involving a parking lot
camera, and the other involving a hallway camera.
With
the Parking Lot Camera: The camera will view a variety of
movement in the foreground and background. Cars will be entering a a
variety of speeds, while pedestrians will be walking through the scene.
What sort of camera features will you need for this camera? Certainly a
high resolution, low light camera will be needed in order to see detail
throughout the parking lot, but that is not all. The DVR or NVR will
need to be programmed to record video from this camera on motion, but at
the highest frame rate and recording resolution possible.
With the Hallway Camera: The camera can be a lower
resolution camera because the distance between the camera and the
subject will be much shorter. Also, the camera need not be a "low light"
camera assuming the hallway lights remain on throughout the recording
period. The DVR or NVR may be programmed to record
video from this camera on motion at a slower frame rate since the
subject will be moving in a straight line relative to the camera
location. The only exception to this would be if the camera is also to
record activity near where two hallways intersect, in which case a
higher frame rate or recording will be required.
Selecting the appropriate camera and properly programming the recording
of each camera at each location is vital!
Between the
applications for the parking lot camera and the hallway camera there are
an unlimited number of possible camera locations and viewing
requirements. For each camera location it will be necessary to evaluate
the individual imaging requirement and then select the proper camera
with the proper resolution & low light capabilities for that
application. Then, it will be necessary to properly program the DVR or
NVR to adequately capture the video at the level of quality and frame
rate to adequately identify the subject.
Remember, in
order to conserve video recorder disk space, you should record video at
the lowest possible frame rate while still capturing the video required
for adequate identification on a camera by camera basis!
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The information above provided by Gary Clark,
Electronic Security
Consultants, LLC.
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Specifier's Corner
IS YOUR SYSTEM DESIGN CORRECT?
I was recently asked how to be assured
that your security system specifier is providing a good competent
system design. It's a good question to ask considering all of the
employee cutbacks that the security industry is experiencing in
this economy downturn.
Perhaps that question is best
answered by asking another question: What would you do if your
doctor told you that you had an inoperable medical condition? Wouldn't
it be wise to seek a second or third opinion?
In recent
weeks I have reviewed several designs for CCTV systems for new
facilities. Two of them were generated by some very prominent firms, but
much to my amazement, they both specified the use of outdated analog
coax cameras using an expensive network of
coax cable, when new IP Network Cameras (with much higher image
resolutions) and less expensive cabling using CAT 5 or 6e cable could
have been specified at a lower overall project cost.
The
unfortunate truth about our industry is that
there can be a wide variety of levels of competence and currency among
individual specifiers & installing firms. Some system designers will
rely on an outdated library from which they will simply "cut & paste"
old design specifications in preparing their next RFP, while other
designers will take the time to learn the new technology and regularly
purge their specification libraries of the old outdate material.
Red Flags for evaluation CCTV camera systems:
While there may be reasons for using the older technology cameras,
words like "DVR", "COAX CABLE", or "Coax Cameras"
should raise some red flags when reviewing any new system system design.
Such words are usually linked to camera systems that employ the older
1970's camera technologies. Those older camera systems offer much lower
resolution than the newer IP Network camera systems. Good CCTV
security demands good quality video, and limiting your customer to
1970's technology is in no one's best interest.
A second
or third opinion is always wise if there are lingering doubts about your
system design!
Whether you are an Architect, Engineer,
Consultant, or Customer, always question what you are being told. Ask
questions about your system design. If you are not satisfied with the
answers, there are other third party resources at your disposal. These
include other system specifiers, other engineers or architects, and yes,
other customers that you can turn to for first hand information about
the performance of their own security systems.
Regardless of the type of security system, verify the design before it
goes out for bid!
 Gary Clark,
Technical Advisor
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