 |
The Word on the Street
IP Network Cameras are the future!
For those of you that are still using the analog composite cameras, "times
they are a changin," and the good news is that camera resolutions are improving
exponentially!
The older analog composite cameras have been with us for quite
awhile. Based on 1970's technology, there were some improvements in
video quality by these composite cameras, but they were all limited by
the TV Monitors we were using to view the video, and TV Monitors were
limited to 525 TV lines of resolution.
But all of that has now
changed! IP Network Cameras are now "digital" computers, and we can view
their video on computer monitors that offer much higher resolutions than
TV monitors. But with that change, we now need to start talking in terms
of "Pixels" (i.e. 640x480) rather than TV Lines of resolution when
discussing IP Camera video resolutions.
Confused? You are not alone! But here is a
rule of thumb that may help: An IP Network "computer" camera resolution
is now described in a pixel array such as 1296 x 966 Pixels for a 1
megapixel IP Network Camera. The first number describes the horizontal
pixel count, and the second number describes the vertical pixel count.
You can estimate the "TV Lines of Resolution" equivalent by dividing the
horizontal pixel count (1296 pixels) by 1.33 = 974 TV Lines of
Resolution which is almost twice the resolution of the older composite
video.
Today's new IP cameras can offer video
resolutions up to 3 times that of the older composite cameras.
A 5 Megapixel camera can deliver 2560 x1920 pixel array. That is
equivalent to 1925 lines of TV Resolution or 3 &1/2 times the image
resolution as the older composite cameras. For the first time we can now
see detailed facial features and license plates in the background where
we couldn't before. Pretty exiting stuff? You bet!
_____________________________________________
This is the
first of three newsletter articles covering IP Cameras by Gary Clark.
The 2nd and 3rd installments will appear in the November and December
newsletters.
|
|
|
|
Specifier's Corner
GIVE THE CLIENT CONTROL OVER THE RFP DECISION MAKING PROCESS!
A RFP without any vendor evaluation standards will leave the client with
little or no decision-making options. In most cases it means the low priced
bidder wins no matter how little experience or financially unstable that bidder
may be. In this case, the client really has no decision making ability at all
other than to accept low bid. That is not in the best interest of the client.
Whether it's an access control system, security video, or a WiFi
system, there is a high degree of technical knowledge required to
install and service these new computer network based systems. I think it
is safe to say that few I.T. Departments would allow any of their
systems to be purchased solely on the basis of low bid without an
extensive evaluation of the vendor qualifications, so why set it up the
RFP that way? It's a trap that can bury your customer in more ways than
one.
Whether it's a Government, School District, or a private facility
bid, a good solution is to offer a RFP evaluation matrix of 4 or 5
benchmark areas with weighted point totals, i.e. References & Recent
Experience (10 pts), Technical Expertise & Installation Plan (30
pts), Servicing Capabilities (20 pts), Pricing (30 pts), Financial
Stability (10 pts) = 100 pts.
Have your client participate in the evaluation process. Some clients
want to have their facility manager or security chief sit in on the
evaluation process. If that is the case, then form a 3 or 4 person
review committee that has representatives from those departments
actually participate in the evaluation process.
This gives the client much more decision making ability regarding
their new system! After all, the Client will have to live with that new
system for many years, so he or she deserves to have a voice in the RFP
decision!
 Gary Clark,
Technical Advisor
|
|
