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VoIP Supply at the MOBOTIX 2014 East Coast National Partner Conference
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VoIP Supply and MOBOTIX

The VoIP Supply President, Paula Griffo, and I just got back from the MOBOTIX East Coast Partner Conference on Friday and are we excited where this security company is going!

VOIP Supply and MOBOTIX have had a beautiful relationship for years. When the MOBOTIX Partner Program went into effect last year, VoIP Supply was immediately an Advanced Partner. We’ve been trained on the products and we can get directly on the phone with MOBOTIX, which is a huge benefit to you, our customers.

If you’re not familiar with MOBOTIX, they are a full solution surveillance company. Dr. Ralf Hinkle founded the company back in 1999 in Germany by building a DVR directly into an IP camera. This decentralized system was revolutionary, and since then MOBOTIX …

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How to Hijack Wireless Video Surveillance
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Thanks to John Honovich at IP Video Market Info for pointing out this video report of the perceived threat of wireless surveillance hijacking.

 

Honovich adds the following commentary that the wirless surveillance kits referenced in the video are the inexpensive, entry level, basic models used by homeowners and small businesses who only need simple systems:

These kits generally do not offer encryption nor significant constraints in accessing the video. If you walk down a busy street, sooner or later you are likely to find one (the video implies that this happens all over the place but this may be aggressive editing on the producer’s part). 

On the other hand, these kits are statistically uncommon in video surveillance overall and in professional wireless deployments. Obviously, the …

Don’t Let Cost Be Your Guide
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In an IP camera buyers guide article at Source Security, Simon Nash, Senior Marketing Manager of Sony Europe, stresses:

Don’t let cost be your guiding light. Most people buy surveillance cameras with cost as their highest priority and effectiveness as the second, which results in grainy, out-of-focus images.

A great deal of knowledge and expertise is shared in this article from points to conider when converging from analog to IP, evaluation criteria for IP cameras, and do’s and don’ts when making a selection.

We understand that cost and budgetary concerns are always paramount.  But it’s important to know and hear that the right system for you isn’t simply the cheapest. …

Facial Recognition
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I’ve been talking about intelligent video applications including license plate recognition.  Another specialized application with huge potential across many vertical markets with almost unlimited uses is facial recognition.

Other advanced security measures like biometrics that can recognize various features of the hand are also still on the cutting edge of technology but even they are more widely used more than facial recognition software.

An emerging high-profile application, facial recognition has the potential for greater accuracy than other advanced systems and is easier to integrate into a surveillance system.…

License Plate Recognition
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I posted recently highlighting some applications of how intelligent video detects objects. One such specialized application that bears special attention and may be of particular interest to you is license plate recognition, also known as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).

License plate recognition technology is gaining momentum with police departments to aid in identifying and capturing criminals and toll booth violaters but it alos has a variety of uses in retail, commerical, and industrial settings.…

New Video Surveillance Calculator
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Whether you’re calculating IP camera bandwidth and storage or customizing an IP camera lens selection to meet the challenges of your application, you’d like to know what the end result is going to look like first before making a decision on the products and hardware you’ll be using.

Now, thanks to Gish Technology’s vsCalc™ you can “instantly calculate Field of View, Angle of View and Focal Length based on the Object of Interest, Visual Acuity Index and Target Distance” for your video surveillance project.

Available for $9.95 from the Apple App Store, the vsCalc™ is capable of determining how sharp the cameras images from a desired scene will be based on objects of interest such as face, license plate, or vehicle.

It provides a reference …

World’s Smallest PTZ IP Camera From Axis
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Axis M50 PTZ

Axis Communications, via BusinessWire.com, is rolling out the world’s smallest PTZ IP Camera for discreet surveillance:

With a sleek and compact design, AXIS M50 cameras are only 5.1″ wide and 2.2″ high, enabling high-quality 360° surveillance (±180˚ pan, 90° tilt and 3x digital zoom) with HDTV 720p resolution in a package smaller than the average hand (see video). As a complement to its intelligent motion detection capabilities, a built-in microphone also enables audio detection that monitors for unusual noises during off-hours to trigger a security alarm that is sent to the business owner and/or security personnel.

The mini PTZ dome cameras are easy to install on soft and hard ceilings as well as on walls, and can cover an area of up …

Security Door Camera – The Mobotix T24
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he Mobotix T24 Door Station IP Camera is a unique product.  Fully weatherproof and rated for outdoor use, this IP camera acts like a sentry to guard and grant access to your entrance way and you don’t even need to physically be there to monitor or interact with people.

Because it’s IP-based and the way it’s designed, you can access the T24’s functions from anywhere you are with a video phone, a computer, or a tablet/iPad.

And with its hemispheric lens that captures a 180 degree, wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling panoramic view, no one can sneak by without you seeing them plus:

  • Two-way video conversation from anywhere in the world.
  • Record with sound.
  • Keyless entry option and remotely open doors.

For a great write-up and …

Panasonic i-Pro Camera Application
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Panasonic WV-NW502S i-Pro CameraSourceSecurity.com has nice article outlining a real world application example for:

From the article, “Panasonic i-Pro video surveillance system to enhance security at Clarion University“:

Clarion University depends on Panasonic i-PRO systems to provide IP-based video surveillance throughout its campus in the Appalachian Mountain region of northwestern Pennsylvania. The University’s systems integrator, The Protection Bureau, is enthusiastic about the benefits of Panasonic security systems to Clarion University.

“The proof is in the picture, bottom line; the other specs don’t matter,” said Bob Burket, Senior Security Consultant, The Protection Bureau. “For megapixel cameras, Panasonic has the best picture out there, particularly in low-light situations.”

Click on the link above for more detailed information about how they integrated …

IP Video Storage – RAID
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I briefly touched on IP video surveillance storage options in a previous post. 

Ronen Issac, over at the Security Info Watch Blog, has done a much better job, including some very useful graphics, at explaining the intricacies of the redundant storage system known as RAID. 

From his post, Overview of RAID for IP Video Storage:

Storage is a big part of IP video security and so I thought I would start a small series of video storage starting with the basics. Today we will discuss RAID. RAID has been discussed many (x4) times throughout the years but I still get questions about it. What is it, what is the best choice for RAID for my VMS, etc. So here we go.

There are 4 …

How Intelligent Video Detects Objects
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Intelligent video applications work by:

  1. Detecting objects.
  2. Segmenting different shapes/objects into areas of interest.
  3. Classifying the objects by type (person, vehicle, object).
  4. Characterizing objects by color, size, direction of travel, or motion.

After this information has been processed, user defined rules can determine if a car is traveling the wrong way, someone is entering a prohibited area, or if an object is left behind (security threat). 

If these rules are broken, alerts and alarms can automatically notify you of an event taking place.

Below, I’ve outlined some of the advanced intelligent video applications.…