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14 SEPT / OCT 2012
Sept/Oct 2012
BUSINESS TALK
30 Channel Restructuring and Market Shifting
APPLICATION CASE
104 Luxurious Residence in Jakarta Employs Bosch Surveillance Systems
106 Singapore Changi Airport Group Entrusts Bosch Integrated Solutions
108 Arecont Vision Increases Image Clarity at Korean Department Store
VERTICAL MARKET
REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE
60 Channel Positive Energy into the Region
Talk to any business professional in Thailand, and the term AEC — ASEAN Economic Community — is bound to come up, as the entire country prepares itself to be the center of (and driving force behind) this thriving economic entity by year 2015 when zero tariffs on almost all goods and free flow of human resources are legally and officially permitted.
42 Building a Practical Hybrid HD Solution for Casinos
50 Upgrading Casino's Video Surveillance with HD
While analog systems in casinos have worked well in the past, HD video offers sharp images and clear benefits. However, despite of the crystal clear images, the upfront costs of a complete overhaul with HD deployments remain an obstacle to wider uptake.2
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Watching Over Gaming Tables with HD 36
54
16 SEPT / OCT 2012
98
Sept/Oct 2012PRODUCT EXPLORATION
68 Access Without Borders
As the number of mobile-payment users grows to surpass 375 million by 2015, demand for devices with near-field communication (NFC) grows as well. Recent research from In-Stat forecasts that adoption of this technology will push global annual shipments of NFC chips to more than 1.2 billion units by 2015.
78 Feeling Insecure? Time for Burglar Alarms to Save the Day 86 Prime Technologies for Motion Detection Sensors
SPECIAL FEATURE
988
96
3-D: Adding Another Dimension to SurveillanceFrom movies to television to video games, 3-D is no longer a myth. What about 3-D in the security industry though? In its 2011 January report, IMS listed 3-D as one of the trends to watch out for in the security world.
14 Contents 18 Editor’s Note 20 Corporate News 20 Market Observer
112 Show Calendar 114 New Products 115 Companies in This Issue
SHOW REVIEW
110 Secutech Vietnam 2012 Presents a Full Range of Security and Safety Products
18 SEPT / OCT 2012
As an editor, I have many chances to talk to the executives in different companies. What we discuss most often are their product features. Manufacturers endeavor to make their products and technologies unique and sophisticated. Sometimes it seems nearly impossible when you read the specifications and expected benefits. More than 10 megapixel cameras for use in security? Suppliers providing a solution to process the uncompressed video via a single LAN cable or to transmit IP signal via a coaxial cable? Are they bluffing? Don’t get me wrong. What I would like to highlight is the real value added of a company and how it actually benefits their customers and enable them to get more ROI, ease the installation difficulties, reduce the maintenance and retrofitting and most importantly, to create extra income.
“Outside of economics, value added refers to "extra" feature(s) of an item of interest (product, service, person etc.) that go beyond the standard expectations and provide something ‘more’ while adding little or nothing to its cost. Value-added features give competitive edges to companies with otherwise more expensive products,” according to the definition from Wikipedia.
One supplier explained how their partner program helps provide the premier service to their clients. A distributor manages to survive in the market by manufacturing their products and providing a free 1-year service and maintenance guarantee. A system integrator starts to distribute products. These are perfect examples.
“Commoditization” of security products created the thin margins for analog products, in particular. The almost total lack of meaningful differentiation, the economic downturn in the U.S. and E.U., and the new IP technology propelled many security companies to start creating their true value added now.
Jill [email protected]
A TRUE “VALUE ADDED”
EDITOR'S NOTE
Parson Lee Publisher & Managing Director Joseph Lee General Manager John Shih General Manager Editorial General Press [email protected] Lai Editor in Chief [email protected] Chang Senior Consultant [email protected] Wang Reporter [email protected] Fann Reporter [email protected] Phillips Reporter [email protected] Chien Coordinator [email protected]
Art Design
Gaven Lee Executive Designer [email protected] Chang Designer [email protected] Wu Designer [email protected]
Circulation & Subscription Collins Yuan Group Manager [email protected] Lee Coordinator [email protected]
Corporate Management
Juihui Lin Assistant to [email protected] Managing Director Thomas Pin Account Manager [email protected] Lee IT Manager [email protected]
asmag.com Hayden Hsu Web Editor in Chief [email protected] Wu Assistant Sales Manager [email protected]
Secutech & Events (Overseas) Echo Lin Manager [email protected] Chen Project Manager [email protected] Pan Assistant Manager [email protected] Chang Assistant Manager [email protected]
Secutech & Events (Domestic) Veronica Chen Group Manager [email protected]
International Advertising [Headquarters] Echo Lin Manager [email protected] Wu Assistant Sales Manager [email protected] Galen Chiu Assistant Sales Manager [email protected] Yang Operation Officer [email protected] Fang Coordinator [email protected] Chen Coordinator [email protected] Ho Coordinator [email protected] Lee Assistant [email protected]
[Branches & Representatives] Bobbie Ferraro USA/Canada [email protected] Pattuelli Europe (Italy) [email protected] Ilkan Europe (Turkey) [email protected] Consolos Europe (U.K.) [email protected] Hadzic Southeast Europe [email protected] Gandhi India [email protected] Shen China [email protected]. C. Suh Korea [email protected] Komori Japan [email protected] Thu Ha Vietnam [email protected]
a&s Asia, published by Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media
Ltd., is a bimonthly professional publication for channel players
in the regional electronic security industry. It caters to importers,
distributors, OEM/ODM searchers, system integrators and other
product purchasers to get updates on product sources and
developments in CCTV, Digital Surveillance, Access Control,
Biometrics, Intrusion Alarm, Intercom/Video Doorphone, Home
Automation and other fields relevant to electronic security.
ISSN 1997-6259
Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd. Taiwan Branch: 2F, No. 8, Lane 360, Sec. 1, Nei-Hu Rd.,Taipei 114, TaiwanPhone/886 2 2659 9080Fax/886 2 2659 9069Web site/www.mfnewera.com
Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd., a company
formed by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. and former A&S Group
in 2009, is an integrated media service provider in the security
industry. Our service covers magazines, Web sites, events
and trade shows. The portfolio of a&s Magazine includes a&s
International, a&s International China Best Buys, a&s Asia
(above published in English), a&s China, a&s Installer, a&s
Taiwan, a&s Solution and Info Security (above published in
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Advertisers are responsible for their own advertisement content.
The publisher is not liable for any legal, image, patent or trademark
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Legal consultant: Julia S.H. Yu, Attorney at Law, First Law & IP Offices
Copyright© 2012 Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media
Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be
republished, reprinted or redistributed in any forms, including
electronic, without written consent from the publisher.
For changes of address or subscription problems, contact us at
20 SEPT / OCT 2012
CORPORATE NEWS
Indian City Makes CCTV Mandatory in All Public Places
The Pune Municipal Corporation has apparently issued orders for CCTVs to be installed in all public places in the Indian city in just one month’s time, declared by municipal commissioner Mahesh Pathak. This mandate applies to shopping malls, cinema halls, commercial buildings, shops, company offices, auditoriums, markets, religious structures, hotels, important tourist attractions, exclusive business buildings and historical buildings.
If enforced, the new rules are likely to provide a major stimulus for CCTV installers and distributors in the region. This mandate may be related to a 2010 bakery bombing where nine people died, and a series of explosions on Aug. 1 along the Jungli Maharaj Road. Critics have pointed out that the cost of installing CCTV across the city will hit business owners hard.
By the end of 2012, almost 20 percent of the annual smartphone shipment will include facial recognition capabilities. In five years' time, shipments of smartphones and tablets with the technology will increase to 665 million annually.
Currently, only Google's Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean mobile operating systems support the technology in significant volumes. Samsung’s Galaxy SIII is one of the most notable smar tphones to feature this technology. Over the next two to three years, many more operating systems and mobile OEMs will surely
incorporate the technology. Facial recognition has been on the technology
radar for some time. It was developed in the 1960s by three scientists: Woody Bledsoe, Helen Chan Wolf and Charles Bisson. Previously, the major challenge for the technology in mobile devices has been incorporating an accurate e n o u g h s e n s o r a n d a p owe r f u l e n o u g h processor to undertake the complex algorithms while limiting power consumption. Thanks to major technology advancements, this is now possible.
RMS Market Exceeded US$29B in 2011, Says IMS
According to IMS Research, the world market for remote monitoring services was worth more than US$29 billion in 2011, equivalent to US$2.4 billion in recurring monthly revenues across the year. IMS also estimated that, in the same year, 54 million accounts, or customer locations, were provided with services such as alarm monitoring, remote video monitoring, physical access control and fire detection monitoring and personal emergency response services.
Driven by its strong residential and commercial alarm monitoring markets, the U.S. accounted for around 45 percent of world revenues. Other notable regional markets include Canada, the U.K., Spain, France, Japan, South Korea, China and Australia.
“The penetration of remote monitoring services varies signifi-cantly between different countries and regions,” comments report author and IMS Research Analyst Niall Jenkins. “For example, the US residential alarm monitoring market has a penetration of between 20 and 25 percent of all residential buildings, while the residential market in Germany was estimated to be l e s s t h a n 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 accounts.” Jenkins also stated that perception of crime, comparative wealth, service pricing and the isolation of the location can all drive the decision to remotely monitor a building.
Twenty Percent of Smartphones Shipped Will Have Facial Recognition Capability By Year's End, Says ABI Research
U.S 45%
55%
Others including Canada, the U.K., Spain, France Japan, S. Korea, China and Australia
Remote Monitoring Services Market
Source: IMS Research
22 SEPT / OCT 2012
CORPORATE NEWS
Temenos, a banking software market p rov i d e r, a n n o u n ce d t h e l a u n c h o f Vietnam's first fingerprint-enabled debit card at Mekong Development Bank. The bank has implemented Temenos T24 biometric fingerprint authentication to provide the ‘unbanked' population of Vietnam with access to banking services. Since Mekong was already running on T24, this was a simple modular upgrade to incorporate biometrics seamlessly into the system.
Biometric authentication lowers the risk
of fraudulent transactions, whilst providing a more convenient banking service for both the rural and urban populations of Vietnam, in which only 20 percent have a bank account. Mekong’s current account base has tripled since the initial launch in June, and the deposit balance per debit card account is two times higher than a regular account without a debit card. Customer fingerprints will be captured when they open an account; this service is accessible at any one of the 33 NCR SelfServ ATMs across the country.
Vietnam ATMs Deploy Temenos Biometrics for Authentication
NXP, Infineon, Gemalto and G&D to Prosper from China's Smart Card Market, Says ABI
China has traditionally been a fairly closed-loop market with only local vendors chosen to participate in the deployment of government issued credentials to its citizens. However, China's desire to adopt advanced level microprocessor contactless technology has allowed the likes of Infineon and NXP to win new contracts ahead of the domestic competition.
China continues to be an integral part of the market, accounting for approxi-mately 13 percent of all worldwide smart government ID shipments in 2011. It currently has the largest single national ID project with an installed base of over 900 million. It is also migrating to e-passports and introducing new social security/payment cards, up to 800 million of which will be deployed by 2015.
As the Chinese government looks to make use of high-end technology, expanding the supplier base has become a necessity to fill the need for security and memory capacity.
Research analyst Phil Sealy comments, “In the short to mid-term, NXP and Infineon will have success in the Chinese region with the deployment of e-passport ICs. They are both strong contenders to become suppliers for China's new dual interface soc ia l secur i t y card with payment functionality. Gemalto and G&D are also operational w i t h t h e d e p l o y m e n t o f PBOC 2.0 payment cards. It is important for companies looking at China to act now before local vendors develop a comparable solution.”
Rosslare Opens Shop in India
Rosslare Security, an international provider of professional access control and intrusion and guard patrol solutions, opened a new office in Pune, India. Rosslare is currently focused on increasing its presence in access control and intrusion markets by 25 percent by 2013; therefore having a presence in the Indian market will enable the company to further strengthen its ability to deliver advanced technol-ogies and services to its growing customer base across India.
"Security market in India is rapidly growing and is estimated to reach US$9.7 billion by 2016. The need for advanced security products is on the rise. This office will be a service center for Rosslare's customers and will provide expertise and advanced solutions" said Manmohan Kumar, Sales Director for India.
Rosslare Electronics India Private Ltd. will be responsible for managing local sales and support, appointing master distributors across the country, backing distributors with pre and post-sales service and providing routine local technical support.
Up to 800 million e-passports and new social security cards will be deployed by 2015
China's Smart Card Market
Source: ABI Research
24 SEPT / OCT 2012
CORPORATE NEWS
Bosch Supplies Security Solution to Luxury Apartment in Vietnam
Vietnam's first luxury residential project, the Vista in Ho Chi Minh City, is the result of investments totaling $200 million. The developers turned to Bosch Security Systems to ensure the safety of the occupants and facilities, which include 35,000 square meters of retail space, a 50-meter pool, a modern clubhouse boasting a steam bath, spa and sauna, a gymnasium, putting greens and a tennis court.
At the Vista, surveillance cameras were installed to detect movement and to protect people and property. An audible alarm warns of intruders entering restricted areas and the sound is loud enough to be heard from a distance. In addition, the integrated public address system informs relevant occupants that an unauthorized person may be in the area. The alarm thus serves a two-fold purpose: it announces when a zone is breached and can aid in the capture of intruders.
The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University Medical College was established to provide medical and healthcare services to Chinese citizens. It is also responsible for nurturing medical professionals and spearheading medical research in China. The hospital includes 43 departments and 850 beds, delivering quality medical, rehabilitation and healthcare services through a team of 1,100 medical professionals. The hospital is undergoing an extension project that includes a new in-patient building, which will be equipped with advanced medical equipment and
a new security management system to enhance clinical services and ensure the security of its medical facilities.
In order to achieve central monitoring and multi-layered security, HID Global's VertX V1000 network controller, VertX V100 reader interfaces and iCLASS R10 readers were installed on the premises. The web-based IP access control solution performs remote monitoring and area control for key zones while restricting staff access based on their job functions.
Axxonsoft and JVC Partner on IP HD
Axxonsoft has broadened its software s u p p o r t t o i n c l u d e i n t e g r a t i o n b y supporting the new Super LoLux HD line of IP cameras from JVC, a manufacturer of hardware for video management systems.
The new line of IP cameras uses JVC C M O S s e n s o r s t h a t s u p p o r t 1 , 0 8 0 p resolution. The technology captures color images at light levels as low as 0.15 lux, while Clear Logic Video Intelligence uses smart algorithms to increase image sharpness. CLVI applies digital signal processing to remove fog, haze, rain and smoke that impair image quality.
The use of H.264 High Profile substan-tially reduces network traffic compared to H.264 Main Profile and Baseline. Other important functions include auto back focus, write support for SD cards, VMD, image masking of confidential areas, intelligent audio detection and camera tampering alarms/detection.
Axxonsoft develops VMS and PSIMS software to serve as a core security system for a broad and diverse range of clients. Axxonsoft-based solutions are used in retail, banking, railroad and transportation applications, and their video surveillance systems are used globally. By combining Axxonsoft products with JVC's new line of IP cameras, operators can now create security systems that are more effective and suitable for all usage profiles and industries.
Guangzhou College Hospital Ensures Quality of Care and Management with HID Solution
In-Flight Services Provider Enhances Safety and Service Quality with QNAP Security Solution
LSG Sky Chefs, a provider of in-flight services, aims to provide quality food for the flying public. It has facilities worldwide, including a food preparation site in Egypt.
As food safety and security are central priorities, LSG Sky Chefs needed to monitor and supervise the catering process on a 24/7 basis. Loss prevention was also essential for stock and refrigerator management. Employee locker room and storehouse are locations that required close attention as many losses and related events took place in those areas.
“Food safety issues can be deadly and we needed to ensure a high standard of cleanliness,” said Hesham saad Eldin, IT Manager of LSG Sky Chefs.
The QNAP NVR delivered stable performance, despite harsh environmental conditions and provided security and operational benefits. Theft in the employee locker area dropped after the installation. LSG Sky Chefs upheld its commitment to food safety and security with help from QNAP's reliable surveillance and network storage solutions.
26 SEPT / OCT 2012
CORPORATE NEWS
HID Global provided its perspective on some of the key trends likely to impact government identity programs over the next five years. Linking drivers are the dramatic shift from traditional national identity documents to eIDs and the growing requirement to defend against mass counterfeiting and tampering attempts while assuring privacy, efficiency and ease of authentication.
By 2015, 85 percent of all credentials issued annually will be eIDs and countries issuing eIDs will exceed those still using traditional IDs by four to one, according to a recent report by Acuity Market Intelligence. These statistics underscore HID Global's own findings
based on 20 plus years of experience in major government-to-citizen ID projects (including 28 e-passport and 49 eID programs that range from national) and foreign resident, worker ID, healthcare and vehicle registration programs.
Among the most important factors that will shape the industry are the twin imperatives for providers and partners to provide effective defenses against large-scale forgery attempts and adopt a holistic approach to projects, according to Craig Sandness, vice president of sales at HID Global Government ID Solutions.
AMG, manufacturer of transmission solutions, supplied their AMG3700 series transmission solution for an integrated security & surveillance solution for the newly opened Woodsville Tunnel in Singapore. The solution was implemented by Guthrie Engineering (S) PTE Ltd. on behalf of the Land Transportation Authority. Guthrie is Singapore's oldest Engineering Company.
The Woodsville Tunnel is part of a massive SGD$130 million (approx. GBP$65 million) upgrading project for the Woodsville Interchange, which began in 2008. It consists of three new road tunnels linking Upper Serangoon Road to Bendemeer Road, Serangoon Road to Upper Serangoon Road and MacPherson Road to Bendemeer Road. The new tunnels are expected to decongest affected roads and cut down commuters’ travel time. Motorists using the Woodsville Tunnel can expect smoother traffic flow and shorten commute time, especially during peak hours, due to the improved traffic flow.
HID Global Outlines Government and National ID Trends
NEC Enters Video Surveillance Market
NEC Corporation has developed and tested large scale video processing technologies that can process advanced video analysis such as facial recognition, human identification, clothing features and suspicious behaviors three times more efficiently than conventional technologies on a single server. In these tests, a single server was able to analyze images from thirty surveillance cameras – three times more than existing technologies.
In recent years, there is growing demand worldwide for automatic video analysis of surveillance camera content from areas such as, but not limited to, airports, train stations and city streets. Conventionally, in order to meet the advanced processing requirements of analyzing video data from multiple cameras, companies needed to maintain numerous servers. The costly demand for such hardware influences companies to restrain expenses by limiting their automatic video analysis to only the most important areas, thereby leaving large areas vulnerable.
NEC continues to drive the research and development of big data processing technologies.
AMG Supplies Transmission Solution to Woodsville Tunnel in Singapore
Iranian College Expands Security Coverage with Vivotek Solution
Sama Technical and Vocational Training College was founded in 2004 and is affiliated with Islamic Azad University, one of Iran's premier institutions for higher learning. As branches of the university multiply throughout cities on the west side of Kermanshah, there has been a pressing need for the college to expand and enhance its infrastructure as rapidly as possible in order to satisfy the needs of their students, faculty members, staff and other stakeholders.
This expansion has led Sama College to embark on a multi-year project to deploy and extend a surveillance solution provided by VIVOTEK. Cameras were installed to monitor indoor areas, mainly hallways as well as large outdoor public spaces, such as student lounges, courtyards and hangout spots on campus. Night vision cameras from Vivotek were also implemented for around the clock surveillance.
30 SEPT / OCT 2012
EUROPEAN SECURITY INDUSTRY GETS DIFFICULT
Economic trading conditions in Europe have declined during the last 2 years but the security industry has weathered the storm remarkably well, that is until a recent spell of bad news has hit the market. Hitherto, strong companies are now reporting lower revenues and profit and in some cases companies are going into receiv-ership. The Securitas AB Interim Report for the period of January to June 2012 shows slow organic sales growth in North America coupled with "severe market conditions" in Spain and Portugal. According to President and CEO Alf Göransson,"Market conditions in Spain are deterio-rating more rapidly than expected and we're leaving some contracts due to the uncertainty around customers’ ability to pay for the security services”. Norbain, one of Europe’s largest distributors of electronic security
products, went into receivership in May this year.There is no doubt that trading security in Europe is
becoming more difficult and will further deteriorate over the next two years. The problem is not going to be solved in the short term, and the only solution for security companies is to stay ahead in the technology race and win more share.
A recent authoritative paper by the European Commission — “Security Industrial Policy - Action Plan for an innovative and competitive Security Industry” — identifies some of the problems and how to tackle them. In acknowledging the significant potential for market growth, the Commission made the security industry one of the essential parts of the EU 2020 flagship initiative "An Integrated Industrial Policy for the Globalisation Era Putting Competitiveness and Sustainability at Centre Stage." Therein, the commission announced the launch of
Channel Restructuring and Market Shifting The worldwide security markets recently got greatly influenced by the economic decline in
Europe and the introduction of IP network technologies. These two factors cause the shifting
of security markets and restructuring of security channels.
BY ALLAN MCHALE, DIRECTOR OF MEMOORI BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
BUSINESS TALK
31www.asmag.com
a dedicated initiative on a security industry policy. This action plan is the first stepping stone of this dedicated initiative. The overarching aim is to enhance growth and increase employment in the European security industry.
The European companies that will take the major strain caused by a declining market are those that have not positioned themselves to deliver IP network products particularly in the video surveillance and access control markets. This is not just a matter of having leading edge technology, but also to take account of the need to change the routes to market. This technology is changing the channels of distribution in the physical security industry requiring new skills for designing and installing systems.
A ROLE FOR DISTRIBUTORS IN IP SECURITY?
There have been major changes across the developed markets of the world in how products reach the end user. The latest report from Memoori Business Intelligence, “The Physical Security Business in 2012” to be published in October, shows that the value of product passing through the distributor channel has fallen off drastically from over 50 percent in 2006 to around 30 percent in
2011. Their market share has been taken by direct sales to installers/system integrators which has increased to approximately 50 percent in 2011. The installer and system integrator route has been joined by specialists from the IT and communications industry and it would appear that the distributors have lost most of their share to these companies that have partnered with the manufacturers of IP network products.
Whilst these trend appear to be most marked in the developed markets of Northern Europe and North America, similar trends are now being realised in Asia, and at the same time are now taking place in the access control market but as yet it is not as pronounced. Getting IP network products to market is going to be a challenge for distributors and one they will have to meet because it will eventually take 100 percent of the business.
These changes are no so startling when taken over a six year period, but their consequences are now being felt, with the recent exposure of weaknesses in the distributor chain and the major European distributor Norbain’s demise and fall into receivership. Even in a growing market they would have eventually succumbed, it would just have taken longer. IP network products do not lend themselves to the traditional box shifting treatment of analog products and require more sophisticated application skills. Sadly, few distributors have seen the need to work with the manufacturers to acquire the necessary skills. Norbain had lost money during the previous four years trading, but had seen the error of their ways and had instituted an offering called “service plus”. This program embraced integrator/installer partners, training, service and cloud initiatives, but it was too late for the existing shareholders and
▲ Allan McHale, Director of Memoori Business Intelligence
BUSINESS TALK
32 SEPT / OCT 2012
management to pull the company around and in May it went into receivership, but has now found a new owner.
Distributors that have become more IP-savvy, such as the AES Group and Digitalcom in Thailand and Tri-Ed/Northern in the U.S., have been able to maintain their share by taking on more system integrator duties, especially with regard to system/network design and commissioning. But sadly not all distrib-utors have taken up the challenge.
There is a place for the distributor, but not in the traditional role, at least not for long. Knowledge is paramount, especially in increasingly connected, integrated building and security environments; and bringing together packages that meet these needs and the IT services that they require is a service that they can bring to the table.
Hayden Shu, Editor-in-Chief of asmag.com (former Editor-in-Chief of a&s International), notes that “We are also seeing an increasing number of “hybrids” in Asia — specialist companies distributing systems for technology partners and developing or integrating systems (more software-based) for clients.” This is not dissimilar to the way Controlware, the U.K.-based distributor, operates. The Controlware Group has provided IT communications networking solutions since 1980. During this time, Controlware has accumu-lated extensive experience in the design, delivery and maintenance of cost-effective IP networks. Since1997 they have also specialized in the integration of applica-tions such as IT security, storage and video surveil-lance systems. They can now offer total packages of IT communications networks, CCTV cameras, CCTV encoders, CCTV video management software, recording, and video content analytics systems. They work closely with installer and integrator partners to provide security systems for users from all vertical markets. Their value added services range from consultancy, product advice and supply through to systems design, project management, commissioning, maintenance and installation through their channel partners.
Distributors in the wider definition have a very important role to play, but they will have to sharpen their game if they are going to partner with the manufacturers and deliver what their clients need.
(Please refer to “Alliance and Partnership is Playing a Major Role in Winning Market Share in the Security Business,” in memoori.com/blog for more details.)
SHIFTING OF SECURITY MARKETS Whilst the strategies discussed above will ensure that
European manufactures maximise their opportunity to win market share in Europe, they will also radically improve their prospects in other geographical markets.
The geographic distribution of sales is shifting to Asia, delivering the highest rate of growth, increasing its market share and there is a strong pick up in the USA. Asia will continue to increase its share of the market because penetration levels are much lower. In China, penetration is almost an order of magnitude smaller than North America, so there is much latent potential still to be exploited.
In the rest of Asia (including India), the penetration chart shows that this area has a lower level of penetration than China. There are a number of countries in this group that have large populations such as India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam; and these countries have dragged down the penetration to US$1.9 per capita. However Japan, Australia, South Korea and Singapore have much higher penetration of security on a parallel to western countries. Countries that have a long term potential to develop their latent potential include India, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Asia in general and China particularly are markets that western companies need to take a long term approach because they are difficult markets to penetrate, whilst North America is more welcoming.
The third factor that needs close attention is that strong
33www.asmag.com
growth does not spread right across all vertical markets and indeed the ownership of security in some verticals is changing. In homeland security, the responsibility of security has shifted from the police and military to the operator owners of the various public infrastructures such as energy, water and transport. In the energy sector, legislation has been brought in to ensure that they are protected from security threats and theft.
In North America, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation — Critical Infrastructure Protection regulations require that utilities tightly control access to their most important infrastructure. Since the security benefits of video surveillance can be significant, companies and organizations are either voluntarily looking to deploy this technology, or those compelled to do so by regulations, are considering a variety of strategies to justify the expense and achieve cost savings. One of these is to look at indirect cost savings that can be viewed as return on investment for capital expenditures on security network infrastructure.
In the U.K., video surveillance is being embraced to
counter metal theft, which is a big problem. Copper, which fetches a high (and rising) price, is especially appealing to thieves. The rail industry in the U.K. alone lost $67.6 million worth of metal in the last three years, and companies are spending at least $18.9 million each year on security to prevent metal theft.
New technology and advances in IT networking products are the most important factors that are driving the need to change business models in order to take advantage of the business opportunities that they can deliver. A good example here is that high capacity wireless data networks have brought down the cost of infrastructure to the point where the ability to provide comprehensive coverage is practical and cost-effective. The use of video surveillance as a public safety and security tool is growing. Partially, that is because homeland security regulations and initiatives around the world are driving deployment, but it is this new technology that is enabling it to become cost-effective.
For more information, please visit http://memoori.com.
36 SEPT / OCT 2012
VERTICAL MARKETVERTICAL MARKET
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37www.asmag.com 37www.asmag.com
With HDWith HD
Watching OverWatching OverGaming TablesGaming Tables
While analog systems in casinos have worked well in the past, HD video offers sharp images
and clear benefits. However, despite of the crystal clear images, the upfront costs of a complete
overhaul with HD deployments remain an obstacle to wider uptake. Also, what is less clear
is how users should embrace this technology and what they should expect from it. More
education is required. We explore the state and potential of HD deployment in casinos.
BY TEVIN WANG
HD POTENTIALS IN CASINO
Faced with numerous security challenges such as false claims, employee thef t , table game scams, money laundering and drugs, casinos around the U.S. are
upgrading their surveillance to ensure customer and employee safety. Currently, many casinos are still tied to analog camera solutions. “Of the tens of thousands of cameras monitoring and recording the 700 plus gaming properties in
North America, we estimate less than 10 percent are currently IP and even fewer are full HD IP,” said John Katnic, VP of Global Gaming at Synectic Systems. The HD migration pace in the gaming industry differs by region. In North
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America, the migration is fast. “Most newly built casinos are opening with IP infrastructures and at least a hybrid combination of analog and network cameras. Existing analog facilities are introducing network cameras to their analog environments at a rapid pace”
According to Scott Paul, Senior Product Marketing Manager of Pelco by Schneider Electric, Nevada, is showing great potentials. “Roughly 25 percent of the operators are fully digital. The remaining have yet to make the transition to digital or HD.”
“The casino and gaming market is expected to experience a gradual increase between 5 and 10 percent in network video surveillance product sales through 2014 in North America,” said Steve Surfaro, Security Industry Liaison, Axis Communications. “The gaming industry is one segment where the adoption of IP technology has been slower. While this market continues to accept and adopt network cameras, the market share for analog cameras will shrink approximately two to five percent. The Gulf Coast in the U.S. will be a prime target for legacy system upgrades in a few years, especially in Mississippi and Louisiana. Native American gaming in Mississippi and Alabama is also expected to drive considerable growth. The Oklahoma gaming market continues to upgrade from analog to IP with virtually all new installations on the gaming floor using IP video. You even have certain local gaming commissions, like the South Dakota Gaming Commission, who are mandating that any table with US$100 or more limits must be covered by high-definition cameras.”
Avigilon is optimistic about the HD potentials in the gaming vertical. “The growth potential for HD
cameras in casinos is exponential. If we take into account that there are over 500,000 analog cameras operat ing in North American casinos alone, and the total number of units worldwide likely exceeds one million analog cameras, that translates to a lot of growth potential for HD cameras in casinos,” said Douglas Florence, CPP, Business Development Director of Global Gaming at Avigilon. “The likelihood of HD adoption has improved greatly since 2007 when we first saw a few Native American casinos install their first megapixel or HD cameras on table games.”
Many reasons ignite the increase in HD adoption. For instance, “the improved total cost of ownership for HD systems, the decrease in the cost of storage and the introduction of policies that avoid charging recurring IP licensing costs for operation, “ Florence added.
HD DEPLOYMENTCash cage, registers
a n d t a b l e g a m e s a re mostly seen with HD deployment as picture quality in these areas is most important. “We have typically seen HD on the areas such as game tables, slot machines, cashier ’s cage, PoS terminals or the vault while standard definition IP cameras on the remaining areas,” said Scott Bartlett, CEO of Southwest Surveillance Systems.
“Cash cages and registers benefit from HD, which makes it easier to visually confirm currency denomi-
nations,” said Katnic. “Table games benefit by being able to distinguish a Queen of Spades from a King of Clubs from a ceiling mounted camera 20 feet from the table. This is particularly true of fixed cameras because operators can digitally zoom into an HD shot with less pixilation compared to a fixed analog picture.”
HD solution is best suited especially where money is being counted out to a player. “It provides much better visual information to the surveillance team over table games to watch card handling, money exchanges, card identification and chip values,” said Surfaro. “In the cash cages and other money handling areas, HD is very well suited due to the capability of identification of denominations on the bills, such as when a dispute exists between the cashier and the patron over an amount received. The use of
▲ Cash cage, registers and table games are mostly seen with HD deployment.
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HD cameras and redundant coverage on 'high stakes and high limit slots and tables is becoming more of a 'standard' as recognition of negative behavior like card counting is more likely.”
According to Paul, entry and exit locations are also hot spots for HD solutions, as most casinos often have excellent relationships with
local authorities and are frequently requested to provide quality footage for the identification purposes for people of interest. This has been a big driver for the adoption of HD.
HD solutions might be further used in all areas of casinos wherever the cost is justified by the content being monitored. “In the past, the primary focus for HD solutions started out
at table games,” said Florence. “However, surveillance directors soon began adding cameras to
areas with slot machines and casino cages, as well as restaurants, count rooms, casino entrances and parking areas. Most demonstrations start out at table games and once security directors experience the clarity HD cameras provide, the desire to add more HD product grows. From there it snowballs, casino operation executives learn they can make a more informed decision on a dispute or reduce false liability claims due to the amazing clarity of HD cameras. The investment pays for itself.”
LEGAL ISSUESIn the U.S., regulations require that
real-time continuous recording is mandated for all gaming activities
Scott Paul, Senior Product
Marketing Manager, Pelco by Schneider Electric
Steve Surfaro, Security Industry
Liaison, Axis Communications
John Katnic, VP Global Gaming at
Synectic Systems
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and the minimum duration is seven days. However, many casinos opt for greater retention times for various operational and security reasons. “Retention rates vary by country, state and what’s being recorded or viewed,” Katnic said. “A few US states, like Wisconsin, require 30 days of recording for all cameras. Most others, including Las Vegas and other major gaming jurisdictions require a minimum of 7 to 14 days. Some regulators require 14 days for gaming, cages and count rooms and just a week for slots, parking lots, etc. Singapore and Macau casinos typically require 30 days of retained video for gaming areas.”
Security industry regulations can be a major obstacle for casino operators implementing new technologies. Many of the regulations are drafted around analog technologies and there are fewer specific requirements in relation to a particular HD resolution such as 720p or 1,080p. “Most regula-tions and standards were written years ago and evolved around analog video capability,” Florence said. “The standard across most international, regional and local regulations is that the video produces 30 fps to provide real-time monitoring.”
Most operators choose to store 30 fps for most everything, according to Paul. “Nevada requires 30 fps for a minimum of seven days for gaming operations and 2 to 7 fps for non-gaming. Live viewing is always 30 fps. Everything digital is required to be redundant and as fail safe as technically possible.”
Besides fps regulations, redundancy and resiliency are crucial as well. Lost video footages can equate instant fines upwards of $100,000. “Most of the regulators that we come across require some basic standards, most
of which are in regards to resiliency. We see requirements such as some type of RAID configuration on storage but not specific to RAID 5, RAID 6 or otherwise,” Bartlett said. “There are also stringent requirements in Nevada that require no more than eight gaming cameras to a piece of hardware such as a network switch. This is in order to avoid catastrophic failure. We have gotten around this requirement with redundant power supplies, fans and the like. Again, the more resiliency, the better for casino applications.”
CHALLENGESBudget remains one of the biggest
issues when considering the upgrade to an HD system. In this economy, the best option may be to phase slowly from an analog system to a hybrid system. Providers need to provide a simple, scalable way to make the migration to HD. “Most casinos currently implement a hybrid/IP approach using standard
definition which allows them to leverage off existing analog matrix technology,” Paul said. The new system architecture needs to align itself with the existing system design.
Another challenge with HD is the processing power of the camera, as not all HD cameras are as powerful as manufacturers claimed. “We are seeing HD deployed in the gaming and money areas only. The drivers are the technology itself. We need to maintain a high frame rate with the high definition and on multiple streams,” Bartlett said. “The typical casino would like to have a 10 or 20 megapixel camera that can send multiple streams of 30 fps video and that isn’t going to be for a while. We are starting to see three and five megapixel cameras and higher frame rates , but are still away from this being a reality. Once the technology 'catches up’ and can meet those demands, I feel you will see a lot more HD deployments.”
▲ Budget remains one of the biggest issues when considering the upgrade to an HD system.
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Building a Practical Hybrid HD Solution for CasinosEvidence has proved that HD deployment in casinos is indeed valuable; however, brand new turnkey
projects with pure IP systems might be too good to be true. A more practical and realistic HD solution
starts with hybrid systems. To harness hybrid systems is no easy feat. We examine some of the technical
issues system integrators often encounter when integrating an analog system with an IP system.
BY TEVIN WANG
Migration to HD is important for it provides superior video clarity, which is
essential for operators monitoring gaming activities. In this economy, figuring out a cost-effective way to migrate from analog to HD is a fundamental challenge the casino industry faces. “Because so many operators are still using analog, it is very difficult to integrate HD into the current mode of operation,” said Scott Paul, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Pe lco by Schneider Electric. “A cost-effective means of transporting the existing analog cameras into the digital system and maintaining the existing analog system is essential. Educating and training operators to go digital and
understanding the new operation is also essential.”
Casino operators wil l not change their entire systems simply to implement HD capability. Hybrid video solutions are the logical path to provide a phased migration from SD to HD systems. The key to any upgrade/migration starts with careful planning for the design. “If not done properly with a plan in place, you can run into quite a few problems,” said Douglas Florence, CPP, Business Development Director of Global Gaming, Avigilon.
INTEGRATIONWhen converting to a digital
system, whether it is HD or not, the first challenge is the infrastructure.
“Typically, most analog systems run via coaxial cables, which are incompatible for running technology that i s E thernet based ,” sa id Scott Bartlett, CEO of Southwest Surveillance Systems. “Instead of changing all the wiring, we use baluns that give us the ability to convert the Ethernet signals over the coaxial cable braids. This keeps us from having to replace all the wiring and in addition, enhance our distance limitations.”
Another challenge lies in the monitor room as running both an analog system as well as a digital system can be very problematic. “Some casinos are trying to use their existing monitors or workstations to convert digital to analog (which creates terrible video signals) and then pump the digital signals back through their analog video matrix. Others are running two separate
Douglas Florence, CPP, Business
Development Director of Global Gaming,
Avigilon
▲ The key to any upgrade/migration starts with careful planning for the design.
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systems and keyboards. Neither situation is a good one,” said Bartlett. “We have used video scalers such as BARCO and RGB to perform all the converting and scaling for the video. The video scalers take multiple inputs and convert the signal, whether it is analog or digital, to a DVI output. Thus, providing the maximum resolution available without the up or down converting.”
TRANSMISSION/NETWORKING
It can be expensive to convert existing analog infrastructure to establish robust and reliable IP infrastructure. “Even adding a few network cameras require a thoughtful, forward-thinking network design and plan,” said John Katnic, VP Global Gaming at Synectic Systems. “Even if it costs a bit more upfront, engineer a robust network solution that can scale to the projected system size and will provide the resiliency required by regulators.”
In addi t ion , ne twork-based video management requires higher caliber IT-trained technicians to
design, configure and maintain. “And because gaming regulators often prohibit IT departments from touching the gaming network, surveillance departments are often underequipped to manage these IP-based solutions and have to play catch up on the fly,” cautioned Katnic.
The use of multicast routing on the network side in casinos is another thorny issue. “Depending on the manufacturer, there is a lot of multicast traffic on the networks. This can create huge bottlenecks and communi-cation errors if the network is not designed properly. The byproduct of this is tearing or choppy videos. Even though most like to blame the networks when things do not work properly, we find that the network is seldom the actual issue,” said Bartlett. “It is also critical to ensure that, in the casino HD video space, that single mode fiber be installed from the Intermediate Distribution Feed (IDF) rooms to the Main Distribution Feed (MDF) room. This will ensure that 10 GB, 40 GB, and even 100 GB backbones will not be an issue. If multi-mode fiber is installed from
the IDF to the MDF and you want to install a 10 GB backbone, the distance will be limited to 100 meters.”
LATENCYNetwork latency can be caused by
a multitude of factors from routing to camera settings. “At the end of the day, casinos that are still using an analog system are typically experi-encing about a 60 millisecond delay so no matter what, they will experience a greater delay when they go digital,” said Bartlett. “This latency will be exacerbated by poor network design or improper camera settings or even poor quality cameras with inadequate WDR capabilities. “
Cameras that lack adequate WDR capability will inevitably cause a lot of noise on the video signal. The noise equates to motion/high bandwidth and thus creating high network traffic and storage requirements. “High quality HD cameras are a must in my opinion. I know there are literally thousands of network cameras on the market but there are not that many that can truly meet stringent gaming requirements,” said Bartlett. “It is the responsibility of system integrators to thoroughly test the cameras and network equipment they want to use in order to ensure that regardless of ▲ The influx of visitors during large sports events affects security deployments in many verticals across game cities.
▲ Storage took 30 to 40 percent of the total surveillance price.
30 - 40 Percent
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what the spec sheet says, they can meet the requirements in real life.”
“Latency induced via the encoding and decoding process remains a key issue — not present in analog technologies — and is a reason why some casinos still maintain an analog matrix 'front-end' and utilise their SD digital recording systems solely for playback/review,” Paul said. “This is still a major issue for the adoption of HD in gaming areas for PTZ. For this reason, many casinos are beginning the transition by starting to implement HD in areas such as entry and exit locations and static camera locations [more than gambling tables].”
BANDWIDTHHD cameras recording at 30 fps in
HD resolution put huge weights on bandwidth and storage. Different camera manufacturers deal with this issue differently. “Leading IP device manufacturers and their VMS partners offer a variety of ways to efficiently and automatically manage storage, bandwidth and latency by changing camera recording settings (data rate, resolution, fps, etc.) on the fly based on motion, defined third party alarms or manually initiated VMS macros. However, this is typically up to the selected VMS application to manage. Taking advantage of these types of IP camera functions requires ‘deep’ integration between cameras and VMS and should not be considered a given. Some cameras offer dual streaming and when fully integrated with
VMS, the camera can send a full HD stream to the recorders for optimum playback quality, and simultaneously multicast a second, less bandwidth- intensive SD or CIF stream to the monitor wall, or a mobile device to avoid latency or overtaxing available bandwidth,” said Katnic . “In coming years, more IP encoding devices and VMS will support Scalable Video Codec which, rather than producing dual or triple streams for varied usage, produces one full-featured, multi-layered stream that enables clients to subscribe to the stream quality level appropriate for their bandwidth or application.”
Camera features, such as region of interest, generally can be of help in terms of bandwidth reduction, while event triggering applications
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save storage space. However, these features are not legally allowed in certain gaming areas. “Most gaming standards require 100 percent motion of video recording in gaming areas, so this is typically not an area where value-based configuration or programming is employed,” Florence said. “Depending on the location of the casino in the world, the percentage of gaming versus security/public areas will vary. In a mega resort, 60 percent of the cameras could be managed in this manner, where parameters of pixels per square inch or square foot are set to create an event-based recording mode.”
“We are typically 'handcuffed' by gaming regulations and seldom, if ever, can use triggering events, loiter modes or lower the resolution for
gaming specific cameras,” Bartlett added. “These may be acceptable for 'back of house' areas but never in money or gaming areas. As drives are getting larger and storage in general is getting cheaper, it does not seem to be an issue as of lately.”
STORAGE AND REDUNDANCY
With technology changing and desire to go from two megapixels to 5, 10 or 20 megapixel HD, the amount of storage remains to be a challenge. “Storage is expensive (30-40 percent of the total surveillance system price), and is directly related to picture quality, which is related to the data rate and retention period for each camera,” Katnic cautioned. “HD IP cameras average 5 to 6 Mbit/second,
which is three to four times more data/storage compared to H.264 encoded analog cameras. HD video requires more servers, software, rack space, electricity, cooling and mainte-nance. Also, storage servers with high density of 2 to 3 TB drives configured in RAID 5 or 6 take much longer to rebuild following a drive failure, which adds vulnerability to retained data and recordings. Just because you can record in HD doesn’t necessarily mean you should, especially when you have to justify cost/reliability strategy for the HD cameras.”
The different risks associated with IP systems require careful analysis and resiliency planning. “For instance, traditional analog matrix systems will display live video on the analog wall even if the network and/or DVRs
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go down. Some analog to digital encoder-based systems will even keep recording when the network fails,” Katnic added. “However, that is not the case with an network camera -based system. When the network goes down, both recorded and live video will be lost if the cameras do not support edge-based storage. All that video will be lost and cannot be recovered.”
“Hybrid systems, which involve
greater complexity and reliance on network technology, have potential risks too, and casinos have expressed concern about being able to meet the mandated regulatory require-ments for continuous recording with no gaps in recording. With hybrid solutions, network failures could potentially prevent the operators from accessing playback/reviews, but the analog recording should likely remain unaffected,” Paul said. “Failed
DVRs could be easily addressed via a matrix macro to switch the analog inputs to a standby DVR unit if necessary. Solutions such as matrix switching DVR inputs for 'fail-over' have now been replicated in digital technology; stand-by technologies, clustering technology and cloud-based storage all pool together to allow for redundancy in recording as well as multicast recording to provide true redundancy. This solution should
Audio recording in casinos might be able to offer extra assistance for detecting and interpreting events. However, regional privacy laws are what influence the use of audio.
“Audio surveillance is restricted in areas with an expectation of privacy and is also generally prohibited in public areas in North America. For audio surveillance in 'closed' circuits, via telephone or other wired-line communications, authorities must have jurisdiction and are subject to local, state and federal laws,” said Steve Surfaro, Security Industry Liaison of Axis Communications.
Privacy regulations define where audio devices can be used and some jurisdictions require signage advising casino employees and the general public they are being recorded. In general, audio recording cannot be used in covert investigation. “By law, we are only allowed to install microphones in an area if we post warning signs that audio recording is in progress. Current ly, we only insta l l audio recording in the soft count area and holding room. There is nothing at table game locations, cage windows or vault areas. This has been a major constraint for most casinos,” Bartlett added.
“Audio recording regulations in other areas outside of count rooms and security holding offices will vary according to region,” said Florence. “For
instance, in the U.S., audio recording outside these two areas is not allowed; however, in some casinos in Europe and Asia, audio is recorded in certain areas and for certain games, such as roulette where verbal bets are being made or in South Africa where audio is recorded at casino cashier cage windows during financial transactions.”
The casino industry uses audio recording mainly in two key areas – count rooms and the security holding office. “Some Casinos use audio in “interview” rooms where a suspected cheat or someone claiming injury is interviewed by security,”said Surfaro. “False injury claims are the largest issue for casinos and so they have been increasing camera counts in “back of the house” areas. These areas, such as the hotel, restaurants and parking area, are typically watched by security
as opposed to the gaming surveillance group.”
Synchronization of the audio and video used to be the biggest challenge. “Also, there was a tendency to want to install too many microphones,” said Bartlett. “Today, with IP cameras, the majority of the cameras have audio already built in, so we just activate the microphones that we need and the audio is already in sync with the video.”
Currently, the main challenge is that there is no universal consensus pertaining to audio encoding between all the different camera manufacturers,” said Katnic. “Therefore, when choosing a camera make sure the camera supports the audio encoding you are looking for.” Room size, directional versus passive audio and placement of microphones should also be put into consideration.”
AUDIO DEPLOYMENT IN CASINOS
Regional privacy laws are what influence the
use of audio in casinos.
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adequately address these concerns.“
CURRENT BOTTLENECKSOne of the main challenges in
casino gaming environments remains to be the HD PTZ control latency issue. “The expectation continues to be that digital should be superior to analog and therefore, increasing latency for HD PTZ seems to be a backward step,” Paul said. “The number one request is ‘analog-like’ latency for PTZ control with HD PTZ control. I would not actually call this an ‘outrageous’ request, as it is quite expected to want fine responsive control for PTZ activity in a busy gaming environment, but understanding the technology behind HD video and how it is delivered to the user. It is easy to appreciate how this is not a simple hurdle tha t can be overcome overnight . Through operator training, adjusting the HD PTZ cameras to use the lowest latency codecs and correcting network design, we have been able to get customer acceptance on this issue.”
B i t r a t e a n d re c o rd i n g s a re challenges as well. “In most cases, if an HD camera is streaming at 20 to 50 Mbps, very few would have pockets deep enough to buy the storage required for these types of cameras,” Bartlett added.
Having an IP-based system that can integrate with an existing network goes a long way. Still, IP camera integration/compatibility with video management systems remains a key issue and challenge for the industry. “Most major camera and encoder manufac-turers are now adopting ONVIF compliance standards for IP device detection, transmission, telemetry and recording, which is making
it much easier for integrators and end users to confidently deploy new IP cameras,” Katnic said. “Unfortunately, standards like ONVIF and PSIA are evolving and changing constantly and VMS and IP device manufacturers are often developing to different versions or only partially comply with the standards’ specs. Moreover, the standards leave out some very important criteria that can cause a big disconnect with expectations. For example, how IP cameras and VMS are supposed to manage audio, alarms, a second or third recorded stream and onboard SD memory, are not clearly defined by ONVIF.”
INTEGRATION-FRIENDLY Fewer but bet ter tested and
documented changes/upgrades of the cameras would be helpful for system integrators as there are often new compatibility issues popping up in casinos. Also, it is rather imperative that the user and supplier agree on what exactly ‘integrated’ means and precisely
define what functions are expected before choosing a camera and VMS combination, according to Katnic. “And once settled on a particular camera and firmware version, avoid the temptation to roll out the newest bleeding edge software update without thoroughly testing the new firmware revisions with your existing VMS. Small firmware changes can cause big compatibility problems.”
Having a proprietary solution is not the best thing for casino owners. Hybrid solutions will be an unavoidable path to HD, and systems integrators will have to learn to be something more than just a re-seller of a manufacturer’s equipment to be considered a true systems integrator. “The days of having proprietary casino solutions are soon to be gone and those left standing in the casino space will have the ability to integrate with each other.” Bartlett said.
PROCEED WITH EYES WIDE OPEN
There is no doubt that the superi-ority of HD IP picture quality will charm and convince users to spend what it takes to achieve it. “It is important to remember that just because it’s new IP technology, i t doesn’t mean it ’s better for every application or that it will do everything that your analog system did,” Katnic said. “At best, they’re different technologies and users are likely to encounter both pros and cons. IP system will not necessarily be as resilient, fast or functional as the old matrix.”
Hybrid infrastructure, cameras and command control interfaces should all be carefully planned and must be proceeded with caution.
▲ Hybrid infrasturcture, cameras and command control interfaces should all be carefully planned and must be proceeded with caution.
