4-blister showFour painful blisters later, having collected some 75+ business cards and meeting even more folks at the highly successful ISC West, I’d have to say this was the best show in recent memory. The buzz was invigorating, the attendees qualified and not just looking; what with the sore feet and all I left with a feeling that good karma is spreading around the channel and that perhaps the worst of the recession is behind us, with the industry’s barometer moving in a more positive direction.The major acquisition reverberating throughout the show was UTC Fire & Security’s of GE Security, but unlike other years, there weren’t any other groundbreaking ones. It’s the last time you’ll see a GE branded booth…UTCFS is the new name and in fact, a consultant friend of mine said even before the show former GE companies were answering the phones with the opener: ‘UTC Fire & Security, formerly GE,’ so enough said there. UTCFS President of Global Security Products Mark Barry held a media event talking about the future of UTC and the GE brand, and emphasized that UTC will not alienate integrators by selling directly to the end users. Enough said there too J. At an Axis Communications-hosted breakfast, management talked about the tipping point—when IP video will start to surpass analog, with the latter dipping sharply—and many said that this time is perhaps right now. JVC Professional Products Co.’s Geoff Anderson, national marketing manager for security products, talked to SD&I about recent installations and the end-user driving the move to IP video, but also discussed how JVC’s UL-listed cameras are critical in the industry and many building code and other authorities are beginning to demand this listing. PoE was also viewed as a game changer, and Communications Networks (ComNet) vice president Frank “Skip” Haight advised me that the new standard—802.3AT, is ready to rock.Of course new cameras and innovations in hybrid solutions that help analog and IP co-exist without fork lift upgrades were tops on the minds of exhibiting companies. Companies like GVI Security focused on providing an easy installation for integrators—something its auto discovery AutoIP video management software is known for. Samsung and Sony hosted intimate but informative media dinners—seems both have their eyes on increasing their market share—and who can blame these well-branded companies? From end to end of the show floor, manufacturers talked about how educating integrators on new technologies takes precedence, and rightly so. Integrators are hungry to learn about new technologies so they don’t get squeezed out by new rivals, like IT and networking personnel, as well as cellular and GSM radio providers, who are thinking that since they are providing infrastructure, they can easily migrate into the security integration space. –Deborah L. O’Mara, Security Dealer & Integrator magazine
