Blog Archives
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Does consumer phone tech drive security camera sensor evolution?
By Geoff Kohl - Friday November 12, 2010
I often watch the consumer technology market because it seems that, especially with video surveillance, things that appear in the consumer video market eventually trickle down to the professional surveillance market. This sensor might be one of those. Printed below is an abbreviated version of OmniVision's press release. What's interesting to note is the level of features available now in the fairly low-end market for video sensors in phones. That level of features is pretty impressive; just read for yourself what OmniVision touts for this sensor. OmniVision Technologies Inc. today introduced the OV8820, a 1/3.2-inch 8-megapixel RAW CMOS image sensor based on OmniVision's proven 1.4-micron OmniBSI pixel architecture. The sensor... -
Trending now: Fire alarms
By Deborah L. O'Mara - Thursday November 4, 2010There’s a real buzz on now with fire alarm systems. Not only do they provide a natural extension of the intrusion business for the systems integrator, but they also lend themselves to additional and much-needed revenue streams from code-required fire systems service and maintenance contracts. Someone who’s really in the know about all this is Beth Welch, manager of public relations for Honeywell Fire Systems, based in Northford, Conn. Welch related some current fire alarm trends she’s been hearing about out in the field and of course the vertical market angle is as important as ever, but in additional to traditional hot markets of schools and healthcare, other rapidly emerging points of sale are assisted living facilities and... -
Little tools for big business
By Geoff Kohl - Wednesday October 27, 2010
I recently had the chance to test out a couple pieces of electronics technology, and no they weren't the latest IP cameras. The business of our industry isn't simply cameras and card readers. It's also the sales process. The client meetings. The presentations. The system set-up. The follow-ups. The technology we mount on the walls is only part of our business, so here I present to you a quick recap of two relatively inexpensive pieces of technology that are good for business. The netbook While the iPad is all the rage these days as far as portable devices go, for standard usability and for price, the netbook still stands out as a viable alternative. The usability difference is the keyboard, and while the trend of portable... -
Physical Security and Cloud Computing
By Geoff Kohl - Monday October 25, 2010
We've been hearing a lot about cloud-based physical security solutions lately, and as with any emerging area, there are lots of different perspectives on what makes something a "cloud" solution, or a "something as a service" (something being software, storage, security, etc. -- SaaS). I want to take this blog post to hit upon three things that I believe you, as technologists, technology users and security systems integrators will want to consider: 1. Does the cloud mean freedom from proprietary technology? One of the questions that I heard raised during the ASIS show was, "Is that really security at a service if they require you to have proprietary equipment installed?" The comparison was that hosted IT services typically... -
More show floor pictures from ASIS 2010
By Geoff Kohl - Thursday October 21, 2010
I didn't take as many photos at ASIS 2010 as I normally do. I think that means I must have been talking too much. I finally had a chance today to dig into my camera's memory card to post some pictures and explain them a little. Let's run through them: OK, I had to start with something funny. This is a security camera "fail" in the seminar level of the convention center. The convention center's video surveillance system is woefully out of date, is clearly not being maintained, and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that it probably is no longer even functioning. Cases in point: There was an old bubble-style PTZ on the loading dock that was so dirty that, even if it is working, isn't going to be of much value. But this one I took a... -
Flight 1549
By Deborah L. O'Mara - Thursday October 14, 2010For several minutes, we were there; in the cockpit of Flight 1549 as Captain Chesley Sullenberger calmly told the air traffic controller: “We’re going in the Hudson.” The dispatcher responded equally calmly: “Say again?” And Sullenberger responded with determination and fortitude: “We’re going in the Hudson.” The controller thought that certainly it would be the last time he would ever communicate with the man who has simply been dubbed ‘Sully’. You could hear a pin drop as Captain Sullenberger played for the audience at the ASIS Keynote Speaker Session a NTSB voice transcript of the communication between the U.S. Air Force Academy graduate/veteran pilot Captain Sullenberger and air traffic controllers and the... -
Kratos and Henry Bros. Electronics Acquisition Under Way
By Natalia Kosk - Thursday October 14, 2010As media, we always get asked the same question at these trade shows: ‘what’s new on the show floor?’ And to be quite honest—there has not been one particular topic that has received much more address over another that I’ve witnessed here at ASIS. Don’t get me wrong. Over two years into the industry and I am still learning and consider myself to be a somewhat of a ‘newbie,’ or as I referred to myself during my first ASIS tradeshow a few years ago, ‘fresh bait.’ And apparently, so are many others in the industry, evident of a packed room during yesterday’s ‘Innovation or Confusion 2010?’ educational session, which featured a panel of experts covering such current technology market drivers as: IP; high... -
ASIS 2010 Day 1
By Natalia Kosk - Wednesday October 13, 2010We all know that security is a technology driven business. Everyone is striving to be the best and offer the best. Just take a look around you on the ASIS show floor. March Networks announced seven new IP solutions, including their Hybrid 7532 NVR, which supports HD, IP and analog cameras. Ocularis 1.1, OnSSI’s newest version of the platform, presents two new features for the user: an embedded option viewer for video synopsis powered by Briefcam; and OpenSight, which enables disparate Ocularis systems to be monitored within a single interface and allows a remote user to view an entire installation without having to log out of their own Ocularis system. The NSR-510 NVR 4ch model from Sony comes equipped with Realshot manager... -
A few photos from ASIS 2010 - Day 1
By Geoff Kohl - Wednesday October 13, 2010
You can track all of our coverage of ASIS 2010 on our dedicated ASIS tradeshow page , but here's a quick gallery of images I captured on my camera today to paint a little picture of this great industry tradeshow. Mark VanDover started the morning with a product launch of the American Dynamics Victor VMS. It's especially useful for customers with existing investments in Intellex DVRs and VideoEdge NVR recording systems. I made it by the Stanley booth early in the day. The "oasis" themed booth featured a tiki bar styling (no alcohol, though, you lushes!), and I had a chance to speak with Tony Byerly about alarm verification, Sonitrol's new panels, the company's eServices and the "scoreboard" they provide to commercial... -
Day 1 from ASIS 2010 - The integrator side
By Deborah L. O'Mara - Tuesday October 12, 2010Integrators had their full court press on the second day of ASIS in beautiful and very hopping Dallas. Visits with Stanley CSS, Johnson Controls and Protection One found these integration firms focusing on the end user customer and their needs and rightly so, this being an end user show. Tony Byerly, president of Stanley Convergent Security Solutions North America and the United Kingdom spoke about new eServices for commercial customers, Web-based value offerings that help position the company as a partner in their business with an executive dashboard providing the managerial tools and information these customers want to see to gauge how effectively their operations run—and how well Stanley CSS is aiding them with...
