Consumer Cameras versus Industrial Cameras

What is the difference between a consumer security camera and an industrial security camera? At first glance, most people are quick to point out the price difference between the two cameras. Yes, price is very important but there are other factors to consider that might eventually outweigh price.

Life Span 

Consumer security cameras do not have the same life expectancy as industrial grade cameras. 

• The average life span of a consumer security camera is anywhere from 1/3 to 1/4 the life span of an industrial camera. If your consumer camera does not come with an indication of the camera's life span, most industrial cameras come with that information and you can just divide that by 1/3. 

Duarability

• Industrial cameras are more "ruggedized" then their consumer counterparts, they are made to run 24 hours a day, and depending on the housing you select, can operate in any weather/environmental conditions.

Technical support

Most consumer cameras purchased do not come with technical support unless you purchase it seperately and even then the support is typically limited to the hardware only. 

• When looking at industrial cameras, there are two types of sellers you will most likely run across in your search. 

• The first type of seller wants to sell you a camera at the lowest price possible but cannot offer any sort of technical support...the best they tend to do is send you to the manufacturer where you could spend hours on the phone trying to get questions answered. 
• The second type of seller tends to have higher prices BUT along with the higher prices comes people who take pride in helping their customers with any technical questions that may come up. 

 Price 

• Consumer cameras range from $19.99-$1,000
• Industrial Cameras range from $300 - $50,000
  

 Just food for thought here....do you take the cheaper camera and try to figure it out yourself? Or do you pay a little more for the same camera and have the added security of knowing you have someone to call if you need to?

Security cameras should always be chosen based on where you want to install the camera (inside/outside), the distance that you need to monitor, the light conditions and ultimately your budget.

 

Purchasing the camera is also just the beginning...from there, you will also need a recording device. The old school way of recording with VCRs is pretty much gone and has been replaced with several types of digital video recorders which provide 24 hour continuous imaging.

Buying complete surveillance systems or even basic security cameras and video recording components has become as complex as buying a computer but on the bright side, there are more professionals in this industry then ever before . 

Before you buy a surveillance system, my suggestion would be to surf the internet, talk to people who may be able to give you insite into the subject and above all discuss the issues with a professional.

Chinese Surveillance Market Predicted to Skyrocket through 2012

A "huge potential" market for surveillance cameras, recorders and other video-surveillance equipment exists in China, according to a just released report.

But China lags when it comes to the transition from analog to digital and network surveillance video, the report finds, while local manufacturers dominate in the digital video recorder (DVR) market.

The report, by Wellingborough, UK-based IMS Research, the specialist in electronics markets research and consultation, predicts that by 2012 this overall video-surveillance market will be worth over $3 billion, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.8 percent for the period 2007-2012.

Sales of non-analog network video surveillance equipment, including network cameras, video servers, network video recorders and network video surveillance software, were estimated to account for less than 10 percent of total Chinese market revenues in 2008. However, that market is forecast to gather momentum over the coming years, with a forecast CAGR of 55.6 percent (2007-2012).

IMS Research forecasts that in 2012, nearly 16 million security cameras will be sold in China, including both new deployments and replacements. The revenue from security cameras is expected to take around one third of the total $3 billion-plus equipment market, according to IMS, which notes that the "Chinese market shows a clear trend from basic box cameras to higher-end models, such as speed domes and box zoom cameras."

After cameras, DVRs are the next largest part of the Chinese video surveillance market, with local Chinese DVR manufacturers dominating in the marketplace. According to IMS, more than 80 percent of the DVRs sold in China in 2008 were local Chinese brands.

Because of the world financial crisis and such other local factors as a devastating earthquake in southwest China, 2008 was a slow growth year for video surveillance equipment in the People's Republic. However, because of a Chinese stimulus package, worth $586 billion, "2009 and 2010 are forecast to be very strong years for the Chinese video surveillance market,” according to an IMS analyst. 

Chunovic, Louis (2006, March 16). Chinese Vid Surveillance Equipment Market Above $3 billion by 2012: report.  GSN: Government Security News.  Retrieved on March 17, 2009 from http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/features/news-analysis/1689.html

America's Largest and Most Attended Security Show Hits Vegas in April 2009 with the New Public Security & Safety Expo

From April 1-4, 2009 the International Security Conference & Exposition (ISC West) will be bringing manufacturers, dealers/installers, system integrators, and corporate end-users of security products and services from across the globe together to learn, evaluate, and competitively source in a highly productive environment.

With more than 1,000 exhibiting countries and over 26,000 security professionals in attendance, ISC West is America's largest and most attended security event.

Co-located with ISC West is the all-new Public Security & Safety Expo, a one-of-a-kind event offering companies and organizations a forum to showcase the products that are contributing to the ongoing security of our most public and highly visible areas.

Public Security & Safety Expo is a targeted, appointment-driven event, providing manufacturers and service providers in the public and private sectors with the opportunity to meet security professionals who are responsible for the public’s security in Municipalities, Homeland Security and their Infrastructures.

Invited buyers will have the opportunity to pitch projects, challenge product capabilities and ultimately take advantage of this unique buying and selling environment to ensure that the growing security needs of the public security sector are met in an efficient way.

The Public Security & Safety Exposition will focus on products and content in the following areas:

• Law Enforcement
• Urban Security
• Campus & Institutional Security and 
• Transportation & Infrastructure (Air, Land, Rail & Sea)  

 Manufacturers serving these specific sectors will be showcasing their products and services specifically to targeted buyers for each segment as well as to the over 27,000 industry professionals who attend ISC West annually.

As always, USA Security Systems will be in attendance as visitors of the show in order to stay up to date on the latest and greatest security technologies.

Houses of Worship Can No Longer Afford To Not Have Security

No matter the budget, no matter the size of the congregation, houses of worship are now in the lime light and can no longer ignore the inevitable...in today's society, surveillance cameras and security policies and procedures are a "must have" to protect both people and property.

This week the First Baptist Church of Maryville, Illinois fell victim to a horrific attack, leaving the pastor dead, two wounded and the man responsible tackled and subdued by the paritioners.

Believed to be the nation's first shooting since July when a 58-year-old man opened fire in a Knoxville, Tennessee church killing two people and wounding six others during a children's play, there is an increasing concern about the future safety of houses of worship.

According to an interview of Jeff Hawkins, an expert in security and surveillance, "Everyone should approach this realistically and not say, 'This couldn't happen here in church,' because we see it happen all the time. 

It's essential that a church must balance having a security presence while still keeping a house of worship open to everyone, he said. "Some churches choose armed guards, some have a much more subtle security presence where you wouldn't even know it's there."

A church should have five security plans in place to deal with evacuation, long-term shelter, medical emergencies, lost or missing children and violent confrontations, he said.

"Every church is different so you need something that is going to work for that particular church's culture and size," he said. "And I think now, especially after September 11, people want to feel secure. They want to know if they bring their family somewhere, it's going to be a safe environment."

Fantz, A., Grinberg, E, Lendon, B. (2009, March).  Churches Need Security Plans, Experts say. Retrieved on March 11, 2009 from http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/03/09/church.security/
**********************
USA Security Systems offers complete kits for Audio/Video Surveillance Systems in both standard definition and high definition formats.  USASS is known for having products in stock and people benefit from their extremely knowledgable technical staff that can help you find the right system...the first time around.


Whether you want IP Network cameras, Dome cameras, Analog Cameras, Pan/Tilt/Zoom Cameras or just the accessories, it is in stock and can ship immediately.

FCB-H11 High Definition Block Camera with Housing Meets Expectations

High end security applications now have a new alternative when it comes to industrial camera solutions.

Sony's  FCB-H11 HD Block Camera is now conveniently available in a sleek, black customized housing.

Available through Aegis Electronic Group, Inc.,  this new camera set-up has become an instant hit among surveillance and security professionals not only because of the close similarites it has to its HD counterpart, the FCB-H10 but also due to the addition of:

• Auto ICR and 
• Increased sensitivity (less than 1.5lux)

These new features definitely open doors in the security market for anyone looking for a High Definition, Auto Iris, Auto Focus, Controllable, high resolution, day/night camera.

Users of standard definition cameras that have the Auto ICR will finally be able to upgrade to High Definition without giving up the black and white, high sensitivity mode once the new HD block camera is released.

DOD to use Sony Security's SNC-CM120 fixed type and SNC-DM160 mini dome IP network cameras for day/night surveillance

The Department of Defense is integrating more than 350 of Sony’s latest-generation 1.3 megapixel high-resolution network security cameras into its facilities worldwide.

According to Strategic Solutions Unlimited (SSU), a security systems integrator based in Fayetteville, N.C., the Department of Defense is in the second phase of its camera deployment, adding 300 units to the 50 cameras initially installed in 2008.

When complete, the installation will consist of a combination of Sony’s SNC-CM120 fixed-type and SNC-DM160 mini-dome IP network cameras. The cameras are being used to survey and secure some of the Department of Defense’s most sensitive locations.

“We knew we needed to build an IP network camera security system that could meet the challenging mission-critical standards set by the Department of Defense,” said Dr. Tony Martin, president of SSU.

“After careful review, the powerful features on Sony’s security cameras, including their rugged design, Power over Ethernet (PoE) operation, day/night performance and intelligent video analytics, made them the clear choice.”

  

According to Martin, many of the cameras, both in the United States and abroad, will be used to collect video during both day and night operations. He said that a key reason for choosing the Sony cameras was that, “unlike many megapixel cameras that compensate for low-light environments by reducing the shutter speed, which tends to induce motion-blur, these cameras were far better equipped to handle this challenge.”

Sony’s cameras feature advanced Light Funnel technology, which allows them to capture clear images in even the most challenging conditions. 

Other factors that Martin said led him to Sony included the SNC-CM120’s and SNC-DM160’s intelligent video motion detection capabilities. By utilizing the metadata generated by the camera system, they can be set to detect events such as wrong way drivers, unauthorized intrusions and many other incidents.

Martin added that the remote locations in which many of the cameras are being placed meant that it was important for the Department of Defense to select cameras that were PoE compatible.

In addition to powering both the Internet connection and the camera via a single cable, the PoE-connection in Sony’s newest cameras is also used to power its built-in heaters. The heaters enable the camera to operate at lower temperatures

About Sony Security's SNC-CM120 and SNC-DM160

Released last May 2008, each of Sony's new megapixel cameras feature advanced complimentary color progressive scan CCDs with ExwavePRO technology. This color filter technology provides increased levels of light sensitivity needed to achieve optimal performance from fixed-type megapixel systems.

Features include Light Funnel technology, which combines image data gathered from multiple horizontally and vertically aligned pixels to provide extremely bright images even when monitoring moving objects. The DM110 includes a normal minidome, a 2.8-9.5mm, 3.4x varifocal auto iris lens and more. The CM120 comes with a mount day/night mini-dome, and the DM160 includes a rugged day/night mini-dome.

Retrieved on March 9, 2009 from

http://secprodonline.com/articles/2009/03/02/dod-sony-cameras.aspx

Is the age of privacy at an end?

It appears that the “Age of Privacy” that began in the 18th century with the incorporation of hallways in public and private buildings may end with the incorporation of personal video security and digital gateways in living and working spaces of the 21st century.

The trend began in casinos, banks, and prisons. It expanded to red light cams, police in-car cameras, gas stations, and convenience stores — and has continued unabated from there. Meanwhile, personal security video use continues to grow from its nanny-cam roots.

In the analog era, all these installations produced primitive picture quality

WAYNE COLE

at best. To get around the recording time limitations of a single tape, various schemes evolved that primarily relied on time-lapse recording and video frame or field multiplexing. Both approaches further degraded imagery to the point where the video’s value as evidence or investigative information fell somewhere between highly suspect and downright useless.

When the digital convergence arrived, security video likewise began to evolve in ways that resulted in increased storage capacity and better image quality. The digital trends in miniaturization also increased quality and capacity with decreasing cost.

The advent of the Internet also affected security video in profound ways. IT-based security video eliminated the investigator’s major nightmare of trying to get useful information from that cheap six-hour VHS tape that had been reused every second or third day for the preceding three years. Loss of magnetic particles from a tape that would cause major dropouts was no longer a concern — with DVR and computer- based recording, even if the video storage was set to overwrite every 24 to 48 hours, the quality of the recorded video was consistent. Archiving also became less problematic in terms of space and shelf life.

The advent of the “connected generation” was driven by still photo and video-capable cell phones, the appearance first of webcams for the desktop then webcams embedded in laptops, and low-cost wireless video solutions. The advantage in these technologies is that investigators can often find photographic or video evidence produced on these devices by the perpetrators themselves, who unwittingly create very graphic and indisputable “confessions” in real time.

Plus, walk through any retail computer or electronics store and you are bound to see at least one multi-camera, day/night security system for home use. Even stores like Costco and Best Buy have systems available in their electronics department intermingled with the big-screen TVs, Blu-ray players, and computers.

As personal and family security paranoia fed by the press obsession with events like the Elizabeth Smart case increase, more and more homes will be built with (or retrofitted with) personal video security systems. The mainstreaming of voyeurism and exhibitionism created by shows like Big Brother, as well as people who have chosen to live their home lives under the scrutiny of 24/7 Internet camera coverage, may signal the end of privacy as a socio-political value.

Cole, Wayne M. (2009, February 3). Is the age of privacy at an end?  Government Video Magazine. Retrieved on March 4, 2009.

Sony Discontinues Network Mini Dome Cameras (SNC-DF40N and SNC-DF70N) but offers replacements (SNC-DS10 and SNC-DS60)

Sony has announced the discontinuation of two (2) network indoor mini dome cameras, the SNC-DF40N and the SNC-DF70N.

Suggested replacements are:

• SNC-DS10 for the SNC-DF40N

The SNC-DS10 is a network mini-dome camera that incorporates a 1/4-type progressive scan CCD with ExwavePRO technology.

• Progressive scan CCD with ExwavePRO technology
• JPEG picture quality settings with constant bitrate algorithm
• Variable gamma settings
• Wall- or ceiling-mountable
• Easy viewing angle adjustment
• Powerful vari-focal zoom Lens/Wide viewing angle
• Quick focus adjustment
• Ball-Joint lens mount technology
• Selectable JPEG and MPEG-4 compression formats
• Dual-encoding capability
• Bi-directional audio
• Voice alert
• The DEPA platform - Intelligent video analytics
• Intelligent motion detection
• Sensor IN/Alarm OUT ports
• IEEE802.1X compliant
• Date/Time superimposition
• Privacy zone masking
• Analog composite video output
• 24 v AC, 12 v DC, or PoE operation
• Simultaneous access for up to 10 users
• Multicasting capability

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• SNC-DS60 for the SNC-DF70N

The SNC-DS60 is a ruggedized network mini-dome camera that incorporates a 1/4-type progressive scan CCD with ExwavePRO technology.

• Progressive scan CCD with ExwavePRO technology
• JPEG picture quality settings with constant bitrate algorithm
• Variable gamma settings
• Wall- or ceiling-mountable
• Easy viewing angle adjustment
• Powerful vari-focal zoom Lens/Wide viewing angle
• Quick focus adjustment
• Ball-Joint lens mount technology
• Compact, ruggedized design
• Selectable JPEG and MPEG-4 compression formats
• Dual-encoding capability
• Day/Night function
• Bi-directional audio
• Voice alert
• The DEPA platform - Intelligent video analytics
• Intelligent motion detection
• Sensor IN/Alarm OUT ports
• IEEE802.1X compliant
• Date/Time superimposition
• Privacy zone masking
• Analog composite video output
• 24 v AC, 12 v DC, or PoE operation
• Simultaneous access for up to 10 users
• Multicasting capability