School VMS Upgrade - Ripoff or Deal?
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 19, 2013 for ONSSI
"A local US newspaper has questioned the need for a local school district to upgrade its VMS software just a few years after its initial install. Commenters have attacked the upgrade, claiming the school is getting"
Posted on Mar 19, 2013 for ONSSI
"A local US newspaper has questioned the need for a local school district to upgrade its VMS software just a few years after its initial install. Commenters have attacked the upgrade, claiming the school is getting"
Access Control Cabling Tutorial
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 18, 2013 for Access Control
"Access Control is only as reliable as its cables. While this aspect lacks the sexiness of other components, it remains a vital part of every system. In this note, we look at the types of cables used by these syste"
Posted on Mar 18, 2013 for Access Control
"Access Control is only as reliable as its cables. While this aspect lacks the sexiness of other components, it remains a vital part of every system. In this note, we look at the types of cables used by these syste"
Dedicated Micros Freefall Continues
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 15, 2013 for Dedicated Micros
"Once a DVR powerhouse, Dedicated Micros is rarely, if ever, heard from. Back in the mid 2000s, the company peaked at an impressive ~$135 million USD; Since then, not much good news. Today, though, the HDcctv Allia"
Posted on Mar 15, 2013 for Dedicated Micros
"Once a DVR powerhouse, Dedicated Micros is rarely, if ever, heard from. Back in the mid 2000s, the company peaked at an impressive ~$135 million USD; Since then, not much good news. Today, though, the HDcctv Allia"
Soft on Manufacturers, Tough on Kittens
Posted on Mar 15, 2013 for General
"Finally, a security trade magazine is taking a bold stand! Unfortunately, it is in favor of felicide, justified by austerity. UK firefighters saved the life of a stray kitten that got stuck inside a car in the fr"
Posted on Mar 15, 2013 for General
"Finally, a security trade magazine is taking a bold stand! Unfortunately, it is in favor of felicide, justified by austerity. UK firefighters saved the life of a stray kitten that got stuck inside a car in the fr"
Busted - Wireless Surveillance Sales
Posted on Mar 15, 2013 for Video Surveillance
""Boom Times Ahead for Wireless Video Surveillance," blares a trade magazine. Ironically, the underlying stats show the opposite - a bust for wireless surveillance. Unfortunately, warped statistics, used to help bu"
Posted on Mar 15, 2013 for Video Surveillance
""Boom Times Ahead for Wireless Video Surveillance," blares a trade magazine. Ironically, the underlying stats show the opposite - a bust for wireless surveillance. Unfortunately, warped statistics, used to help bu"
Axis, Sony, Cisco, 11 More Sued
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 14, 2013 for Other Companies
"Patent lawsuits continue to gain momentum throughout the world and in the surveillance industry. Though most of its suits were dismissed last fall, Puerto Rico-based Canatelo, LCC is back in court again suing"
Posted on Mar 14, 2013 for Other Companies
"Patent lawsuits continue to gain momentum throughout the world and in the surveillance industry. Though most of its suits were dismissed last fall, Puerto Rico-based Canatelo, LCC is back in court again suing"
Camera Vibration Solutions
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 14, 2013 for Access Control
"Shaky images can severely undermine image quality, strain operator eyesight and make monitoring more difficult. What can be done about the problem? In this note, we explain the issues and examine what to do: "
Posted on Mar 14, 2013 for Access Control
"Shaky images can severely undermine image quality, strain operator eyesight and make monitoring more difficult. What can be done about the problem? In this note, we explain the issues and examine what to do: "
Debunking Anixter's IP Video Advantages
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 13, 2013 for Access Control
"Anixter has been touting 5 Advantages of IP Video Surveillance. Unfortunately, those benefits center around dubious cabling / networking propositions. In this note, we examine each of the advantages, providing com"
Posted on Mar 13, 2013 for Access Control
"Anixter has been touting 5 Advantages of IP Video Surveillance. Unfortunately, those benefits center around dubious cabling / networking propositions. In this note, we examine each of the advantages, providing com"
Testing Pelco Sarix Thermal Cameras
Posted on Mar 13, 2013 for IP Cameras
"In this report, we share our test findings of Pelco's Sarix TI Thermal cameras. While relatively new to the thermal market, Pelco has been making big claims about how its all digital pro"
Posted on Mar 13, 2013 for IP Cameras
"In this report, we share our test findings of Pelco's Sarix TI Thermal cameras. While relatively new to the thermal market, Pelco has been making big claims about how its all digital pro"
The 5 Biggest Access Control Mistakes
Posted on Mar 12, 2013 for Access Control
"Access control systems keep people and places safe, but sometimes have huge weaknesses that leave doors wide open to disaster. What are these nasty, common culprits, and can you avoid them? In this note, we take a"
Posted on Mar 12, 2013 for Access Control
"Access control systems keep people and places safe, but sometimes have huge weaknesses that leave doors wide open to disaster. What are these nasty, common culprits, and can you avoid them? In this note, we take a"
Cheap City Surveillance Case Study
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 11, 2013 for Video Surveillance
"City surveillance systems often cost huge amounts of money - $10,000 per camera deployed is common. One Pennsylvania city took a different approach spending less than $10,000 for the core network and adding on cam"
Posted on Mar 11, 2013 for Video Surveillance
"City surveillance systems often cost huge amounts of money - $10,000 per camera deployed is common. One Pennsylvania city took a different approach spending less than $10,000 for the core network and adding on cam"
Fake Journalist, Fanatic Marketer
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 08, 2013 for Mobotix
"This may be the future of manufacturer marketing. Each day, the once dominant manufacturer marketing machine is further drowned out by the rise of the Internet. PR hacks continue to send out boring press releases,"
Posted on Mar 08, 2013 for Mobotix
"This may be the future of manufacturer marketing. Each day, the once dominant manufacturer marketing machine is further drowned out by the rise of the Internet. PR hacks continue to send out boring press releases,"
Battery Powered Access Controller
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 07, 2013 for Access Control
"Installing electronic access is never as simple as throwing in a mechanical lock. Not only do you need to install multiple devices, often from multiple vendors, you have to run power and data to the controller. Th"
Posted on Mar 07, 2013 for Access Control
"Installing electronic access is never as simple as throwing in a mechanical lock. Not only do you need to install multiple devices, often from multiple vendors, you have to run power and data to the controller. Th"
The Rich Gets Richer - ASIS
Posted on Mar 06, 2013 for General
"Who says there is no money to be made in physical security? Evidently, they do not know the executives at non-profit security organization ASIS. Many were shocked by our investigation last year that found their av"
Posted on Mar 06, 2013 for General
"Who says there is no money to be made in physical security? Evidently, they do not know the executives at non-profit security organization ASIS. Many were shocked by our investigation last year that found their av"
DICE Matrix PSIM Examined
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 06, 2013 for General
"Is it a PSIM, a central station platform, or an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software? Well, according to DICE, their Matrix offering is all three. While best known for providing software for central monitor"
Posted on Mar 06, 2013 for General
"Is it a PSIM, a central station platform, or an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software? Well, according to DICE, their Matrix offering is all three. While best known for providing software for central monitor"
Hidden Access Cost: The Database
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 05, 2013 for Access Control
"All decisions have a price, but some cost more than others. Choosing which type of database for your access control system can impact cost greatly, but many do not understand the full impact of their choice. In th"
Posted on Mar 05, 2013 for Access Control
"All decisions have a price, but some cost more than others. Choosing which type of database for your access control system can impact cost greatly, but many do not understand the full impact of their choice. In th"
Bosch Starlight Tested vs Axis
Posted on Mar 05, 2013 for Bosch Security
"Low light performance is critical for high end surveillance cameras. Delivering high quality, detailed low light images without any added light is highly valued and a key competitive differentiator. In the past t"
Posted on Mar 05, 2013 for Bosch Security
"Low light performance is critical for high end surveillance cameras. Delivering high quality, detailed low light images without any added light is highly valued and a key competitive differentiator. In the past t"
PSIM Ambulance Chasing in Brussels
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 04, 2013 for Convergence
"Desperate, shady PSIM marketing tactics continue. Last month, $50 million of diamonds were stolen from the Brussels airport. Now, a PSIM marketing manager tries to capitalize on that to sell his products. Unfortun"
Posted on Mar 04, 2013 for Convergence
"Desperate, shady PSIM marketing tactics continue. Last month, $50 million of diamonds were stolen from the Brussels airport. Now, a PSIM marketing manager tries to capitalize on that to sell his products. Unfortun"
Axis Pitches ADI Installers
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 04, 2013 for General
"ADI installers typically serve smaller cost conscious security customers. While Axis has become a major force in high end surveillance, it has historically struggled to win over ADI installers' core customer base."
Posted on Mar 04, 2013 for General
"ADI installers typically serve smaller cost conscious security customers. While Axis has become a major force in high end surveillance, it has historically struggled to win over ADI installers' core customer base."
New Feature: Easy Emailing Posts
Posted on Mar 01, 2013 for General
"PRO Members, with our new Easy Email feature, it is now simpler than ever to share excerpts of IPVM posts with your friends and colleagues. When logged in, right beneath the title of each post, is a one line dialo"
Posted on Mar 01, 2013 for General
"PRO Members, with our new Easy Email feature, it is now simpler than ever to share excerpts of IPVM posts with your friends and colleagues. When logged in, right beneath the title of each post, is a one line dialo"
Avigilon Massive Growth Continues
(PRO Only)
Posted on Mar 01, 2013 for Avigilon
"Bucking an industry trend, Avigilon's massive growth continued in calendar Q4 2012, with revenue growing ~73% year over year, even higher than their 2012 overall growth rate. The note below details the key financi"
Posted on Mar 01, 2013 for Avigilon
"Bucking an industry trend, Avigilon's massive growth continued in calendar Q4 2012, with revenue growing ~73% year over year, even higher than their 2012 overall growth rate. The note below details the key financi"
Shutter vs Frame Rate
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 28, 2013 for General
"Shutter speed and frame rate are frequently confused. They are certainly related and here's the key point - a camera's shutter speed can never be slower than its frame rate but it can be much faster. In this tutor"
Posted on Feb 28, 2013 for General
"Shutter speed and frame rate are frequently confused. They are certainly related and here's the key point - a camera's shutter speed can never be slower than its frame rate but it can be much faster. In this tutor"
A New #1 Online for Video Surveillance
Posted on Feb 28, 2013 for General
"Last year, many were shocked and alarmed that HomeDepot took the #1 spot online in Google's powerful search rankings for video surveillance. Now, a rival has taken the new spot. While HomeDepot did not drop far, t"
Posted on Feb 28, 2013 for General
"Last year, many were shocked and alarmed that HomeDepot took the #1 spot online in Google's powerful search rankings for video surveillance. Now, a rival has taken the new spot. While HomeDepot did not drop far, t"
Getting Aggressive: Bosch Low Cost Encoders
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 27, 2013 for Bosch Security
"Many lament that encoders are so expensive. Indeed, a recent fascinating IPVM discussion examined why encoders typically are so much more expensive than DVRs even though a DVR is an encoder plus VMS software and s"
Posted on Feb 27, 2013 for Bosch Security
"Many lament that encoders are so expensive. Indeed, a recent fascinating IPVM discussion examined why encoders typically are so much more expensive than DVRs even though a DVR is an encoder plus VMS software and s"
Glass Doors and Access Control
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 27, 2013 for Access Control
"The biggest challenge for many access control systems are glass doors. Here's what happens when a maglock is improperly installed to an existing glass door: Unlike wood or steel doors that can be modified to wo"
Posted on Feb 27, 2013 for Access Control
"The biggest challenge for many access control systems are glass doors. Here's what happens when a maglock is improperly installed to an existing glass door: Unlike wood or steel doors that can be modified to wo"
The $5 Million Trick: How Your Money is Wasted
Posted on Feb 26, 2013 for Cisco
"Wasting money on unnecessary, gold plated equipment is a common risk, especially among deep pocketed customers. Vendors know this and realize that if they can convince users that certain features are 'mandatory', "
Posted on Feb 26, 2013 for Cisco
"Wasting money on unnecessary, gold plated equipment is a common risk, especially among deep pocketed customers. Vendors know this and realize that if they can convince users that certain features are 'mandatory', "
Lowest Cost Thermal Camera Tested
Posted on Feb 26, 2013 for IP Cameras
"Recently, DRS entered the IP thermal market with far lower pricing than any incumbent, aiming to make this technology affordable to users who could never previously consider it. However, with such low pricing, per"
Posted on Feb 26, 2013 for IP Cameras
"Recently, DRS entered the IP thermal market with far lower pricing than any incumbent, aiming to make this technology affordable to users who could never previously consider it. However, with such low pricing, per"
Selecting Power for Video Surveillance
Posted on Feb 25, 2013 for General
"Power is an important, yet unfortunately overlooked, element of video surveillance systems. While power is relatively inexpensive, mistakes in designing, supplying and backing up power can cause significant reliab"
Posted on Feb 25, 2013 for General
"Power is an important, yet unfortunately overlooked, element of video surveillance systems. While power is relatively inexpensive, mistakes in designing, supplying and backing up power can cause significant reliab"
Hipster Startup to Crush Caveman Alarm Companies
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 25, 2013 for Intrusion Detection
"A Chicago startup who you have never heard of is threatening to crush your alarm business, viewing you as a 'caveman'. The company, Scout, is a DIY product that is fully specified, installed, and configured by end"
Posted on Feb 25, 2013 for Intrusion Detection
"A Chicago startup who you have never heard of is threatening to crush your alarm business, viewing you as a 'caveman'. The company, Scout, is a DIY product that is fully specified, installed, and configured by end"
Ultrapixels Beat Megapixels? A Surveillance Lesson
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 24, 2013 for Megapixel Cameras
"A Taiwanese manufacturer, far behind market leaders, captured mass media attention recently with a cunning marketing campaign against megapixels. HTC's new smartphone, the One X+ led with the promise of "ultrapixe"
Posted on Feb 24, 2013 for Megapixel Cameras
"A Taiwanese manufacturer, far behind market leaders, captured mass media attention recently with a cunning marketing campaign against megapixels. HTC's new smartphone, the One X+ led with the promise of "ultrapixe"
IPVM Certified
Posted on Feb 23, 2013 for General
"IPVM certified professionals pass a rigorous college level course in advanced video surveillance technologies and concepts, requiring participation in a series of live online classes, discussions, exam and essays."
Posted on Feb 23, 2013 for General
"IPVM certified professionals pass a rigorous college level course in advanced video surveillance technologies and concepts, requiring participation in a series of live online classes, discussions, exam and essays."
AK357 and TheWireGuys Involved in IPVM Theft Ring
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 22, 2013 for General
"We have evidence and confirmation that multiple individuals are involved in a coordinated effort to steal and redistribute IPVM content. Involved again is 'AK357' who stole access to IPVM last month. Additio"
Posted on Feb 22, 2013 for General
"We have evidence and confirmation that multiple individuals are involved in a coordinated effort to steal and redistribute IPVM content. Involved again is 'AK357' who stole access to IPVM last month. Additio"
Beware Phony Manufacturers
Posted on Feb 21, 2013 for General
"There's seemingly thousands of security manufacturers, making it incredibly difficult to figure out what's the best. Worse, so many of these 'manufacturers' are really 'relabelers' or 'custom configurators' that b"
Posted on Feb 21, 2013 for General
"There's seemingly thousands of security manufacturers, making it incredibly difficult to figure out what's the best. Worse, so many of these 'manufacturers' are really 'relabelers' or 'custom configurators' that b"
Replacing Access Control Systems
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 21, 2013 for Access Control
"Q: What's rarer than a two-headed penny? A: An end user who replaces their access control system. Well, maybe it isn't so absurdly rare it never happens, but end users hold on to access control systems for as long"
Posted on Feb 21, 2013 for Access Control
"Q: What's rarer than a two-headed penny? A: An end user who replaces their access control system. Well, maybe it isn't so absurdly rare it never happens, but end users hold on to access control systems for as long"
FLIR F Series Cameras Tested
Posted on Feb 20, 2013 for Flir
"In this report, we share our test findings of FLIR's F series IP thermal cameras, one of the most widely used and highly configurable lines they offer. We compare the F series against models from Axis, DRS, Pelco,"
Posted on Feb 20, 2013 for Flir
"In this report, we share our test findings of FLIR's F series IP thermal cameras, one of the most widely used and highly configurable lines they offer. We compare the F series against models from Axis, DRS, Pelco,"
Ban Resolution
Posted on Feb 19, 2013 for IP Cameras
"The word 'resolution' should be banned in surveillance. What all IP manufacturers mean when they say 'resolution' is 'pixel count.' We should be clear and precise, calling it what is - pixel count - to avoid confu"
Posted on Feb 19, 2013 for IP Cameras
"The word 'resolution' should be banned in surveillance. What all IP manufacturers mean when they say 'resolution' is 'pixel count.' We should be clear and precise, calling it what is - pixel count - to avoid confu"
How to Measure Video Quality / Compression Levels
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 18, 2013 for General
"Many manufacturers make impossible claims or assumptions about delivering super low bandwidth (see our test results for Dropcam, DVTel and OzVision as examples). This is grounded in f"
Posted on Feb 18, 2013 for General
"Many manufacturers make impossible claims or assumptions about delivering super low bandwidth (see our test results for Dropcam, DVTel and OzVision as examples). This is grounded in f"
Combating the Door Prop Problem
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 18, 2013 for Access Control
"Doors have a fundamental security function: They keep the bad guys out. When a door is propped open, it no longer provides any security value and undermines huge investments in access control. The issue of proppin"
Posted on Feb 18, 2013 for Access Control
"Doors have a fundamental security function: They keep the bad guys out. When a door is propped open, it no longer provides any security value and undermines huge investments in access control. The issue of proppin"
Ouch - Mobotix Revenue Declines
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 16, 2013 for Mobotix
"Mobotix's deterioration continues. While the company once boasted regular 50% revenue gains before the recession, growth has decelerated over the last few years, with the previous quarter flat and the just announc"
Posted on Feb 16, 2013 for Mobotix
"Mobotix's deterioration continues. While the company once boasted regular 50% revenue gains before the recession, growth has decelerated over the last few years, with the previous quarter flat and the just announc"
IPVM For PR / Marketing People
Posted on Feb 15, 2013 for Access Control
"This post helps PR / Marketing people understand and productively work with IPVM (as much as possible given the generally adversarial position). It may be useful for others as it talks about our philosophy and pos"
Posted on Feb 15, 2013 for Access Control
"This post helps PR / Marketing people understand and productively work with IPVM (as much as possible given the generally adversarial position). It may be useful for others as it talks about our philosophy and pos"
Testing Avigilon's H3 WDR Camera
Posted on Feb 15, 2013 for Avigilon
"Avigilon has long marketed itself as delivering 'the best evidence' but until recently they did not have any WDR cameras. However, their H3 release introduced WDR up to 3MP. In this report, we share our test find"
Posted on Feb 15, 2013 for Avigilon
"Avigilon has long marketed itself as delivering 'the best evidence' but until recently they did not have any WDR cameras. However, their H3 release introduced WDR up to 3MP. In this report, we share our test find"
Maintaining Access Control Records
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 14, 2013 for Access Control
"Weeding out old entries, turning off unused credentials, and updating who carries which credentials is as important as to maintaining security as keeping equipment operational. Failing to do so can be as dangerous"
Posted on Feb 14, 2013 for Access Control
"Weeding out old entries, turning off unused credentials, and updating who carries which credentials is as important as to maintaining security as keeping equipment operational. Failing to do so can be as dangerous"
Pivot3 Financials and Market Fit Examined
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 12, 2013 for Pivot3
"Last year, Pivot3 raised an additional $23 million to fund expansion. Now, the company is confirming doubling of revenue year over year and total 2012 revenue of $31 million. Inside this note, we break down the nu"
Posted on Feb 12, 2013 for Pivot3
"Last year, Pivot3 raised an additional $23 million to fund expansion. Now, the company is confirming doubling of revenue year over year and total 2012 revenue of $31 million. Inside this note, we break down the nu"
Training: VMS Fundamentals
Posted on Feb 12, 2013 for NVRs
"In this special report, we provide over 2 hours of unique video training on the fundamentals of selecting and using Video Management Systems. This report is the second in our training series (The first, a pre-requ"
Posted on Feb 12, 2013 for NVRs
"In this special report, we provide over 2 hours of unique video training on the fundamentals of selecting and using Video Management Systems. This report is the second in our training series (The first, a pre-requ"
Screw-up: Vivint Cloud Video
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 12, 2013 for SaaS
"Who can see your cloud stored video? For at least one Vivint customer, the answer is complete strangers. An ongoing concerns of cloud-based surveillance is privacy and security protections in place to prevent unau"
Posted on Feb 12, 2013 for SaaS
"Who can see your cloud stored video? For at least one Vivint customer, the answer is complete strangers. An ongoing concerns of cloud-based surveillance is privacy and security protections in place to prevent unau"
Access Control Levels and Schedules Tutorial
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 11, 2013 for Access Control
"One of access control's most critical security elements has nothing to do with cards, locks, or readers. Configuring access levels and setting up schedules is central to maintaining facility security. In this repo"
Posted on Feb 11, 2013 for Access Control
"One of access control's most critical security elements has nothing to do with cards, locks, or readers. Configuring access levels and setting up schedules is central to maintaining facility security. In this repo"
PSIM Marketer Spam Bombs LinkedIn
Posted on Feb 11, 2013 for CNL
"LinkedIn's descent into a cyber cesspool continues with unscrupulous marketers stepping up their spam campaigns. Today, we have a PSIM marketer, from CNL, blasting away, posting the same exact discussion on at lea"
Posted on Feb 11, 2013 for CNL
"LinkedIn's descent into a cyber cesspool continues with unscrupulous marketers stepping up their spam campaigns. Today, we have a PSIM marketer, from CNL, blasting away, posting the same exact discussion on at lea"
PR People, I Love You
Posted on Feb 08, 2013 for General
"Now that is not true but, in fairness, nowhere did I use the word 'actually', plus I had my fingers crossed while typing that title. But don't lose faith! IPVM has a great event just for our friends in PR, market"
Posted on Feb 08, 2013 for General
"Now that is not true but, in fairness, nowhere did I use the word 'actually', plus I had my fingers crossed while typing that title. But don't lose faith! IPVM has a great event just for our friends in PR, market"
API / SDK Tutorial
(PRO Only)
Posted on Feb 08, 2013 for Convergence
"While APIs are key to 'open' platforms, they are frequently misunderstood and over-hyped in physical security. While APIs can provide great benefits, using them is much more complex than often mentioned in sales c"
Posted on Feb 08, 2013 for Convergence
"While APIs are key to 'open' platforms, they are frequently misunderstood and over-hyped in physical security. While APIs can provide great benefits, using them is much more complex than often mentioned in sales c"
Testing Arecont's WDR Camera (AV3116DN)
Posted on Feb 08, 2013 for Arecont Vision
"Arecont Vision has long offered many of the highest resolution cameras in the market but they have never been particularly strong in WDR nor low light. Now, Arecont Vision is releasing a new series of cameras that"
Posted on Feb 08, 2013 for Arecont Vision
"Arecont Vision has long offered many of the highest resolution cameras in the market but they have never been particularly strong in WDR nor low light. Now, Arecont Vision is releasing a new series of cameras that"