VMS Matchup: Tyco Exacq vs VideoEdge
Tyco Security Products now has 2 video management systems: VideoEdge and the newly acquired Exacq. This begs the question: Which one is better and for what applications? In this note, we share our findings from discussing this with Tyco and comparing the two line's features and pricing.
Tyco's Positioning
According to Tyco, VideoEdge is aimed at "active user' applications while Exacq is targeted for 'event driven users'. Here's how Tyco explained it to us:
"Event driven users, which comprise a majority of the market, are those who use video primarily in response to activity or an event. Video is a component of their day job, not a primary tool in what they do. They can be office managers, store managers, business owners. Their primary need, as occasional video users, is ease of use.
Active users, on the other hand, are those 'with eyeballs on the screen.' They use video as a primary tool of their day job. They are typically in command centers and actively switching from camera to camera, operating simultaneously in live and recorded video, and often driving PTZ. These users are security officers in casinos, airports, Loss prevention retail (department stores), etc. Their requirements are geared more toward the throughput that allows them to manage switching within monitors, low latency PTZ and simultaneous live and record modes."
While we agree that some users are more event driven and others more active, we are skeptical that any manufacturer needs to own and develop 2 VMSes to meet the needs of these groups that are 90% overlapping.
IPVM's Analysis
Exacq key advantages over VideoEdge include:
- Lower cost software versions (e.g., Exacq Start)
- Lower cost, small camera count hardware offering (e.g., the LC)
- 3 times as many cameras directly supported
- Significantly more 3rd party system integrations
- Mobile apps for 4 different platforms while VideoEdge only supports iOS
- Larger camera count, larger storage appliance (e.g., Z series - 192 cameras, 80TB) whereas VideoEdges maxes at 64 cameras with multistreaming (128 without) and 32 TB of internal storage.
VideoEdge's key advantages over Exacq include:
- License fee waived when used with AD Illustra cameras
- Faster search via pre-indexing motion events / metadata whereas Exacq processes video when searched
- Built in 6 video analytics (though requires a separate license fee)
- Bandwidth can be controlled / throttled per server, site and client whereas Exacq can for server only
- Automatically configured multistreams
- Offers Server side motion detection whereas Exacq does not
12 Key differentiators:
Enterprise Management: Exacq has a one client interface for installation, configuration, local, and remote access. VideoEdge is more cumbersome requiring users to become familiar with 3 different interfaces: Victor for remote clients, Local Linux viewing client, and a browser based configuration client.
Video Analytics: Video Edge includes 9 server side Retail analytics at a $220 cost per camera (Analytics are camera independent); the key ones being Shelf Sweep, People Counting, Linger, and Customer Present . Exacq offers no built in analytics; 3rd party integration is available for 8 different vendors offering flexibility and options.
Search and Investigations: Excaq's search is indexed realtime requiring users to wait for local buffering and lacks metadata parsing of video details. VideoEdge utilizes metadata collected with recorded video to provide fast retrieval of video by searching through video metadata rather than actual video.
Multistreaming: In Exacq Multistreaming has to be configured for each capable camera. VideoEdge, however, automatically adds the additional streams when the cameras are added-saving configuration time.
Bandwidth Restrictions: Excaq's bandwidth restrictions are utilized via camera multistreams. VideoEdge allows administrators to restricts the bandwidth per site or server allowing for higher level enterprise bandwidth management based on site criticality.
Mobile Clients: Exacq offers iOS, Kindle Fire, Windows Phone 8, and Android apps; VideoEdge offers iOS mobile app only.
Camera Support: Exacq offers more 3rd party direct camera support at ~1500 models, ONVIF and Profile S. VideoEdge trails behind with 500 direct camera supported, ONVIF and Profile S support.
3rd party integration: Exacq offers al a carte Access Control Integration with 20 different vendors in addition to 7 POS and Retail applications. VideoEdge offers a "unified", built in integrations for 1 VCA, 1 Access Control and 1 POS vendor with no flexibility in vendor selection. The UnifiedPOS (aka POSLog) option is a realtime text line insert. We are looking into UnifiedPOS but were not able to confirm this integration or how it works with anyone else other than the information received from Tyco.
Hardware Options: while both offer multiple hardware options, including hybrid (integrated encoder) models, Exacq offers lower cost, lower camera count version (LC Series) and a higher camera, higher internal storage version (Z series).
External Storage: VideoEdge's External storage support is limited to only Suse SLS 11 compliant storage, while Exacq offers no restrictions on storage preference.
Software only options: Both Exacq and VideoEdge offer the VMS software only. However, Exacq offers 3 editions to choose from: Start, Professional and Enterprise, while VideoEdge has 2: Express and Professional.
Pricing: software only MSRP for VideoEdge (4 channels/2 victor clients) is ~$3200 with $200 per additional camera (Non AD/Illustra) and $220 per analytic license. If AD/Illustra camera is used then its a free add on. VideoEdge without any remote clients and 4 channels is ~$2500. Exacq however offers unlimited clients and $150 per channel with analytics, if needed.
