Subscriber Discussion

Consumers Would Be Shocked If They Found Out

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Virgil Reed
Mar 07, 2013

Consumers expect cameras in banks, jewellery stores, retail stores, etc.

Any examples of video surveillance applications where a consumer would be surprised to know they were being recorded or what the video is used for?

Any examples of recording the unexpected?

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Brian Rhodes
Mar 09, 2013
IPVMU Certified

Consumers would be shocked at how shoddy and ineffective many surveillance systems really are.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Mar 09, 2013

Consumers would be shocked to know that at one point in time over 1/4 of the largest US retailer's camera domes were dummies (this is no longer the case)

JH
John Honovich
Mar 09, 2013
IPVM

I was at Office Depot last year, and saw a little box camera moving back and forth. I was stunned because I had never seen anything like it. I walked up to it and noticed there was no cable running into the wall. Evidently, it was a battery powered dummy camera that had a motion sensor on it. Very weird, especially for a chain retailer with 1600+ stores.

I think I found it on Amazon for $3.35:

MI
Matt Ion
Mar 10, 2013

Evidently, it was a battery powered dummy camera that had a motion sensor on it.

John, that's exactly what that is - a friend of my wife's moved into a storefront that had these exact units. There's some kind of motion sensor that triggers the "camera" to pan back and forth a couple times if someone steps in front of it.

Of course, they also have the standard "fake cam" give-away: the blinking red LED.

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Daniel S-T
Mar 09, 2013

Would be shocked to know, at least where I live, that majority of parking lots with signage saying "Video Surveillance System in use" means there are no cameras watching the parking lot. (Just from what I've seen in my area, I could be wrong)

JH
John Honovich
Mar 09, 2013
IPVM

Daniel, if those signs are posted outdoors, they could be increasing legal liability as customers might have an expectation of video, at the very least recorded to capture any crimes.

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Daniel S-T
Mar 09, 2013

There is one parking lot just 5 minutes from me that has them posted on a few of the light poles, I still can't see any cameras.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Mar 10, 2013

They would be shocked to find out that they became demo video that security companies post to their web sites and YouTube.

JH
John Honovich
Mar 10, 2013
IPVM

Good point, though those companies are taking a big big risk doing so. I am amazed when I see companies use their customers in marketing without getting their express permission.

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Carl Lindgren
Mar 11, 2013

Consumers Would be Shocked If They Found Out

- What "IPVM" really means.

Long and busy weekend. 'Night!

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Brian Rhodes
Mar 11, 2013
IPVMU Certified

That dummy camera's lens appears to be higher quality than the ones shipping with select budget lines I've seen.

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Ethan Ace
Mar 11, 2013

I actually saw one of those dummy cameras at store not that long ago. It was HORRENDOUSLY loud when it oscillated, and I find it hard to believe it was fooling anyone.

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Luis Carmona
Mar 20, 2013
Geutebruck USA • IPVMU Certified

They're often shocked to find out you can't bring up that video from 3 months ago (even with data recovery services).

Home Owner Associations are often shocked with it turns out a camera has been bad at least since the time of the current recorded video, or someone unplugged the DVR because it was too noisy (true story), and nobody noticed until an event happened that caused them to look at it... because the last time anyone looked at it was 5 months ago.

JH
John Honovich
Mar 20, 2013
IPVM

Luis, good point on being shocked about video not being available from months ago. They forget how shocked they were when they got the quote originally for storing it for 3 months!

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Brian Rhodes
Sep 27, 2013
IPVMU Certified

In my home county, none of the "redlight" intersection cameras or highway cameras are recorded. 0% of more than 300.

(Allegedly) The reasoning for this: neither the Police Department, Office of Public Safety, nor Department of Transportation group have extra manpower to satisfy the projected FOIA requests for recorded video, from insurers and citizens.

SR
Scott Reames
Sep 30, 2013

If you are talking about these

They are not cameras, they are vehicle detectors. To my knowledge we don't have red light cameras.

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Brian Rhodes
Sep 30, 2013
IPVMU Certified

Hello Scott, It's good to see a fellow OKCer on here.

Specifically, I was talking about these cameras. In addition to these permanent units (trees of three/four cameras at each location), there are a number of 'portable' camera that are mounted on trailers for street view work, although those units do no show up on the linked interface.

Like you mention, to my knowledge, there are no 'streetlight' mounted redlight cameras, just the trailer mounted units. For reference, here is the type of image available from those cams (brutal):

MI
Matt Ion
Oct 01, 2013

Scott, if those are the same as the ones we have around here, I believe they ARE cameras, but are not recorded or monitored; rather, they simply feed an analytics-based system that controls the lights (although I'm sure they COULD be recorded and live-monitored, if so desired).

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Brian Rhodes
Oct 01, 2013
IPVMU Certified

Nah, Scott is correct about those not being cameras. They are traffic light pre-emption devices designed to resemble cameras. Think 'dummy camera' on steroids.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
Sep 27, 2013

They would be shocked to find out their whole life is being recorded by God and will played back during judgement.

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