Subscriber Discussion

Feedback On My Startup - VMS As A SAS

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Sep 16, 2013

Hello All,

The goal of this post to get feedback, ideas, and suggestions from fellow integrators on a startup idea. Your participation and comments are very valuable and greatly appreciated. Since we are still in our early stages, our business plan is malleable and will change in the direction that fits best.

Introduction

Our plan is to build a web based managed VMS solution that will be sold as a subscription for the small business market (less than 20+ cameras).

Advantages to our system:

1-Easy to install. No server or software setup needed. Simply add cameras/Encoders to the website

2-Video will be stored on the edge

3-We will maintain and manage software updates. Users will stay current with all new devices,browsers and operating systems.

4-Solution is build and only influenced by small business needs and requests. We are not building a monster software and locking down features to make it small business friendly.

5-Ability to manage users access, notification alerts, share video and (any future features) across multiple locations online from one dashbord.

6- Open to any other suggestions

Target end user

Our potential customer is a small business owner who have the following characteristics:

  • Own one or more locations requiring 4 - 20 cameras in each location.
  • Use a legacy analog security camera system.
  • Wants to expand his security camera system by adding new IP cameras.
  • Ability to view and playback video from any (current or future) mobile device or browsers.
  • Grant access to other users to monitor the security cameras.
  • Share videos securely with other people.

Target Integrator:

- Small business client base

- Looking for a cost competitive solution to approach existing clients and to better compete in the market

- Values recurring revenue

- Looking for an easy to deploy systems. No server, No software

Pricing:

We are looking to charge the customer between $60- $100 /month and split the revenue with the integrator or buy the account upfront similar to what is done in the alarm business.

  • 16 Ch encoders with 2 TB onboard storage: $600
  • Indoor MP Camera: $150
  • Outdoor MP Camera: $250

Competitive analysis

  • Large VMS’s
  • NVR solution units
  • Cloud hosted solution

1- Large VMS’s are built to handle 10000+ camera applications. They usually run on a windows platform , software is too complicated and does not address small business needs. Most attempts to break in to the small business market were by simply locking up features in the software and lowering cost.

2- NVR solution units. We believe eventually these units will post the same issues that end users are having currently with DVRs (they don’t work with new smart phones, MAC, etc). With the exception of some, these are manufactured by hardware companies that are less motivated to keep up with software updates and want you to continuously buy new hardware.

3- Cloud hosted video solution. We believe that we will eventually move toward hosting video. Currently, hosted video is too expensive, required bandwidth is not available in most locations and the end user does not care where is the video stored.

Thanks in advance and Looking forward for your feedback

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Sep 17, 2013

So you will be selling web based VMS - AND - the encoders / cameras with included storage? With other camera/encoder support I suppose? Is this 60-100/month regardless of number of devices/locations/users? Sort of like an online video client that saves user and device info and structure for user(s) to access through web on any device... as long as it is intuitive and makes access to live and recorded video much more simple than currently available solutions it would be ok... we can do this now with some VMSs accessing storage on 3rd party devices... just higher up front licensing costs but potentially not as expensive yearly.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Sep 17, 2013

So you will be selling web based VMS - AND - the encoders / cameras with included storage? With other camera/encoder support I suppose? Yes, At this point we plan to support only one brand. We are open to support other brands if the market demands it.

Is this 60-100/month regardless of number of devices/locations/users? Sort of like an online video client that saves user and device info and structure for user(s) to access through web on any device...

That is our plan. One of the advatages that we want to offer is to move away from the mentality of camra channals. The price will go up based on how many locations your customer have and wants to view from the same dashboard. For example, 1 location $60, 10+ locations $100.

as long as it is intuitive and makes access to live and recorded video much more simple than currently available solutions it would be ok... Thats is our plan

we can do this now with some VMSs accessing storage on 3rd party devices... just higher up front licensing costs but potentially not as expensive yearly.

Dont you still have to install a server onsite?

Thanks for your time and feedback.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Sep 17, 2013

How do you plan on connecting the cameras at the user site to your cloud solution (Firewalls, network configuration and so forth)?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Sep 17, 2013

We are building an inhouse solution to handle this. I will share more with the group as we get closer.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
Sep 17, 2013

If you compete with me and sell direct to end users I won't consider reselling your services, so you need to figure out how you want to work that.

Your idea is certainly not new, so your challenge is to execute better than anyone else who is currently doing it. Most VSaaS I've seen so far have very poor interfaces with limitations on how video is downloaded. For instance, only able to download specific sized clips instead of just the exact start and stop time I want. And usually no custom layouts.

Cheap price is good, but if the quality is too cheap it's not worth my time and effort to continually service, unless I can convince a customer to pay labor on top of the monthly service I charge them.

Und#1

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Sep 17, 2013

If you compete with me and sell direct to end users I won't consider reselling your services, so you need to figure out how you want to work that. 100% integrator support and no direct sales.

Your idea is certainly not new, so your challenge is to execute better than anyone else who is currently doing it. Most VSaaS I've seen so far have very poor interfaces with limitations on how video is downloaded. For instance, only able to download specific sized clips instead of just the exact start and stop time I want. And usually no custom layouts.

Can you provide a list of the companies that are doing this?

Cheap price is good, but if the quality is too cheap it's not worth my time and effort to continually service, unless I can convince a customer to pay labor on top of the monthly service I charge them.

Understood.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
Sep 17, 2013

"Can you provide a list of the companies that are doing this?"

If you mean other companies doing VSaaS, you can search for them right here on IPVM by searching for the term "VSaaS".

If you mean other companies letting you download clips in specific time frames you want or let you do custom layouts, I don't know of any that do. That's why I'm saying if YOU do it that would be a positive selling point to me.

Und#1

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Sep 17, 2013

Hello, I am aware of other VSaaS companies but non of them record onsite. Do you know of any VSaaS that stores video onsite?

JH
John Honovich
Sep 17, 2013
IPVM

AVHS offers a NAS / on site recording option. Envysion does on site recording (NVR) by design. They call it MVSaaS, emphasizing the management of an on-site recorder. March Networks is now adding a cloud component to their records, etc.

The big risk here is not the cloud based recording startups but the incumbents who will increasingly add this functionality to their existing on site recorders.

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