Subscriber Discussion

Axis Zipstream First, Now LTS Launches ZIP+, Fair Or Foul?

U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 16, 2016
IPVMU Certified

LTS, a large Hikvision OEM, is apparently rebranding Hikvision's h.264+, but under the name H.264 Zip+:

Considering that the better performing Axis' technology is named Zipstream (apparently without trademark), one would think this might be unfair to Axis and confusing in the marketplace.

What do you think?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Jun 17, 2016

Poor name choice but then most things are copied over there so why not.

Range rover rip off

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U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 17, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Would it matter if they were over here?

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JH
John Honovich
Jun 17, 2016
IPVM

Kudos to LTS who evidently does not call themselves a 'manufacturer'.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Jun 17, 2016

Not really! We know where everything comes from so why stop with the camera.

Maybe its rubbing off.

U
Undisclosed #3
Jun 18, 2016

New way to determine actual manufacturer of OEM products.... YouTube?

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Mark Kirkeby
Jun 19, 2016

I will start with saying that I use LTS a lot, this is my low end, mid level go to. When I first started using them I was under no illusion that this was anything other than a HIK OEM. In the last 5 years I missed many opportunities that I priced myself out of going in with only my custom NVR platform.

In the last 18 months after meeting with LTS at ISC ( I finally took a look after years of emails) and started working with them, and have been very happy with performance, sales,and support. My sales guy will answer emails all night, I enjoy having people that are willing to take the extra step, this is good on them as a company. After years of putting in DVR's and charging through many companies trying to find one that had a UI that didn't suck was a challenge, I first found out about Dahua after pulling several IC Realtime DVR's that seriously underperformed on all levels. I got out of the DVR business and went with custom PC NVR's. This set me up to completely miss out on low to mid level installations.

Present day, I have now integrated LTS into my offerings and have seen some great success with these products. Setting up the cameras and NVR/DVR is straight forward for anyone who has ever touched a HIK product or OEM product. And IMHO the software doesn't suck crotch like the PSS.

As a system engineer,sales guy/installer the onus of responsibility to understand what I am selling is mine and mine alone. The resources that we have now with the internet are deep and far reaching and valuable for sales strategies.

With LTS moving forward with H.264+ rebranded as H.264Zip+ means this -- Regardless of how it compares side by side with other technologies, with this implemented if there is even a nominal increase in performance it is a PLUS, for me, my end users, and for my portfolio of products.

There is absolutely know way that I will ever mistake the HIK/LTS product for Axis zipstream,
if I did then I would be a very uninformed integrator.

The trunk is now slammed

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U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 19, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Thanks, informative.

There is absolutely know way that I will ever mistake the HIK/LTS product for Axis zipstream....

I believe you, but do you think that they are at least trying to fool you? If not, why put 'zip' in there?

JH
John Honovich
Jun 19, 2016
IPVM

Mark, thanks for the details.

One thing I was wondering. Do the LTS people know that much? I get the impression that you shared that they work hard but they also seem to have very little experience, with the typical LTSer never working in the industry, and being a few months or years out of college. Is that incorrect? Or are there behind the scenes people who know a lot more or?

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Mark Kirkeby
Jun 19, 2016

John,

I have been working with LTS for about 1 1/5 years, prior to that I wrote them off as just another HIK oem , and didnt give them the time of day. During the time I have worked with them I am on my second sales rep, both have been very product knowledgeable, and my current rep has field experience, I am not sure at what depth , but we never bog down because he can not under stand what I am talking about, you know like talking to a ADI counter rep. I am not sure if LTS has a support line , but I have always been able to escalate and talk to LTS technicians/engineers on the few issues that I have come across. My experience my not be typical of all the other branches or integrators that work with LTS. if this were to change, I would re-evaluate as I have plenty of HIK OEMs to choose from , or I can just use the HIK product. In the end I get the same results as does my client.

@U1

I believe you, but do you think that they are at least trying to fool you? If not, why put 'zip' in there?

I think that LTS wants to keep their brand separate from HIK as a reason for the rename,

I find it highly unlikely that they are trying to piggyback on Axis. I honestly have no idea and all I can do is speculate.

I am unsure if we are at the point in smart compression technology that it is something that I will use as a bullet point for sales, and for low information sales agents, and installers it is unlikely that they would be tied into using industry buzz words.

but I am certain that if either of the above mentioned had a LTS box and a Axis box in front of them that they would be able to determine which was which. I don't think anyone is getting fooled.

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Matthew Netardus
Jun 20, 2016
IPVMU Certified

That's the danger of non-protected names; though to be fair to LTS, "zip' is far from just an Axis thing (though I'm sure they're hoping to benefit from the exposure Axis gives to Zipstream, and catch some of that marketing name recognition for free)

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