Subscriber Discussion

What Is Your Favorite Edge Video Solution & Where Are You Using It?

U
Undisclosed
Feb 10, 2015

We're interested in learning more about how Edge is actually being used by SI's and End-Users, so please include real, practical examples with your answer if you can. If you don't use edge, what are the inhibitors you see to adopting the technology?

(1)
JH
John Honovich
Feb 10, 2015
IPVM

Tony, this survey report is applicable: On-Board Storage Usage Statistics

(1)
U
Undisclosed
Feb 10, 2015

Thanks John - I'm interested to know what other potential uses - other than merely onboard storage - SI's and End-Uses might be excited about for Edge solutions.

JH
John Honovich
Feb 10, 2015
IPVM

What are you thinking of? Analytics or apps?

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Sergey Bystrov
Feb 10, 2015
NetworkOptix

John
We would like to know about something different: does anybody have positive experience using "server-less" solutions( cameras only with server inside).

We remember your article about Axis...
We are looking for positive feedbacks( if any ).

JH
John Honovich
Feb 10, 2015
IPVM

Also, related, it's probably not Axis: Axis Edge Storage And Camera Companion Is Unstable

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Feb 10, 2015

[I work for Samsung]

I have numerous small retail applications - typically 4-6 cameras per store. Sometimes a store will have only 1 camera. They don't want to put in a server or manage licenses, or stream 24x7.

Edge storage is a great solution for them. They pop in an SD card, and then use the included free SmartViewer software.

They can then view onsite or offsite (using DDNS if on the internet vs. corporate WAN) live & playback from there.

We did a roll out of a nationwide store allowing their HQ to view each store, as well as the local manager.

As long as high quality SD cards are used, things went well.

I have also used this scenario for remote locations where there are a few cameras inside a small building (power utility building, etc.) and/or outside. Because of the remotness of the site, they don't want to deal with additional equipment.

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Avatar
Sergey Bystrov
Feb 11, 2015
NetworkOptix

For how long system was working with no issues on SD?

Whats is good SD cards? How do you find it?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Feb 11, 2015

Once the bugs with "bad" SD cards was worked out, it has been about 6 months so far with no problems.

I recommend name brand SD cards - SanDisk, PNY, Kingston, Panasonic, Samsung. Maybe HP, Toshiba, or Sony. Must be Class 10/UHS I or better performance, and a good warranty 5+ years. I personally like the ones that are drop, water, shock, xray, temp, etc. proof.

I also make sure to always insert the SD card in the camera on the bench (when possible), so I don't drop a tiny small MicroSD card while on a ladder...

That being said, some SD cards are just bad or don't last. Last month, I had 2 cards from the brands above go bad. One was in a demo IP camera, the other in my digital camera. Both were replaced under warranty. One was many years old (small, slow card), the other was a 6 month old 32 Gb card.

Avatar
Sergey Bystrov
Feb 11, 2015
NetworkOptix

So looks like in general SD is not reliable.
I mean out of 100 cameras you would have several to go bad..

would you agree?

and thank you for your input!!

(1)
U
Undisclosed #2
Feb 11, 2015
IPVMU Certified

So looks like in general SD is not reliable.

Compared to hard drives?

Compared to a RAID solution? Yes. But who ever expected SD cards to be as reliable as a RAID?

Note that A has had no actual failures in the field for sometime...

It has been about 6 months so far with no problems.

Avatar
Sergey Bystrov
Feb 11, 2015
NetworkOptix

At the and of the day I'm trying to find out if SD would be reliable enough, so edge cameras could be sold with 3 y warranty. Or would it be reliable enough so installers do not have headache.

What's you personal feelings on this?

JH
John Honovich
Feb 11, 2015
IPVM

Ship your cameras with (approved and tested) SD cards pre-loaded and only support those cards. Best way to avoid the inevitable nightmare scenario of people sticking in trade show SD cards, pharmacy SD cards, etc. and using them to record video 24/7/365.

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Sergey Bystrov
Feb 11, 2015
NetworkOptix

It's definitely necessary, my question is: is it sufficient?

JH
John Honovich
Feb 12, 2015
IPVM

I don't know. Ultimately, you are going to have to test it internally extensively before you commit :(

But you definitely will reduce risk enormously by restricting to your own provided SD cards only.

U
Undisclosed #2
Feb 12, 2015
IPVMU Certified

What's your tolerance for failure? Target MTBF?

How much per GB are you willing to pay? $0.50? $2.00?

Avatar
Sergey Bystrov
Feb 12, 2015
NetworkOptix

Good question. Ideally such camera should be as stable as non edge camera( whatever it menas in terms of MTBF).

May be for camera manufactures it's worth to consider 50$ 128GB SSD instead of SD.

Avatar
Mark Jones
Feb 11, 2015

Front entrances of communities. Cable runs back to a central source are cost prohibitive. If we have any source of power, and there is usually something, storage on the edge is the answer. They don't need it all that often and when they do, they usually know it right away (within 24 hours). Property management retrieves the card and the rest is downhill. Digimerge SyncroIP.

(1)
MD
Mike Davis
Feb 16, 2015

Sergey,

You should look into Mobotix, they pioneered the technology. I have many installs that go 3 to 5 years before an SD card fails. It is not usually the cards fault but how the cameras utilize and store the video on it. I have also used Dahua and have had about an 80% success rate, but the cards fail more frequently. When we reformat the failed card and install it in a Mobotix camera it usually works fine. Based on our own experiences we only offer edge recording With Mobotix now.

We have used this concept extensively at community entrances and community pools.

U
Undisclosed #2
Feb 16, 2015
IPVMU Certified

How much faster do Mobotix cards fill up though because they record MxJPEG instead of H.264? Is it enough to care about?

JR
Jim Rao
Feb 16, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Exacq would have to be, We're not using in any mass quatity but in the few sites it works very well. Make sure you check their camera compatibility chart first.

MD
Mike Davis
Feb 16, 2015

You can record at 3 megapixels at full frame rate continuosly about 4 1/2 hours of video to a 32 gb SD card with audio. So if you set the camera up at 7 frames per second and use only motion recording using the Mobotix MXActvity sensor you can record 2160 events at 30 seconds each. If you use a 64 gb card that would double. So depending on the application environment this could be several days to a months worth of recording.You can also extend the recording even further by reducing resolution to 2 or 1 megapixel if the applications does not need 3 megapixels.

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