I think all the different software versions are flat out ridiculous, but a clever way of hiding high costs but putting forth the lower cost options initially.
OnSSI Mix and Match - Save Money on VMS?
Published Jul 09, 2014 04:00 AM
OnSSI is promoting what it calls 'Mix and Match [link no longer available]' that they say will save money on VMS purchases.
Generally, VMS software is offered on multiple tiers, like "Basic", "Medium", "Advanced", at increasingly higher prices. A user typically has to pick the same tier for all cameras.
What OnSSI is offering is to mix and match some cameras at the higher priced "Advanced" level and others at "Basic" or "Medium" on the same system (or in OnSSI's terminology, ES, CS, PS, etc.).
In this note, we break down the potential savings, its application and how it contrasts to Milestone's Interconnect.
Version ***********
*** ******* ***** **** ******* ********* versions *** ********* **** ** ******* that **** ******* ********** *****.
*** *****, ***** *** * ********, which ** **** '*****' *** ***** - **, **, CS, **, *** **, ***** **** the ***** ***** ** ** *** most **** ******** **. (********'* ******* ******* **********).
*** *********** *******:
- ** ***** ** ** ******* *** recorder, ** ** ** *** *** top * ******** *** ******* *********.
- ** **** *** ******* ******* ***** storage. *** ****** **.
- ** ** *** **** ******* **** supports ****** *** *** ******* ********.
- ** *** ** ******* **** ********* for **********, *** **** ** *** 3 ***** ******** **.
************of *** *** *****
** **** *****, *** ********** ******* that ** *** **** ****** *** capabilities *** ********* *** **** ********* lower *** *******, ***** **** ****** for *** ****** *** ******** *** specific ********* / *** ** *******.
***** **** *****'* *** ****** ********* ranges **** $** ** $*** ****, this *** ** ** ** * $250 **** *******, ****** * ********* of **% ** **** ** **** for ***** ******** **** *** ****** the ****** *** ********.
No *** *** *** *** ********
****** *********, *** ******* ** ********** $*** per ******* (** *** ** *** basic ******* ***) *** ***** ******* of *** *** *****, ***** **** not ****** ******** ****** *** ******* license ****.
Milestone ** ***** ******* / *********
* ****** ** ***** ********* *********** exist:
- *********'* ****** *** ******* *** * ~$50 ****, **** *** ***** ** OnSSI's ******, ***** ********* ******* *** $119 ********* ************ ***.
- ***** ****** *** **** ***** ********** of ******* **** ******** ********* ** the **** ****** **************, **** **** their ****** *** ******** ******* *** and ********, ***** ********* ******** ************ ** higher *** ******* *** ****.
- ***** ****** *********** **** ****** ******* systems **** **** ***** ****** *** offering ******* *** *** ********, ***** Milestone ******** ************ ** ****** *** version *** ****.
- ********* ****** ******** ******* ** ** interconnected ***** ***** ******** *** *** cameras ** * ***** ******** ** be ** *** **** ******* ******* (even ** **** ** ***** ******* do *** **** **** ******* ***** of *************).
******
** ** ********* ** **** ********* ** ********** *** ********, *** ********* ***** **** ******** discounts ** ****** *********, ****** ******* of *********** ***** *********. **** ***** mix *** ***** *** ********* ************ are **** ** **** ********* *** to **** ********* ** **** ********* in **** ******* **** **** ****** for ******** *******.
*******, **** *** ******* ** ****** a *********** ****** ** ******* **** one *** ****** ******* ********, *** are ****** ***** *** **** ** lower ******.
Comments (4)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Jul 09, 2014JH
John Honovich
Jul 09, 2014What's the alternative? Seriously :)
If you have different software features that not everyone wants, what do you do? Charge one low price and 'leave money on the table' for those who really need your uncommon advanced features? Or charge one high price and lose out on all those customers that don't want to pay for undesired ones?
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Jul 09, 2014I'm not saying don't charge for turning on premium features, like maybe LDAP integration or auto archive, but why is one software version limited to 26 cameras and another limited at 64? Why do you have to change to a different version software just to run more cameras? Or if, as a general example and not specific one, you have to figure out what software version you need just to have LDAP integration. I just don't like when they do it that way.
JH
John Honovich
Jul 09, 2014The camera count is a good example. The reality though is most every professional VMS does that, right?
All it takes is one major VMS supplier to break from that and it can push market forces down.
Evidently, suppliers generally agree that buyers who want more cameras per site are willing to pay more money and can get away with that approach.