FLIR Latitude VMS Test

By: Ethan Ace, Published on May 02, 2016

FLIR spent nearly $100 million on DVTel, primarily for one product - DVTel's enterprise VMS.

Though FLIR has killed the DVTel brand, they are aggressively moving the VMS forward. This is a major shift for FLIR, who historically has been a leader in thermal cameras and, more recently, expanding into lower end cameras / kits (via Lorex).

However, until now, FLIR has never had an enterprise VMS to pull together an end-to-end solution.

In this report, we share our test finding of FLIR's Latitude VMS, examining its strengths and weaknesses in great detail.

Application Overview

Latitude has two core applications, Admin Center (used for configuration) and Control Center (used for monitoring/investigation operations), shown in this intro video: 

Inside we provide 9 more video screencasts analyzing live viewing, investigation, export, camera support, and DVTel's novel features like SceneTracker, Mentor, and TruWitness.

********* ****** $*** ******* on *****, ********* *** *** product - *****'* ********** ***.

****** **** *** ****** the ***** *****, **** are ************ ****** *** VMS *******. **** ** a ***** ***** *** FLIR, *** ************ *** been * ****** ** thermal ******* ***, **** recently, ********* **** ***** end ******* / **** (via *****).

*******, ***** ***, **** has ***** *** ** enterprise *** ** **** together ** ***-**-*** ********.

** **** ******, ** share *** **** ******* of****'* ******** ***, ********* *** ********* and ********** ** ***** detail.

Application ********

******** *** *** **** ************, Admin ****** (**** *** configuration) *** ******* ****** (used *** **********/************* **********), shown ** **** ***** video: 

****** ** ******* * more ***** *********** ********* **** viewing, *************, ******, ****** support, *** *****'* ***** features **** ************, ******, and **********.

[***************]

*******

*******, ****'* *** ****** ****, with * ***** ** modern ******** ********* ********** to ********** ******** *****.

** *** **** ****, FLIR ******* * ******** not ******** ***** ** VMSes, including ****** *********, ***** stitching *** ******** ****** phone *********.

** *** ******** ****, FLIR's ***** ** (*************) complex *** *** ** daunting *** ************* ** infrequent ***** ******* ********. Additionally, ******** ********** *** be **** ********* *** inexperienced ***** ** *** client ******** **** ** elements ** *** **** by *******.

**** *** * ****** of ******** *********** **** we ***** ****** *** report, **********:

  • ******** ********* ***** **** with ***** *******, ** third ******* (********* ****). Many ***** ***** ******* multi-streaming ** ******** ****** manufacturers *** *****. **** **** they **** ** *** this ** ****** ********.
  • ***** ****** **** ******** tabs *** ******, ******, user, *** ***** ********, making ******** ************* ***** difficult ** ****.
  • ******** **** **** ***-******** terminology (*.*., "********" ******* of "********"), ****** ***** potentially ********* *** ********* or ********** *****.
  • ********'* ****** ****** ******* is ******* ** **** a ******* ** *************. Others *** ***** *** ONVIF ******* *. *******, ******* ONVIF ************ ******* ****** side ***, */*, *** audio.

Compared ** **** ****

******** ** *********** **** ** ********'* 6.0 *******, ******* * ** more ****** *** *** not ********** *** ******** issues, **** **** **** 1 ** * ******, seen ** **** ****. Note, ** **** ****, we **** * ******* (********* ***, 5MP, ** **), ***** 40 **/* ***** ********** at *** ***** ****. We *** *** **** ********'* scale.

**** **** **** **** of *** ******** (***** complexity, ***** ******** ********, etc.) ****** ******* ** *** 2010 *******.

******** ********

***** *** ***** ***** of ******** ***:

  • ******* ($*** *** **** server *******/$*** *** ****** MSRP): ** ** ** ********
  • ***** ($*,*** ****/$*** *** camera): ** ** *** channels
  • ********** ($*,*** ****/$*** *** camera): ********* ********, ******** directories

******* *** ***** *** limited ** * ****** directory, ***** ********** *** use ******** *********** (*** redundancy *** ********, ***.). All ******** *** *** multiple ********* ** ***** recording ****.

**** **** **** *** versions ******* ******** ******** such ** ********, ****** Directory, ****** ************, *** more.

Live *******

**** ******* ** ******** is ******* ** **** VMSes, **** *** ******* navigation **** ** *** left/camera ***** ** *** right ******. *******, ***** are **** *** ****** to ****:

  • ****** *********:******** ****** ***** ** open ******** ******* ** tabs. *******, ****** **** tabbed ***** ***** ******* are *** ****-********. ** order ** ****** ** investigation, *** *******, ***** open *** ***** ***** on *** *******. ***** is ** ******** ************* tab.
  • ******** ********** ****:****** **** ***** ***** separate *******, ****, *****, and ***** ******** **** separate *****, ***** ***** all ***** ***** ** a ****** ********** ****. This ***** ******* ****** in * ***** ****** easy, ** *** ******* are ****** ****** ***. However, ** ***** *******, this *** **** ******* specific ***** **** *********, requiring ***** ** ****** or *** *** **** search ** **** **** they *** *******.

**** **** **** ****** allows ***** ** **** video **** *** **** Latitude, *** ******* *** Meridian ****, ** ****. All ***** ******** ***** may ** ****** **************.

** ****** **** ********** in **** *****:

Events Integrated In ******

******** ******** ** ***** and ***** **** ** the ******, ********** ****** as **** ***** (*** pushing ***** ** ***** tiles). **** ** ******* to **** *****, **** as *******, ****** ****** do *** ******* *** event ********** ************* ** require ******** ******* ** monitor ******.

Multi-Camera ******/******

******** ****** ***** ** playback *** ****** ******** cameras **************, **** * standalone ****** ********** (******** * compact ******* ** ******* Center). ***** ****** ****** cameras ** ***** ***** and **** *** "****" button ** ****** * new ************ ******** ***. Note **** ******** ***** may ** ****** **** in * ****** **************, as ****, ****** ** dragging *** ******** *** desired **** **** * viewing ****.

Adaptive ********* ** ***** ******* ****

******** **** ******** ******** streaming ** ***** ******* (Ariel *** ******), ********* to ***** ********** **** streams **** ******** ******* are ****** ** ****. This ******* ** *** up ************* ** ***** cameras *** ******* ** default. DVTel **** **** ****** to *** ******** ********* support *** ****** ** future ********.

Configuration **********

************* ** ******** *** seem **** ******* ** many *****, **** ******** available ****** *****, ******** spread ****** ******** **** for **** ******, ******** views (********, *******, *******, etc.) ** *** **** system ****, *** ****. Additionally, ***** **** **** confusing terminology, **** ********* ******** to ** "********" *******.

***** ****** *** **** configuring * ******** ****** difficult *** ***** *** have *** **** ******* or *** ** *** frequently ********** *** ******.

** ******* ***** ****** in **** *****:

Direct ****** ******* *** ***** ******* *

***** ******** * ******* number ** ************* (****, Sony, *********, ****, *****, etc.) *** ****** *******, with ****** ********* *** ONVIF, ** ***** ******* ********* ******* ****. ***** *********** ********** varies, **** **** ******* supporting */*, *****, *** even ****** ****** ********* via *****, ***** ****** may ******* **** ********* video.

** ****** ****** ********* in **** *****:

TruWitness ****** *****

*** ********** ****** *** allows ***** ** **** ***** from ***/******* ******* ** Latitude ******* ******. **** feature *** ****** ** set ** ** *** tests, *********** **** ******* to ** ******** ** and ****** ***** *******. Once *******, ***** *** in ** *** ********** app (* **** ********) and *** **** ***** or ***** **** ** alarm:

**** ***** ** ********* in ******* ****** ***** with ***** **** **** GPS ********, ***** *** be ********* ** * GIS ***. ***** *** also ****** * ******** area ** * *** map ** *** *** video/alarms ***** **** **** from **** ****.

** ****** ***** ******** in **** *****:

**** **** ********** ******** that *** ******** ******* server ** ********* ** the ******** ** **/** mobile *** ** *******. Manual **** ********** ** required. ** ***** ***** is *********. 

************

************ ****** ***** ** stitch ******** ******* **** a ****** ****, ******** to make ******** ******** ****** a **** **** ******* than ******* ******* ** separate *****. ** ** eight ******* *** ** stitched ********, **** ** to ***** ************** ******* zoom ******* ******** ** each ************ ****.

***** *** ** ********** time *********, ********* ***** to ****** ******** ****** in **** ******'* *** which *** **** ******* to *** ***** ****** or ******* ** *** layout. ** ***** ** our *****, ********* *** not ******** ********, **** images ********* ** ****** out ** **********. ***** issues ***** ** ******** by ******** *** ******* point *** **-****** * new ***, *** ***** additional ****.

**** **********, *** ************ view may ** ***** ** a ****** ** *** other ******, ****** **** screen ** ***** ******, and **** *** **** and ******** ** **** in *** ***** *****. Users ****** **** **** SceneTracker **** ******** ***** CPU ******** ** ****** viewing *** ********* *******, also ********* ** **** video.

Mentor ****** *********

******** ******** * ****** recording *********** ****** ******, which ****** ***** ** view *** ** **** of * ***** **'* desktop. **** *** ** used ** ****** ******** actions *** ******** ** training ********. 

**** **** *** ***** include ****** ********* **** Mentor ** * ***** in *******, **** **** requiring ********** ******** ******* or ********.

Software ******* ****

******* *** ********* ***** Latitude *.*.*.****

 

Comments (12)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

05/02/16 06:19pm

"However, until now, FLIR has never had an enterprise VMS to pull together an end-to-end solution."

Not entirely accurate. FLIR acquired 360Surveillance and their Cameleon VMS around 2007 if I am not mistaken. That acquisition also came with the Puretech Video Analytics solution. Very similar to the DVTEL/ioi acquisition.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 05/02/16 09:55pm

1, I believe you are referring to the ICX deal in 2010.

And when we say, enterprise VMS and end-to-end, we mean in the general video surveillance market.

Cameleon, from FLIR and what we have seen in the market, is positioned as command and control system, rather than a general purpose VMS.

As for PureTech, it was spun off from FLIR. From PureTech's Twitter account, they appear to still be active, independent of FLIR

Avatar

John Bazyk

IPVMU Certified | 05/02/16 08:59pm

Why do VMS companies insist on making their software look like it belongs on a Windows 95 PC. You would think for $100M you could get an updated GUI.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to John Bazyk | 05/02/16 09:58pm

John, lol, I am not sure if they 'insist' on, it probably is more of that it was substantially developed when Windows 95 was still cool supported.

I was surprised that they added tabs, which is a very un-Windows 95 approach, and something that is less common in VMSes but clearly quite beneficial to many users.

Undisclosed #2

05/02/16 11:13pm

Classic ($249 USD base server license/$190 per camera MSRP): Up to 70 channels
Elite ($2,900 base/$269 per camera): Up to 250 channels

So is Classic the same as Elite except you are allowed more channels?

In other words, is it just plain idiotic to have a 50 camera Elite system, (that you don't plan on growing)?

Avatar

Greg Cortina

05/03/16 02:38am

FLIR response

Maybe Ethan would be kind enough to post a video of the EasyClient now provided and will be expanded upon ;)

Greg

Undisclosed #2

05/03/16 02:53am

FLIR spent nearly $100 million on DVTel, primarily for one product - DVTel's enterprise VMS...

Is that to say that DVTel's hardware offerings did not contribute much to DVTel's success and value, or rather that FLIR (specifically) has no need for them?

Avatar

Greg Cortina

In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 05/03/16 03:05am

FLIR post

The hardware wouldn't have much value without the software. The hardware is being branded FLIR and available soon.

The integration of DVTEL follows a FLIR goal of providing a complete solution across the affordability and feature scale.

This review was specifically the Latitude VMS and not the peripherals.

Greg

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Greg Cortina | 05/03/16 03:31am

This review was specifically the Latitude VMS and not the peripherals.

The article's lead statement, which I quoted in my post, implied that DvTel's hardware assets were of only secondary importance to FLIR. Seeing as they had a fairly extensive camera offering, some with HD analytics and higher MP resolutions, it seemed worthy of clarification.

This review was specifically the Latitude VMS and not the peripherals.

More on topic, I also lobbed this hanging curve ball up, care to take a swing?

So is Classic the same as Elite except you are allowed more channels?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 05/03/16 10:29am

Seeing as they had a fairly extensive camera offering, some with HD analytics and higher MP resolutions

DVTel was never a top camera manufacturer, they had a limited range of cameras, and they ODM / OEMed their cameras. All of that leads to our position that VMS was the primary reason.

As for analytics, we have tested DVTel analytics, and they are one of the better offerings, but that still does not make it as valuable as enterprise VMS software, simply because of VMS software's far greater applicability and larger market size.

Undisclosed #2

In reply to John Honovich | 05/03/16 01:29pm

DVTel ...OEMed their cameras.

I didn't know that. From whom?

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 05/04/16 12:04am

Dynacolour Taiwan, cameras, Uvision Hangzhou, brackets and Hikvision DVRs all coming to DVtel at one time a few years back.

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