$20 MP Cameras Are Here

yes they are

rebranded TVI and rebranded CVI

Just to clarify, TVI and CVI are technologies. Those technologies can be used by different manufacturers. For example, TVI is from Techpoint. Techpoint's biggest surveillance customer is Hikvision but TVI components can be bought from Techpoint for one's own products, from Hikvision with finished TVI products or from other Asian manufacturers who use TVI components and OEM them to Western companies.

As for Super Circuits and FLIR, they, respectively, significantly OEM from Hikvision and Dahua. However, these individual products might be bought / re-labelled from other Chinese suppliers who offer TVI or CVI products.

There might be another example from another industry.  Does anyone remember all of the PCs that were for sale from places like Best Buy circa turn of the millennia for not only $0 but frequently they paid you to take the PC?  All that was required was a 3 year contract with AOL, Compuserve, and other companies.  This proved to be unsustainable but several smaller and one larger PC company failed in that race to negative zero.

Right now Supercircuits has the 720p HD TVI camera for $12.99 each.

James, thanks, good find.

See below, I guess the $20 cameras are the better stuff....

Although often overlooked, no one, not Axis not Sony, has been squeezed more by falling prices than the dummy/decoy market.

The ultimate dummy camera will be from Hikvision that looks dumb but is really smart like one of the cameras you see in the movies that spies on everyone. :)

but why would OEM brands will?

The OEM brands are caught in the same vicious cycle. If OEM brand does not participate in cuts, they will lose market share as well. And they have their own relatively fixed costs in admin, sales, support staff, etc. So unless they want to exit the market or face steep revenue losses, they are driven to match. And once they exit, getting back in is much more expensive and their existing business has some value so its hard to just say "Hey we'll exit for now and come back in a few years when the bloodshed is done"

I always wonder what is the end goal of slashing prices

One thing the Chinese manufacturers and business partners repeatedly say is that's the mentality / business philosophy in China, cut prices as much as possible, gain market share, knock out rivals. Related to that, another thing we hear regularly is that the Southern China / Shenzhen video surveillance manufacturers are especially hurting - ergo their willingness to sell for such low prices.

It's more important now than ever before to learn how to build an RMR foundation. When we install a system, we DO NOT DO IT unless there's RMR affixed to the account.

That's good advice. I am not sure how practical it is for all customers as some, especially as they get larger, flat out want to buy. However, I strongly agree that trying to make money selling continuously falling hardware is risky.

Related, I talked to the CEO of a manufacturer / developer who says they only sell their offering (which includes cameras, hardware and cloud software) as a monthly service. One of the reasons / benefits that he cited (and I agree) is that it shifts the focus from "Hey why are you selling this camera for $100 when I can buy it here for $72" to "Does the customer get more value from the offering than the X dollar monthly service fee?"

We came to the conclusion that CCTV Surveillance has been commoditized. We're not selling high tech micro-sized electronics... we're selling wheat.

I disagree strongly. There's lots of differentiation and improving features in video surveillance cameras - in imaging, low light, WDR, form factors, IR capabilities, encoding, etc. Ergo it's not wheat or oil or pork bellies.

The problem is that there are enough large suppliers, with big funding, who believe that cutting prices is viable business strategy that a vicious cycle ensues.

It's more like the dotcom bubble.

When I first entered this industry, a "cheap" color camera was $300.

For a long time, that price level held, with quality simply getting better.

And I do believe there are benefits (greater overall health) from more competition and lower prices but I think as prices continue to sink below $100, to $50, to $20, etc., it is becoming increasing obvious that this is unsustainable and unhealthy.

Ah, the good old days!

Soon you will get one in your cereal box!! I have seen watches in a cereal box why not a camera.. 

Until the consumer realizes they don't need the installer.