Panasonic Video Insight VMS Tested

Author: Ethan Ace, Published on Jul 06, 2015

Panasonic not only bought an open VMS provider, VideoInsight, Panasonic is now giving away free VMS licenses for their cameras. Plus, the VMS includes free access control.

Though Panasonic has talked about selling 'solutions' for years, they never had much on the VMS nor access side.

And though Panasonic has a global brand, Video Insight is relatively unknown outside of the US southwest and their historically strongest market, education.

We tested Video Insight v6 to see how it compares to major VMSes such as Exacq, Avigilon, Genetec, and Milestone on these key questions and more:

  • What features, if any, are lacking compared to mid level and enterprise VMS systems?
  • How does this version compare to Video Insight historically?
  • How well does their free access control work?
  • Can this compete against leading providers?

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****** ********* *** ****** ***** ******* '*********' *** *****, **** never *** **** ** *** *** *** ****** ****.

*** ****** ********* *** * ****** *****, ***** ******* ** relatively ******* ******* ** *** ** ********* *** ***** ************ strongest ******, *********.

** *********** ******* **** *** *** ** ******** ** ***** ***** **** ** Exacq, ********, *******, *** ********* ** ***** *** ********* *** more:

  • **** ********, ** ***, *** ******* ******** ** *** ***** and ********** *** *******?
  • *** **** **** ******* ******* ** ***** ******* ************?
  • *** **** **** ***** **** ****** ******* ****?
  • *** **** ******* ******* ******* *********?

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

Competitive ***********

************'* *** ** *********** **** ***-**** ************ *** *********, ******* improved ** *** **** *** *****, ****** **** **** ********* limitations. **** *** **** ******** *** **** ****** *******, ** believe ********* / ************ ** ***** ** ** ** ********** combination, ********** ** ** *********** ** *** '*********' **** ********, emerging ********* ********/******** **** ** ***, ** ******* *** *********, **** **** no ****** ********* / ********.

*** **** ******** ******** *** *** ******* *** ***** ** their **** ****** ******* *******/***********, *.*.,****** **** ********'*.

*** **** ******* ********* ** ***** **** ****** ********* ***********, lack ** **** ************ *** **** *********.

*** ***** *** ******** ** ***** ******* ** *** **** of ***** *******'* *****. ******* *** *******'* ******* ********** ********, their ******* ****** ** *** ***** *** ***** ******** **** product ***********, ***** ******* **** *** **** * ****** *** brand, ******** ** *****, *******, *********, ***. ** ******* **** Panasonic *****
**** ********** ************ ** ****** ************ ** ** *********'* ****** branded ***.

Key ********

****** ******* *** *******, ** ******** ******* *** ******** ****** as ******** *** ***** ** ******** **** * ****** *** file ***** * ***** ****** ****. ** ************ ********** ********** player ** *********, ******* ** **** *****.

*** ** ******* ****** *********** ***** ******** ****** ******* **** as *****/*** ******. **** ****** *** ******** *****-****** ******** (************ only), * ******* ******* ** ***** ******** ****** ***********, ******* Station.

********* ****** ******* ********* *** ****** ********** ** *** ** Monitor ****** ** * ********* ***, ******** ***** ** **** events ** **** ****, **** **** ***** ********** **** **** door, ******* *****, *** ****** ******** ***** *** **** *****.

*******, ***** ** ********* ********* **** ****** ** **** **** and ******** ***** ** ** ******* ********* ***** ** **** the ****, ********* ******** ** *** '******' ****** *** **** video ********* (** ******* ** "*******" ****). **** **** ** not ****** ** ***** ***** ** **********, ******, ********* ***** to ******** ****** ** "******" **** **** * **** ** opened.

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

***** ******* ******** ******* ******** ********* ***** ** ********** ***** (aside **** ****** ***********, ********* *****), *********:

  • ********** **********:***** *** ****** ******** ******* **** * ****** ******, ******* users, ***********, *** ***** ******** ******* ** *** ** *******.
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  • ******* ***** ***********: ******* ** ***** ****** ***********, ***** ******* integrates *** (*** **** ****** ********) ******** **** *** ** ******* ******.

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

*******, ***** *** ******* *** ***********, ** ****, *********:

  • **** *****-****** ******:** ******* ******** ******* ** * ****** *****-****** ***, ******* of * ********** ********** ****** ******* ** ***** *****.
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  • **** *********:**** ********* ** *** ********* ** *** *******

Bug/Quality *******

** *** *****, ** ********** **** ** ******* *** *** export *** ********** ********** ** ******** **** *** ****** *** selected ** ******. ***** *************, ** ***** **** **** ******* did *** **** ** *** ******* ** ** ******* (****** it **** ** ***** ***** ******* ******* ******) *** ** had **** ********* ** *********** *** * ***.

********* * ***** ******** ******* **** ********** ******** *** ** a ******** ** ****, *** * ******** ***** ** *****, especially **** ******* ** ***** ********** *******. ****** **** ** these ***** ** ****** ******** (*** ******) ****** *** *** VI *****.

Video ******* *********

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

*** **** ** ******** ******** *** ******** **** *** *******. Additional ***** **** $** *** ****** *** ****, ****** *** Panasonic ****** ***** ******** **** ***** *** ****.

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

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  • *********** ******* *******:******* **** ** ******* ** $** *** ******* **** ****** from * *********** ***, **** **** **** ***** ** ******** Upgrade **** (* ***** ** $***/******).
  • ********* ***** *******:*-** *** ****** ********* ***** *** ***** *** **'* ***** program, ***** ******** **** ***** *******, *** *-**** ****** *******, and **** ******** *** *** ******** *** *** **** **** of ******. ** *** *** ** *** ****, ***** *** purchase ** ****** *********.

*********** ***** ***** **** **** *** ******* ********, *** ***, if ***, *** ** ********** ** ***** *****.

IP ****** *******

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************, ** ******** (*** **********) ****** **** ****** ********* *** the ******** ** ********** *******, ****** *********** ******* *** *** server **** ***, ** ****.

Free ********* *********

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Free ****** ********* *** ***********

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************** ** ********** *** ****** ** ***** *******, **** ****** events ********** ** * ******** ****** ***, ** ** *** views **** ******* ** ****. ** ***** ** ****** ********** the ******, ****** *********** ** ***********, *** ********** ****** ***** this ********.

** ******* *********** ** ***** ** **** *****:

Export ***********

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Search *** ********

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**** **** "******" ** ******** ** * ******** ** **** case, ** ***** ****** *** ** ******* ** ****** ********* based ** *****, *** ************ ****** ** **** ******.

** ****** ****** ** **** *****, *****:

Distorted *****

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Versions ****

*** ********* ***** ******* ******** ******** **** **** *** **** test:

  • ***** ******* ** **********: *.*.*.*
  • *********** ***: *.*

Comments (4)

David Spreadsys

07/06/15 12:48pm

Would be interesting to look at this from an FVA (Forensic Video Analysis) perspective. The export split screen export into .avi certainly rings some alarm bells.

If you are willing to share, drop me a mail (david(at)spreadys.com).

Cheers

David

Thumbnail eyeball only

Ryan Anderson

In reply to David Spreadsys | 09/01/15 01:21pm

We also have sent video samples from VI to forensics labs and they were impressed with the quality.

Mike Dotson

Seneca | IPVMU Certified | 07/06/15 03:05pm

When we tested VI in our lab on our recording servers, we found it to have excellent performance getting the data off the network and to storage.

I had a conversation with one of their software folks and learned that they did some custom programming to make the recording process more efficient and the results proved that statement.

David Spreadsys

In reply to Mike Dotson | 07/06/15 04:09pm

"Custom Programming" often translates to screwing around with standards! Although it makes sense for one aspect of the video, it can be a nightmare at the end when trying to analyze, interpret, clarify and present the visual evidence.

Panasonic have always been tricky, H5R, H3R, N3R - they were all completely proprietary and as such a real pain in the backside for investigations.

Really cant wait to get my hands on one of those .avi files to see what they have done this time.

Lets hope that they have stuck with standards.... but I wont hold my breath just yet.

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