Totally wireless cameras are a major growth trend in video surveillance, driven by consumer demands to eliminate wiring. Hikvision is now joining this space. IPVM has already tested the following products in this category: Arlo Totally Wireles...
By John Scanlan - 15 days ago
Hanwha is keeping the Samsung brand alive in consumer cameras with the SmartCam A1, a new offering combining an autotracking 1080p camera with base station and totally wireless, battery operated cameras. We bought and tested the A1 to see how it ...
By John Scanlan - 22 days ago
Running wires for cameras outdoors is one of the biggest challenges, especially for consumer or DIY installs. Now, Blink has released an outdoor totally wireless camera, the Blink XT, to address this market. Existing competitors in this space in...
By John Scanlan - about 2 months ago
The function of an alarm panel is to gather information from sensors and respond to this information by triggering actions. While it is possible to program these responses manually, most alarm panels have a variety of responses preprogrammed and g...
By Ari Erenthal - 2 months ago
Today is the last day to register for the May IP Networking Course. This is the only networking course designed specifically for video surveillance professionals plus it includes live training, personal help and certification. What the IPVM IP N...
By Brian Rhodes - 2 months ago
Ring has released their latest entry, the Floodlight Cam, calling it the "Evolution of Outdoor Security", touting motion activated floodlights, built in siren, two way audio, and more, made to replace residential fixtures. We bought and tested th...
By John Scanlan - 2 months ago
Siklu is attempting to make millimeter-wave wireless systems more applicable in the security industry. Two years ago, they started marketing to the security industry with their Point to Point systems. Now, the company is shipping what they claim i...
By Brian Karas - 2 months ago
Bosch is one of the biggest names in intrusion but their B-Series panels, targeted at smaller site installs and available through distribution, are relatively new for intrusion standards. We bought a Bosch B3512 panel and a B942 graphic keypad to...
By Brian Rhodes - 3 months ago
We bought and tested the Ring Stick Up Camera along with the Solar Panel accessory. Inside we report our test result findings covering: Pricing Physical Characteristics Image Quality Solar Panel / Battery Performance Installation / Usabil...
By John Scanlan - 3 months ago
2Gig is one of the most widely used intrusion systems, with two product lines that are the main offering of many alarm companies, huge national installers and small mom & pop shops alike. In this dual-test, IPVM bought both variants of this a...
By Brian Rhodes - 3 months ago
Panic switches allow silently triggering an alarm system when it is otherwise disarmed. In this tutorial we explain and contrast the 7 most common types, including: Covered Switch / Hold Up Emergency Button Latching Switch Wireless Keyfob F...
By Ari Erenthal - 3 months ago
DMP is a major provider of intrusion systems, but lacks the global brand recognition of some of its rivals (such as Bosch, Honeywell, DSC, or 2Gig). How does it compare to competitor systems that have been in widespread use for decades? We boug...
By Brian Rhodes - 4 months ago
The biggest challenge for many access control systems are glass doors. Here's what happens when a maglock is improperly installed to an existing glass door: Unlike wood or steel doors that can be modified to work with electrified locking hardwa...
By Brian Rhodes - 4 months ago
Alarm panels are the central controller of intrusion systems. The following is a list of manufacturers of alarm panels. This directory only covers commercial manufacturers and omits DIY systems. We also omitted fire-only panel manufacturers. ...
By Ari Erenthal - 4 months ago
Alarm control panels generally come in one of two types: Integrated alarm controllers, with controls and the keypad in the same device Traditional 'canned' control panels The advantages of 'canned' control panels typically include: Roo...
By Ari Erenthal - 5 months ago
Tyco's intrusion system line, DSC, is one of the most widely installed brands. Their primary intrusion panel series, PowerSeries Neo, is relatively new to the market since release in 2014, but is already commonly used. But does this recent relea...
By Brian Rhodes - 5 months ago
Easy to deploy "wire free" cameras have been a goal of the security industry for some time. Manufacturers, such as Micropower, have tried, and ultimately failed, to deliver on this concept for several years. Now, startup V5 has raised $7M+ in fun...
By Brian Karas - 5 months ago
2GIG, an alarm product manufacturer best known for their wireless products, has introduced a new line of wired panels aimed at the commercial market, the Vario. In this note, we look at this new panel offering, how it compares to past 2GIG panels,...
By Ari Erenthal - 5 months ago
One of the biggest brands in security holds one of the most common intrusion lines. We bought and tested a Honeywell Vista 15P intrusion panel commonly used in both residential and small business markets. In the following test, we evaluated a V...
By Brian Rhodes - 6 months ago
In this note, IPVM reviews fundamental features and attributes for evaluating and comparing intrusion alarm panels. These criteria are: Number of Hardwired Zones Number of Wireless Zones Number of Keypads Supported Multiple User Codes Suppo...
By Brian Rhodes - 6 months ago
Ubiqiuti has become a significant force in wireless video surveillance applications but they have never done mesh. Historically, mesh has been associated with larger scale systems and larger scale costs (thousands instead of the hundreds for Ubiq...
By Brian Karas - 6 months ago
While alarm systems are popular, balancing between the right level of protection, the appropriate components and an acceptable price can be very challenging. This in-depth tutorial explains each fundamental element, offering guidance on the pros a...
By Ari Erenthal - 6 months ago
Simplisafe, the upstart DIY intrusion alarm system, is increasingly Public Enemy Number One in the alarm business. Recently, Security Sales ran an article from Jeff Zwirn ripping SimpliSafe apart and concluding that essentially no one should use ...
By Ari Erenthal - 7 months ago
Typically, combo controllers are risky, because they combine sensitive door controllers with readers on the exposed unsecured side of the door. But Hartmann Controls has a different take. Their combo unit is a door controller combined with a moti...
By Brian Rhodes - 7 months ago
A Russian manufacturer, SMP, has a commercially available outdoor security robot, at a lower price and with much less marketing than their main competitors. How well does it work? What does it offer? We visited Make Em Move Robotics in New Jersey...
By Ari Erenthal - 7 months ago
