Voipmodo

I know many here are using Dahua either at home or in course of business. Does anyone have experience on their failure rate or DOA rates? We have the opportunity to carry them in our lineup. but dont want to jump the gun if the failure rates are high. I know they are popular for the price point, but dont like to carry a product knowing its going to become lemons down the road/

Mobotix Q24 Axis M3007 Acti KCM-3911 Panasonic Sw458 Plus a few others on the budget end of things.

The best brand is the one that gets the job done for your needs. Every install and setup is different. I see many, many , many people looking for very low cost IP cameras or try to make do with analog. Then I see these same companies on the news showing substandard video evidence trying to track down a robber or vandal. A good security camera is one that allows you to capture the information you need, to either monitor or provide evidence if something goes wrong. Its like rock climbing, do you spend the money on a fully tested 10,000lb rated rope for $200 to catch you if you fall, or do you go down to Home Depot for a $20 Rope. Both will work in some cases, but would you trust your life to "some" cases.

For local installers, one way is to do your research first and decide on a brand of cameras that you like. Then contact the vendor and ask for a list of certified or authorized dealers in your area. It is easy today for customer to be educated on the products that will work best for your needs and meet your budget. Things to Note when looking for an installer: Make sure they are insured and licensed for your area Try to be sure they use name brand parts if you havent picked a particular brand. Be sure to ask for and keep all warranty info. Ensure they are an authorized Dealer for the products or purchase from an authorized source. Pricing will be higher then you will see online. Running a business costs money, so 10-20% above lowest online prices is a fair markup. Remember you are not paying just for hardware or just hooking up a wire, you are paying for experience and knowing that the company should be there to support you if you have problems and to make sure you know how to use what they installed. Get it all in writing! Groucho - Remote config and install does work in a lot of cases but is not right for every install. Even some of the Higher end vendors we work with are suggesting new ways to go the managed services route with cctv.

I really dont like vendors who try to build a dealer and distribution channel, then go and try to undercut them by creating a new brand with the same products and selling direct. Digiop does this with their online and catalog companies and now it looks like PC OPEN/ Open Eye is as well. I also find it funny that on the Avertx site you cant find a single address or phone #. There is a right way and a wrong way to have a multichannel sales network and many vendors it looks like choose the wrong way with hopes of fast profit.

You could always take a high res bullet cam with a telephoto lens and mount it on a Pan Tilt mount. If you really want to save money, then you can go the DIY route and build a simple 2 axis platform, use an arduino controller, then have a web interface to control it.. Its not a 1 day project thats for sure, but its relatively low cost, and you can learn soldering and Micro controllers to boot. If you are not super technically inclined, do a google search in your area and you should find a makerspace or hackerspace near you and they normally have classes or workshops for free or low cost.

This looks like a beast to move around but you can beat the size of the screen and it runs windows. You could probably even run a full VMS on it. Thoughts? http://gizmodo.com/5990269/dells-xps-all+in+one-computer-turns-into-an-18+inch-tablet-that-actually-doesnt-suck

HI all, I know some on here use and or install Mobotix and wanted to give some updates from the US Mobotix Partner Conference thats going on right now. The biggest update by far is a release date for the MOBOTIX App for IOS. Currently we are told a launch will be expected in the app store on March 8th. With some pretty interesting 2 way functionality this is a very welcome new product addon. The Mobotix M15 is set for Summer release, will have interchangeable lens's and options for Thermal. According to Mobotix they will have a demo on hand at ISC West in April if you want to brave the Vegas heat and endless buffets. So far the biggest pitched product is the S14 flexmount and the T24 doorstation. We were teased with some screenshots of some new touchscreen add on modules, and a touch panel inside display. I think the new modules look sleek, but I would rather see an upgrade to the units SIP functionality first then some more shiny outdoor touch panels. Based on the presentations we have seen so far, disheartening for some, there is no plans on lowering price points in the near future, and no plans to add h.264 support or to build standalone mxpeg encoders. There was some small hints of a relaunch of their software suite to give more options of integrating better 3rd party cameras.

There may be a market then to buy Avigilon from the distributors in the UK and ship over to the US. We could charge $10,000 a camera Honestly though strict online sales of CCTV is a losing game. Why compete against Amazon and BH if you dont have to. Most of our sales end up being projects where we do the planning, configuration, and support. The only thing we dont do is run the wires, as for that the customer does in house or we contract to a local shop. I think its a great model, but then again I have an aversion to running Cat-5 in ceilings all day. I would love to sell Avigilon and offer the customers the choice of systems.. It just takes time for vendors to understand different sales models.

I played with it a little this morning and seems pretty decent. Found the cameras right away. One note is that if you have the cameras on a non standard port, then it works better to add them manually. The 2 Way voice worked well and the image adjustments as well. You will have to do a firmware update on the cameras to take advantage of some of the features. I plan on setting up some remote testing next week and see how the push notifications work.

Avigilon is the next big think in my opinion only because of its restricted sales channel that helps dealers close projects simply because a customer can not really compare options. While this is working for them currently, now they have had an IPO and have to meet revenue targets, I dont see this lasting long term as investors want greater returns. We standardized on Mobotix a few years ago and have offered a remote setup program that has worked extremely well. The corporate support is very good at what it is, primarily tier 2 or tier 3 support. We dont have many issues and seem to be very responsive. In terms of VMS, The Mobotix version is free, with no licensing ever. Avigilon and others charge per channel. With Avigilon, if your server dies, your whole system can go down. With Mobotix, if the NAS goes down, they just record to the 64GB SD card. The current version of MXControl Center is getting a little long in the tooth, but from what I have been hearing out of Germany, the whole platform of the VMS is being scrapped and revamped from the ground up. There are many brands that try to be sexy, tout Megapixels, shout out look at me I am a camera, I can make you coffee. Mobotix is that dorky little camera in the back of class that gets the job done, and has every little tech detail you may need. To me its more of a documentation and UI problem then anything. Yes Mobotix needs to be faster in updating, but when they do come out, the products are rock solid.

We normally use Cisco gigabit POE Switches and for routers have had good luck with the Cradlepoint units. I like the Cradlepoints as they are dual wan and have options for 3G/4G for failover.

Hi, I just checked the 3 main Acti Master Distributors stock, and not one has it on hand here in the USA. Status says either on order or special order for all of the models. I would say 90% or higher of all online resellers drop ship Acti from one of these master distributors due to low margins, so until they have them in stock, finding a valid place online to buy from is hit or miss.

The Mobotix models allow you to record to SD or directly to a NAS, network share folder, or FTP. This is one of the main selling points to the Mobotix cameras, as it places the NVR essentialy in the camera. PM me if you have any in depth questions and glad to help.

There are a few models that can work without a PC or storage device to some extent. The functionality and available features vary per camera. Low end look at: (300-700$) basic image/video directory storage Geovision Brickcom Grandstream Mid-High end (600-1300$ Range) Full feature SD recording and management Mobotix - Any Model Axis - Camera Companion Models

Just be careful where you buy axis online. They are pretty protective of their channel program and many online sellers are selling 3rd party. At least through ADI you know they will have a warranty. Amazon is probably not an authorized reseller.

We don't do many physical installations and mostly do hardware sales and remote support. I second that commercial is the way to go. The best advice I can give is make sure you are well funded, and have a solid business plan that shows when your planned break even point is. The hard part with CCTV just like any business is not the technical parts that matter, but the business aspect. This is why many restaurants with great food go under, they know how to cook but not run the business. You will spend more time doing marketing, customer relationship building, quoting, and accounting then you probably will with actual installation. The next hard part if you get there is when you get more business then you can handle. What do you do? Do you take a risk and hire an employee? What if the work gets slow again and they leave to find somewhere else to work thats more steady? Or do you work 70-80 hours a week to try and keep up? My suggestion is go find an installer in cctv or a low voltage area, work for them or partner to do cctv installs and learn the ins and outs. You can then find if this is something you really want to do long term. Just my 2 cents.

We tend to lean heavily towards Mobotix cameras in case anyone didnt notice . They work great and have been great options for customers. If you want covert and have the mounting space, you can look at their S14 model. you mount the main "brain" unit and then position 2 sensors in the wall or ceiling so the only thing visible is the lens. You can get a lens from 180 degrees to 15 degrees coverage and can mix and match so your day lens could be really wide angle and your night/IR lens could be narrower and just focus on your cars/etc. Recording and analytic are built in, so you can set to record only on motion in predefined areas. NO NVR or DVR is needed, for residential use, most cases just pop a 32 or 64GB sd card and you are good to go. Its in the top end of your budget but is a decent solution..

These are one of the brands of Digiop. They sell a few different brands in the USA including LG. Looks like another imported white label series of cameras. We stay away from these brands as Digiop/Observant sells them wholesale, but also runs their own catalog company that sells direct and bypasses installers and resellers and so muddles the market.

Ok, sorry for the delay. The IPad app will be free of charge and will support push updates as long as the app is running in the background. There is a new Mobotix Hardware Management software coming out as well where you can manage camera settings and bulk change/ manage products. The M15 will have a 5 megapixel Color sensor and options for Thermal. The Thermal option will run in the $3-5,000 range. Will also have two radar sensors on front. Standard lens pricing should be in the range of the current M12. Think of the new M15 as an S14 mounted in a housing as thats the basic design with interchangeable lenses. The internal photos they showed, almost looks like an S14 board mounted inside with cables that attach to each sensor. One of the coolest new features that will be added to most models soon is the addition of activity alerts in addition to video motion. The software can ignore most false alarms, ie camera shake, trees moving, and only detect objects moving, ie left, right, up and down. Really impressive stuff. The pricing problems in the past is being fixed. The new Global Partner program has launched and all 100% online Web shops are not allowed to join. That means they have to buy at msrp or a super small discount if they want to try and sell the cameras. The program is in effect now, so if you see non MSRP pricing online, or huge discounts, that reseller is going to lose a ton of $$$$ on that sale, as I know they can not buy at those prices let alone sell it. There is now a MAP pricing policy, so while prices will not be lower, people will not be able to sell online for a 1% markup. The only people who can now sell Mobotix are Authorized Partners, and the only people selling online have to be Authorized, Provide support, be fully trained, and do not advertise huge discounted pricing. End users can still get discounts and savings on projects, you just have to work with a rep to get pricing. This keeps it fair and prevents a few bad apples from selling products $1 above cost and leaves the end user stuck if there is a problem or warranty issue. Mobotix has made it very, super crystal, and transparently clear, they do not want to enter the discounted, price is everything market. Many companies are, and if you look at the number of products they offer, the churn they have, and the fact no one is making any money, is a good indication they have made the correct choice. I know Mobotix pricing can seem to be high, but you get a lot for the money. If end users are worried that their pricing will go up and get hurt by the new programs, i think there is no reason to worry. I have asked customers in past how much profit they think an installer or retailer should make on a sale, and almost always they throw out a number well above actual margins. If anyone has any specific questions, please shoot me an email and glad to help. I dont work for Mobotix, but really like the products and glad to help pass any info along.

I would look at doing a hybrid hosted model if possible. Use either Axis or Mobotix so you will not need an NVR just local data storage. Then have the management in the cloud so they can access anywhere. You never sell the customer the local storage and have it be an edge device owned by you that is part of the service. If you go with mobotix, be sure to check out Qcampro which has some decent reporting features.

I 2nd the Mobotix. As you said you want day time coverage, I would look at the Q24M-SEC model which will give you 360 degree coverage of the room at 3 Megapixel plus audio. As a bonus you also get on board analytics so you can do people counting inside areas of the shop, or track traffic to certain areas, ie shelves, displays, etc. MSRP on the Q24 is $998 and you can record directly to an SD card inside or to a NAS. No PC is needed for recording or operation. You can use a PC with free software included or stream to a smart phone or tablet. When you buy from an authorized Mobotix partner you should get a 2 year warranty and should be able to configure basic settings and recording on the camera for you free of charge. The Axis is an ok solution, we just happen to really like Mobotix.

We have been thinking about adding these to our lineup. We are worried that with all the white labeling and costco, the margins are now or will become non existant. We used to push Geovision and Vivotek but now you are lucky to make $2-5 on a camera. Has anyone had experience with RMA or support issues for the Cameras? This is the biggest factor for us in adding a brand as some of them are atrocious at post sale/ warranty support.

I have heard that the new M15 and other possible new models may have thermal imagers as an option. Not for certain by any means, but is the current rumor.