CCTV_Suppliers

Guys, all are great pictures from various camera vendors... Going back to by basic questions on earlier post in this thread... Anyone care to talk about costs of these software packages?? Someone calls a software Lamborghini and an expensive brand to compare top notch software product - I take it such statement quantifies price and not a quality, as Lamborghini is not a quality driven product - rather status quo if someone can afford it... Best of the best of anything comes in price and not reachable to 99% of public... which is fine only if that is the audience that these companies target. The main question, how many people actually use it... Idea Lets do some basic analysis on costs lets say 4 cameras solution and then lets do the same with 128 cameras and see who is the leader of this pack and then lets look at how many customers actually use them. I think this is an interesting challenge, don't you? Based on these simple questions, my friend "thewireguys" "assumes" that I am not familiar with Avigilon product line... Interestingly enough, there is no mention of Avigilon cameras or their software or any comments on any other software in my post? Curious, how do you "assume" that someone has or does not have knowledge on Avigilon product line based on a simple questions that are addressed above? May be you should revisit your own "knowledge base" and stop "assuming" your answers! If I am reading the header of this thread, it states "Enterprise level systems. What's your favorite?"... Lets stay with what header is about and not go tangent on "assumptions" or "interpretations".

Yup bud, since that other link came to my direction, I read this one too... Very funny how technology evolves...

Anyone care to talk about costs of these software packages?? Someone calls a software Lamborghini and an expensive brand to compare top notch software product - I take it such statement quantifies price and not a quality, as Lamborghini is not a quality driven product - rather status quo if someone can afford it... Best of the best of anything comes in price and not reachable to 99% of public... which is fine only if that is the audience that these companies target. The main question, how many people actually use it... Lets do some basic analysis on costs lets say 4 cameras solution and then lets do the same with 128 cameras and see who is the leader of this pack and then lets look at how many customers actually use them. I think this is an interesting challenge, don't you?

Me too Rory... One of our engineers sent the link as if it was suppose to be an article about the latest and greatest Win7 and yet turned into something very funny... Whoever the writer is, he or she has done a great job...

I will check with our guys... should have an answer by tomorrow...

Which SDVR series do you have? According to my sources, it does matter selecting the correct uploader... Is it 4 channel, 10 channel or 16 channel?

Interesting.... What is your DVR Uploader version by any chance? The one that I have is for all DVMRe, DSR and SymDec models... and I think there is a different uploader available for SDVR series (at least about a year ago)... I hope you did not use the wrong uploader... which erases the firmware and writes what you gave - GIGO effect... There should be a hardware reset to factory default... If I read your comments correctly, can you access the installer mode or not? One of the screens allows you to reset the firmware to factory default... There must be another way... to reset the system to its original factory settings besides screen shot you see... Give GE a call and see if they will tell you how to do it... I can check it with few people here as well...

This makes no sense... If you did the firmware upgrade, you had to run a utility from your local computer via your network to the StoreSafe. For this combo to work flawlessly, you had to assign internal IP address for StoreSafe, run your utility from your local computer and have it point to such IP... otherwise, you can not upgrade the firmware... This should not be difficult to change... get your manual and obtain the admin password... get into StoreSafe to the network section and change the IP address to whatever you want.. do not have the manual on front of me, but it is very simple... Do you have the manual? If not, here it is... http://www.gesecurity.com/portal/site/GESecurity/menuitem.11620ebca5cc0a06574efe10140041ca/?vgnextoid=2d09cabfcd6a9110VgnVCM100000592d7003RCRD# Good luck!

What to find out what is in the market that this hot or not... Interested on IP software without any licensing need per IP camera connection... There are way too many offers out in the market, so lets see what is avail at this time and what the member think of each one. What are the pros and the cons and why..

Hey bud, thanks for the follow up.. Not yet... running various tests in different operating platforms and working out any kinks that come up... each test workstation has four different operating systems running this application and all simultaneously and results appear on four different monitors (all independent from each other and yet working from the same machine - VMWare is great isn't it?)... and then we compare results.. Actually have total of five workstation doing basically the same... Progress is very good right now... GUI part is what actually is taking more of the time rather the internals... making sure that such software could work in many different platforms and hardware types... and trying to determine the bare minimum requirements.. One area that we focus more besides the GUI is to make sure that whatever format the signal comes into this software, it converts such images to H.264 format... Of course, it makes it easier if the IP camera already spits out H.264, but wouldn't be better if the entire system could record and playback everything in H.264 or I should say playback in X.264 We'll get there sooner than later... and thanks...

Is this a question?

Depending what you intend to connect, most of the time 350VA UPS will do.. However, if you want to add other components or lets say in a commercial location they have multiple DVRs... then you can go as high as the requirement may be... plust at least 20% overhead on your calculations... I know 1500VA UPS system are very common going to most commercial locations... APC is great, but much more expansive than Tripp Lite... Here is a decent model from Trip Lite - SMART1500LCD that does a very good job for multiple components connections... Just have to make sure to connect it to all the DVRs, so that any power outage will allow your systems to shut down normally (it comes with its own software, serial or Ethernet connection), so pick the right unit and run with it... Cost is almost half for similar units from APC...

Here is the latest results on this software... It operates on four different operating systems - in BSD, Linux, Windows and now MAC... What is very interesting is that since we adhered to java protocol, it makes it so much easier to transport this entire solution from one operating system to another.. We knew that MAC OS was a derivative of BSD, but we did not know how easy it was to adapt to MAC environment... Picture quality is somehow better in MAC environment.. I am sure there are many variances that we have not addressed yet, but it was a good run to find out that such software can and will work even with MAC systems. Video analytics will also be available in this new distro - the part that we are implementing right now is to determine how viable it may be for 16 channel users... combined with its ability to operate with POS systems that will store transactions/video combination with very in-depth analysis capability, we figured that we can marry both the video analytics with POS integration to provide even more exceptions as targets. One of the special requests we had from a customer if we can identify sweet hearting transactions without having security agent present and that to be an exception that can be viewed later. Looks like with more in-depth video analysis and integration to POS transaction monitoring solution already in place, it stands a very good chance to make it in one of the final cuts... more tests are needed in an actual sites, but thus far it looks great! We have yet another challenge... trying to name this solution.. any thoughts?

I thought so... I remember reading something about it, as we were and still are part of Microsoft Partner program... We did not think Microsoft actually will honor such a program... well, looks like they did... Great job man.. Free is always good isn't it?

Yes, you can replace the drive with 500GB drives.. We have not tested them with 750GB or 1.0TB or higher drives yet, but works great with 500GB replacement drives... Word of caution - check the firmware version and find out from Panasonic if it is their latest version. If not, obtain latest version firmware and update it.. Older version firmware was designed not to recognize more than 250GB drive or better yet, no more than 1.25TB internal storage... with the newest firmware or if your system is less than year old, it should be fine... Quick test that you can do is to just replace one of the drives and check if your storage went up or remained the same... that will validate if replacing all the drives may work or not...

scorpion, man, you have some very powerful friends... I know that there is this program Microsoft has that helps in situations like what you describe, but they have very stringent rules for acceptance or even participation... How did you manage to be part of it? You must of joined and got accepted for this program that has been around for a very long time.. I know that I read about this long time ago and I thought it was a joke, but sound like it is true... can not find that article right now, but I know that this program exists... Good for you man... this is what happens when someone knows how to work the system to their advantage..

As my friend thewireguys stated, Exacq software works on MAC as well... and probably the only commercial one that does except... The software that we have been building that will be available in the next few months has been tested in four different platforms - Linux, BSD, Windows and MAC and it works in its preliminary format. As Sawbones suggest, it will only work if such software uses Java allowing cross platform functionality and our distro is built with Java plug-ins across all these platforms... Yet another interesting angle why MAC is or is not acceptable or does not work with many of our favorite software - it is built using very specific BSD code allowing them to make it probably the best GUI based BSD distro around. Our main tests for this type of application is run using VMWare that allows to run several operating systems side by side and run the same application in such environment simultaneously.. All I can tell you right now is that this free distribution of the IP software works on four very well known operating systems without any hitch... We are working on the GUI very aggressively and we should have it fully functional before December timeline... thereafter, just testing and testing... May be we can give Exacq run for its money? thewireguys, do not take it a wrong way, as you are very strong proponent of Exacq and I told you before that I like Exacq product... but I never cared about their charging per IP cost program... and others as well...

Before changing VACD card, double check its connection to the motherboard. Shot down the computer, remove the cards and then put it back in and makes sure it is sitting tight on the PCI socket.. then check the cable connection between both VACD and daughter cards... Also, apply the latest available driver for it here: http://americandynamics.net/support/downloads_20030903_Intellex_VACD_Updates.aspx OR all the updates or drivers are here: http://americandynamics.net/support/downloads_intellex.aspx More complete parts, products and documentation for any Intellex is here: [mod: link removed] Just in case, you can get the VACD card here: [mod: link removed] VACD card failure is very rare, so go through the steps above before buying anything... If this was a part of an upgrade or restore, then chances are very good that the problem could be the driver...

hardwired, excellent points and looks like more debates help to bring the pros and cons of this application... and dependent from which angle you look at it. Adaptation to X.264 is the essential part of not only for this application, but being part of the entire open source.. We run extensive tests with this open source protocol and the results are excellent.. There are many challenges that we face before the release of this first cut of the software, but our will takes the precedence and we intend to release it... I also know that there will be people who will like it and others will not and our intentions never been to find "fix all" solution. Rather have a platform available for anyone who cares to use it without any strings attached. Of course, if there are complains and requirements that may not be part of the first cut, that I call it our opportunity to make this product better going forward. Again, thank you for taking your time to response.

Here are some of the answer to your legitimate questions and again, thank you for taking your time to address them.... This is probably one of the best questions/observations I have seen thus far

It was a ghost town... and yup, more exhibitors than customers... Was there no more than an hour... Did not see much of any newer that could really make a difference... same products, the same people the same marketing fluff... Pano's newest SD5 cameras were very impressive - as well as their newest DVRs recording strictly H.264 configuration at lower cost that their present systems... Hikvision had some interesting linup on their 2MP cameras... Mainly not much of anything new... Some announcements that will follow the show about discontinuing certain products from various companies... some increases on product pricing and mostly drops in pricing on most items... Very boring show this time at least...

Thank you very much... I will pursue with this company and see where it ends up... We are talking to three other manufacturers at the moment and they are working on very specific minidome models with fixed lens that could hit a price tag of less than $50.00... It will be IP solution and with POE capability. I am insisting with them to make such minidomes for outdoor use as well for few dollars more... Consensus tell me that it is possible... Again, thank you!

And what is their advantage doing so? Is it to restrict their sales and limit their exposure to much larger sectors of our industry? Or do you think that their marketing is geared up to loose market share and that is why they will not release SDKs? Or better yet, does this make any real sense to you from business stand point? If you are one of such manufacturers, I can see (hey from your writing it already shows) that you are mad and upset. So lets say your are Exacq (which you stated to like very much) and you are facing possible competition that has a totally different price method (in this case no cost).. what will you do? Will you retaliate to smear the effort of the open source, will you pull back your SDK, will you restrict your software not being compatible with most except selected few cameras, will you devote your time and money to squash the open source using your hard earned marketing dollars, or what? From my angle, you will do nothing, rather hope that this is nothing more than a hoax and an effort that will fade away. You will not do any of the above, as you will be cutting your own throat in the market nor will you make any comments (marketing disaster). You will attempt to challenge every possible angle or features that such solution could offer and make it your own mini-war against it in hope that such community will loose. Many companies tried this in the past and continue today, but they all came to one simple conclusion - if you can not win against them, why not join them. What is wrong with joining the community anyway? An individual company never has enough resources to come up with the best and most versatile solutions unless your are IBM, INTEL and others. What is wrong with ability to tap on a very large resource available to you and others that solves problems pennies to the dollar and does much better job than any individual company? Once you fully understand engineering dollars and understand that it is very restrictive, then you will appreciate how open source helps the entire industry, regardless which sector it applies. Nothing Exacq or others (please do not think that I am isolating Exacq alone) have in their lineup that could not be done better or cheaper. They and others are and will be missing the boat going forward as long as they stay with their ancient ways of conducting business. Many companies in the past came and disappeared in at least 30+ years that I have been in this industry and I wander why? Such companies had very limited vision on what they could do and how they did it and the end result was that either they packed their bags and left or were sold for pennies to a dollar (in most cases such companies were bought to be taken out of the industry). Again my friend, you are taking this whole entire idea a wrong way and it is your own angle and I will respect that. You do not have to agree or disagree or do anything for that matter. Your opinion is as important as any other member, regardless if you personally agree with any concept or not. The only angle that I will ask you to explore is to think out of the box and look at our industry structure from outside. Once you really understand it, then you will have your own observations and ideas how to improve many areas that require serious attention... I know I did and I am pursuing the IP software sector and I personally think that we all have much more to gain than what software manufacturers wants us to believe.

Excellent observations... Of course, there is always a possibility that one of the majors, including Sony who makes IP cameras, do this and make things difficult.. The main question is what will they get out it if their sales are dropping right now and will continue to drop. Same could happen with Panasonic and Bosch and "could" is the main operative word. I personally do not think so. The majors have much more to loose and giving a chance to many offshore companies to fill the spot. Follow the trend what happened with analog cameras market. If other smaller companies did not get involved, we would not had a decent pricing coming from the major manufacturers. Each major manufacturer had to redesign and refine their lineup to kind of be different from others, but kept them in check... Imagine this - what would have happened if Linux or BSD were not around and Microsoft was the only OS provider? Do you think we could have advanced as much now without such a major competition? We want to create this competition and push all the majors to innovate and make everything more accessible to everyone, otherwise there will be major shift in purchasing habits of the end user going after much lower cost and in our case "no charge for software" options. I will share this thought with you - major manufacturers do not like competition, but if they are facing possible extinction, they will have to do the right thing for the sake of being around - that includes better priced IP gear (not only IP cameras, but better prices POE switches, storage devices, etc), but even more importantly, better priced software offerings.