What are casinos using

[golden1967 0]

I have a client that wants a casino quality DVR system. Can anyone tell me what the major and not so major casinos are using to capture and store video .

Thanks.....Mark

[survtech 0]

We use the Honeywell Enterprise system: http://www.honeywellvideo.com/products/accessories/ip/index.html

 

 

Other casinos use competing systems, including:

 

Dallmeier: http://www.dallmeier-electronic.com/en/products-electronic/recorders/mpeg-recordersdecoders.html

 

American Dynamics Intellex: http://www.tycovideo.com/products/intellex_home.aspx

 

Synectics Systems: http://www.synx.com/

 

Cisco Sypix: http://www.cisco.com/web/solutions/ps/products.html

 

NiceVision: http://www.nice.com/products/video/index.php

 

Pelco Endura: http://www.pelco.com/products/endura/productline.aspx

 

IndigoVision: http://www.indigovision.com/

 

 

And others, including the now-discontinued Sanyo DSR-series Casino DVR's, etc.

 

Most DVR/NVR manufacturers would love to get a casino client but relatively few have. We have also talked to a few recently who are interested in selling us systems but don't have any major casino installations in the U.S.. These include Genetec, Milestone Systems, Instek Digital, Steelbox Networks, DVTel, Airship, Geutebruck, Petards, March Networks, Virage and others...

[Evil-Eye 0]

In Washington state, there are a number using Pelco Endura, as well as several using various Honeywell and IBM based systems.

 

The requirement in WA is 30fps at 4cif.

[cctv_down_under 0]

Casino's are a bit different, they tend to standardise on MPEG2 as it is the Best compression, they also thend to run a front end matrix...quite oftne analogue controlled that works by interfacing to controls of Indivisual 1 camera DVR's

 

IE 1 DVR per camera.......you heard right 300 cams = 300 DVR's, the reasoning is that if a single dvr fails, you only loose 1 x camera until replacement..and spare untis can be matrixed into play instantly

[survtech 0]

Actually, the one "DVR per camera" systems are falling by the wayside. This will be especially true as Sanyo discontinues the DSR-Mxx "Casino DVR" systems. That leaves Dallmeier as the only major manufacturer of one-for-one DVR's.

 

And yes, many of us use MPEG2 compression but there is now a distinct shift away from that codec in favor of MPEG4 and h.264; primarily due to the storage savings approaching 50%. Despite the ever-decreasing cost of storage per gigabyte, it is still a substantial part of the cost of any system.

 

In our system, using MPEG2, we have approximately 300TB (one terrabyte = 1024 gigabytes) of storage for 1000 cameras. If the h.264 DVR/NVR manufacturers' claims of 50% storage savings using the newer codec are true, the savings for our system would have been approximately 150TB or more than $150,000 at approximately $1000 per TB. While I know that $1000/TB sounds steep, remember this is in RAID storage and the RAID boxes are not cheap.

[dnieweg 0]

I know our product has been used is quite a few casinos. The product is sold and installed through integrators though .. not sure who they are at the moment. Anyone here perhaps?

 

We wrote an app (Vigil Gatekeeper) that integrates the DVR with the Pelcoâ„¢ CM9740/60/70/80 series matrix switch. It uses a touch screen monitor with maps of the building to control analog and IP based cameras through the switch.

 

We also have made the switch from MPEG 2 to H.264. We are using hardware encoding with 16 channel / box at 4CIF/30fps. It's a hybrid so they are using 5mp (megapixel) cams in key areas.

 

Dave

[CCTVguru1 0]

IndigoVision has now won another casino on the strip in Vegas. They are also the only IP video product formally approved for casino applications.

 

Around the world 27 casinos consisting of over 8000 cameras have chosen IndigoVision's IP Video solution, reinforcing the company's position as the IP market leader in this demanding industry.

[survtech 0]

IndigoVision has now won another casino on the strip in Vegas. They are also the only IP video product formally approved for casino applications.

 

Around the world 27 casinos consisting of over 8000 cameras have chosen IndigoVision's IP Video solution, reinforcing the company's position as the IP market leader in this demanding industry.

You wouldn't, by chance, work for them or someone who sells/integrates them?

 

We demo'd the Indigovision product and it was "OK", but far from perfect. We disliked that the IndigoVision system can only use the IndigoVision IP cameras - a serious shortcoming. We also were unimpressed with the user interface.

 

You say that they are the only IP product formally approved for casino applications. By which authority - the Nevada Gaming Control Board? Under which regulation? I don't find any mention of IndigoVision on their website.

 

Even if that is true, you do know, of course that Native American casinos, New Jersey, Mississippi and many other states have their own set of rules!

 

I take those kind of statements with a very large grain of salt. IndigoVision would be far from the first or the last company to claim exclusive approval in Nevada. And Nevada, despite having their noses in the air about these sorts of things, is far from the last word on technical matters. In point of fact, Nevada is far behind tribal casinos in many technical areas.

 

One example - there are still a relatively large number of Nevada casinos using VCR's.

 

Another point: although 8000 cameras sounds like a lot. It is miniscule when you take into account that we alone have over 1000 cameras in our one casino, and we are far from the largest. I believe Foxwoods has more than 3000 cameras.

[Monitor Your Assets 0]

Here is a link to a great article on John Honovich's site:

 

http://ipvideomarket.info/report/casino_video_surveillance_design_case_study

[CCTVguru1 0]

Indigo has always followed standards, of which there are very few in IP video.

Now that there is an open standard, they will integrate to any IP encoders that also meet the standard.

 

Look at Milestone, Genetec and DVtel - they are constanlty releasing chargable upgrades to try to keep up with the ever changing formats the different manufactures are putting out.

Standards removes this.

[survtech 0]

Indigo has always followed standards, of which there are very few in IP video.

Now that there is an open standard, they will integrate to any IP encoders that also meet the standard.

 

Look at Milestone, Genetec and DVtel - they are constanlty releasing chargable upgrades to try to keep up with the ever changing formats the different manufactures are putting out.

Standards removes this.

There is no standard for IP video yet. There are two proposed standards:

The Open Network Video Interface Forum (ONVIF) and the Physical Security Interoperability Alliance (PSIA).

 

The two standards are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but each group is jockeying to become the only standard. This brings to mind the VHS vs. Beta and Blu-Ray vs. HD DVD battles, which raged on for years. Meanwhile, there are no products being produced to either standard so essentially, buyers of IndigoVision NVR systems have only one choice for non-analog cameras: IndigoVision.

 

And guess what? IndigoVision's cameras do not meet either standard, so you argument is completely flawed!

[CCTVguru1 0]

Yes VHS and Beta did compete and VHS won.

 

This brings to mind the VHS vs. Beta and Blu-Ray vs. HD DVD battles,

That is why we are supporting both. One will come out on top and we will be compatible with it.

 

There is no standard for IP video yet. There are two proposed standards:

Axis and Indigo demoed the functionality of the OMVIF open standard at ISC West last week.

 

And guess what? IndigoVision's cameras do not meet either standard, so you argument is completely flawed!

ALL Indigo hardware and software is going to be compliant to the standard. This includes cameras

 

It seems your facts are several months out of date.

[survtech 0]

ALL Indigo hardware and software is going to be compliant to the standard. This includes cameras

 

It seems your facts are several months out of date.

"Is going to be"...

 

Are the cameras IndigoVision is selling right now compliant with either standard? Is IndigoVision Control Center currently compliant with either standard?

 

There is no indication on IndigoVision's website that either their cameras or Control Center are currently compliant with either standard so my facts are perfectly up to date! Apparently, you are getting ahead of youself.

 

That is why we are supporting both. One will come out on top and we will be compatible with it.

Not necessarily. Both committees contain IP camera manufacturers pretty much exclusively. There are very few end-user participants in either committee and there are other competing entities - SIA (Security Industry Association) and IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force). SIA has been around for far longer than either ONVIF or PSIA and is far more open in its membership.

 

And then you have China, the huge force that prefers to set its own standards and is loath to pay licensing fees to anyone.

 

By the way, you still haven't answered my question: what entity exclusively "formally approved" IndigoVision for casino applications?

[jhonovich 0]

A key question really is when support for IP camera 'standards' will be available and usable for general deployment.

 

Everything right now is prototype/test implementations and cannot be used in production.

 

I think it's going to take (at least) 2 years before we can confidently use 'standards'. It could be longer depending on how the political issues sort themselves out.

 

While I think standards are a good thing, I am very skeptical about claims that imply that standards will resolve a practical problem today or in the short term future.

[survtech 0]

Which basically means, unless I'm interpreting your post incorrectly John, that IndigoVision will not be compatible with any IP cameras other than their own for quite a long time. That is, of course, unless they change their tune regarding support for other manufacturers' IP cameras.

[jhonovich 0]

It is at least months but it could be more than a year.

 

They key thing for IndigoVision is how soon Axis releases ONVIF support in production products. The same question will be repeated for the other ONVIF members like Bosch and Sony.

 

And, of course, it is common for manufacturers to pre-announce and delay the actual production release.