IP Cameras and Video Analytics Software

[ChrisVA 0]

Does anyone here have any experience with Video Analytics software?

[Ronnstor 0]

Analytics will be built in Lenel OnGuard

 

You may want to check out Agent IV that runs at the edge.

[wfernley 0]

I have fooled around with AIMETIS software which also offers video analytics.

[msecure 0]

I have fooled around with AIMETIS software which also offers video analytics.

 

So, any comments on their software, Wes?

[WirelessEye 0]

I've messed around with Aimetis. If it worked all the time, it would be great. Unfortunately, the reason we were looking at it for (ptz auto tracking) seemed to get confused at many times.

 

Don't have much experience with Lenel, but that is for the plain and simple fact that after calling them at least a dozen times, I couldn't even get a sales person to return my call. If you can't get a sales person to return your call, forget about a tech support return call.

 

ONSSI has analytics built into NetDVMS.

[wfernley 0]

I found their software very interesting actually. I didn't put it under any stress sessions but instead I just used one PTZ camera. The motion tracking did work but it does get a little confused now and then. Last time I spoke with AIMETIS they mentioned they are bringing out a new algorithm that should improve the PTZ tracking.

 

One downside I thought of was I believe you can only have up to 4 cameras running PTZ tracking. Considering all the algorithms running in the background this does make sense. I'm sure as Video Analytics progress and the software progresses, you will be able to add more cameras to that.

[WirelessEye 0]

True, the processor to run auto tracking on a high number of PTZ's would be monsterous too. Best solution would be to use cameras like the new Pano's that have auto tracking built in.

[wfernley 0]

That would decrease the amount of system resources required for PTZ tracking.

 

I think we are going to see more products being released that have built-in video analytics. The more you can get working within the camera or video server the better your PC/Server performance would be.

[Thomas in BP 0]

Is 'auto tracking' acceptable/legal in the USA?

 

In the European Union using 'auto tracking' would be deemed unlawful in most cases!

[cctv_down_under 0]

I am curious as to how it would be illegal Tom, fill me in, even on your own premise. I have noticed though that most of the auto track PTZ's now all have privacy mask and more importantly an area you can set for the motion tracking, I have never liked auto tracking in PTZ's except indoors, but being able to set an area nly is very usefull indeed...Imagine a doorway or a small pathway, if you can ignore everything outside of the small area, it becomes quite usefull, I had it on in the office for ages but it was looking at a ptz outside (this is before you could narrow it down) and it picked up too many things, so I never tried to sell it as a feature, mind you ...you do have to consider that even if it is on and it picks up too many things, that is still better than it standing still and not being used.

 

I have seen people complain that it is too sensitive but when you tell them not having it means that you need to sit there all day they soon think it is a pretty neat feature.

 

I actually like the new idea in the Auto Track 2 from Bosch becuase it lets you plug in options like, auto track, IP conversion etc etc

 

http://www.boschsecuritysystems.com/au/en/start/load.htm?news&cms=%7bsite:au;ID:au1069e%7d

[ronikass 0]

The right approach for video analytics is DSP based solution, and not the limited PC software approach. Everybody is now trying to do this.

 

We have been using here the ioimage DSP system for 3 years, the first ever DSP based on the market, and it works great.

 

Talking about automatic ptztracking, they do amazing things, on any standard ptz camera

[Thomas in BP 0]

Down Under,

 

Each EU member state has its own national laws regarding privacy and data protection, however they are all primarily based on EU 'Directive 95/46/EC on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data’, which is a collection of principles that all EU member states have legally committed to. Article 29 of this Directive provides the legal background for an official interest group, called Work Group 29, which provides interpretations and recommendations on 95/46/EC in order to ensure consistent compliance EU-wide.

 

Council of Europe 'Convention No. 108/1981 for the protection of individuals with regard to automatic processing of personal data' has established that “voices and images are considered personal data if they provide information on an individual by making him/her identifiable even if indirectlyâ€

[wfernley 0]

That is some interested information Thomas.

 

I haven't heard of laws like that in the US and Canada. There just has to be signs posted stating you are being monitored by security cameras and that video and audio are recorded.

 

I don't see automatic tracking as different than someone controlling manually controlling a PTZ. Thats just my opinion though

[jisaac 0]

The Panasonics auto tracking has gotten pretty good. I like with their new ip camera that you can set the preset views. Then within that view have 4 different areas in which it can auto track or alarm or ftp the video to a station or whatever the hack you want it to do. And then on the next preset you can do totally different areas and actions. So you can cut down on a lot of the movement that is irrelevant and only auto track on key areas.

[wfernley 0]

Doesn't the Canon VB-C50iR also have autotracking as well? I believe its an older camera so I bet it would not be as good as video analytic software, of even that panasonic camera.

[Maui Custom Surveillance 0]

True, the processor to run auto tracking on a high number of PTZ's would be monsterous too. Best solution would be to use cameras like the new Pano's that have auto tracking built in.

 

Where can I find some information on Pano's?

[Maui Custom Surveillance 0]

The Panasonics auto tracking has gotten pretty good. I like with their new ip camera that you can set the preset views. Then within that view have 4 different areas in which it can auto track or alarm or ftp the video to a station or whatever the hack you want it to do. And then on the next preset you can do totally different areas and actions. So you can cut down on a lot of the movement that is irrelevant and only auto track on key areas.

 

Is there a specific Panasonic camera you could direct me to that does automatic tracking?

[Maui Custom Surveillance 0]

The Panasonics auto tracking has gotten pretty good. I like with their new ip camera that you can set the preset views. Then within that view have 4 different areas in which it can auto track or alarm or ftp the video to a station or whatever the hack you want it to do. And then on the next preset you can do totally different areas and actions. So you can cut down on a lot of the movement that is irrelevant and only auto track on key areas.

 

Is this auto tracking feature of the Panasonic camera using intelligent analysis type software, or is it some advanced motion detection using pextile change?

 

What is the model number?

[jisaac 0]

panasonic has several models that have auto tracking.

 

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=99045&catGroupId=14471&modelNo=WV-NS202&surfModel=WV-NS202

 

 

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=95787&catGroupId=14470&surfModel=WV-CW964

 

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=88338&catGroupId=14470&surfModel=WV-CS954

 

 

it is actual analytics that is used in the cameras. Pretty much the camera is constantly looking at the background. And so when that background

changes it then will put that area in which it changed into the center of the fov. as the object moves it constantly centers the object. It works extremely well.

[Maui Custom Surveillance 0]

panasonic has several models that have auto tracking.

 

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=99045&catGroupId=14471&modelNo=WV-NS202&surfModel=WV-NS202

 

 

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=95787&catGroupId=14470&surfModel=WV-CW964

 

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=88338&catGroupId=14470&surfModel=WV-CS954

 

 

it is actual analytics that is used in the cameras. Pretty much the camera is constantly looking at the background. And so when that background

changes it then will put that area in which it changed into the center of the fov. as the object moves it constantly centers the object. It works extremely well.

 

Thank you for your time in sending me the hyperlinks to the Panasonic cameras.

 

After studying the specs, I've come to the conclusion that these are not using analytical intelligence software, but are using background pextile change to track objects. That would mean the camera couldn't tell the difference between a car and a human being. It couldn't count people, nor could you draw trip lines. Plus they are analog, and I am moving away from analog cameras for a number of reasons. These type cameras have been around for a while, I remember a story about cameras at Wal-Mart tracking this woman to her car where she allegedly abused her child or something, that was a couple years ago.

[wfernley 0]

I have actually been looking for a camera that has built-in analytics as well. Not just motion detection that works on pixel changes.

 

Does anyone know of a camera or video server that has built-in video analytics?

[WirelessEye 0]

Try these:

 

www.ioimage.com

www.mosaicgs.com

[Maui Custom Surveillance 0]

Try these:

 

www.ioimage.com

www.mosaicgs.com

Do you have any idea how much a wdc100dn ioicam

costs?

[WirelessEye 0]

I would guess an arm, maybe even a leg.

 

I have never used them, but I did talked to their reps at ASIS 2006 and their stuff looks pretty high end and seems to work rather well. If I had to guess, I'd say ~$2,000.

[Sawbones 0]

This place is truly a wealth of information.

 

I like the features of the panasonic auto-tracking models... but (and I say this in the nicest way), they're dog ugly. I much prefer the appearance of the 10x mini speed domes that everyone here seems to like (and I might actually be able to persuade the wife to let me install one).

 

Maybe I'm just being a little too metro, but appearance matters in residential installations... you don't want your camera to be an eyesore.

 

That said, the mini speed dome doesn't have the auto-tracking features, WDR, or as much zoom as the panasonic.

 

I'm torn... does anyone know a good auto-tracking camera that is small and discrete? Something without that huge, ugly goose-neck pendant mount?