Rip and replace is so much simpler
September 2009, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring
The problem with convergence is that it makes a mess. Once upon a time, there were analogue CCTV cameras wired to video recorders and everyone was happy.
Well, happy as far as a neat solution included being tied into your favourite, which would soon become your least favourite vendor. Happy as long as you were not the person who had to find a specific piece of video evidence that 'happened sometime last night'. And very happy as long as you did not have to find the tape from last month when someone scratched the CEO’s car.
Convergence changed all that. With digital video and the much touted Internet protocol (IP), storage was simpler, finding stuff these days is also much simpler – providing you have the right software – and your cameras can even be hooked up via a wireless network.
The problem is that while digital is the answer to many problems, even some most companies have not thought of yet, to get the full benefit requires organisations to replace their old cameras with new IP cameras and the associated NVRs – network video recorders. You will also need to ensure that your hard drives are in some type of RAID configuration so that a drive failure or two does not turn out to be catastrophic.
Naturally, most business people would not be all that keen to rip and replace working equipment that cost a fortune. So then the option is to opt for DVRs to record digitally from your existing analogue cameras, but that limits future growth and opens the door to hardware failure – although that could be NVR sellers’ opinions.
What seems to be a popular option is to buy hybrid DVRs that allow for the simultaneous recording and remote access of live video streams from digital or analogue video sources. Although convenient, some vendors will tell you this is an expensive option as you will be pressured to buy NVRs to replace your hybrids in no time at all.
The reality is that you, the buyers need to have your ducks in a row because each vendor out there will sell you what works for them. You may even find one vendor’s DVR is another’s NVR or another’s hybrid. Some insist an NVR is a piece of software running on a server, others offer the box with software installed.
With that in mind, we bring you this year’s DVR Round-Up, a listing of the latest products from leading companies in South Africa. For the sake of simplicity we still call it the DVR round-up.
The 2009 review will provide readers with an overview of the technology available in the market today, allowing you to make the optimal recording decisions suited to your company’s needs. Due to space restrictions we can only offer the basic specifications for the products, but we include the vendor’s contact details in case you want to delve further into the features and functionality of these devices. As always, comments are welcome.
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Further reading:
- Nice price, but consider the cost
August 2018, Technews Publishing, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Residential Estate (Industry)
The influx of cheap surveillance products in recent years has put the squeeze on everyone in the supply chain, from the more established equipment manufacturers who have to compete with them, to the installers and system integrators who are forced to slash their margins.
- Take estate security seriously
August 2018, Fidelity Security Group, Integrated Solutions, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Perimeter Security, Alarms & Intruder Detection
While the growth in residential estates continues, crime syndicates continue to target lifestyle estates, more often than not using inside information to gain access.
- Securing Serengeti
August 2018, Technews Publishing, This Week's Editor's Pick, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Access Control & Identity Management, Perimeter Security, Alarms & Intruder Detection, Integrated Solutions, Security Services & Risk Management, Residential Estate (Industry)
Serengeti Estate offers luxury, golf, conferencing and security, and the estate is on a new growth phase to incorporate more people and services within its 17.5 km boundary.
- Local estate, local security
August 2018, Technews Publishing, Residential Estate (Industry), CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Access Control & Identity Management, Perimeter Security, Alarms & Intruder Detection
Garlington Estate recently made the decision to improve some of its security systems and turned to Excellerate Services to assist in the upgrades.
- Major security upgrade for Kindlewood Estate
August 2018, Technews Publishing, Access Control & Identity Management, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Perimeter Security, Alarms & Intruder Detection
Kindlewood upgrades to IP cameras for its gates and perimeter security, and biometrics for access control.
- Secure in their retirement years
August 2018, Technews Publishing, This Week's Editor's Pick, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Access Control & Identity Management, Residential Estate (Industry)
A retirement village with a limited budget upgrades its security to protect residents from increasing criminal activities.
- Protection via thermal detection
August 2018, Technews Publishing, This Week's Editor's Pick, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Residential Estate (Industry)
Thermal cameras offer almost unbeatable surveillance security for estates and are the envy of any security manager.
- Keep it simple, and secure
August 2018, Forbatt SA, Residential Estate (Industry), CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring
If you are in the market to have CCTV installed or upgraded, how do you decide on the best cameras, recorders, installation locations and so on?
- Does my remote site need a video edge device?
August 2018, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Residential Estate (Industry)
Video edge devices are essentially devices that move traditionally centralised video tasks away from the video surveillance command centre and towards the edge.
- Make CCTV testify for you
August 2018, Technews Publishing, This Week's Editor's Pick, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Security Services & Risk Management
Warrant Officer Bongiwe Gqotso highlighted some key points to consider when it comes to extracting evidence from your surveillance installation at the Residential Estate Security Conference 2018.
- Active deterrence Wi-Fi camera
August 2018, Zhejiang Dahua Technology, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Residential Estate (Industry)
Lechange has launched LOOC, its new active deterrence Wi-Fi camera with an advanced PIR detector, built-in spotlight and 110 dB security siren.
- Cathexis Technologies demonstrates the power of VMS at Izinga Estate
August 2018, Cathexis Technologies, This Week's Editor's Pick, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Integrated Solutions, Residential Estate (Industry)
Cathexis installed a fully integrated video management system to support the surveillance and third-party security systems for Izinga Estate.
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