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:
- Optimal selection of CCTV operators
November 2018, Leaderware, This Week's Editor's Pick, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Security Services & Risk Management
Technology is often seen as the primary factor in the success of CCTV surveillance control rooms, yet Dr Craig Donald has seen new control rooms with the most up-to-date technology fail.
- How close has video analytics grown to AI?
November 2018, Technews Publishing, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Cyber Security, Integrated Solutions
Hi-Tech Security Solutions asks how far artificial intelligence has changed the video analytics market and how it will make an impact in future.
- Smart cities spend less
November 2018, Axis Communications SA, Government and Parastatal (Industry), CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Security Services & Risk Management
A proactive management model allows cities to work smarter and save money while offering better services and results to their citizens.
- Secutel partners with AxxonSoft
November 2018, Secutel Technologies, News, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring
Secutel Technologies has announced it is now an approved technology partner and distributor of AxxonSoft in South Africa.
- Choose your surveillance technology partners wisely
November 2018, Graphic Image Technologies, This Week's Editor's Pick, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Integrated Solutions
Businesses and consumers alike are spoiled for choice in the surveillance market, but as with everything else in life, you get what you pay for.
- Fresh supermarket surveillance
November 2018, Hikvision South Africa, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Products
A total of 450 compact outdoor dome cameras with 4 mm lenses were ordered and installed for Food Plus, a supermarket chain in Nairobi, Kenya.
- From village to town
November 2018, Dallmeier Electronic Southern Africa , CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring
The French town of Gaillard has succeeded in a phased approach to move from analogue camera technology to the deployment of intelligent system.
- Making cities smart-city-ready
November 2018, Axis Communications SA, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Integrated Solutions
The future of cities is smart interconnected systems that drive sustainability and efficiencies, and that make the lives of the people who live in them easier.
- ONVIF releases Profile T for advanced video streaming
November 2018, News, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring
ONVIF has announced the final release of Profile T, a new specification with advanced video streaming capabilities and an expanded feature set for metadata streaming and analytics.
- Super Recognisers training making an impact in the UK
November 2018, Leaderware, This Week's Editor's Pick, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, News, Security Services & Risk Management
Dr Craig Donald joined the leaders and staff of Super Recognisers International for the second training course during September 2018 in London.
- First Milestone Integration Expo
November 2018, Milestone Systems, News, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring, Integrated Solutions
Milestone Systems held its first Integration Expo on the African continent in Johannesburg in October.
- Hikvision Africa opens new office in Johannesburg
November 2018, Hikvision South Africa, News, CCTV, Surveillance & Remote Monitoring
Hikvision has opened of a new office for Hikvision Africa. The new office is a multi-functional building located in Bramley, Johannesburg.
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