CCTV Systems
By John W. Colley

Grill The CCTV Expert
May, 2003 Issue

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Our Company has been asked to review video motion detection for perimeter protection. What features should we consider when looking for manufactures to provide the total interactive video solution?

Most security system integrators have been asked by customers to provide exterior video motion detection. Features we look for from a video detection manufacture to provide include: Live video options up to 30 frames per second, Full resolution pictures, integration of high quality two-way audio. Alarm Processing that includes motion detection and human recognition, multiple arming of locations, interface that allows automatic call up of recorded digital events. Remote site management to include off site digital recording and monitoring center digital recording. Customer ease of use in the system administration of the selected product. Onsite and offsite site facility monitoring with regular software updates at the monitoring center. Remotely download software from the designated central monitoring area to offsite facilities to facilitate ease of service.

What is your recommendation on perimeter exterior camera placement?

The first step should be to review a site plan for the property. Camera placement and views partially will be determined by the physical size of the area to be viewed. Your selection of lens, lighting and local obstructions will be the next consideration. An important issue is to keep the intruder in view. If the intruder can easily hide behind objects and obstructions, the system will be less reliable. Avoid windows, moving objects, steep ground grades and select camera views that give an accurate view of the people.

Have you any knowledge on video digital recorders that will notify a customer through e-mail if the site has an alarmed video event at their business?

Larger full feature video digital recording systems have been providing this option for quite some time. Recently smaller video digital recording devices are providing the e-mail option. Having a video digital recording device e-mail an alarm event whether you are or are not on the recording site has a huge advantage over a unit that does not e-mail. With e-mail the recording unit can send e-mails to your alarm central station or to many other e-mail addresses to assure, the event is reviewed.

My customer has many telephone cables throughout his facility. What is the cost effective solution rather than installing coaxial cable or fiber optic cable?

Video transmission products are offered that allow the use of telephone cable. Some benefits include video up to 8,000 feet; several CCTV manufactures build into their products the transmission option, interference immunity, built in surge suppression. Financial benefits include using existing wire, ease of future expansion, typical structure cable principles and economies, a true alternative to coax and fiber.

The business of reading license plates for recognition is this becoming a reality with the new hardware and software technology available.

Traffic monitoring users have requested this feature for many years. Technology that is combination of hardware and software has progressed very nicely. License plate recognition (LPR) requires a twenty-four hour and seven day a week solution. Gas station owners have had a serious problems with car drive offs from gas pumps, stolen credit cards and people that lie that their credit card was lost. All the theft amounts to larger loss prevention totals each year.

The first step is to define the customer request and his dollar budget before you offer the system solution. Having the "customer scope of work" information will allow you to talk to different manufactures on how their LPR product solution will fit your customers need.

CCTV products being advertised and sold using very low pricing over the Internet seem to be apples and oranges.

You are correct many apples are offered for sale that don't meet the oranges specifications but they appear to meet the oranges specifications at first glance. Unfortunately, this sales process is also a part of free enterprise capitalistic world we live in. Some days it's works for you and some days it does not. Our free market approach is still the best the world has to offer.

So, what is the answer? Take a hard look at your CCTV product lines and how you market the products. The higher complexity of the product solution the higher margins. If you are going to sell simple products, the margins are going to be smaller because the customer will not need your expertise. Certain type of manufactures only wants high volume and will stop at nothing to do volume including advertising a CCTV camera specification that is in fact a fabrication.

Select products that have a future life to them. Add on features that the customer will use in the future. Pre-test all products before you add them to your sales team. Take the high road to your success and leave the low road for people that prefer the low road.

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John W. Colley is president of Integrated Security Systems, Ltd. and has been in the security industry for over 25 years, beginning his experience in the CCTV segment of security and gaining knowledge through field experience, manufacturer training and designing systems to meet customer needs. Colley started his security integration firm 18 years ago, providing design, engineering, installation and service to commercial accounts using integrated systems. Send your CCTV/Surveillance questions to jwc@securityiss.com.