The Secutech Excellence Awards keeps getting bigger and better each year. Besides best-of-breed manufacturers from Germany, Japan, Taiwanm and China, Korea and US elites join the competition this year. This year, our low-lux curveballs are hard to handle and all participants push their solutions to the limit in order to hit a home run.
Major challenge to the Secutech Excellence Awards 2014 is the low-light environment. The demo area is set with light temperature of 2300 to 5400 degree k (0 to 400 lux). The main purpose of this event is to help buyers acquire the purchasing know-how when sourcing low-light cameras and swiftly select the right products which suit their needs. During demos, each participant reacted to low-light environment differently. Here are some of the key finds from the entries and winners.
LOW-LIGHT MEGAPIXEL CAMERAS SHINE: 7 TRENDS
1. HD and UHD are to become the norm. The security industry has been migrating to HD. All entries ranging from 1.3 to 8 megapixel put serious thoughts choosing CMOS as Image sensors boast more pixels, sensitivity, and dynamic range, thus becoming the deciding factor for image and frames.
2. 60 to 120FPS video may sacrifice WDR, 2/3DNR features due to CPU loading. With the advance of CMOS, some entries are capable of push FPS to 60 and even 120, which presents clearer image and less ghost images. However, due to the loading of CPU, in order to have high frames, some features have to be switched off, such as digital noise reduction or WDR features. Since sensors are not the only deciding factor for low-light performance, coordination with ISP and CPU is equally crucial. In this case, specs can be misleading and when comparing and testing low-light HD cameras, each camera must be measured under the same conditions.
3. Advance and larger sensors have a large effect on color saturation. HD low-light camera performance depends a great deal on components. Larger image sensors boast more pixels and sensitivity, which bring more hues and color saturation to video image.
4. There are a great numbers of IVS items. It’s getting more and more common to see features like AGC, AWB, AES, 2DNR embedded in low-light cameras.
5. PoE and ABF (auto back focus) have become a necessary function for IP cameras. These features help to focus adjustment and installation of IP cameras.
6. Compatibility and IR lens selection remain crucial. Despite the various additional features now available with IP-based cameras and solutions, products that are ONVIF compliant still manage to encounter difficulties when connecting to one another. For instance, some require username-password key-in while others do not. Also, the selection of lens in order to match low-light cameras is very important as the iris is the opening that allows light to pass through the lens and to the camera. It controls the amount of light that strikes the sensor. The type of iris in the lens should
match low-light cameras.
7. GB-28181 is the Chinese standard for security video surveillance network information transmission, exchange, and control technology requirements. Cameras from many international brands support GB-28181, which implies the importance of Chinese market.
NVR: 6 IMPROVEMENTS
NVRs are starting to be used in more scenarios, especially with the launch of 4 and 16 channel units that look and feel much like analog DVRs. Standalone NVRs are gaining traction in the market. In response, several manufacturers are hearing this call and offering attractive standalone NVRs.
1. Easy does it.
NVR setup and installation used to require high IT network know-how, which was a challenge for traditional security installers. This year, however, NVRs’ GUIs are much improved, which boast ease-of-use features, such as auto search, playback, and backup recording.
2. Linux triumphs.
Unlike a PC-based unit which is likely to run a range of Windows applications, standalone NVRs benefit from the stability that comes with Linux code which is optimized to run only applications relevant to the surveillance tasks required. They are stable, secure, and less prone to viruses and hacks, as opposed to a Windows-based system.
3. Auto camera search function is improved for some.
There is still plenty of room for improvement as camera compatibility is still an issue for NVRs. It could be a problem of ONVIF versions. However, some manufacturers are bypassing compatible issues by offering SDK and RSTP for third party integration.
4. HD recording and playback is workable for NVRs.
5. NVRs have a self-check and self-monitoring function for system health.
Some feature dual power supplies for backup, which send warnings in case there are redundant power errors. One of the NVR winners has put self-monitoring analysis and reporting features in its NVRs, doing disk checking and bad blocks scanning.
6. Some NVRs go virtual.
By leveraging the technologies in the virtualized system, some entries pilot their virtualized NVRs with servers and cloud storage.
UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES ON PROBLEM SOLVING
A total of 37 entries from 27 elite manufacturers participated in this event and presented their IP surveillance solutions, at a dedicated zone, to purchasing decision makers from renowned brands and distributors/importers around the world. Over 500 international buyers joined to vote for the best performing products based on their perspectives. It is the biggest showground featuring a wide range of IP surveillance.
The main purpose of this event is to help buyers acquire the purchasing know-how when sourcing IP surveillances and swiftly select the products which suit their needs. Sometimes, products specification and functions can’t completely reflect the product performances. During the three-day show, over 1000 visitors stopped at this event to explore the product difference and strength. Many system integrators or installers recognize the significance of this event which assists them to discover the core technology of IP surveillance. This event gives the audience and judges a clearer picture of what can be achieved today and what storage/architecture options might suit their own needs better.
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