Michael K Houser's Blog

OK – funny story, around 2005 Electronic Eye Security Inc. was looking for economical CCTV equipment to go with our entry level DVR line. Around this time we were installing a lot of camera and security systems for laundromats. I had designed an economical control/security system and software that could operate a laundromat without anybody having to be there and it had over 6 levels of protection. Because of the nature of the business (cash transactions), laundromats are burglarized very often, sometimes a couple of times in a week. To this day no crook as ever gotten away with much more than a gumball machine under my watch and that’s only because we don’t secure gum.

It was also at this time that I had given up all hope on local security distributors who were hiring derelicts to work behind the counter that did not know a mop handle from a security camera. So we decided to buy direct from a Chinese importer who had incredible low prices on equipment over the internet. Woo hoo! I ordered up samples and tested them out and thought, “Yes! These imitations will work perfect for our entry level systems.” Big Mistake!

I was excited as we closed around 3-4 CCTV deals the first week of offering these low price-busting cameras and accessories.

But this excitement soon evaporated after the first installation was completed. It started with camera connectors that would literally disintegrate upon contact, BNC connectors that would short out the video and camera lenses that developed cataracts around the lens within a day or two of installing. It wasn’t long before our installers were returning to the job site to replace these connectors and cameras, not once, not twice but three times a week. The cameras would work for about 2 or 3 days and after that the shoddy electronics would slowly stop working. Talk about a royal pain in the rear end and embarrassment!

Well, we took the high road and ended up replacing every connector and camera and chalked it up to a valuable lesson that has served us well through the years:

We only use equipment that can match our high standards of intelligent design, installation and guarantees. The rest of the “crap” can be purchased at Costco, Sam’s Club, eBay, Radio Shack etc.!

I have been involved in the security industry since my father (an electrician by trade) installed intercom and local alarm systems back in the early 80’s. Back then alarm systems were pretty basic and most of them were only hooked up to an audible siren installed on the outside of the home. Most people who had an alarm system back in the 80’s were not well liked by their neighbors. Nothing can alienate you quicker from your neighbors than a blaring 110 decibel siren at 2:00 AM in the morning while you are away on vacation in Hawaii. The siren would keep up its howling warble sound until someone cut the wire to the bloody thing. By then the neighbor who figured out how to use wire cutters became an instant hero.

Thank goodness the security industry has grown to include changes like “swinger shutdown” which automatically shuts down an alarm siren after so many minutes. Also on the list of major improvements since the 80’s are better installation techniques like installing the siren inside the home instead of outside pointing at your neighbor’s house.

But the real issue remains: what happens if an alarm takes place at your home or business and you are not there?
An airline pilot has instrument gauges to monitor a flight, a car driver has instrument gauges to monitor the engine and a doctor has instrument gauges to monitor your health.
How about an instrument gauge that monitors your home or business anywhere you are, anytime you want?
Neil Peart drum roll please … let’s give a loud warm welcome to the next best friend of your home or business — no it’s not the cat — it’s “Virtual Connect”!

I have been using this product for my home for almost a year now and two things come to mind – Total Peace of Mind and Total Control of my Home.
I know when my alarm is on, who turns it off, if my dogs have water, if my dogs are OK, the temperature of the wine cellar and if there is an activation: Who, What, Where and When, all from my Blackberry Storm.
Total control and peace of mind of your home or business. Go Virtual!
So what is a Virtual Connect System?
A virtual connect system is simply a way to monitor and control devices of your home or business through a remote computer or web-based phone anytime anywhere!

How can it help you?
For residential users:
• View live video of your home
• View video clips and snapshots of alarm events
• Keep an eye on your pets
• Find out when the kids come home from school
• Cancel a false alarm dispatch
• Use the recorded video to apprehend home invaders
• Log in to see if the neighbor remembered to come by and feed the dogs while you’re on vacation
• Check in on the babysitter or caretaker
• Monitor access to medicine cabinets, gun cabinets or closets and be notified immediately of an alarm
• Find out immediately about a power outage
• Monitor for water seepage or flooding
• Monitor wine cellars for temperature change
• Control the temperature of your home before arriving
• Track and view guests, renters or maintenance personnel as they come and go
• And much more

GO Virtual

For Business users:
• Find out when someone arms or disarms the system
• Arm or disarm your system remotely
• Cancel False alarms prior to dispatch by viewing pre/post video or live video clips
• Reduce employee and customer theft
• Get better productivity out of your staff
• Use recorded video to help authorities apprehend burglars
• Monitor access and recorded video activity related to safes, cash drawers and inventory closets
• Create automated schedules to Arm/Disarm the system at set times each day
• Monitor temperature in server rooms
• And much more

To learn more Go Virtual and opt in to the box on the right. I will be following up with you later on this week about your exciting new best friend!

Talk to you soon,
Go Virtural
Michael Houser – The Security Genius

Hauppauge, NY: Vicon Industries Inc., a leading designer and producer of integrated IP video surveillance and access control systems, has introduced a superior performing new camera module within its low-cost line of 4.5″ fixed camera domes. The cameras, available in indoor and outdoor housings with color, day/night, and IR camera modules, now offer several new features and improved performance specifications.

All cameras now provide digital noise reduction, improving image quality in low-light and providing a better compression ratio that decreases storage requirements. The cameras also offer better dynamic range and 560 TVL resolution. A joystick-controlled, on-screen menu system replaces the previous DIP switches and allows users to customize camera performance based on a wide range of variables. New privacy masking capabilities allow users to mask out selected regions of the video.

Separate from the above mentioned models, a new WDR version of the V700 Series features an improved Pixim camera module that provides correction for color roll when capturing video under fluorescent lighting, as well as an optional high-resolution mode that is controlled through the menu system. The Pixim module makes use of patented, industry-leading Digital Pixel System® technology that provides pixel-by-pixel analysis and processing for the clearest image in challenging light conditions.

The V700 Series cameras replace the VC-700 Series of cameras. Models featuring a 3.3-12mm lens are available immediately. A new, indoor day/night model as well as a 9-22mm WDR model will be available later this year.

Home Invasion

One of the more frightening and potentially dangerous crimes that can occur to a family is a home invasion robbery. A home invasion is when robbers force their way into an occupied home, apartment or hotel room to commit a robbery or other crimes. It is particularly frightening because it violates our private space and the one place that we think of as our sanctuary.

Home invasion is like the residential form of an automobile carjacking and it’s on the rise. Like the crime of carjacking, most police agencies don’t track home invasions as a separate crime. Most police agencies and the FBI will statistically record the crime as a residential burglary or a robbery. Without the ability to track the specific crime of home invasion, little can be done to alert the public as to the frequency of occurrence in their community or devise a law enforcement plan of action to control it.
Criminal Profile

Residential burglars work mostly during the day and when a residence is more likely to be unoccupied. Most burglars work alone and tend to probe a neighborhood looking for the right residence and the right opportunity. Alarm signs and decals, bars on windows, strong locks and doors, big dogs, and alert neighbors can sometimes deter burglars. Also, burglars will avoid a confrontation and will usually flee when approached. Most burglaries do not result in violence unless the criminal is cornered and uses force to escape.

Home invasion robbers, in contrast, work more often at night and on weekends when homes are more likely to be occupied. The home invader will sometimes target the resident as well as the dwelling. The selection process may include a woman living alone, a wealthy senior citizen or a known drug dealer, for example. It is not unheard of for a robber to follow you home based on the value of the car you are driving or the jewelry you are wearing. Some home invaders might have been in your home before as a delivery person, installer or repair vendor. Home robbers rarely work alone and rely on an overwhelming physical confrontation to gain initial control and instill fear in you. The greatest violence usually occurs during the initial sixty seconds of the confrontation and home invaders often come prepared with handcuffs, rope, duct tape, and firearms. Some in-home robbers appear to enjoy the intimidation, domination, and violence and some even claim it’s a “rush.”
Dangerous Trends

The act of committing a home invasion is escalating much like carjacking. The reason for the increase seems to follow a similar pattern. Much like automobiles, the traditional commercial targets for robbers like convenience stores and fast-food restaurants have hardened themselves against criminal attack and have reduced available cash. Technology has allowed commercial establishments to install affordable video surveillance systems, silent alarms, and other anti-crime deterrent devices. A residence, by comparison, is now a more attractive choice.

Home invaders know that they won’t have to overcome alarm systems when the home is occupied or be worried about video cameras and silent alarms. Unlike robbing a retail store, home invaders expect privacy once inside your home and won’t have to deal with the police suddenly driving up or customers walking in. Once the offenders take control of a residence they can force the occupants to open safes, locate hidden valuables, supply keys to the family car, and PIN numbers to their ATM cards. Home invaders will try to increase their escape time by disabling the phones and sometimes will leave their victims bound or incapacitated. It is not unheard of for robbers to load up the victim’s car with valuables and drive away without anyone in the neighborhood taking notice.
Method of Operation

The most common point of attack is through the front door or garage. Sometimes the home invader will simply kick open the door and confront everyone inside. More common is when the home invaders knock on the door first or ring the bell. The home invader hopes that the occupant will simply open the door, without question, in response to their knock. Unfortunately, many people do just that.

Home invaders will sometimes use a ruse or impersonation to get you to open the door. They have been known to pretend to be delivering a package, flowers or lie about an accident like hitting your parked car. Once the door is opened for them, the home invaders will use an explosive amount of force and threats to gain control of the home and produce fear in the victims. Once the occupants are under control the robbers will begin to collect your valuables.

Some home robbers have been known to spend hours ransacking a residence while the homeowners are bound nearby watching in terror. Some robbers have been known to eat meals, watch TV, or even take a nap. A major fear is that the robbers might commit more violence like sexual assault or even murder. Some robbers have kidnapped and forced a victim to withdraw cash from their ATM machine or take them to their small business to rob it as well.
Prevention Steps

The same tactics used to prevent daytime burglaries will go a long way to preventing forced entry home robberies. If you can delay a home invader at the point of entry then you have a chance of deterring them or have time to call the police. A solid core door, strong locks with reinforced strike plates, and reinforced window devices will stop most forced entries. See my web page on Home Security Tips for more information. Some homeowners build safe rooms inside their home to allow them to retreat or escape the violence while giving them valuable time to call the police.

The weakest home security link is the home occupant who fails to lock doors or windows or who will open the door without question at the sound of a knock. The best defense against home invasion is education and planning. Parents should hold a family meeting to discuss how to answer the door when someone knocks. Another important topic is how to act should your home or family be invaded. Once you know how home robbers work, you can effectively prevent most occurrences. See also Home Invasion Family Survival Tips for more information.

Remember these important security steps:

* Install solid core doors, heavy duty locks, and window security devices
* Lock all doors, windows, and garages at all times
* Use four three-inch screws to secure heavy duty lock strike plates in the door frame
* Use the door peephole BEFORE opening the door
* Use your porch light to help you to see clearly outside
* Never rely on a chain-latch as a barrier to partially open the door
* Never open the door to strangers or solicitors
* Call the police if the stranger acts suspicious
* Alert your neighbors to suspicious solicitors
* Hold a family meeting to discuss home security plans
* Set the home perimeter alarm at night, if you have one

by Chris E McGoey

Technology developed by the US military which ensures excellent color sensitivity and high resolution in both day and night applications. This incredible state of the art technology transform light sensitive security applications using a unique Digital Slow Shutter feature (camera jargon), which increases the length of time the shutter remains open, collecting additional ambient light, thus illuminating typically dark environments.

What does this all mean? It’s like putting on a pair of those military night vision goggles on your cameras, which enable you to see with or without light.

Michael K. Houser

Retailers worldwide might earn trillions of dollars cumulatively, but they also lose billions each year to “inventory shrinkage” – the official term for stolen goods, or shoplifting – as well as other types of losses, such as mis-scanning, under-charging, and false accusations of falls or injuries. Security cameras and public view monitors (PVMs) have become an important component of retailers’ overall security. But traditional cameras can’t “see” well what’s happening when lighting conditions aren’t optimal, including dark parking lots, with or without overhead lights; through glass doors or windows, especially with bright sunlight shining through; facing straight outdoors, as most PVMs are oriented; under fluorescent lights; or any time there’s a mix of bright light and shadows.

Common security camera problems for retailers include:

* Lack of detail, including facial features of shoppers and employees
* Inconsistent clarity in bright or low light, or high-contrast lighting situations, such as entries, checkout areas, parking lots, store aisles, and warehouses and loading docks
* Degraded or no image when there’s strong glare
* Color inaccuracies in varying lighting conditions
* Low-quality DVR recordings

* Significant loss of information in strong back-light

* Both indoor and outdoor detail clearly visible

Pixim’s Digital Pixel System® ultra-wide dynamic range technology, a true breakthrough in imaging technology, delivers unprecedented image quality in all lighting conditions. Cameras powered by Pixim’s specialized image processing chipsets can significantly enhance retail security through the following capabilities:

* Widest dynamic range: Captures highlight and shadow detail – including back-lit faces – in the same scene.
* Highest total resolution: Makes it easy to distinguish image features and details, even in highly variable lighting conditions.
* Superior color rendering: Accurately displays color even in difficult lighting such as backlight, high-contrast scenes, glare, and fluorescent lighting.
* No “camera blindness”: Eliminates the vertical smear, pixel blooming, and other image artifacts commonly encountered in high-contrast scenes.
* High image compression: Improves image quality with smaller file size – allowing DVRs to record with higher frame rate or higher resolution, or both, while maintaining the same total recording time.

More About Pixim and DVRs

Pixim, compared with CCD technology, enables the higher compression of images taken by security cameras, which leads to advantages for DVRs:

* Allows the use of higher-resolution settings on the DVR without sacrificing the overall recording time (i.e., # days on a DVR).
* Enables more frames per second to be written on the DVR without sacrificing overall recording time (i.e., # days on a DVR) or resolution.
* Permits the connection of more cameras to each DVR, without sacrificing resolution or frame rate.
* Provides recordings with higher image quality, for more accurate identification of people and events and more compelling evidence.
* Makes it easier to comply with FBI and other regulations that require storage of 10 to 30 days’ worth of video – without sacrificing resolution, lowering the frame rate, or reducing the number of cameras connected to each DVR.
* Optimizes the investment in expensive DVRs.

Security cameras based on Pixim technology enable retailers to capture details of people and activities, even in variable and challenging lighting conditions, whether in parking lots, store aisles, checkout areas, or loading docks. They also help retailers optimize their security investment by improving DVR image and compression performance. The superior color and resolution produced by Pixim-Powered cameras can help retailers identify shoplifters or employee thieves and potentially recover or prevent a portion of the inventory shrinkage they suffer each year.

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IQinVision recently announced that Waterford Township, Mich. is using IQeye megapixel cameras as part of a comprehensive IP video solution to better protect its valuable water resources. Tallahassee, Fla.-based Mainline Information Systems was selected to provide video surveillance consulting, solution design, and integration.

As suggested by its name, water makes up 11 percent of Waterford Township’s 36 square miles. The Township’s Department of Public Works (DPW) Water and Sewer Division treats and distributes high-quality potable water to residential, commercial and industrial customers through the utilization of 18 wells, 11 water treatment plants, 355 miles of water main and 8.25 million gallons of storage.

To protect these critical resources, the DPW began implementation back in 2003 of a multi-phased broadband wireless system to provide the township with high-speed wireless connectivity, including links to remote water and sewer facilities. This early project phase included a number of VGA-quality video surveillance cameras located at various water treatment, storage, and sewer facilities to stream real-time video back to DPW’s main office for monitoring and recording purposes.

Recently, DPW Director Terry Biederman participated in an Oakland County Homeland Security Grant program to upgrade and augment the system with high-definition cameras and an advanced software viewing and recording package. Mainline designed a computerized monitoring system that includes IQinVision megapixel cameras, JDS Softsite32 Enterprise video management software, and Mainline professional services. The IQeye 2-megapixel smart cameras combine video analytics with high quality HD video in the camera.

JDS Softsite32 software is used to manage the cameras. Biederman noted that the IQeye 2-megapixel resolution cameras “provide higher quality recording, allowing us to zoom in on an area and get more detail even on recorded video.”

The IQeye cameras can resolve minute detail while recording event-based situations, and can be controlled by a computer on which objects can be tracked semi-automatically.

The system is programmed to alert DPW personnel, via e-mail to a desktop or hand-held device, that an event has occurred by sending a series of crystal-clear IQeye images or a 15-second video clip within five seconds of the event. Combined with the DPW’s advanced Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system, which provides intrusion and motion alarms at facilities, the system provides highly actionable information for a timely, specific response.

In this report, we offer recommendations for selecting and deploying video surveillance in your home. Though technologically simpler than systems used in businesses, figuring out the right solution for one’s home can be tricky. Most video surveillance equipment is designed for use in business. Even when you do Internet searches for “home video surveillance,” most of the results are more appropriate for business, than they are for home.

There are 3 questions I recommend you keep in mind:

1. How much do you want to spend?
2. How hard will it be to set it up?
3. What features do you really need?

How Much to Spend

Cost is usually the most important factor for home systems. There’s generally not a history of repeated thefts or security problems with high value items (unlike businesses). As such, it’s hard to justify spending thousands of dollars on security.

On the professional side, most security integrators are used to specifying systems that are $5,000, $10,000 USD or more – and that would fall more on the ‘cheap’ end.

Today, it’s possible to deploy an acceptable security system for no more than $500 – $1,000 USD. [We'll make recommendations at the end]

How hard will it be to set up?

Most homeowners will install the systems themselves or with the help of a friend. This usually means that the IT or electronic skills are modest at best (if you are strong in these areas, this section does not apply).

This is reasonable given that most professionals will charge at least a few hundred dollars to come out for only a single visit.

The two hardest aspects of home video surveillance that I see are:

* Setting up remove viewing of the system: Almost every homeowner ranks remote viewing of their house as a top priority (for peace of mind, make sure their house or pet is ok while they are away). Doing this can be very difficult (also problematic to maintain if you replace your home router). The same tactics that your Internet provider takes to make Internet access easy makes remote access of your video surveillance hard. You’ll need to setup port forwarding, DDNS and change ports on cameras (if you have more than 1 camera). Each brand of home office router has different setup options and naming conventions making this even more difficult to accomplish.
* Connecting your cameras to a recorder/recording PC: Cameras often come with cables that are 6 feet / 1.5 meters (or less). If you need longer (and you often do), then you need to make or buy your own cables. Most people do not have the tools to make cables so buying is your best bet. The other option is wireless, though if you need to go through multiple walls, it frequently will not work.

What Features Do You Really Need?

This is a critical question because the range of options in video surveillance are significant – analytics, multi-month recording, integration with alarm systems, audio monitoring, low light viewing, super high resolution, etc.

The reality is that most homeowners need is only a small fraction of the features available in the professional market. Here are a few features that are commonly requested by homeowners:

* Remote viewing: Basically all systems support some of form of remote vieiwing over the Internet. The most important differentiator is how difficult it is to view over the public Internet (i.e., when you are away from home).
* Audio monitoring: This is often important for people with elderly parents, children or pets. Audio provides a way for homeowners to see and hear what is going on. The only practical (cost-effective) way to do this in a home is to use IP cameras).
* Low light viewing: Most inexpensive cameras do really poorly in low light. The cheapest way to handle this is for the camera to have a ring of IR illuminators around the lens. This has big drawbacks for professional security applications (uneven illumination, limits in distance) but is cheap and ususally good enough if you are simply trying to illuminate a room.

At the same time, there are 3 features that are commonly needed in professional applications that are not crucial for most homeowners:

* Long term storage: Business frequently store video for 1 month or longer. This is important because claims are often made by customers or employees weeks after an incident occurs. In your house, this is rarely the case. If there is an issue, you almost always know about it after the first few days or week.
* Continuous storage: Because of liability concerns, many business record video continuously. This can dramatically increase storage use (300% to 800%) compared to recording on motion only. For most homeowners, as long as you get 1 or 2 representative images, that’s enough.
* High resolution: Businesses often need coverage of large areas and for large numbers of strangers. In these conditions, higher resolution (like megapixel cameras) can be useful. In homes, this is generally not the case.

Recommendations

Assuming you want to (1) spend less than $1,000 USD, (2) need less than 4 cameras and (3) are not technical, here’s what I recommend:

* Use IP cameras: You can find IP cameras for $100 to $200 USD each. While similar analog cameras are even less, the total cost and complexity for IP is cheaper. With IP cameras, the recording/viewing software will be provided for free and you can use your home PC [Note: you have to leave that PC on all the time so it can record]. IP cameras provide for transmitting the feeds by WiFi or using network cabling that can be bought at any computer supply store. By contrast analog cameras usually require you to make or special order cabling.
* Use Cube cameras: Cube cameras, so called because they look like a cube, are the lowest cost IP cameras on the market. The downside is that you cannot change the Field of View of the camera (e.g., zoom the camera in) and these cameras generaly come with little intelligence. While professional applications usually avoid these cameras (for those reasons), they are a solid choice for the home.
* Use cameras that provide managed remote access: You really want to avoid setting up remote viewing yourself. It’s not simply that it’s time consuming, it’s likely that you will not get it to work or that it will stop working after a few months. Offerings in this space are starting to expand – for instance, examples include StarVedia’s ‘plug n play’ cameras, D-Link’s release of MyDLink, Alarm.com’s video service and Secure-i’s Hosted Video (the first two are free with purchase of the camera, the latter two require a monthly fee).

Conclusion

These recommendations will help you specify an inexpensive system that does the basic in an easy to deploy way. It’s not going to be Hollywood nor will it even be close to what your bank uses but it should fit the budget and make it easy for you to see what’s going on in your house.

by John Honovich