Video surveillance technology continues to evolve at a strong pace with improvements in resolution, integration, intelligence and bandwidth utilisation – all of which contribute to better overall security and cost-efficiency. As the video surveillance category continues to grow, we spoke with Jeff Whitney, Arecont Vision’s Vice President of Marketing, about some of the factors driving the market.
There continues to be a great deal of discussion about the reality of implementing integrated system solutions that provide some form of predictive analysis. On this front, new software integrations designed specifically for enterprise-level security are capable of analysing big data gathered from multiple sources to identify abnormal behaviours and automatically notify security personnel of potential issues.
IP technologies and systems represent one of the most significant trends to impact the professional security industry to date. Having gained considerable traction in recent years, IP system deployments are being driven today primarily by the increased demand for megapixel camera imaging performance. In addition to their performance advantages, megapixel cameras provide security professionals with a tangible return on investment (ROI) versus conventional cameras, says Whitney. “They deliver cost savings by reducing the number of cameras needed to cover an area, and by reducing the need for operators to handle large numbers of video streams – both of which provide a compelling value proposition,” he says.
As IP security technologies continue to make gains in both popularity and market share, IT networks have become increasingly vital to security functions. Improvements in IT network technology and platforms, such as servers, storage, networks and software, have contributed to lowering the cost of bandwidth and storage, and by extension lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO) for megapixel IP camera systems. This has led IT professionals and leaders to take greater ownership of the security infrastructure.
Continued education and support from manufacturers like Arecont Vision can provide security professionals with a bridge to future business development. “I encourage them to take advantage of these valuable resources so they can remain relevant in this rapidly-changing marketplace,” says Whitney.
Several key growth markets are primed for dealers and integrators to pursue across all global regions, according to Whitney. They include banking, city/municipal surveillance, education (K-12 and higher education), retail and healthcare. There are also numerous other opportunities that require more specialised skillsets such as process management surveillance systems, or are that focus on specific applications like data centres, critical infrastructure and sports stadiums/venues, he adds.
“We continue to see a pent-up demand for advanced surveillance systems driven by the desire to apply video for purposes outside of traditional security such as improving customer service, identifying inefficient processes, and ensuring compliance with corporate/industry or government regulations,” says Whitney.
A number of technologies have contributed to improving the performance of video surveillance systems with higher value propositions in the past year. For example, a number of manufacturers introduced cameras that offer ultra-HD 4K resolution in 2014-15. More efficient compression technologies are currently emerging, particularly the H.265 high efficiency video codec (HVEC). These technologies allow for more bandwidth and storage-friendly deployment of 4K, and higher-resolution megapixel and HD video solutions. This also includes accelerated deployment of high performance single- and multi-sensor megapixel panoramic cameras, which continue to gain popularity for wide area surveillance applications across virtually every market category.
A third technology that has positively impacted video security this year is greatly improved low-light performance. “Advancements in this critical area will continue to drive the deployment of smarter and more efficient integrated security solutions,” says Whitney.
These key trends made 2015 another incredible year for the professional surveillance and security market, Whitney contents. He says end users were the biggest winners, as new products and integrated systems continue to push performance boundaries, and provide better overall security that strives to help prevent incidents, as opposed to simply witnessing and recording them.