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Switching from analogue to digital, NEW STRAITS TIMES-MANAGEMENT

Posted on: Thursday, 23 October 2003, 06:00 CDT

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Emerging Markets DatafileOctober 23, 2003

NEW STRAITS TIMES-MANAGEMENT TIMES

MALAYSIA

ENGLISH

Switching from analogue to digital, NEW STRAITS TIMES-MANAGEMENT TIMES

Dominic Bruning

ASIA

WorldSources, Inc. 322 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE 2ND FLOOR, NE WASHINGTON, DC 20002

COPYRIGHT 2003 BY WORLDSOURCES, INC., A JOINT VENTURE OF FDCH e-Media, INC. AND WORLD TIMES, INC. NO PORTION OF THE MATERIALS CONTAINED HEREIN MAY BE USED IN ANY MEDIA WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION TO WORLDSOURCES, INC.

CLOSED circuit television (CCTV) has traditionally been recorded to video cassette recorders, and because of its perceived ease of use and manageable price point, analogue was probably the right choice at the time.

Analogue CCTV systems are high-maintenance, offer no remote accessibility, and are notoriously difficult to integrate with other systems.

It has been possible to build 100 per cent digital, network-based systems for security, surveillance and remote monitoring for some time.

Nonetheless, there are still a few concerns regarding this move towards digital technology - what are its advantages over analogue CCTV, how difficult is it to install and maintain, and how can companies cost- effectively migrate from analogue to digital technology.

Today, there are many products for network-based video that utilise Ethernet and transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) standards.

Most of the products still employ a personal computer (PC) at the heart of the system, and several cameras and video servers can be connected directly to the network.

The main difference in the configuration is that the video digitalisation is being performed at the camera level, and the computer network is being used to transfer the picture back to the PC-based server for storage. This is beneficial because computer networks are generally readily available, and utilising the Internet allows the video to be remotely stored and monitored.

Digital video starts with the network camera. A network camera serves many of the same purposes as a standard analogue CCTV camera, but it provides users with increased functionality at a greater cost savings. As network cameras plug directly into the existing data network via an Ethernet port, companies can save thousands of ringgit by not having to wire their facilities with coaxial cabling as required for analogue cameras. Because they also have integrated Web servers, image compressors and operating systems, network cameras operate independent of PCs and images can be viewed from standard Web browsers anywhere in the world.

However, if a data network does not exist in the facility and a wiring project is needed, Ethernet computer networks are much more efficient to install than analogue systems. Because Ethernet networks run over small, inexpensive twisted pair wiring such as Category 5, they are much cheaper and easier to install than analogue networks that transmit signal over thick coaxial cabling.

In addition, several cameras can share a line of Ethernet cabling, requiring less cabling to be installed.

Network cameras also save companies money by reducing the amount of dedicated equipment needed to manage the security system because they can be monitored from any PC in the world. Analogue CCTV systems require dedicated monitors and security personnel who are readily available to view the images.

Once the system is in place, users can start transmitting images over the network via high-quality video imaging standards such as joint pictures expert group (JPEG) and motion pictures expert group (MPEG).

One of digital video's main advantages over analogue is digital storage.

Instead of using low-quality, degradable videotapes to record and store images, they can be saved on a hard disk by using digital video recorders.

With images saved in digital format, users can play, forward and reverse the digital film, similar to videotape. The main differences are that there is no gradual decay of stored images, and you can make as many copies as you like. Moreover, the forward and reverse functions are much faster, and searches for changing images and image sequences can be done quickly or automatically.

MIGRATING TO A NETWORKED VIDEO SYSTEM For companies that have already made large investments in analogue CCTV systems, it is possible to upgrade existing analogue systems with digital video technology.

Video servers are the key to transforming analogue video into digital video, making it possible to migrate to a digital system without having to discard existing analogue equipment.

Video servers convert images from analogue CCTV cameras into digital video for network transmission, bringing new functionalities to analogue equipment and eliminating the need for dedicated equipment such as coaxial cabling and monitors.

Video servers typically have between one and four analogue ports for CCTV cameras to plug in to and an Ethernet port for connectivity to the network. Like the cameras, they contain built-in Web servers, compression chips and operating systems so that incoming analogue feeds can be transformed into digital video and transmitted over the computer network for easier accessibility and viewing.

Migrating to a digital solution through the use of network cameras and video servers also increases a company's opportunity to use images in support of other applications such as keycard access or entry control.

For example, network cameras can take images when someone swipes a keycard for access to a secure area. This indicates that someone has entered the premises and verifies whether that person is indeed the authorised cardholder.

As another example, when verifying an alarm, network cameras can send images to the arriving emergency personnel so that they know what conditions to expect on the scene. Or for retail applications, a camera can provide storeowners with data as to how customers circulate through the store and provide security surveillance.

FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES Without doubt, network-based video is quickly gaining ground. Research firm Frost & Sullivan predicts that the combined global network camera and video server market is expected to reach approximately US$791 million (RM3.6 billion) by 2005, up from US$73 million in 2000, a 10-fold increase in five years.

Today, companies can transmit video signal to PCs and wireless devices such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants. This means that future security, surveillance and remote monitoring systems can be made even more personalised, accessible, cost-effective and flexible - no matter where in the world network administrators and security personnel are located.

* The writer is managing director of UK Axis Communications.

Copyright 2003 NEW STRAITS TIMES-MANAGEMENT TIMES all rights reserved as distributed by WorldSources, Inc.

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