Axis Communications Addresses Canon Ownership, Market Opportunities During Partners Event
Network video leader rounds up 10th annual Connect & Convergence Conference in San Antonio.
Doning his Texas best, Axis Founder and Director of New Projects Martin Gren displays Axis' ballistic camera dome.
Looking toward the future, Fransson said all video manufacturers are really working to reduce image noise (a.k.a. pixelization, snow or graininess), especially in low-light imaging where the quest is also to be able to better discern colors. He said Axis is not yet offering devices equipped with H.265 compression because it is not yet ready for prime time in security. He added that 4K is coming on quickly, and that advances will be made in bandwidth and storage to accommodate the more demanding technology. Lastly, Fransson indicated significant advances are coming in auto focus and image stabilization.
What followed were four more general session presentations on school security & safety, end-user perspectives from Credit Suisse and Westgate Properties, and video forensics and image usability. The last of those proved the most interesting as attorney D. Miles Brissette, 3rd chair digital forensics for Forth Worth, Texas, covered the realities and myths surrounding authorities’ use of surveillance video. He said video does not have to have a watermark to be admissible in court nor does the entire DVR have to be collected. According to Brissette, video’s chain of custody is not as absolute as most believe. He concluded saying actionable images mean everything, and that the most important system design element for surveillance is maximizing pixels on target.
For the balance of Day 1 and Day 2 of the conference, attendees were split into groups and rotated through five workshops.
“Axis Innovations Giving You the Edge” provided a rather stunning summation of the company’s recent network video imaging breakthroughs. Here is the list (for more details on them or related products, visit Axis’ Web site): Lightfinder; corridor format; P-iris control; thermal cameras;
thermographic cameras; optimized infrared (IR); wide dynamic range (WDR) with forensic capture; electronic image stabilization (EIS); leveling assistant; 4K p/t/z; Axis camera application platform (ACAP); Sharpdome; speed dry; and Zipstream. The last one is arguably the most impressive as it can reduce storage of H.264 video data by as much as 80%.
In “Value of Quality: Beyond the Data Sheet,” presenters stressed the importance of proper installation techniques and demonstrated what to do and not do. They said water damage is by far the most common reason for surveillance camera failure, usually due to installation carelessness that can result in repairs topping $1,000 (not to mention service time, end-user friction, etc.). Axis Systems and Solutions Architect Ryan Zatolokin said proper cabling, connectors, seals and mounts and associated best practices are essential. He said to avoid feeding cabling into cameras from the top and always assemble IP66-rated RJ-45 connectors with great care according to manufacturer instructions.
Axis Security Industry Liaison Steve Surfaro led the interactive “Who’s the Boss (IT vs. Security)” session, in which consultative and value-oriented selling was urged for security integrators. It was noted that the three fastest-growing surveillance vertical markets are city surveillance, retail and education. Surfaro and other participants noted how critical it is for physical security and IT departments to be blended or combine and coordinate efforts for the best possible results. However, it was also acknowledged that while achieving the ideal balance is powerful in theory, it is often challenging in practice. The conclusion was that although IT has neither the skills nor interest in doing what security integrators bring to the table, IT is ultimately the boss because their influence is broader throughout end-user organizations today, and perhaps most critically they are the ones held accountable when there is a network breach or issue.
Speaking of which, easily the most talked-about workshop was “The Threat Landscape” and its focus on cybersecurity. Axis Senior Manager of Industry Segments and Cyber Strategy John Bartolac said commercial end users are increasingly asking specifically about how security products can withstand hacking attempts, and that Axis has made its products with cyber threats in mind since 2009. He said any device could potentially be vulnerable and that 81% of health-care organizations have been compromised the past two years. Retail, banking and education are also among those verticals most heavily targeted. “Video needs to be thought of as a data asset, and Axis has dedicated resources for ensuring cyber hardening of its products. It all comes down to information assurance and authority to operate. We have developed and made available a ‘Hardening Guide’ with different levels to take. Use the thing!” urged Bartolac.
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About the Author
Scott Goldfine
Scott Goldfine is the marketing director for Elite Interactive Solutions. He is the former editor-in-chief and associate publisher of Security Sales & Integration. He can be reached at [email protected].
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