16 Security Product Picks: January

American Dynamics of Westford, Mass., part of the Security Products business unit of Tyco, announces VideoEdge Micro, a compact version of the popular VideoEdge NVR.

Suitable for businesses that have satellite sites with limited space, VideoEdge Micro features an embedded PoE switch that detects and provides power to IP cameras, while an auto-discovery feature identifies and helps to assign IP addresses to cameras on the network.

VideoEdge Micro includes advanced features such as embedded analytics, allowing retail customers to leverage powerful analytics such as heat mapping, dwell and linger and shelf sweep detection to gain essential information about their store operations and customers’ shopping behaviors.

The device offers throughput at 80Mbps, enabling users to view high-quality video in real-time even through narrow bandwidth connections, according to the company.

Bosch Security Systems of Fairpoint, N.Y., releases the IP 2000, IP 4000 and IP 5000 camera series, creating a comprehensive portfolio of IP cameras for small and medium-sized organizations, according to the company.

Designed for small retail businesses, the IP 2000 family includes two-in-one solutions that combine a built-in passive infrared (PIR) sensor and a 720p HD IP video surveillance camera.

For applications where cost is more important than fine scene details, the IP 4000 family offers 720p resolution. The IP 5000 family offers resolutions up to five megapixels to help users distinguish individuals or minor details.

The ONVIF-compliant cameras are equipped with content based imaging technology (CBIT) to tailor camera settings to scene contents. Video data can be stored in the cloud, on an NVR like the DIVAR IP 2000 recording solution from Bosch, or on the built-in SD card offered by many cameras.

Camden Door Controls of Ontario, Cana-da, releases two new strike lines designed for special electrified locking applications.

The CX-00 Series Value Line strikes are designed for light duty applications, where an economical fail secure, 8V-6VAC/DC strike is required. Applications include retrofit installations in small multiunit apartment buildings utilizing intercom systems. They can be used on wood, metal or aluminum frame doors and are fully reversible for right- or left-hand doors.

The CX-09 Series Glass Door strikes are designed for use on single swing glass doors, 11.2mm thick. They all are reversible for left- and right-handed doors and can be installed at the top or side of the door. camdencontrols.com

The VB-H43 P/T/Z camera by Canon U.S.A. of Melville, N.Y., offers a 60.4° angle of view lens with strong 20x optical zoom and 12x digital zoom.

The camera features a Relative Pan/Tilt Speed Mode function, which slows the pan/ tilt speed as the zoom factor is increased in order to help ensure accurate surveillance by reducing the possibility that the camera operator may pan beyond a moving subject.

A recorded video utility feature enables users to record H.264 and M-JPEG images or video automatically to an SD, SDHC, or SDXC card during a network outage, or manually through a viewer. Videos can also be played back directly from the camera. The VB-H43 can capture potentially crucial image detail in low-illumination environments down to 0.4 lux at f/1.6 and 1/30 sec. in color and 0.02 lux at f/1.6 and 1/30 sec. in black & white, according to the company.

Digital Monitoring Products (DMP) of Springfield, Mo., releases three Z-Wave compatible light switches to further enhance users’ home and business automation.

With the light switches, end users can wirelessly or manually control overhead lighting in their home or small business using DMP’s Virtual Keypad App on smartphones or tablets. The Z-Wave toggle-style auxiliary switch (Z-45741) enables control of lighting in two-, three-, or four-way wiring configurations.

The Z-Wave in-wall dimmer switch (Z-45742) enables on/off and dim control functions of hardwired CFL/LED and incandescent lighting. The dimmer feature allows users to customize the lighting output and create the perfect ambiance for any room in their home or business.

Users can control the direct wire incandescent, LED, xenon, halogen and fluorescent lighting with the Z-Wave in-wall, toggle-style on/off relay switch (Z-45740).

Fluidmesh Networks of Buffalo Grove, Ill., introduces the PONTE-50, a 5.1-5.8GHz point-to-point kit.

Complete with two radios, two mounting brackets and two PoE injectors, the PONTE-50 is designed to quickly and cost effectively create simple wireless links, according to the company.

It provides up to 50Mbps of real throughput up to two miles in line of sight (LOS). The radios operate on the 5GHz band and use a 2x2 MIMO radio technology for maximum performances and reliability.

The AutoVu Sharp and AutoVu SharpX by Genetec of Montreal are IP-based automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) cameras that enable the concurrent detection of license plates from a greater variety of models, capturing license plates from different states or countries on the same system, according to the company.

The latest Sharp and SharpX offer advanced vehicle characteristic and behavioral analytics, and can analyze a scanned vehicle to identify its make and the license plate state or country of origin. The direction and speed of vehicles can also be detected with a single ALPR camera, allowing end users to collect and review trends over time and automatically detect suspicious behaviors.

Users can now deploy up to four high-resolution SharpX camera units on a single processing unit, decreasing equipment costs and simplifying installation and maintenance. Mobile users can achieve near-360° ALPR coverage, to capture more license plates located around the patrol vehicle.

The SharpX is also now available in a new portable mobile kit, containing up to four cameras, a pre-wired processing unit and all necessary cables.

City of Industry, Calif.-based Hikvision USA’s 3-megapixel 360 fisheye camera offers a true 30 frames per second (fps) fisheye view in full resolution, according to the company.

Hikvision incorporated unique wide dynamic range (WDR) algorithms to provide 120dB of dynamic range processing, as well as an IR cut-filter and IR LEDs to ensure full 360° IR illumination and imaging down to 0 lux.

The camera’s 1/1.8-inch progressive scan CMOS sensor provides high-resolution images of up to 3072 X 2048. Integrated IR allows for even disbursement over the entire image, eliminating hot spots. IR functionality provides up to 50 feet of visibility in low- or zero-light conditions, the company says.

Honeywell Fire Systems of Northford, Conn., has released Smart Wireless Integrated Fire Technology (SWIFT) detectors and modules that seamlessly integrate with new and existing fire alarm systems from Fire-Lite Alarms, Gamewell-FCI and NOTIFIER. Using a Class A, mesh network where every device acts as a repeater with redundant path communication, SWIFT systems are robust and self-healing, according to the company.

The initial launch of SWIFT devices will include photoelectric, photo/thermal, standard heat, and rate-of-rise heat detectors, plus a monitor module. A system can have any combination of up to 50 devices per wireless gateway, including the gateway itself and user interface driver.

In an average environment, SWIFT devices can be placed approximately 50 feet from the gateway and from each other. The system offers a site survey procedure, which allows an installer to preview a site for wireless viability before a system is purchased.

Napco Security Technologies of Amityville, N.Y., introduces its ArchiTech Series Networx Locks, which offer advanced wireless access control, a customizable designer locking form factor and a choice of trims and finishes.

The locks can be used in standalone, networked or enterprise-class applications and they work in educational, hospitals, corporate or multidwelling residential settings, the company says.

The control platform offers emergency lock-down/unlock option via lock, button, keyfob or server. It also uses multitechnology access ID credentials to replace keys.

The OE-C7412-FR from OpenEye of Liberty Lake, Wash., is a 2-megapixel indoor/outdoor IP camera that provides users with crisp IP video in a feature-rich, compact package. The lightweight camera comes in a sturdy IP66-rated housing, with 24 IR LEDs that provide night vision up to 50 feet. The OE-C7412-FR features 3-axis positioning, as well as 1080p HD resolution and H.264 video compression.

With 360° rotation, 60° tilt, and a 2.8mm lens, the PoE camera also supports dual and quad stream, allowing up to four streams from the same camera over a single cable, according to the company.

All OpenEye IP cameras are automatically detected by OpenEye recorders for convenient installation, and are ONVIF Profile S compliant for integration with products from other IP video manufacturers.

The O2B16 by Speco Technologies of Amityville, N.Y., is a full high-definition, 2-megapixel bullet IP camera and is part of the company’s new EZ Focus line.

Specifically engineered to reduce installation times, the camera features a motorized 3x zoom lens with auto focus for completely hassle-free remote focusing, according to the company.

The ONVIF Profile S listed and IP66-compliant camera also supports full HD 1080p at 60 frames per second (fps), as well as H.264 and MJPEG codecs. Other features include a 3-9mm auto iris varifocal motorized lens, built-in IR LEDs, wide dynamic range (WDR) and two-way audio communication.

Safety Technology Int’l (STI) of Waterford, Mich., releases the Universal Stopper (STI-13310FR), an indoor/outdoor cover that fits over wall-mounted electrical boxes.

Featuring an enclosed flush back box and fire label, the product, which is less than 4 inches in depth, helps seal against damp or dirty locations by keeping dust and grime out.

The stopper’s gasket is useful when mounting on an uneven surface, according to the company. Other mounting options for the cover include surface or flush mounting frames, enclosed back box with sealed mounting plate or enclosed back box with open mounting plate. STI offers a three-year guarantee against breakage of polycarbonate in normal use.

The WFDN Series Waterflow Detector by System Sensor of St. Charles, Ill., is fully redesigned and features a new timer dial, cover, and terminal block to help save installation time, according to the company. The timer dial is a first for water-flow detectors with a built-in time delay, which is designed for improved timer accuracy and repeatability, according to the company.

The directional cover is molded so it can only be installed in one orientation, allowing the building owner or installer to see the direction of waterflow at a glance. The new nonmetallic material is UV- and damage-resistant, and it helps provide a better seal while maintaining a NEMA 4 enclosure rating.

The wire-ready terminal block is designed for intuitive wiring and places the common terminal on a different elevation, making it easy to determine how to properly wire the switch.

Toshiba Surveillance & IP Video Products of Irvine, Calif., unveils the IKS-WD6112, a discrete low-profile IP dome camera designed for indoor video surveillance. The lightweight, ONVIF-compliant camera offers true HD resolution (1920 X 1080) at 30 fps and bandwidth-efficient H.264 compression. Quad-streaming capabilities provide four separately configured video streams from one camera simultaneously. The unit also features wide dynamic range (WDR) and electronic day/night imaging.

The product offers several features aimed to make installations faster and easier. At less than 2 inches high, it can be in-stalled in locations where standard cameras would be obtrusive. And its 3.6mm/F=1.8 lens with 8x digital zoom comes prefocused to remove a time-consuming step from the installation process.

Western Digital of Irvine, Calif., has expanded its WD Purple line of 3.5-inch hard drives for video surveillance applications, with the release of the 6TB capacity models.

The hard drive features the firm’s AllFrame technology, which reduces video frame loss, improves playback and increases the number of drive bays supported, according to the company. The device also includes exclusive firmware enhancements that enable improved play-back and minimize interruptions within a surveillance system.

Other features include IntelliSeek technology, which calculates the optimum seek speeds for the system workload, enabling lower power consumption and reducing noise and vibration.