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4 Wrong Ways to Implement Car Dealership Security

By on January 31, 2012 in Video Analytics, Video Surveillance Systems, Virtual Security Guard Services

For years we’ve been trying to get the right formula for securing the outdoor perimeter of a car dealership.  So much money in inventory is just sitting there waiting to be stolen or vandalized and the insurance companies are trying to find every reason to hike up premiums.

Here is what Not to do:

1. Outside Motion Detectors:

This is one of the fastest ways to accumulate expensive false police dispatch bills (around $150.00 each time) and to quickly be put onto the “do not respond” list.  Any little thing will set off an outdoor motion detector and there is no way to verify whether it was a person or a raccoon.

2. Fence Sensors:

In order to add fence sensors, you will need to get a fence installed around your whole lot.  Although they are less prone to false alarms than outdoor motion detectors, there is still no way of verifing whether a person or raccoon is climbing the fence.  Without verification you will still be stuck with false alarms… maybe just not has many.

3. Guard Dogs:

Guard dogs may deter people from coming to your site but at the end of the day they are an animal and animals don’t provide the best security.  I’ve heard horror stories of dog droppings being left around the yard, scratches being found on the hood of vehicles, and, in one case, the fence was cut and the dogs ran out to eat a couple of steaks that where left for them.

4. Security Guard:

A security guard may solve your problem, but it depends on what service you decide to go with.  If you choose to get a “rover”, which is a security guard that passes by your site a couple times per night, then you might as well throw your money in the garbage.  The chances of a “rover” coming by at the exact time that someone is stealing from you is very slim.

If you choose to go with a full time security guard, then you will have to be prepared to spend a lot money.  This will not only cut into your profits but you will also be left with the uncertainty of not knowing whether the security guard is sleeping while on the job.  Unless you go with an expensive company the chances of getting a below average security guard are high.

So now that we’ve uncovered the wrong and expensive way’s to secure your car dealership, lets look at the right way.

Virtual Security Guard

With Virtual Security Guard, you will get a great combination of technology and people.  With the use of cameras and intelligent software, your outdoor area could not be better protected.  During non-business hours the camera software will constantly watch the lot and look for people or vehicles entering the scene.  Upon alarm, a live video feed will be pushed, in real-time, to a monitoring agent.  The agent can then assess the situation and determine whether to dispatch police, call the owner, or dismiss it as a false alarm.

Adding Audio

By adding a loud speaker to the lot, our monitoring agents can easily provide a custom Voice Down message to the site:

“To the person in the red shirt, Good evening and welcome to ABC Dealership.  We are now closed and we want to advise you that the site is being monitored by a live agent.  Feel free to browse the vehicles and if you need further assistance we will be opening at 9:00am tomorrow morning”.

With Virtual Security Guard you can better protect your valuable inventory, eliminate expensive security guards or dogs, and provide an extra level of customer service to your business.

 

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VSaaS: Managed Video Surveillance

By on November 3, 2011 in Cloud Computing, Hosted Video Surveillance, Video Surveillance Systems

Managed or Hosted services have been around for a long time and are commonly reffered to as Cloud Computing or Software as a Service (SaaS).

The definition of SaaS is “a model of software deployment where an application is hosted as a service, provided to customers across the internet.”

The idea is that instead of purchasing software and servers to host your own system, you pay a monthly fee and all your information is hosted online.  In the IT and Data world, this business model has been around for a long time and makes lots of sense.  If you talk to an IT manager about Cloud Computing or SaaS, they will understand the concept immediately.

The idea is that instead of purchasing software and servers to host your own system, you pay a monthly fee and all your information is hosted online.  In the IT and Data world, this business model has been around for a long time and makes lots of sense.

Examples of everyday SaaS services:

  1. Email:  Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail
  2. CRM: Salesforce
  3. Banking:  TD Canada Trust, BMO, Scotia Bank

Whether you are talking about security or data, the benefits of hosted services are the same.

  1. Lower up-front Cost:  no software or hardware to purchase
  2. Lower Maintenance & Operating Costs:  no hardware to maintain, no software to maintain
  3. Easier Accessibility:  access your system from anywhere/anytime
  4. Always up-to-date:  Every time you log on you will be working off the latest platform

In the past 5-10 years we’ve started to see the security market follow the cloud computing trend. Managed Access Control system’s hit the market about 10 years ago and we are now starting to see the large manufacturer’s follow suit.  In the past 3-4 years, hosted video surveillance providers began popping up and are now started showing benefits in the smaller camera count opportunities (4-8 cameras).

Hosted Video Surveillance  ”For Dummies”:

-          An IP camera connects to a network switch

-          When the camera detects motion, it pushes the video to secure website

-          Customers can access their video by logging into the website

-          Storage is typically 15 or 30 days

 

 

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Are you being notified?

By on October 25, 2011 in Video Analytics, Video Surveillance Systems

In security systems zero downtime should be the first priority, because it is the first line of defense for any business or home. Most of the time customers experience problems when they go to search for videos of events only to find out their DVR/NVR or cameras have crashed due to no maintenance or poor maintenance. One of the ways to reduce downtime is to be notified when there’s a problem and rectify it as soon as possible. The simplest form of notification would be a buzzer on the DVR/NVR where it would start beeping when there’s a problem, however, majority of the security systems are installed in an electrical or mechanical room where these sounds wouldn’t be heard clearly. The other form of notification is email, which is more efficient and can let you know the exact problem the system is experiencing rather than a general buzzer sound. Notifications are very simple to setup and can greatly increase the efficiency of a security system.

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Importance of Open Architecture Technology

By on October 15, 2011 in Access Control Systems, General, Video Surveillance Systems

As the security market catches up with the rest of the technology world, more customer’s are starting to see that a proprietary solution (or closed architecture solution) is a risky investment.  That being said, vendors and manufacturers are still introducing these solutions and customers are still buying them.

As a company, we choose to sell open architecture technology because we feel that it gives customer’s the most flexibility and the freedom to choose the best technology for each device (i.e. cameras, software, card readers, control boards, servers, etc).

Before we share our list of reasons why Open Architecture technology is a better choice, let’s first take a look at the difference between Closed and Open Architecture:

Closed Architecture

Closed architecture is technology that is proprietary.  This means that the solution only works with devices manufactured by the same company.  An example would be an access control manufacturer that makes readers, software and panels that only work with each other.  A better example, is a video surveillance company that makes software, cameras and servers that only talk to each other. 

The argument with closed architecture is that everything is made by the same company and it will work perfectly with each other.  And, if something goes wrong, there is only one person to blame.

Continue Reading →

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Importance of Camera Maintenance

By on October 15, 2011 in Video Surveillance Systems

Video Surveillance systems are generally low maintenance but a system check should be done periodically to ensure the system is recording good quality images.  This is especially true in reactive systems which are usually only checked when an investigation needs to occur rather than being actively monitored by security personnel.  Cameras sometimes become obstructed, knocked down, get dusty or lose their focus.  If the system is not in its optimal condition it may miss the required details when an incident occurs.  A simplified example is listed below.

The image on the left shows the pre-maintenance view and the image on the right shows the post-maintenance view.  The left image displays a decent view which can still provide some usability however it is not optimal.  The camera was knocked slightly out of position, there was a smudge on the housing and the focus was slightly off.  After a few minor adjustments, the camera provided the image visible on the right.  It is clear that the camera is no longer unnecessarily capturing the top of the building in front of it but instead concentrating on the area below including the third green door on the left side.  The housing was also cleaned and the focal length adjusted to provide a more crisp image.

Although the above example only had a few minor adjustments, we come across many cameras that are much worse.  They are either spray painted, knocked away from their position or just stop working and unfortunately these problems are not noticed until video retrieval is required.  With a properly scheduled maintenance these problems can easily be avoided.

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Need for Maintenance

By on October 14, 2011 in Video Surveillance Systems

Do you think these cameras could use some maintenance?  

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Top 5 things to check on your DVR/NVR

By on October 13, 2011 in Video Surveillance Systems

Are you only looking at your video surveillance system when you have to review video footage?

If so, you’re like most of our customers.  We tend to get busy with our daily routine and we rarely check our DVR or NVR to ensure that it is working properly.

Set aside 5 minutes per week and do these 5 things and it will pay off in the long run.

 

  1. LIVE VIEW – Check the live view to ensure the cameras provide a good quality image and are not obstructed

 

  1. SEARCH RECORDINGS – Perform a search of day and night footage to ensure the DVR is recording well during the day and at night.  Ensure that no false recordings are captured by adjusting motion windows and sensitivity settings to exclude moving trees or busy roads.

 

  1. SYSTEM LOGS – Check the system logs to see if there are any exceptions that occurred in the last week.

 

  1. STRESS TEST – Perform a “Power Loss Test” to ensure your battery backup will keep the DVR running or if no battery backup is present that the DVR unit will reboot and begin recording again.

 

  1. PHYSICAL CHECK – Check the recorder for not working fans, excessive dust forming around ventilation inlets and outlets as well as excessive heat.

 

Performing a weekly check of your DVR unit will ensure that it remains in optimum condition.  If a problem is noticed it can be rectified immediately rather than discovering the problem after an incident takes place.


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Proper Mounting Height for Cameras

By on September 26, 2011 in Hosted Video Surveillance, Video Surveillance Systems, Virtual Security Guard Services

What is the proper mounting height for cameras?

Whenever we meet with a client for the first time we let them do most of the talking and share with us their ideas on how they want their building or property protected.  When we get to the topic of cameras and we start to walk through the design, 9 of 10 times they suggest putting cameras at the highest point on their building (or home).  They have this idea that if the camera is up high it will capture the most area.  Although this is true, mounting a camera 30ft high may not be what your looking for.

Here are some scenarios on different mounting heights:

1. If you setting up a high definition camera and trying to capture license plates or proper facial details, then you are better off mounting you camera as low as possible.  We cannot mount it 5ft of the ground because it risks being vandalised, but somewhere between 10-12ft would be perfect.  With the proper lighting, proper megapixel,  and the ability to slow down a vehicle (i.e. speed bump) your chances of license plate capture are pretty good.  This height is also ideal for a home surveillance system.

 

2. If you are setting up a high definition camera for an overall view of an area (i.e. parking lot), then mounting the camera around 20-30ft in the air would be a good idea.  This will allow you to capture the most area with a single camera.  Keep in mind that you will not be able to capture any license plates or facial details.  Many customers find this view excellent for piecing together timelines (i.e. one vehicle hit another vehicle) and keeping tabs on contractors (such as snow removal).  At a home, this view will give you the top of a criminal’s head, causing your camera to be useless.

 

3. If you are setting up a camera for Virtual Security Guard Services http://bit.ly/n9GD3V (or remote video monitoring) then you will also want the camera mounted at a height that will capture the most area.  Having High Definition for this type of service is not mandatory as most of the time we are using analytic’s to send the monitoring station alerts (when a person or vehicle is detected). The point of video monitoring is to capture something before it happens and do something to stop it (Proactive Video Surveillance).

 

4. If you are setting up a camera for People Counting http://bit.ly/qc4OPX, then you want your camera mounted directly above the entrance that you need counted.  The ideal height is between 9-12ft.  Any lower, and your count will be off.  If the entrance is larger (like many retail stores) then the camera should be mounted a bit higher to ensure that the whole entrance is in the view.

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Night Vision Surveillance Cameras

By on September 19, 2011 in Video Surveillance Systems

One of the biggest challenges with Video Surveillance is being able to capture a proper image at night.  The best method is adding external lighting to enhance image quality, unfortunately customers are looking for a less expensive and hassle free option. The only other option is adding infrared illuminator’s either as a separate unit or built-in to the actual camera.

Purchasing a camera with built in IR’s is less expensive, but most of the time does not produce the best results.  If you don’t buy the proper camera the dome could cause the LED’s to reflect off the glass and cause the picture to be obscured. Additionally, the LED’s on a lower end camera could end up burning out over time.

The best approach to dealing with video surveillance cameras in dark areas is to purchase a good quality camera that has day/night and add a good infrared illuminator.  The illuminator can be placed just below the camera and point in the same direction.

This video demonstrates a good long range outdoor illuminator that allows the camera capture a person over 800ft (300m) away. YouTube Video of Long Range IR.

Below are some pictures samples of poor IR illuminators and good IR illuminators.

1. High Definition Day/Night with average lighting

2. High Resolution Day/Night with street lights

3. High Resolution IR Dome capturing smaller area 

4. Infrared Illuminator not setup properly 

5. Long Range Infrared with Day/Night Camera

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What’s the Default Password?

By on September 16, 2011 in Access Control Systems, Alarm Systems, Cloud Computing, General, Hosted Video Surveillance, People Counting System, Video Analytics, Video Surveillance Systems

I met with a client this week to discuss a project that is currently in progress. When we touched on the subject about administrator and user rights on the video surveillance and access control system, he told me that he was surprised at how often he finds systems at his facilities (phone systems, other security systems, etc) that still have default username and passwords.

This wasn’t breaking news to me, to say the least.  Last month, we were online searching for information on a manufacturer and we stumbled upon a web address linked to a video surveillance system.  When we clicked on the address the web interface popped up and asked us for a username and password.  Knowing what type of system it was, we typed in the manufacturer’s default credentials and were shocked to be logged into a State Jail located somewhere in the USA.  We had full control of the video surveillance system including audio in the booking area.  Cameras located all over the jail are just broadcasting onto the internet for anyone (with the default credentials) to view.

I won’t share the name of the jail or the address of the cameras, but I will urge all people to immediately change their username and password.  It should be the first step to take once the system is handed over.

Carlo Di Leo, General Manager

 

 

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