feature
warning about DIY. “The quality of the equipment relates directly to the quality of the images.” When it comes to identification and forensics needs, useful secu- rity video images are essential. Cynthia Menna also agrees. “Better images are
important as is functionality and ease of use. We are now seeing professionals help homeowners position exterior cameras to focus on boat docks and outbuild- ings. There are also covert applications that really call for professional
installation,” observes Menna, senior
director of business development for AVAD of Van Nuys, Calif., a major home integration solutions provider. Gaskell, who sells lifestyle in addition to security, says
Home security video can display on a diver- sity of devices, meet- ing the computer and communication needs of homeowners.
Kan., firm, soon to move its headquarters to Chicago, integrates security video into what it calls its eSecure service. Wireless cameras, linked to a homeowner’s existing WiFi network, complement the firm’s mobile monitoring application that allows customers to use a computer or cell phone to remotely access, control, and adjust their home security systems as well as view camera images.
Of course, home security video can be an add-on to
security offerings, “but it also allows me to ask new customers if they have thought about it,” suggests Rob Roessler, president of Audio Video Concepts, Columbia, Ill. “And with some clients, a professional can integrate audio to the video capability.” Roessler does have a
Wait a Minute…DIY Works for Me There are those who see the home security video trend in a better light. Andrew Wartell, chief executive officer, Wartell Consulting, located in the Washington, D.C. area and a long time security practitioner, says, “I disagree with the premise that DIY video for the homeowner should be discouraged. In fact, there are many DIY video systems and applications that are every bit as effective for the homeowner as the ‘professional’ solutions and these DIY packages are easy to install.” Wartell adds, “The industry should be promoting and rewarding savvy cus-
tomers instead of discouraging them. The security video industry is currently pricing itself out of the homeowner security market. The alarm companies learned a long time ago that it is not the installation but the monitoring that makes them money. The video industry needs to learn the same sort of les- son. I have been in the federal video market since the 1970s and continue to evaluate and recommend high end security solutions to both public and private clients. But at my house, I purchased a bundled video security solution from a big box store. The cost of the equipment and the installation was an order of magnitude below what a security provider would have charged. The quality and performance is certainly adequate for my needs and not an order of magnitude less than the professional equipment/installation. The system has been up and running for two years; cameras are all installed outdoors with no problems. The DVR is capable of choice of recorded resolution and frame rate, timed recording, motion detection by sector and monitoring over the Internet.” Then again, Wartell is not your average DIY customer.
SH-122 October 2010
that some of his clients with second homes in the Durango area are also curious about weather and snow conditions, for example. “They gain from checking into what’s hap- pening at their other home.” Gaskell finds value in video products and systems from Xanboo of New York City. Among that firm’s technology, there are IP cameras, WiFi video setups and even analog camera designs. “They are making home video more affordable and easy to install.” The migration from analog to digital and IP video is
obvious within and around homes as compared to cor- porate and government video surveillance. Ever evolv- ing tech advances are the bread and butter of electronic system contractors whereas many DIY video products reflect older, less reliable tech. “Remember, we can provide advice and products
[homeowners] cannot get elsewhere,” comments Keith Fisher of Keyth Technologies, which covers Chicago and its suburbs. Fisher takes his own advice, melding video tech with specific homeowner needs. Concludes Rhoades of HAI, “It’s important to know
exact needs regarding video surveillance to ensure complete protection. A DIY/big box solution might be the cheapest avenue, but the wealth of knowledge that an integrator brings to the table is immeasurable in value. He knows the absolute latest technology and can school a homeowner regarding the benefits and pitfalls of both IP and analog. He knows exactly how many cameras a property will need, and the options that are best suited for specific areas. He can set up the proper remote access to those cameras. He’ll give information on the proper frame rate, resolution, operating tempera- tures, codecs, pan/tilt/zoom needs, audio microphones, and many other options a typical homeowner may not already be aware of.” These are all things a box solution cannot provide,
and that’s the winning argument the professional home security video installer needs to convey. Boxes don’t have brains; professionals do. And that translates into the ability to construct the exact video-based protection and services customers need. SH
Photo Courtesy of
Alarm.com
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