FEATURE: COMMAND AND CONTROL
control rooms can benefit from the enterprise security already implanted in the network – although, of course, it’s no longer ‘source-cable-display’, so there is somewhat more vulnerability. It’s easy – but perhaps not cheap – to build in the necessary resilience. Laying the cabling is straightforward, but configuring software can be a major challenge. Scalability and upgradability are inherently easy with IP. In some ways, costs will be lower – for off-the-shelf hardware, for example; however, IP software is expensive, and there are licence issues to be considered.” For Hadany, the big downsides to IP in control rooms are that integration will not be easier – “there are so many stream formats claiming to be the leading format, that supporting and integrating them into the system is a perpetual challenge for the system manufacturer/designer”, he says – and performance: “The IP of today can’t match up with traditional standard processors and cabled systems.”
NEW CAPABILITIES
IP can also bring important new capabilities that weren’t straightforward before, such as intelligent video analysis, real-time event triggers, improved SCADA integration and so on. “It’s true: IP brings new capabilities that in future could allow a single command and control ecosystem,” says Adder’s Halksworth. “The ability to record, capture or analyse video are all commonly recurring themes among our customers, as are various requirements for event triggers. At Adder, we are continually striving for greater integration to make the single command and control system a reality; we even publish an API to allow third parties to create a compatible systems infrastructure.” “Yes, those things are all possible,”
says Hadany. “Once the information is in the network, all the tools already being used with the ‘regular’ data become relevant for the visualisation aspect. This, I believe, will be the real added value that will trigger a change from today’s standard systems to IP-based ones.” “We could do those things with non- IP signals in the past,” says Hénique, “but IP makes things simpler and more flexible, because everything can be done on the software side without special hardware in between.” So where does all this leave us?
Matrox’s Moodey perhaps represents the view of manufacturers. “I believe we are still at a phase where designers are developing their ideas about the best way to use IP in video
‘IP brings new capabilities that in future could allow a single command and control ecosystem’ John Halksworth, Adder
processing for the command/control environment,” he says. “As manufacturers, we have to keep enhancing their experience – adding new possibilities for them to raise the bar, lower the cost and enhance the systems they design.” Many in the industry also note the challenge to installers and integrators – although those are little different from the challenges they have faced, and overcome, as the network becomes central to applications like digital signage and videoconferencing. “We’re in a transition here,” says Sjostedt, “and the industry needs to understand what’s going on and to be trained on these new capabilities and how to make them work.” Many would agree: in terms of
moving from technologies that have stood them in good stead for many years towards technologies that unquestionably represent the future, control rooms are in transition. Much still needs to be done to resolve IP performance and predictability issues – and there are also issues relating to IP standards that may hamper progress, although organisations such as ONVIF are in place to address these. But when it comes to IP and control rooms, it seems likely that the Borg – itself a collective linked by a sophisticated subspace network – had it about right: “Resistance is futile”.
www.adder.com www.barco.com www.displays.mitsubishielectric.eu www.eyevis.de www.matrox.com www.rgb.com
ONLINE EXTRAS: CASE STUDY Grand Prix Corporation, Australia:A Matrox solution was chosen
for a large-scale videowall designed to provide access to critical information, including race and driver details, weather forecasts, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.
www.installation-international.com
www.installation-international.com May 2013 27
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