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Keeping Surveillance Networks Secure
The bad guys aren’t supposed to be able to hack a video surveillance system, period. Recent headlines about a casino scam in Melbourne brought the consequences of an insecure security system front and center as scammers allegedly walked off with $32 million after using the casino’s surveillance system to cheat at cards. While we may never know […]
Read More6 Tips to Selecting the Right Security Camera
As we move toward more advanced video surveillance equipment, it’s often hard to resist finding high-tech solutions to low-tech problems. For example, if you can use image stabilization, why worry about camera vibration? While it’s true that modern cameras can often get you good images under lousy conditions, improving conditions usually improves the image quality dramatically. […]
Read MoreHacking Surveillance Cameras in Casinos
A high roller and his accomplice scammed a casino in Melbourne, Australia, by hacking into the surveillance system to cheat (and win) at a series of card games in his suite. The Herald Sun in Melbourne reported that the gambler was able to use information from security cameras about his opponent’s cards to scam the […]
Read MoreThe Morphing Integrator
I have noticed, and I’m sure most will agree, that over the past 20 years the electronic security industry has morphed. And, while change is good, and the whole should, in theory, be greater than the sum of its parts, in practice we’re clearly seeing gaps that I don’t believe are getting closer to being […]
Read MoreA Guide to Fiber-Optic Cable & Coxial Media Converters
One topic that generates a lot of discussion is the transition from analogue to IP cameras. On new construction, it’s rapidly becoming a moot point — there are so many advantages to IP, and the cost advantage of analogue is rapidly disappearing — but there are a lot of analogue systems out there that are aging […]
Read MoreThe Security Buying Chain Explained
Chances are, if you’re involved in a security project, you are part of a team. And, like most teams, yours has its challenges. From people working at cross purposes, to folks who won’t listen — or won’t speak up — the roles and responsibilities of such a group can be difficult to navigate. Owner (or […]
Read MoreConsultant to End Users: Beware the Low Bidder
Some time ago, a client decided to bid out a system upgrade on his own. He took a system evaluation report that we had done for him, copied the “recommendations” section and did what was a really nice little request for proposal (RFP). He was not inexperienced in such things and felt the dollar amount […]
Read MoreStarting an Electronic Security Consulting Agency
This blog entry comes from a question we received on our Web site: I work at a major distributor as an over the phone consultant. I like and dislike the job at the same time. I like helping people and I love designing systems, but we have to do the designing so fast, it becomes […]
Read MoreBack to the Basics of Camera Placement
As we move toward more advanced image acquisition equipment, it’s often hard to resist finding high-tech solutions to low-tech problems. For example, if you can use image stabilization, why worry about camera vibration? While it’s true that modern cameras can often get you good images under lousy conditions, improving conditions usually improves the image quality […]
Read MorePassing the Pricing Smell Test
Sometimes things just don’t smell right. Even if you’re not an expert, there’s a dollar figure that will give you pause and make you double check pricing. If your hot water heater dies and the plumber tells you a new one is $700 installed, you might think that’s fair and give him the job. But […]
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