Archive for February, 2009
We have several exacqVision demo servers in place to help showcase the capabilities of the exacqVision software. These servers are widely used by us, by our resellers, and by many end-users to evaluate the software. Among the demo systems are are two Hybrid servers, one Linux and one Windows, each with a variety of analog, PTZ and IP cameras of all types and brands connected, as well as a number of IP camera brand-specific servers.
Recently we added a dedicated StarDot demo server, connected to a number of StarDot Technologies’ NetCam SC megapixel IP cameras. This server is located at StarDot’s headquarters in California. Four NetCam SC 1.3 megapixel cameras are currently connected, three outdoors and one indoors. Here’s a 2×2 view of the cameras on this server (click on picture for larger versions):
One of the more interesting camera views on this server is the one aimed at a clock with a finely detailed face. It is a great showcase for both megapixel IP camera image clarity, as well as the powerful Digital PTZ function of exacqVision. Below are screenshots of the clock in a 1×1 full view, and then doing a live digital PTZ (click on pictures for larger versions):
The StarDot server is up and ready to use. If you already have a login on our other demo servers, your same username and password will apply for the Stardot server. To add this server, just go to Add System in the Configuration tree, and enter the following:
- hostname: stardot.exacq.com
- your username
- your password
If you’d like to get a login to our demo servers, if need us to resend your login details, or if you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
February 23rd, 2009
2008 was a year for significant growth for Exacq, and 2009 is continuing the pace. To accommodate this growth, we just moved into a new and larger office building this last weekend. In addition, we have been continually hiring, adding top-notch talent to the team. Here are brief profiles of the latest to join Exacq:
Christopher Hansen, Sr Hardware Engineer
We first worked with Chris back at Integral Technologies. At Integral, and at Pelco after the merger, Chris was the hardware engineer for the XPress TX-line of video compression boards, and most recently for the Intelli-M line of IP access control products. Here at Exacq, Chris is working on the next generation of eDVR compression boards for our Hybrid systems.
Josiah Jensen, Technical Support Specialist
Josiah also hails from Integral Technologies and Pelco, where he was the digital application specialist and technical support lead for both the DigitalSENTRY and DVX MasterControl-based product lines, and most recently the Intelli-M product line. Here at Exacq, Josiah brings his experience to the role of technical support for the entire exacqVision product line.
Bobbi Logan, Accounting Specialist
Bobbi’s importance here at Exacq cannot be overstated. A most needed resource, Bobbi oversees everything from order entry to IP license key generation to sales reporting and accounts receivable. Bobbi also comes to us from 8 years at Integral Technologies and Pelco, where she was a staff accountant handling everything from accounts payable and receivable to payroll.
Kevin Skidmore, Operations Specialist
Kevin is no stranger to us at all. We first worked with him back when we were all with Truevision in the early 1990s, where he was part of manufacturing and tech support of Truevision’s TARGA and ATVista video graphics boards. He joined us again at Integral Technologies in the Operations department, in charge of assembly and repair, continuing on with Pelco. Kevin has joined us once again here at Exacq, where he oversees the assembly and test of our exacqVision systems.
It is great to be working once again with Chris, Josiah, Bobbi and Kevin. And we’re still hiring. We currently have openings in engineering, descriptions here. Resumes are always welcome.
February 18th, 2009
The exacqVision Disc & Bandwidth Calculator has been updated. The most significant part of the updates is the inclusion of H.264 image sizes at various resolutions. A number of other updates have also been added, including:
The updates include:
• Full H.264 additions for all camera types and resolutions
• HD and VGA IP Camera resolutions have been added.
• Descriptive improvements on main panel and on printouts
The exacqVision Disc & Bandwidth Calculator is available here.
February 17th, 2009
We were pleasantly surprised last Friday to be notified by North Carolina-based security integrator Enterprise Security Systems (ESS) that Exacq Technologies, and our manufacturer’s Rep for the Southeast, Murphy & Cota, are the recipients of ESS’s Tier One Partner Annual Award (TOPS).
Kurt Kottkamp, President of ESS, said in a memo to his company:
I am pleased to announce that ESS has awarded our Tier One Partner of the Year award for 2008 to Exacq Technologies, and their manufacturer’s rep Murphy and Cota. ESS established our Tier One Partners Program to select the very best companies and products for ESS to partner with and represent to our customers, and it is a very high honor to distinguish yourself from this select group which includes: AMAG, DSX, Pelco (last year’s winner), Bosch, DMP, Dedicated Micros, Aiphone, CSC, and Panasonic, among many others. We base the award not only on the company’s sales, products and their support, but also on their willingness and ability to partner with ESS to secure new business. Exacq and Murphy & Cota have embodied the intent of this award by working with us to secure several high-profile accounts this past year. Personally, I have especially enjoyed the personal touch of working with several individuals at both companies, including Dick Green, Jack Wade, Brian Clark, Dan Rittman and Jim McMillion. Personal service is rarely the norm these days, but each of these individuals has made an extra effort in working with ESS that we really appreciate.
We’ve been fortunate to receive a number of industry awards of late, but receiving the top award from one of our best customers is particularly gratifying. We’ve enjoyed a great relationship with ESS; they were one of the first major integrators to pick up the Exacq product line. ESS is one of the premier security integrators in the Southeast, supplying card access, CCTV, ID badging, intercom, intrusion and fire systems to commercial, industrial and institutional clients. ESS is a member of the PSA Security Network.
Our sincere thanks to Kurt Kottkamp and the whole crew at ESS for this award.
February 16th, 2009
We’re moving into a new – and much larger – office building this weekend. Included in the move are all of our exacqVision demo servers as well as the exacqVision language translation server. These servers will go down today, Friday, February 13, and should be back up Monday, February 16.
IP Address Change
Although we switched to domain name server addresses some time ago, many still log into our demo servers using a specific IP address. Those specific IP addresses will no longer work after today. But it is a quick and simple process to change to domain name addresses.
Open the exacqVision client, go to the Setup tab, click on Add System in the tree, select the system named exacqVision Hybrid Server, and make the following change:
| change from this: |
to this: |
 |
 |
Do the same with the other demo servers. The complete list:
hybrid.exacq.com
linux.exacq.com
arecont.exacq.com
axis.exacq.com
iqeye.exacq.com
panasonic.exacq.com
stardot.exacq.com
We also have the task of moving and reinstalling 70+ cameras that connect to these demo servers. Log in on Monday and you’ll see what our new office space looks like!
February 13th, 2009
We’re avid readers of the IPVideoMarket.Info blog. John Honovich brings a keen insight into the companies, technologies and trends in the physical security and convergence markets.
In a post yesterday, John asks the question, Are US IP Video Companies Inferior? Citing other studies, John points out that while the US has a disproportionate amount of IP video companies – many who have received a large amount of VC funding – the largest IP video companies are all based outside the US. He lists the largest companies, based on revenue, as Axis, Milestone, Genetec and Mobotix. Then he adds:
In the next tier, there are 4 US IP video companies that I hear frequently praised – Arecont Vision, Exacq, IQinVision and OnSSI. Interestingly, all of these are fairly low-key companies with no to minimal VC backing.
His observation is that US technology companies have historically excelled at highly disruptive technologies (e.g. Google, eBay) that require large amounts of funding to get off the ground. By contrast, he suggests that IP video is a far more evolutionary technology that needs to be approached accordingly.
Contrasting some US IP video companies that received large funding and failed in short order (Covi, Steelbox, Vistascape), John points out that the success of the major IP video players has been gradual: Axis, Milestone and Genetec all grew slowly over a period of many years to get where they are today. And, he says:
Even some of the most respected US companies like Exacq and IQinVision took many years of steady development run by traditional security executives. All of these companies took long periods of time for development, took minimal investment and focused on mainstream, achievable products.
The complete article is available here, and makes for good reading. Our thanks to John for his observations and comments about Exacq.
February 3rd, 2009
Version 3.3 of exacqVision Video Management Software has just been released. This latest release, compatible with all exacqVision Hybrid and IP video surveillance systems, incorporates new features and enhancements, and continues our quest for rapid, incremental updates.
Version 3.3 is available for download here. Key features in the 3.3 Release:
- Time Expiry per-camera
Set unique dates for expiration of recorded data on a per-camera basis.
- ioimage Support
Video analytics capability added through ioimage IP cameras and encoders
- International languages support
Support for several European and Asian languages with additional localizations underway.
- IP Camera updates
Enhancement and support for Axis, Arecont, Panasonic, ACTi, StarDot
- Integration updates
Lenel, DSX, RS-2, ICT, PCSC, Micros XBR
Here are some of the features in detail:
Time Expiry per camera
Numerous installations have specific requirements on the maximum number of days that can be stored per camera. Still other installations may have requirements for the minimum number of days a specific camera’s data must be retained.
Version 3.3 adds the ability to assign a maximum number of days of storage on a per-camera basis, and also a minimum number of days of storage on a per-camera basis. This features is accessed on the Storage Setup page.
Ioimage Video Analytics Support
Version 3.3 adds support for the ioimage line of IP cameras and encoders with integrated video analytics. ioimage devices embed the analytics capability “at the edge”, within the camera or encoder. Included with each ioimage device is a host of analytic functions, detailed here.
By incorporating the analytics in the camera, adding analytic functionality is as simple as adding another IP camera, and does not require any additional software or hardware to be installed on the server.
Analytic routine configuration is done through each IP camera’s browser page. Once configured, exacqVision reads the analytic alarm information in the same way as motion detection information is read. Through the event linking function of exacqVision, any ioimage alarm can be mapped to any user-defined activity on exacqVision, such as record-on-alarm, alarm e-mail generation, video output switch at a monitoring station, and more.
Models supported in Version 3.3 are the wdc100dn IP camera, the mmp100dn megapixel IP camera, the xptz100dn PTZ IP camera, and the entire trk Series encoders.
International Language Support
Support for a number of languages has been added, including German, Polish, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Japanese, and Chinese. Many additional localizations are in process.
We utilize a Pootle translation server for collaborative localizations, the same method used by software packages such as Firefox, WordPress and OpenOffice. This enables our international partners to have specific localized versions for their markets; for example, Chilean Spanish vs. Castilian Spanish.
IP Camera Enhancements & Additions
StarDot Support Added
Support has been added for the NetCam SC and NetCam XL line of hybrid, IP, and megapixel IP cameras from Stardot.
Arecont IP Camera Plug-in Improvements, New Cameras
The Arecont Vision megapixel IP camera plug-in has been completely rewritten. Supports both JPEG and H.264 cameras; TFTP enhancements for higher framerates; improved “smart search” capability; and enhanced input trigger processing. Support has also been added for the new H.264 MegaDome line, the AV1355, AV2155, AV3155, and AV5155.
ACTi IP Camera Plug-in Improvements, New Cameras
ACTi PTZ responsiveness has been substantially improved in Version 3.3. In addition, support has been added for the ACTi ACM-8511 and ACM-8211/8201 series of IP PTZ cameras.
Panasonic 4-channel IP Encoder Support Added
Support has been added for the Panasonic WJ-NT304 4-input MPEG4/MJPEG encoder. The up-the-coax feature of this encoder makes it particularly attractive for connecting to legacy analog PTZ cameras.
Axis HDTV IP Camera Support Added
Support has been added for the Axis Q1755 HDTV H.264 IP camera. Full 16×9 resolution is supported.
Integration
Integration has been completed with exacqVision for access control systems from Lenel (more info here), DSX, RS-2, PCSC and ICT (application story here) and for the Micros/DataVanatage XBR retail analytics package. Contact us for projects requiring this integration.
Recent Releases
With this release we continue to make rapid progress with exacqVision, and incremental releases have hit about every 2 months. Through these releases over the last year we’ve added a large number of new features. You can see our release history here.
As always, the latest versions of exacqVision client and server software can easily and quickly be copied over existing versions while retaining all user settings. The latest versions can always be downloaded from our Downloads page, or you can click on ‘Check for Updates‘ within the ‘About‘ box in the exacqVision software.
exacqVision Server software is available in both Windows and Linux versions, and the exacqVision client software is available in Windows, Linux and Macintosh native versions. Any version of exacqVision client can connect to any version of exacqVision server.
February 3rd, 2009