IP Camera Systems and Surveillance Blog

How to Upgrade Your Access Control System

Posted on December 12, 2019May 4, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

Upgrade Your Door Access Control System

The classic door access control systems have been around for many years. These access control systems include one or more central control panels that connect to all the door readers.

Usually, the door readers use a Wiegand connection for communication. The reader-to-controller cable includes the serial Wiegand wires, power, and electric lock control. It also can contain several door control signals such as Request to Exit and door contact sensors. These older systems don’t have the latest features provided by the new access control systems.

Your old controller can be replaced so you can get the latest features and functions available from the new access control system. The new systems connect to the network allowing them to be integrated with other security systems. They provide many new capabilities that will improve your safety and security.

Panic Buttons and Other Security Systems for Schools

Posted on December 5, 2019April 18, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

Active Shooter Emergencies

Active shooter situations have become a significant security issue. Many articles have been written about this. Solutions range from increased technology, active shooter drills in schools, and of course, gun control. Ann Hampton Callaway even wrote a song, Thoughts and Prayers.

A recent article, Active Shooter Drills May Not Stop A School Shooting — But This Method Could, was published November 27, 2019, in NPR news. It discussed the issues with active shooter drills. The article suggested that it was much better to provide threat assessment as a proactive approach to safety in schools. The objective would be to “identify students who are doing concerning behavior or may be in distress and getting them the help they need before they even resort to violence as an option.”

As a technology company, all we can do is suggest technology that can be used to prevent, control, and manage active shooter situations.

Security devices such as IP cameras, paging systems, metal detectors, door access control, and panic buttons can be used to help control emergency situations. This article provides a summary of the safety and security systems.

Technical Jokes and Cartoons – 58

Posted on November 15, 2019March 18, 2021 by Bob Mesnik

A guy is sitting at home when he hears a knock at the door. He opens the door and sees a snail on the porch. He picks up the snail and throws it as far as he can.

A year later, there’s another knock at the door. He opens it and sees the same snail. The snail says, “What was that all about?”

Benefits of being older:

You consider coffee one of the most important things in life.
You constantly talk about the price of gasoline.
You enjoy hearing about other people’s operations.
You get into a heated argument about pension plans.
You got cable for the weather channel.
You have a party and the neighbors don’t even realize it.
You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.
You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks in the room.
You send money to PBS.
You sing along with the elevator music.

Technical Jokes and Cartoons – 57

Posted on November 15, 2019May 5, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

A butterfly gets pulled over by the cops for speeding. He hands the cop his driver’s license with a photo of a caterpillar on it. “Sorry, it’s an old picture.”

It is not clear where the concept of Murphy’s Law originated. Some say that the original Murphy’s Law was “If there are two or more ways to do something, and one of those ways can result in a catastrophe, then someone will do it.”

The story goes that in 1947, Murphy was involved in a rocket-sled experiment in which all 16 accelerator instruments were installed in the wrong way, resulting in Murphy’s observation. Murphy’s Law is sometimes expressed as “Anything that can go wrong, will — at the worst possible moment.”

PoE for Network-Attached Devices

Posted on November 13, 2019October 20, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

Door Access Control, IP Camera Systems, IP PA Systems use PoE

Power over Ethernet (PoE) is the easiest way to provide power to many network-attached devices such as IP cameras, door access control systems, and IP paging and Intercom systems.

The network cable transfers both data and power to the device, making installation very simple. The network cable includes up to eight wires. The data uses one set of wires, while the power uses another set of wires in the network cable.

This article describes how access control systems, IP Camera Systems, and IP paging systems utilize power over Ethernet (PoE)

Network-Attached Devices Ilustration — Network-Attached Devices Illustration

What is the Best Access Control System?

Posted on November 12, 2019May 4, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

The best access control is defined by your objectives

What is the best access control? It depends on your requirements. To determine your requirements, you should answer the following questions:

Are your doors inside or outside?
Do you want to control the floor an elevator goes to?
Do you want to integrate access control with an IP camera system?
What type of electric locks do you need?
What type of access control credentials do you want?

The following article describes the way each access control system handles the answers to these questions.

The Best Camera Video Recording System

Posted on October 11, 2019October 16, 2021 by Bob Mesnik

Comparison of Video Recording Systems — Video Recording System Comparison

The IP recording and management system is a crucial part of your IP camera system. If you select the wrong solution, you could find yourself without the critical video evidence you need when an incident occurs, or worse still, your security could be breached, and safety threatened because your surveillance system didn’t provide an alarm.

We compared several video recording solutions. The best video recording and management system depends on your objectives. There are two types of recording systems for IP camera systems to consider. Each one provides some unique capability.

Technical Jokes and Cartoons – 56

Posted on September 13, 2019March 18, 2021 by Bob Mesnik

An old man read in the paper one of his friends had been arrested for tax evasion and decided to write him a letter. He wrote that it was planting season again, but he didn’t have enough help to sow his fields this year.

The following morning a dozen law enforcement officers completely tilled the old man’s garden without an explanation. Later the mail arrived with a letter from his jailed friend which said “DO NOT DIG UP THE GARDEN WHERE I HID ALL THE CASH. It’s the best I can do from here.”

Comparison of PTZ Cameras

Posted on September 13, 2019April 19, 2021 by Bob Mesnik

What is the Best PTZ Camera

Pan tilt zoom (PTZ) IP cameras connect to the network and provide the ability to view extensive areas. A PTZ camera can move back and forth (pan), up and down (tilt), and zoom in and out. When it is combined with intelligent video management software (VMS), it provides an effective surveillance system.

This article compares several PTZ cameras. We considered several characteristics, such as the zoom lens, camera resolution, low light sensitivity, pan, tilt ability, and nighttime viewing capability. This comparison should help you select the right PTZ camera. Remember that the most critical question is to determine if the PTZ camera meets your objectives.

Access Control: What is it

Posted on August 27, 2019June 25, 2021 by Bob Mesnik

What is Access Control?

Access control is anything that is used to prevent the wrong people from gaining access to your secure area. A door lock and key control access. If you have a dog in your yard, with a big sign that says, “Beware of Dog!” You have access control. Access control always includes a key to allow entry. The dog only lets in the people it knows, so that’s the key.