About Technology Archives

Thermal versus Optical IP Cameras

Posted on August 7, 2018April 12, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

Applications for Thermal and Optical IP Camera Systems

Thermal and optical IP cameras use different technologies to capture video. Each type of camera system provides a unique role in an IP video surveillance system. Systems that combine thermal and optical cameras provide a synergistic solution for long-range surveillance.

long-range camera Fantasy World — Long-Range Camera Concept

Thermal cameras are better for night viewing since they don’t require any light. The optical IP cameras require daylight or illumination at night and are best for identifying details such as a person’s face or a license plate number. This article describes when to use these camera systems.

How Face Recognition Works in a Crowd

Posted on July 11, 2018April 12, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

Facial Recognition in a Crowd

There are different methods used for matching facial biometrics. The simplest method measures various features of a person’s face, such as the distance between the eyes, or the position of the mouth to the nose. These geometric measurements or vectors are then coded and stored in a database for later comparison. This type of system is usually used in biometric door access control readers.

IP Cameras Price Versus Performance

Posted on July 2, 2018March 31, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

How much should you expect to pay for your IP camera? IP cameras range in price from under $200 to over $1000.

Since the price depends on what you need, you should always make sure you understand your objectives. For help in defining your requirements, take a look at our article, Defining Your Objectives.

Price varies with performance. The least expensive cameras have fixed lenses. Do you need a camera for a small room or an outdoor camera that can recognize a person over 300 ft. away? The more expensive cameras include variable lenses that you can adjust from your computer. Some high-performance very low-light outdoor cameras can see things by starlight.

Automated Emergency Notifications and Response

Posted on June 15, 2018March 31, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

How to Create a One-Button Emergency Response System

When seconds count, a single-button alert system is essential for your organization’s safety. Whether you need to establish a lockdown or let everyone know about a fire, the rapid notification capability is important.

Emergency alert buttons can be placed at various parts of the facility and connected to your IP security system. This means you can provide different responses depending on the location. You can also have unique buttons for specific emergencies. For example, you can respond to a fire or establish a lockdown depending on the button pushed. Here’s how it works:

Real-Time IP Camera Systems

Posted on June 1, 2018March 31, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

How to create a real-time IP camera system

It was a dark and threatening day. Thunder could be heard in the distance. Fog blanketed the building, weakening the remaining daylight. Strange sounds were heard in the basement, and the security center was called to investigate.

The guard walks anxiously along a dark and long hallway. As he turns the corner, he is suddenly confronted by…

Advanced Door Access Control

Posted on May 15, 2018September 29, 2025 by Bob Mesnik

The Intelligent Access Control System

This is certainly not your father’s door control systems.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to push a button to initiate campus-wide lockdown? What about integrating IP door access with your IP surveillance system, or controlling what floor a person can go to in the elevator? Or, maybe you would like to use the access system as a visitor management system? Well, the latest network-attached access control systems provide these advanced features as well as many others that can make it easier to control security.

Intelligent Access Control System concept

IP Camera Motion Stabilization

Posted on May 8, 2018March 31, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

How IP Camera Image Stabilization Works

Have you ever tried to take a snapshot of something that’s far away? When you are using a long distance lens (higher focal point), you probably found it hard to keep the camera steady.

The higher the focal length of the lens, the more difficult it is to stabilize the image. This problem is especially significant with very long-range IP camera. When a surveillance camera is mounted on a swaying pole, or on a ship at sea, movement can affect the quality of the video. Image stabilization is used in IP cameras to reduce the effects of this motion.

This article describes the various mechanisms used to stabilize an IP surveillance camera.

How to Connect Audio to Networks and IP Cameras

Posted on April 5, 2018March 31, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

Did you ever want to yell at someone you see on your video surveillance display? Maybe you want to tell them to get away from your parking lot or to yell at an intruder that the police are coming. Perhaps you would like to talk to someone at your door? Then you could let the delivery man enter the back door at your office.

IP audio interface systems provide connections to speakers for paging or intercom devices. This article describes how audio can be added to your network or IP camera system.

Security Provided by Access Control Systems

Posted on March 19, 2018March 31, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

What You Can Do to Improve Security

With all the gun-related tragedies at schools and other facilities, what can we do to increase our security? Securing your facility, school, sporting events, or concerts have become more complicated.

IP camera systems used to be enough to monitor the facility, but today we want to do a lot more. We want to prevent unauthorized access to our buildings, prevent people from bringing in weapons, and we want to provide campus-wide paging systems that keep everyone informed of any emergency.

Access control systems include more than just a door reader. They can include intercoms, cameras and even walk-through metal detectors. Each of these security systems adds another level of safety. The different components play unique roles in your overall security. This article reviews the various parts and when to use them. It provides guidance about what technology to use and an overview of how they work.

How Walk-Through Metal Detectors Work

Posted on March 9, 2018March 31, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

Anyone who has traveled by airplane has probably gone through a walk-through metal detector. These security devices have also been used in schools, sporting events, government offices, and concerts. They are part of a total security system that includes cameras, door access control, and emergency paging systems.

Metal detectors are effective and safe. Just like IP cameras and door access control, they add to your safety and security. Here’s how they work.

The Science Behind Metal Detectors

The metal detector utilizes the laws described by a Scottish physicist named James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879). He discovered that magnetism and electricity are related. An example of the relationship is a coil of copper wire wrapped around a metal nail. When current is applied to the coil, the metal nail becomes magnetized.

When an electric pulse is sent through a coil of wire, it creates a magnetic field. When the field hits a metal object, it reflects back and can be detected using another coil of wire. The size and timing of the detected pulse is used to define the size and position of the object.