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September 2007 e-Connection
Point-of-Sale Integration – What You Need to Know
by Don Maxey, System Sales Representative, ADI-Burtek
 It seems the opportunity to incorporate point-of-sale (POS) devices with digital recording is coming up more and more every day. It was only a few years ago that, if the subject of connecting a POS device to a DVR was brought up, we generally had only one solution to offer. Although the ability to insert POS data into recorded video data has existed for many years, most of the business was confined to ATMs and larger retail end-users.
Most text insertion applications, from the small corner store to the large department store chain, will usually involve one of the two following solutions:
POS Overlay
The first solution is POS overlay (text overlay) which, as the name implies, simply overlays text from a cash register onto a selected camera. This is the simplest way of getting register data recorded in conjunction with an associated camera. Unfortunately, there is no POS database stored in the DVR and therefore, searching for register exceptions like “No Sale”, or looking for when “Cigarettes” were sold, is not possible. The user needs to search the video archive and use receipt data or a journal print from the register to try to match these events to the recorded data.
POS Integration
The second option, and the one that most people are asking for, is POS integration (text integration). POS integration offers a whole different level of usability to the end-user. By taking the data stream coming from the register and injecting it into the record table of a DVR, the user can now search a database of POS transaction data. Individual product items, cash register events or complex data searches using and/or operands, are possible with this DVR accessible database. Almost every user looking to add POS integration will want to use this method as it provides the best bang for the buck.
Now that you have a better idea as to how POS data can be used with digital recorders, we can simply quote any POS-ready DVR, right? The short answer is no. A DVR that is capable of POS integration is not necessarily going to work with every register or in every application. There are several questions that need to be asked and answered before we can move forward.
What is the make and model of the register?
Often the DVR may already support this register or a different model from the same manufacturer. If this is the case, it can be as simple as using the setup from the supported model or slightly modifying the setup.
Are they using text/POS overlay currently?
If there is POS overlay already in place, you can often utilize much of the existing cabling and connections, thereby simplifying the installation. Normally the same output used for text overlay is also used for text integration.
What types of connections come from the register?
It is important to understand what connectors are present at the register in order to determine the best possible way to connect to the DVR. Ideally, we want to see either a DB9 or DB25 connector that we can tap into at the register. Keep in mind that if data from the register is in RS232 format, the distance from the register to the DVR cannot exceed about fifty feet. If the distance is greater than this, you may need to use
RS232-to-RS485 converters.
Is there a local/receipt printer or pole display?
If there is a local printer or pole display, it will normally output serial data that we can tap into. This often allows for a quick connection and can greatly speed up the entire process.
Are you able to go on-site to capture POS data?
It may be necessary for you to go on-site, connect to the register using a DB9 or DB25 connection and capture transactions using a laptop and a small software application. This is often critical, not only determining whether or not the DVR will work with the register in question, but it also gives us the ability to test the results and see how the data displays live and on playback.
Is there a central server that communicates to the registers over TCP/IP?
A central server that uses TCP/IP communication may not allow the DVR to record the transactions. Depending on the type of information the user may want to see or search on history, a central server or online server can often be a roadblock to extracting POS data. This is critical information that may effect which DVR
you use.
Is this a multi-user or multi-transaction application?
Picture a restaurant with several “wait stations” that multiple service staff use. Often this type of POS system will print off tickets for each order entered, and then a final receipt when the customer pays. This has the potential to be confusing but if the user understands what the DVR is recording, it can still be an effective investigative tool.
Is there someone to contact from the POS manufacturer/integrator?
Having access to a technical resource from the POS manufacturer/integrator can help speed the whole process up. It’s possible the register may need to be configured to output a data stream to a local port for text insertion. This may require the POS device to be programmed differently by the
register integrator.
As you can see, there are several considerations to be made when you are asked to quote on text insertion. It may look like this type of application is overly complicated and needlessly technical, but asking the right questions in the beginning will yield a positive outcome. Please remember that this process can take a few days or a few weeks, depending on what is involved in initially connecting to the register to capture text data.
You need to partner with a company that understands this technology and can help you secure these jobs. Once that first job is completed, you will come to realize that this is a great add-on feature that some DVRs offer and can greatly benefit the user.
Extreme CCTV – Featured Products
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Infrared Illuminators
Using active-infrared, a totally dark scene
to the human eye is as clear as a regular daytime b/w image to most cameras. The result is outstanding video in day or dark conditions.
UFLED Night Vision Performance Bundle
- Complete turnkey night vision solution for day-night cameras
- Just add camera and lens
- UFLED IR Illuminator, 24V, for
650ft night vision performance
- EX18 All-Weather housing with heater and blower
- Specially priced value-added kit!
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Integrated Day-Night™ Cameras
Extreme CCTV IDN cameras are known for award-winning night vision performance. A single, All-Weather housing allows for easy plug and play installation.
EX82
- Outstanding color by day and 125ft+ of active-infrared night vision
- Photocell-controlled 1/3-inch LXR CCDs with varifocal lens
- Fast, easy and highly effective, complete with cable-managed bracket
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Hi-Impact™ Domes
Precision engineered for optimum optics
and power control, Hi-Impact™ Dome cameras from Extreme CCTV allow for effective surveillance in the world's
toughest locations.
EX40MNX
- Omega™ LED design minimizes internal dome reflection
- Spatially-optimized IR for 40 feet
of evenly-distributed Night Vision
- Mechanical filter for exceptional daytime color and night time IR
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Moondance™ Metal PowerDome™ PTZ
PowerDome™ design for the toughest, most versatile PTZ performance available. Field-proven over a five-year track record of success. Specified for being brutally tough, Moondance™ eliminates all functional shortcomings of conventional speed domes.
Moondance™
- LXR CCD zoom module that delivers 18X optical, 12X digital zoom
- 360-degrees continuous pan, 320-degrees tilt for video surveillance directly above and below
- Machined from 6 mm thick aluminium
- Ruggedized housing with internal heater and wiper for extreme weather
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REG® License Plate Capture
Active-Infrared Night Vision for effective license plate capture. Despite dark
ambient conditions, high speeds and
direct headlight glare, REG Gets the Plate.
REG-L1
- Extreme's proprietary DHC-Imaging™ technology for
definitive high-contrast license
plate capture
- Precision engineered optics
captures plates from vehicles
moving up to 100 mph (~160 kph) for high speed applications
- Connects directly to industry standard DVRs including
Capture® DVR
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WZ series
A new suite of surveillance solutions that represents an impeccable combination of performance, reliability and value.
WZ20 | 300 feet (90 m) IR range for high performance night vision to 150 feet (45 m)
WZ18 | 100 feet (30 m) IR range for high performance night vision to 65 feet (20 m)
WZ16 | 18 LEDs for 60 feet (18 m) night vision
WZ14 | 12 LEDs for 25 feet (~8 m) of night vision
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Introducing Tri-Porter™ (voice/data/video)
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Tri-Porter is the ultimate "Triple Play" solution with over 50 separate features and capabilities that will make your job of assuring customers' cabling systems easier than ever before. It combines a world-class speakerphone butt set with a full ethernet network tester that has active network negotiation capabilities, as well as line testing at 100Mbits to qualify VoIP.
The video/coax tests include a unique tone generation technology that will let you trace signals thru splitters, traps and filters to find the other end of a cable link. It further detects RF energy and measures signal strength of cable runs. Tri-Porter handles a full range of physical wiring tests for the fast, efficient delivery of IP-based voice, data and video services for either the home or small office.
 Tri-Porter (IVT600) includes a handy carrying case, along with the 20-piece wiremapping sets, for remote discovery of telephone, network and coax cables.
The perfect 21st century tool for 21st century needs. |
Three Things You Need to Know About Video Analytics
by Mariann McDonagh, Vice President of Global Marketing, Verint Systems Inc.
 Video analytics applications are receiving a lot of attention because of their ability to sift through vast amounts of video data and extract Actionable Intelligence—the most critical information, delivered to the right people in time for an effective response. Video analytics enhance the effectiveness of existing security resources by automatically pinpointing imminent security threats to facilitate a more proactive response. In the event that a security breach does occur, video analytics can help streamline investigations and provide critical intelligence to prevent the reoccurrence of similar events.
When choosing a video analytics solution, there are three important things to consider—is it accurate, is it IT-friendly and is it “future-ready”?
1. Accuracy
A video analytics solution only provides value if the intelligence it delivers is accurate. Analytics solutions that generate a high rate of false positive alerts distract security personnel and diminish the effectiveness of the overall solution. To avoid a high rate of false positives, organizations should seek solutions that analyze video at the point of capture. Intelligent Edge Devices, including IP cameras and video encoders with embedded analytics, sit on the network edge and analyze high-quality video images in real-time. Once the video is analyzed, only the most accurate and pertinent alerts are transmitted to a centralized monitoring station for further action. This focuses the attention of often limited personnel on the most critical events that can have the greatest impact on security.
2. IT Friendliness
Video analytics solutions utilize an organization’s IP network and must be optimized and network-aware to avoid monopolizing IT resources. Placing video analytics at the network edge reduces the amount of bandwidth required to transmit alarms, alerts and the associated video footage. And since the analytics reside on Intelligent Edge Devices, this reduces the need for expensive, dedicated back-end servers and lowers the impact on IT resources. Video analytics solutions should also be built on open industry standards, enabling seamless integration with existing business systems, extending the value of your existing
security infrastructure.
3. Future Readiness
A video analytics solution must be “future-ready” and scale to meet an organization’s changing security needs over time, without significant incremental costs. By deploying analytics at the network edge, organizations can simply and cost-effectively extend analytics across virtually every camera in the enterprise, allowing you to intelligently scale your infrastructure.
Analytics-enabled Intelligent Edge Devices combined with a robust video management platform provide an accurate, IT-friendly and cost-effective solution for deploying video analytics across your entire security operation.
Middle Atlantic – Featured Products
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21-Space Complete Rolling Rack
PTRK-21
The PTRK-21 is a complete mobile rack solution with 36 3/4 inches (21 U) of racking height, adjustable front rack rails, locking front and rear doors, metal spring-loaded side handles and four heavy-duty casters. Welded 16-gauge steel construction and 1/8-inch thick corner braces provide a 500-pound weight capacity. |
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Lock Box with Fan and Thermal Management System
DLBX 6U DVR
- Optimized to handle the active or passive thermal management needs of digital video recorders and other digital equipment
- Mounts vertically or horizontally to the wall, also can be used as a monitoring shelf
- Configurable thermal management system includes fan and two filters, and can be set up to accommodate the needs of any DVR
- Optional proportional speed thermostatic fan control ensures fan only runs when needed, reducing maintenance requirements and noise
- Extensive cable management includes tie points, EKOs and cable pass-throughs
- Mechanically interlocking top provides added security yet removes easily for equipment servicing
- Standard keylocked solid hinging front door allows easy equipment access
- 100-pound weight capacity
- UL Listed in the US and Canada
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44-Space Complete Rack
ERK-4425
The ERK-4425 is the top-selling rack in Canada. Why? It’s got 77 inches (44 U) of racking space with adjustable front rack rails that are marked and numbered in rack space increments. With over 25 inches of rack depth, the ERK-4425 accommodates deep equipment. 16-gauge top, bottom and sides and a rear locking door with a 2,500-pound weight capacity. Seismically rated to satisfy the uniform and international building codes. |
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Rack Shelves
U1, U2, U3
U1, U2 and U3 rack shelves are items you should never be out of. Stock up now!
These easy-to-install shelves fit all components up to 17 3/8 inches wide to quickly meet all of your rack mounting needs.
Made from 16-gauge steel, each unit is individually boxed. |
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Component Cooler
COMP-COOL
Remove heat right at the source. Optimized for components on open shelving, this quiet cooler turns on automatically when satellite/cable boxes, receivers and other heat generating components get too hot. Place the component cooler directly on top of equipment vents. The COMP-COOL-3 is available for systems that require multiple component cooling.
The low-profile unit produces minimal noise and fits beneath most equipment. Rubber discs are included to raise the height of stacked equipment if necessary. |
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Top Five Things to Know About CO
by David R. George, Director of Communications, System Sensor
Nearly every residential and commercial dwelling includes flame-fueled devices of some sort. These may include gas and hot-water heaters, gas and oil furnaces, clothes dryers, fireplaces, vehicles, charcoal grills, engine-powered tools and lawnmowers. If any of these is not properly vented or malfunctions, carbon monoxide can
be produced.
 Carbon monoxide or CO, is an odorless, colorless, tasteless and highly toxic gas. If inhaled, it will immediately absorb into your bloodstream, producing a toxic compound that will interfere with your body’s ability to absorb and transport oxygen to your vital organs. The rate at which your body will feel the effects of CO depends on several variables, including the concentration of CO in the air, how long you’ve been exposed, your current health status and your lifestyle activity level.
Because you cannot see, smell or taste CO, the only way to protect yourself from this deadly gas is with CO detectors. Although the CO detector market is one of the fastest growing in the life safety industry, security professionals are not always certain how to choose the best CO detector.
The top five things you should know when choosing a CO detector are:
1. There are three common types of CO sensing technologies: Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS), Biomimetic and Electrochemical
MOS sensors were the first CO sensors invented. An internal heating device heats tin oxide (SnO2) to at least 250 degrees Celsius. When heated, oxygen atoms in the air bond to the SnO2. If CO mixes with the oxygen atoms, it will release electrons into the semiconductor, increasing the current. This increase in current sets off the alarm in the detector. The drawback is that, typically, MOS detectors draw more current than other technologies due to the power consumed by the heater.
The second type of technology is biomimetic. Inside a biomimetic sensor, an infrared light passes through a synthetic hemoglobin membrane. When CO is present, the amount of light transmitted decreases and the alarm is activated. One drawback of biomimetic detectors is that as CO and other contaminants accumulate over time, these detectors tend to false alarm.
The newest, most refined sensors available today are the electrochemical sensors. These sensors provide accurate measurements (in parts per million) of CO concentrations. This is done through sensors that use a platinum/acid combination to promote the reaction between CO and the oxygen in the air. The electrons produced by this combination induce a small current between the two electrodes, which is proportional to the amount of CO in the air. External circuitry monitors changes in the current to calculate the concentration of CO gas. Readings are taken from low levels that may be hazardous over long periods of time to high concentrations that present an
immediate danger.
2. Installation locations vary
by manufacturer
According to the NFPA (NFPA 720, 2005 edition 5.1.1.1 and 5.1.1.2), all CO detectors “shall be centrally located outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms,” and each detector “shall be located on the wall, ceiling or other location as specified in the installation instructions that accompany the unit.”
Manufacturers’ recommendations vary to a certain degree based on research conducted with each one’s specific detector. Therefore, make sure to read the provided installation manual for each detector before installing.
3. Although detectors require specific power sources, system-connected, monitored CO detectors are the most reliable choice
There are three main power sources for CO detectors. The first, battery-powered CO detectors, require annual battery replacement. When the battery has reached its maximum lifespan, the detector will chirp at regular intervals to alert homeowners. However, some homeowners become annoyed by the chirping and, instead of replacing the battery, they remove it. Therefore, battery-powered CO detectors require discipline (checking the battery) and maintenance (replacing the battery) by the homeowner.
The second, a 120-volt powered detector, runs off the main power supply in the dwelling. Like battery-powered detectors, most of these detectors do not have monitoring capabilities. So, if your detectors lose power in a blackout, for example, you may not realize they are not working – unless they have a battery backup feature. Also, a power outage is a crucial time to protect against CO because people tend to use more CO-generating appliances, such as space heaters and generators, for comfort.
The third, a 12/24-volt device, is the most reliable means of powering a CO detector. These system-connected CO detectors can be wired to either a security or fire panel. This type of system offers monitoring by a central station to provide extra protection if the residence is empty, if the residents are sleeping, or if the residents are already suffering the effects from CO. If a problem arises with the detector or CO concentration hits dangerous levels, the owner may not only be notified by the detector and the control panel, but also by the central station. If the owner is unreachable, the central station may send the proper authorities to investigate. Procedures will vary from station to station, but the residents will always be guaranteed protection 24/7.
4. System-connected CO detectors should be fully listed to UL 2075
A system-connected CO detector should
be more than just listed to UL 2075, it should be specifically designed for system operation. UL 2075 requires CO detectors to have a trouble relay and wiring supervision. CO detectors should be designed around these lifesaving features to guarantee that if a problem exists with the sensing circuit or if the detector has reached its maximum lifespan, the trouble relay will send a message to the control panel.
5. Current draw matters
Choose a CO detector with a low current draw so that more CO detectors can be connected to the panel, without having to purchase a more expensive panel or an extra auxiliary power supply. |
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The sun is setting on analog cellular service.
Welcome to the new horizon. DigiCell AnyNET
There is no better time to switch to Digital!
- GSM dual band EGSM/GPRS
- Advanced solutions from a proven partner
- Web management
- Easy installation
- No special central station software/hardware required
- Instant connectivity
- Works with most alarm panel manufacturers
| Performance Priced Right |
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| Capture – The Complete Surveillance System |
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The SDR Series of DVRs from Capture. Expect more, pay less
This series of digital video recorders offers great performance and are loaded with features while maintaining a competitive price. The SDR Series provides high-definition images stored on internal hard drives and utilizes an embedded operating system for added reliability. Features such as motion detection, scheduling functions and alarm inputs provide optimal recording, while an efficient video compression algorithm gives maximum recording duration.
For additional information on Capture products, please visit capturecctv.com
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| AudioTrak® launches a new line of heavy duty stands and accessories |
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Telescoping Boom and Base Microphone Stand
- Height: 39 to 67 inches;
1000 to 1700 mm
- Boom extension: 20 to 35 inches;
530 to 910 mm
- Shipping weight: 5.7 lbs; 2.6 kg
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Professional Telescoping Tripod Speaker Stand with Steel Construction
- Height: 4 to 9.8 feet; 1250 to 3000 mm
- Load capacity: 175 lbs; 80 kg
- Shipping weight: 18 lbs; 8 kg
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