As Seen on TV

On Monday October 3, we all came to work here at Kintronics with the same question for each other. “Did you hear about Parkchester?” Why? Because one of the lead-in stories carried on the local news broadcast the previous morning had been “Brutal attack captured on video leads to arrest of suspect in Parkchester.”You might ask, what is Parkchester? And why is Kintronics so interested?

What is Parkchester?
Parkchester is a 129 acre condominium complex in the Bronx. It was developed and built by Metropolitan Life Insurance in 1939 as a self-contained apartment complex for middle class families. Family was the key word and concept and was paramount in its design. In 1972 a conversion to condominiums began with the creation of Parkchester North Condominium with 3,900 units. The process was completed in 1986 with the final 8,286 units that comprise Parkchester South. Walking along its winding sidewalks amidst shrubbery and occasional statuary is a delight, but driving through Parkchester is a nightmare. But this is the way it was meant to be.

To minimize traffic there are only two through streets, Union port Road, running from the northwest corner to the southeast, and Metropolitan Avenue, from southwest to northeast. They form an X, crossing at Metropolitan oval a landscaped seating plaza with pool of fountains in the very center All cars are required to navigate the roundabout that encircles it, effectively keeping the speed low. Met Life built these roads, as well as the sewers, water mains, and islands lining them, and when construction was completed to its satisfaction, deeded them all to New York City.

There are no real side streets in the sense of actually going anywhere. All offshoots of the main two roads are dead ends, provided solely for the purpose of deliveries and residents’ parking. In keeping with the desire to keep this a family -comfortable community, 52.5% of the 129 acres is given over to landscaping and recreation; of the remainder, 22% comprise streets, and 27.5% is occupied by buildings.

There are 171 buildings scattered throughout, in fifty one clusters, ranging in height from seven to thirteen stories. These buildings house 12,271 apartments. As if that didn’t constitute a city in itself, there are also one hundred shopping and commercial spaces. Residents can walk to two supermarkets, several pizzerias, bakeries, and delis, two banks, numerous clothing stores, two drug stores, cleaners, a movie theater and doctors and dentists of all specialties. Parkchester even has its own Macy’s! So now that you know what Parkchester is……

Why is Kintronics so interested?
Naturally we were appalled and sorry that the attack on an elderly man had occurred, but glad we could have had a part, no matter how miniscule, in the apprehension of the attacker. For You see, the police identified the perpetrator thanks to video captured by an Axis 207 IP cameras mounted in the front lobby of a building on Unionport Road and saved on a computer system using ONSSI software.

Kintronics provided consulting services to Parkchester South and its 116 buildings. We helped make sure we understood their objectives and helped determine which cameras were best for each location resulting in the installation of hundreds of IP cameras in building lobbies, outdoor spaces, and special areas requiring increased surveillance.

Security surveillance is not limited only to the grounds. Within the buildings elevators are being fitted with an alarm notification system consisting of alarms, two way intercoms to the safety officer’s station and cameras to allow the officers to evaluate the situation and react appropriately. The project is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2012

In many ways, the world has become a much scarier place than it was in 1939 but with the help of the comprehensive security system Parkchester is installing it can continue to be a place that offers a serene setting for its third generation of families.

To learn more about how to provide security and surveillance using IP Cameras, conact us at 914-944-3425 or use our contact form.

Review and Comparison of IP Cameras

Megapixel IP cameras are becoming much more popular in surveillance applications, and many manufacturers have introduced new megapixel cameras. These megapixel cameras are being offered at prices that are not much more than the older VGA cameras. This camera review compares the latest megapixel dome IP Cameras from Axis, IQinvision and Ganz (division of CBC). Cameras range in price from about $659 to over $1100. One thing we always say, you get what you pay for, so understand that there are product performance and reliability differences. Take a look at our previous article; High Resolution Megapixel Cameras are Not all the Same which describes the differences in cameras.

Axis was one of the first companies to introduce IP Cameras and has recently moved into the megapixel market. IQinvision was one of the first companies to introduce megapixel cameras and have the most experience in this technology. The new megapixel cameras from CBC, Ganz are the latest entries from a company that is well known for their high performance lenses. We compared the Axis P3344VE-12mm version, IQinvision IQM31NE and the new PixelIPro ZN-DT1MA from Ganz. The review compares some key specifications, and provides a comparison of the video quality based on the tests we did.

All the cameras have vandal resistant outdoor housing with IP-66 rating. They are all day/night type cameras and can be used indoors or outdoors, provide about the same resolution, are powered using PoE and have 2-way audio capability. They have frame rates up to 30 fps, support H.264 as well as MJPEG compression, and have input and output I/O connections. Even though these cameras appear to be alike, they have distinct features and pricing that makes each one suitable for specific applications. Be careful when selecting a camera that has two-way audio or even alarm input and output connections. The camera may have the function but the IP NVR (or VMS) software may not support these functions.

Here is a summary of the features and benefits of each camera:

Axis P3344VE
Manufacturer’s Suggested Price: $1099
The P3344VE is one of a series of IP dome cameras. The series includes cameras with resolution from 800 x 600 pixels to 1920 x 1080 (3 MP). The specific model reviewed has a resolution of 1280 x 800. It is available with either a 2.5 – 6 mm or 3.3 - 12 mm lens remote controlled zoom P-Iris lens.

Important Features:

- Operating temperature range: -40 °C to 55 °C (-40 °F to 131 °F)
· Viewing angles using the 3.3 – 12 mm lens*, 70°-20° view (horizontal viewing angle), F1.6, DC-iris
· Uses a remote-zoom, focus lens
· Low light sensitivity: Color: 0.4 lux, F1.6, B/W: 0.06 lux, F1.6

Overview
This camera is supported by most of the IP NVR software systems, and has excellent reliability, and picture quality. This is the most expensive camera of the group reviewed, but provides the better features and functions. It includes a very nice remote zoom and auto-focus lens that makes it much easier to set up. The P-iris lens provides improved depth of field.

IQM31NE-B5
Price $699
The IQM31NE camera is part of a series of IP cameras that range in resolution of 720 x 480, 1280 x 720 and 1920 x 1080 resolution. We reviewed the model with 1280 x 720 resolution.

Important Features:
· Operating temperature range: -20 °C to 50 °C (-4 °F to 122 °F)
· Viewing angles using the 3.3 – 12 mm lens, 76°-27° view.
· Low light sensitivity: Color: 0.2 lux, F1.6, B/W: 0.05 lux, F1.6

Overview
This is an economical camera with great performance. It provides the best low light performance. This camera does not have the remote zoom and auto-focus lens making it more difficult to set up. It is a good camera for indoor and outdoor applications where you have low light conditions.

ZN-DT1MA
Price $659
The ZN-DT1MA is one of a series of IP dome cameras from Ganz (CBC). The series includes cameras with resolution of 800 x 600 pixels, 1280 x 720 and 1920 x 1080. The specific model reviewed has a resolution of 1280 x 720. It is available with 3.3 – 12 mm remote controlled zoom P-Iris lens.

Important Features:
· Operating temperature range: 0ºF ~ 122ºF (-18ºC ~ 50ºC) when using PoE. · With the optional heater the low temperature is better: -20ºF ~ 122ºF (-29ºC ~ 50ºC).
· Viewing angles using the 3.3 – 12 mm lens*, 89.8° ~ 23.9° view (horizontal viewing angle), F1.6, DC-iris
· Uses a remote-zoom, focus lens
· Low light sensitivity: Color: 1 lux, B/W: 0.15 lux (Slow Shutter ON)

Overview
The low light performance is not as good as the other cameras, but it is the least expensive of the group reviewed. It has the widest angle lens (89.8 degrees) of the group. The camera uses the p-iris type lens and has a very nice remote zoom and auto-focus lens that makes it easier to install and set up. It is an excellent camera for indoor and outdoor applications where you have adequate lighting.

	Product Comparison Chart
Specifications	Axis P3344VE-12mm	IQM31NE-B5	ZN-DT1MA
Market Pricing	$1099	$699	$659
Maximum Resolution	1280x800	1280 x 720	1280 x 720
Lens	3.3-12 mm, 20°-70° Horizontal	3 - 13 mm, 27° - 76° horizontal	3.3-12mm, 23.9° - 89.8°
Lens Type	P-Iris, Varifocal with remote zoom and focus, IR corrected, megapixel	Manual Iris	P-Iris, Varifocal with remote zoom and focus, IR corrected, megapixel
Low Light Sensitivity	Color: 0.4 lux, F1.6, B/W: 0.06 lux, F1.6	Color: 0.2 lux, B/W: <0.05 lux, F1.4	Color: 1.0 lux, B/W: 0.15 lux (Slow Shutter ON)
Enclosure Type	Vandal Resistant, outdoor IP-66	Vandal Resistant, outdoor IP-66	Vandal Resistant, Outdoor IP-66
Compression	H.264 (MPEG-4 Part 10/AVC) and Motion JPEG	H.264 (MPEG-4 Part 10/AVC) and Motion JPEG	H.264, MJPEG - 2nd stream only
Audio	2-WAY	2-WAY	2-WAY
Connections	Terminal block for 1 alarm input and 1 output, 3.5 mm mic/line in, 3.5 mm line out	Terminal block for 1 alarm input and 1 output, 3.5 mm mic/line in, 3.5 mm line out	Alarm In x1, Alarm Out x1, Audio In x1
Size, Height × Diameter (mm)	119 x 178	97.3 x 150.0	116.3mm (H) x 145mm Ø
Power	Class 3	Class 1, <3.8W using PoE	Triple Power12VDC 1A / 24VAC (50Hz/60Hz) 500mA PoE Class 2 (IEEE 802.3af compliant)
Operating Conditions	Temp: -40 °C to 55 °C, (-40 °F to 131 °F), humidity 15 - 100% RH (condensing)	-20˚ to +50˚ C	Temp: -18ºC ~ +50ºC (0ºF ~ 122ºF ), -29ºC ~ 50ºC (-20ºF ~ 122ºF ) with optional heater

Camera Tests

We tested the three cameras to see how the key specifications matched the actual performance. We tested the cameras by viewing a test pattern and by viewing a rather difficult real world view. Here is what we found:

Setting them up
The Axis and PixelPro cameras both have remote zoom and focus lenses, making them the easiest to set up. You simply push the focus button and the camera automatically provides the best focus. I had some issue focusing the PixelPro camera. I needed to move the focus to the right range and then it did the focusing automatically. The IQ camera has a manual zoom and focus. It wasn’t too difficult to set it up, but of course, you need to be at the camera to do the adjustments. I didn’t make any changes to the other video settings, and all the cameras provided a good image without any adjustments. The IQ camera has some advanced adjustments that allow you to maximize the picture for day and nighttime viewing.

Test Pattern
We used the following test pattern. We looked at the converging lines on the test pattern. As the lines get closer together we looked for the point at which we couldn’t see the difference between the black and white spacing between lines. This allowed us to determine the maximum resolution from each of the cameras.


We looked at the pattern in the full size view and then we digitally zoomed in. It is hard to tell from the pictures we provided below, but all the cameras provided about the same resolution capability.
Here are some examples of the resulting views:

The IQinvision IQM31NE-B5 camera performed very well. Take a look at the following test chart:




We also zoomed in digitally to see the important features. All cameras did quite well. The PixelPro camera provides a nice feature that shows where you are in the full picture in a small pop up window.



PixelPro Enlarged Test Chart

Real World View
The second test was more demanding. We set up the cameras to view a mixed view in the foreground with a bright window in the background. This tested the color quality and the dynamic range of the camera. It also tested the depth of field.

Axis Window View


IQ Window


PixelPro Window


In this test the Axis camera was best at viewing both the foreground and background. It provided excellent depth of field. The image was slightly yellow, when compared to the other cameras. Note that the truck has a yellowish tint. It is actually white.

Summary:
All the cameras tested provided excellent resolution when tested with the test pattern. The Axis camera was best at providing dynamic range and depth of field. The IQ camera provided a reasonable image of the window area, while the PixelPro camera provided slightly less dynamic range.

So what is the best camera for the job? It really depends on what you are looking at. The Axis is best when you need to view areas that have a very wide range of lighting. For example it is the best camera for viewing people against windows or glass doors. The PixelPro is a good choice for outdoor and indoor areas and where you would like to save time during installation and have good lighting. The IQ camera is an economical camera yet excellent for situations where you need very good low light sensitivity.

If you would like to learn more about these cameras or need help selecting the right one for your application, please contact us. We can be reached at +1-914-944-3425 or just use our contact form.

Case Study of Emergency Notification System for a University

Introduction
RUniversity is a small private liberal arts university in the Midwest with approximately 2,500 undergraduate students and 500 graduate students. The university has four colleges/schools: the college of arts & sciences, the school of management, the school of graduate and professional studies, and the research college of nursing.

The university upgraded their network over the past three years. They improved the reliability of networks and upgraded their Internet speed. They have also added additional services for redundancy and increased efficiency for all users by replacing old Internet routers and traffic management equipment. This is but a short list of some of the network upgrades that the Computer Services department at R University has been engaged in.

Recently R University approached Kintronics requesting assistance in a new project. The goal of the project was to provide a complete paging system to notify students of emergency situations. A special committee of faculty and staff were tasked with finding a solution that would not only notify students of emergency situations, but also exploit the existing network infrastructure. By using the existing infrastructure they were able to deploy the systems quickly and reduce the labor costs. Since the PA over IP system is treated like any other network with a set of peripheral devices, the in-house IT staff could install and operate the system. This eliminated the need to hire independent installers to install cables and other devices throughout the buildings. Kintronics provided a solution that met their criteria. In what follows is a description of the methodology that we used to develop a system unique to their needs.

Methodology

Clarifying the Objectives:
Our first task was to clarify exactly what the school wanted to accomplish. Did they want the faculty and students to hear the announcement in the halls, in the classrooms, dorm rooms, outdoor areas, etc? This allowed us to determine where the people (the “ears”) would be. They clarified the need for hearing the announcements mostly in the hallways and common areas and in some outdoor areas as well.

The university has approximately 24 buildings situated on approximately 52 acres. Each building varies in size and shape, and total square footage. Given this information we devised a means to determine exactly where the speakers should be placed, so as to ensure that everyone in the target areas would be able to hear the emergency announcements clearly.

Determining where the Speakers would be Located

We started at the location of the “ears”, and determined what the minimum Sound Pressure Level (SPL) was required to be heard over the background noise in each area. Working back from the “ears" we can then determine how far away speakers are from the people based on the sound level output from various types of speakers.

Sound Pressure Level (SPL)
Also, probably more important than either of the aforementioned, is the relationship between the actual Sound Pressure Level and what we perceive as sound. For instance a Sound Pressure Level of 85 decibels would be equivalent to an average amount of traffic on a busy street. Theoretically the sound pressure level associated with a particular sound is based on the geometry of the object producing the sound, and the objects surrounding, or nearby the sound-producing source. As an example consider the objects surrounding the sound-producing source. Let’s say for instance that the point source is a speaker.
Figure 1


Figure 1 depicts a single speaker that radiates sound in all directions. There are no objects in its path to impede the sound from traveling in all directions. The Sound Pressure Level (SPL) is measured with a sound level meter (Figure 2).

Figure 2


In practice a sound level meter is used to determine the precise sound pressure level at a certain distance. To make things easier, all speaker manufacturers provide the SPL at 1 M away from the source, and at 1 Watt power. They sometimes will also provide the sound output at full power input. As an example consider the specifications for the PH10T speaker. It has a SPL of 112 dB at a 1-meter distance, with a full input power rating of 10 WATTS.

We can use a complex formula or use an easier simplified method to determine how much sound is available as we are further away from the speaker. In the article “How Loud is Loud?” an outline of the basic equations for measuring sound pressure levels and determining the relationship between the decrease in sound as a function of distance that the individual is away from the speaker were reviewed. The simplified method says that we lose 6dB of sound each time we double the distance away from the speaker. So at 2 M the sound goes down to 106dB, at 4 M it is at 100 dB, and at 8 M it’s about 94dB. At 10 M we estimate that the sound level is approximately 92 dB. Ten meters is equivalent to approximately 30 feet.

92 dB corresponds to the sound that a diesel truck or motor cycle (loud one) makes. In the results section, we provide a real world example using a set of requirements from a recent client of ours.

Results

The information above can be used to determine approximately where the speakers should be placed for a specific SPL. The objective was to make sure that everyone heard the message. Here’s how we used the information in the previous section to determine near optimal placement of the speakers on one floor of R University’s all-purpose building. Consider Figures 3.

Figure 3

This is the basement floor of the all-purpose building. This floor has an approximate area of 25,000 square feet. Using the floor plan we developed a simple relationship between the drawing measurements and the actual building measurements (i.e. scale). Once the scale was determined, we were able to mark off on the drawing where each speaker should be placed based on the speaker specifications. The details have been omitted for brevity.

Our client determined that each floor should be covered with a SPL of 90-95 dB or greater. For Figure 3 the speakers were placed based on the aforementioned SPL requirement. The speaker that most closely matched our client’s requirements was a PH20T. Each speaker covers an area of approximately 75 feet with an SPL of 90 dB or greater. The orientation of each speaker is largely dependent on the radiation pattern as shown below in Figure 4.

Figure 4

Figure 4, is similar in nature to Figure 1. It demonstrates how far the sound produced by a speaker will reach in all directions. Just like in Figure 1 the speaker is located in the middle of the circle, but it is not shown in this figure, and the dashed line indicates the radiation pattern for the PH20T. It is clear that the radiation pattern resembles a ripple in a pond when a solid object is thrown into the center of it (i.e. omnidirectional). Looking at the radiation patterns we can see that the entire floor is covered with a SPL of at least 90 dB, which coincides with the requirements of our clients. The areas that are not covered have little or no traffic.

We selected the IP7-SS20 amplifier to drive each of the speakers. This amplifier provides an output of up to 20 watts, which is more than enough to achieve the sound level required. Since they connect directly to the network, it was very easy to install. Special software called Talkmaster-EE was installed on two computers (with microphones) that can be used to make announcements. This provided a complete emergency announcement system that used the existing network infrastructure for connecting the amplifiers (with speakers) to the central office. For more details about this system take a look at our article Paging over IP.

Conclusion

R University is one of many clients that we have helped in determining speaker requirements and speaker locations within each building. At Kintronics we use an analytical approach to problem solving. Each solution that we develop for our clients is based on the information that they provide us with. We do not add components superfluously to a client’s system. We pride ourselves on the ability to translate client requirements into system requirements, and make the necessary recommendations. It is our job and responsibility to ensure that the: lives, property, valuables, etc. that our client’s have entrusted us to protect, are safe at all times. We provide the correct solution the first time and provide a very thorough explanation to our clients about the system design.

If you require assistance with translating: ideas or security requirements into system requirements, please contact us at 1-800-431-1658 or 914-944-3425 or use our contact form.