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 | Zebra Provides 2-year Warranty on Card Printers
Zebra Technologies, Camarillo, Calif., is providing a two-year warranty for all Value and Performance class printers purchased after Jan. 1, 2007, for North America and Latin America customers. Printers include all P100 and P330 i-series color and monochrome card printers, as well as the P430i.
by Russ Gager
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Keyscan and Tri-Ed Team up
Keyscan Access Control Systems partnered with Tri-Ed Distribution for the delivery of its access control products. This strategic agreement leverages Tri-Ed’s North American distribution network.
by Russ Gager
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 | Pelco’s Endura Can Be Integrated with POS Software
The partnering of Pelco, Clovis, Calif., with SmartConnect resulted in the development of a software management platform that allows Endura, the Pelco enterprise-class IP-based video security system, to work with the SmartConnect CasinoVision POS Version 4.1 security software application.
by Russ Gager
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Honeywell Receives Command Control Certification
Honeywell, Louisville, Ky., received PL-1 certification for its Vindicator security solutions, the highest security certification from the United States Air Force. The certification recognizes the Vindicator command and control (VCC) platform, V5 intrusion detection system (IDS) and V5 access control system (ACS) as an approved command, control and display solution for intrusion detection and entry control systems.
by Russ Gager
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 | TECHNOLOGY EXPLAINED
Distributing Video Analytics Between the Server and the Edge
One trend in video analytics is to distribute the software towards the “edge” of the system, either in the camera or the video encoder, which converts analog video to digital. One example of this type of technology is the analytics system from Agent VI, Fort Myers, Fla., which is distributed between the camera or encoder and the system’s computer server. This differs from other analytics solutions in which all of the processing takes place in one location.
by Russ Gager
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 | On Some or All Cameras?
Depending on the installation, different levels of video intelligence can be deployed in certain cameras.
by Russ Gager
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Fire Projects Involve Multiple Levels of Responsibility
An architect and engineer (A&E) will design the plans for a complete facility based on their comfort, knowledge and past history with fire alarm manufacturers. The A&E is the representative of the owner and works for the owner.
by John Hyatt
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What IP Technology Means to Access Control
The access control market is on the verge of a technological revolution. As IP networking technology matures and computer processors attain new levels of performance and reliability, the industry is shifting from older technology based on hardware panels and proprietary protocols to new high-technology systems consisting of innovative software, PCs, and IP-enabled edge devices. This trend is simply a migration from controller-based access towards server- or host-based access control.
by Jimmy Palatsoukas
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 | Specification Tool Simplifies Fire System Design Process
A new fire alarm system specification-writing tool is now available on CD. Through Intelli-Spec from Gamewell-FCI, Northford, Conn., of Honeywell’s Life Safety division, specifiers can create, edit and publish comprehensive specifications in CSI (Construction Specifications Institute) MasterFormat, output as standard Microsoft or RTF (rich text format) documents.
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Top-level NICET Certification in Video Security Is Now Available
The National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) has released the examination for the new Video Security Systems Technician (VSST) Level IV certification. The opening of this computer-based test marks the completion of the VSST program.
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 | GROWTH MARKETS
Mobile Video Has Innovative Uses
Primary markets for mobile video include school and transit buses, police squad cars, trains, armored vehicles handling cash, and trucks carrying sensitive products, such as pharmaceuticals.
by Russ Gager
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 | A STORY OF RMR
Opportunities for Integrators in Mobile Video
Many mobile video systems have three components — the video surveillance system on the vehicles, the automatic wireless off-loading of data when the vehicle returns to its yard and the back-end system server software, content management and video storage, notes Randy Covey, business development manager for SafetyVision L.P., Houston.
by Russ Gager
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 | Mobile Video Without a DVR
Video Protects Patrols
Mobile video is used to document prisoner transfers, record guard patrol incidents and improve the guards’ driving techniques by Rancho Santa Fe Protective Services, Encinitas, Calif.
by Russ Gager
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ADI Offers High-definition Video Training
Conducted by the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF), ADI’s High-Definition Video Training Series will educate installers in HDTV set-up and professional video calibration techniques. It is being held in 20 cities across the United States.
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 | Even the Most Skilled Techs Miss the Point on EOL Resistor Location
I
have worked in the security industry for 31 years and am currently a technical
training manager for a national firm. For years I have been teaching proper
location of end-of-line resistors to technicians; however, I find one fairly
important issue that keeps getting missed by very talented technicians: On
which side of the (intrusion) zone should the EOL be installed?
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 | Flexible Capabilities
The Inexpensive, Versatile, Reliable and Rugged Relay
At
one time, all fire control boxes and burglar alarm controls were designed
around relays, diodes and a few resistors. With the advent of reliable
solid-state devices, those controls evolved from indicating simply a “normal”
or “alarm” condition to providing a multitude of types of premises information
— everything from the status of the protection devices to who activated or
deactivated the control.
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 | Understanding Fire Alarm Cabling
Insulation on cables is subject to burn during a fire. The burning cable could possibly spread the fire to other parts of the building, and the fumes from the burning cable could be toxic to the building in-habitants. Cables are classified as three types based on their application and toxicity.
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 | Bosch Unveils IP Resource Center Web Site
Bosch Security Systems Inc., Fairport, N.Y., launched a new Web site that provides a comprehensive online educational tool designed to help simplify video-over-IP technology for systems integrators, end users and consultants.
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Switch Terminology 101
Switches are classified by the work they perform. A switch is a mechanical device for opening or closing an electric circuit, or for selecting between multiple circuits. In the simplest case, a switch has two pieces of metal that touch to make a circuit and separate to break the circuit. Here are different types of switches and terminology.
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 | How to Terminate UTP for CCTV Jobs
A sure trend in CCTV is migrating these systems from analog to digital Internet protocol (IP). This means that instead of stand-alone systems with separate cabling for both the analog and the digital, IP-based systems will converge onto a single network. When translated into the physical realm, this means that unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable will replace time-honored coax cable wired to cameras.
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 | Understanding Fiber Optic Fire Alarm Cabling
Fiber optic cables are used in fire alarm systems for remote annunciators, panel interconnection, and networking to other systems. Since fiber optic cables are nonconductors, they are resistant to lighting, radio frequency interference (RFI) and electromagnetic interference (EMI). Article 770 covers the requirements for fiber optic cables.
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 | Laser Illumination Delivers Long-range Vision System
A new category of patent-pending vision system has achieved night visibilities of 3,000 feet and beyond by using a compact, highly controllable, continuous zooming active laser illuminator.
by Randall Foster
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 | Understanding Pulsed Alarm Transmission Formats
Security companies that have technicians in the field six years or less have used Contact ID or SIA as their primary means of alarm communication to the central station receiver. Because of CP-01 and the speed of DTMF formats, these obviously were the formats of choice.
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 | UTP Video Transmission: Tips & Troubleshooting
If you are in the CCTV industry, it is likely you have noticed a substantial increase in the cost of coaxial cable. As you know, the two main substances used to manufacture coaxial cable, copper and petroleum, are becoming hot commodities.
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 | How to Properly Drill an Aluminum Door Frame
One of the most time-consuming processes alarm installers perform is drilling a hole in the perfect spot. First, use a level and/or square to mark the perfect spot, select the right drill bit and proceed to drill your hole.
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Is a New Fire System Needed?
When replacing an older security system that happens to have smoke and/or heat detectors connected to it, is it necessary to replace it with a full-blown fire system and bring everything up to code, or can we just replace the controller and leave all of the devices in place?
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Browser Adds Geographic Flexibility
Using a Web browser rather than software on a user’s computer to integrate access control with other security functions is becoming an option with several systems.
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OUTSOURCING, COMPUTERIZING OR A COMBINATION ARE OPTIONS
Recurring billing is one of the most common issues that small to mid-sized security dealers face in managing their work flow. When your billables for service calls, monitoring and inspections reach several hundreds and thousands of customers, it becomes necessary to streamline the process of recurring billing.
by Veeral P. Lakhani
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 | Device Designed to Reduce False Alarms
In the late 1990s, when the founder of E&E Electronic Engineering Research Inc., Randall Wang, realized that his southern California alarm company was faced with a serious and growing problem of false alarms, he reviewed thousands of accounts and discovered that approximately 75 percent of false alarms are caused by false trips from PIR motion detectors.
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