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Low-light performance (or lack thereof) has long been the knock against high definition (HD) and megapixel cameras. And for good reason because this is also one of the few areas where these cameras have been outperformed by their good, old-fashioned analog cousins.

Having a UL listed central station is a mark of distinction pursued by alarm monitoring companies and trusted by consumers. But earning the distinction can be a lengthy and intricate process that requires demonstrating a range of competencies followed by ongoing inspections to maintain the certification.

The hallmark of a high-quality alarm company’s central monitoring station is the ability of its people to quickly, expertly and compassionately handle any call that comes their way, take appropriate action to verify alarms and notify the appropriate authorities. Delivering these essential services can only come through the proper and consistent training of central dispatch center operators.

The utility environment is challenging in many ways. Brent Franklin, president, Unlimited Technology Inc., Chester Springs, Pa., sums it up appropriately when he says, “Utilities are often located in the middle of some of the worst environments and applications you can possibly imagine. They are in the middle of a transformer field or on the side of a rocky hill. They absolutely have a lot more inherent risk than a normal office building.”

End users’ desire for high-definition and megapixel technologies has driven the vast majority of advancements in the video surveillance industry — yet because the security industry has been adopting IP cameras more slowly than expected, end users may not necessarily be aware of the newest advancements.

In an industry where technology is king and the latest and greatest in access control can do amazingly sophisticated things, it is somewhat ironic that one of the most complicated and controversial pieces of equipment to install is a lock — a magnetic lock, to be specific. The issues surrounding this relatively simple piece of hardware can get so messy that some dealers and integrators elect to stay away from installing it at all.

Security Cloud Computing (SCC) has arrived and is changing the very fabric of how security is sold, delivered, used and — as a result — valued by customers. It is or will dramatically impact the historic notions of RMR by expanding the sources and changing its structure.

Security dealers that install smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors for the residential market soon will have to meet some new requirements as a result of changes made to the latest National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. The standards involved are the 2010 version of NFPA 72, the National Fire Alarm & Signaling Code, and the 2012 version of NFPA 720, the Standard for the Installation of Carbon Monoxide Detection & Warning Equipment.

A confluence of both opportunities (energy management, mobile technologies) and challenges (depressed home construction, reduced consumer spending) keeps pushing installation companies into market segments in which they’ve never gone before. One result is that more security dealers are seeking sales of residential systems that go beyond traditional security, especially those targeted for the existing home market.