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Tackling the Complexity of Wireless Video

October 12, 2011

Developing a revenue stream from designing and installing wireless video networks takes experience over time. Counted in that experience: attention to such things as grounding, weatherproofing, channel management, antenna placement and alignment. Here’s how.

E-Sign and Go (& Grow Your Business)

The ability to capture signatures electronically has helped dealers make customers happier, make operations more efficient, save money, improve cashflow, and even expand the company’s footprint.

Sabrina Gasulla

October 12, 2011

What are electronic signatures and what can they do for your business? With so many new “e-services” available, it can be difficult to identify the ones worth your time. SDM discussed electronic signatures with a security consultant, an industry-specialized attorney and two dealers to get some perspective.

The Future is in the Card (Readers)

Access control reader technology comes into its own.

Karyn Hodgson

October 12, 2011

For the past decade or more, talk of “multi-technology” (multi-tech) readers has been about transitions (long or short) between one technology and another. First it was from magnetic stripe to proximity, then from proximity to smart cards. Today’s readers, however, stand that idea on its head.

Elevating RMR’s Potential

Even in a tight economy, RMR opportunities continue to grow. Some may surprise you, while others are new twists on existing opportunities. The overall consensus? RMR opportunities can be found everywhere.

Heather Klotz-Young

September 14, 2011

It is time to abbreviate the abbreviation. For decades, the security industry has strongly associated recurring monthly revenue (RMR) with monitoring, namely alarm monitoring. The connection is so strong to alarm monitoring that some define RMR as recurring monitoring revenue. Whether the “M” stands for monthly or monitoring one could almost argue for removing the long-standing connotation by taking the letter out — shortening RMR to recurring revenue (RR). Indeed, a broader application of RMR opportunities in both the residential and commercial sectors, combined with increasing technological capabilities and admirable industry creativity is enabling dealers and integrators to gain RMR via multiple forms that stretch far beyond monitoring and alarms.

Cutting Edge Solutions for Perimeter Applications

Integrators discuss some of their most effective solutions for high-security perimeter applications.

Karyn Hodgson

September 14, 2011

When it comes to perimeter security, clients’ needs vary widely — sometimes within the same project. There is definitely no single approach that works for all. However, certain trends do seem to be emerging. Biometric technology appears to be truly coming into its own as a single solution, in many cases without being attached to cards at all. Other solid approaches include video analytics, security fencing, and an upgraded layered approach to security that takes into account more systems processes than ever before.

Law, Order & the Making of Money

Laws and regulations often keep, generate, or even increase business, revenue and profit for security companies.

Bill Zalud

September 14, 2011

Tired of all those silly laws? Weary of the tax-sapping and job-killing regulations? Critical of bureaucrats that make decisions but don’t know or care about your business? Listening too much to the cable and radio talking heads spinning out doom and gloom?

Who’s Hosting Video Services?

Wholesale central stations commonly offer video monitoring today — but with relatively low demand, many have not moved into hosted video yet.

Joan Engebretson

September 14, 2011

It’s becoming increasingly commonplace for third-party central stations to offer video monitoring services — sometimes known as managed video services — such as remote video guard tours, video verification of alarm signals and video escort services. But often these services represent a relatively small percentage of the third-party central station’s total revenues.

(Way) Beyond the Burglar Alarm

For nearly 10 years, AiN Group — Managing Partner of GE Home Technologies — has gone way beyond the burglar alarm and focused to provide complete electronic low-voltage solutions for developers, home builders and consumers throughout the United States.

Heather Klotz-Young

September 14, 2011

Last year at CEDIA, less than 24 hours after having landed in Atlanta to attend AiN Group’s annual Live and Learn Convention for the first time, I was posing in front of an Orange County Chopper motorcycle and listening to AiN Group’s own house band, Cat 5 and the Integrators absolutely rock out the Hard Rock Café Atlanta on a Thursday night.

The Many Uses for LPR Technologies

License plate capture and recognition involves several different technologies that combine to create a solution for a specific application — and those applications go well beyond tolls and traffic.

Derek Rice

September 14, 2011

Given the prevalence of traffic cameras and toll plaza cameras, license plate recognition (LPR) may seem pretty straightforward: take a picture of a car, analyze it with software to determine the plate number, then compare that number against a database or store it for later forensic use. However, as is the case with any technology, the devil’s in the details. And in the LPR world, if any one of those details isn’t just right, the results can be downright useless.

Researching AIREF

The Alarm Industry Research & Educational Foundation serves as the research arm of the electronic life safety, security and systems industry, but what exactly does it do and how can the industry benefit from its projects?

Maggie Shein

September 12, 2011

The Alarm Industry Research & Educational Foundation (AIREF) represents the electronic life safety, security and systems industry, under the auspices of the Electronic Security Association (ESA). Since AIREF’s beginnings in 1977, foundation members have been focused on improving education in the alarm industry as well as conducting research that public safety officials can use to better protect and serve the community, and dealers, distributors, manufacturers and monitoring stations can use to increase acceptance of their products and improve public relations.