Trends in IP video transmission

The main problems in transmission of video data is size of the files and sensitivity of video streams to time delays. Currently and in the foreseeable future, H.264 algorithms ensure the best results - the lowest bandwidth and disc space requirements, the shortest download time. The parameters are about 30% better than in the case of MPEG-4 ASP compression. The newest codec is used by the most technologically advanced companies using mainly Texas Instruments platform (DaVinci).

Market research shows that in 2011 H.264 will catch up with MPEG-4 and then become the undisputed leader.
The tendencies were the subject of ACTi lecture at IFSEC in Birmingham.

Trends in television in Olympic year - Anga 2008

The next Anga Cable in Cologne is taking place from May 27 to 29, 2008. This exhibition and conference is dedicated to cable television, broadband networks, and satellite broadcasting. There will be 369 exhibitors from 28 countries. The organizers are expecting about 10 000 visitors.

ANGA Cable has become the most important trade exhibition of TV technology and related areas in Europe.

Great sporting events are very important for television market - they generate demand for new services, can be a breakthrough in introducing new technologies to the public.

This year the technology that has a chance for popularization due to sports transmissions is HDTV.
The first step was free HDTV transmissions on the British Freesat platform, which began in May. It has created demand for suitable receivers, adaptation of existing antenna systems to new requirements, multiswitch installations.

On the one hand it seems that there is a market opportunity for DVB-T receivers with MPEG-4 decoders. Practically all European countries plan to introduce the system enabling terrestrial HD transmissions. On the other hand, only several countries have adopted this standard, so the manufacturers cannot take advantage of mass production.

CCTV at IFSEC

CCTV comapnies at IFSEC:

• Panasonic
• JVC
• Norbain
• Bosch
• Dedicated Micros
• Sanyo
• Sony
• Samsung
• Mitsubishi
• Dallmeier
• Cieffe
• IndigoVision
• Axis Communications

IFSEC 2008 untill tomorrow

IFSEC 2008: 12 - 15th of May.

Sony, Panasonic, JVC, Norbain, IBM, Group 4 Security, Honeywell, Siemens… The exhibition showcases the very best manufacturers and distributors in the industry and is the ideal opportunity to source a range of product and services under one roof.

NEED HELP WITH YOUR EXPORT STRATEGY? LOOKING TO INVEST IN THE UK?
"Representatives from British Embassies and Consulates in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Egypt, India, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden and Turkey will be at IFSEC and can offer first hand knowledge and experience of their markets." - information at organiser's website.

ACTi visit in DIPOL

DIPOL's office in Cracow

DIPOL and Elsa Cheng at Securex fair

Elsa Cheng from ACTi is responsible for market development in Eastern Europe. For the first time she visits Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Hungary. On April 22 she was the guest of Securex trade fair in Poznan and she also visited our headquarters in Cracow.

New megapixel camera from ACTi

The new product of one of the leading manufacturers of IP cameras - ACTi - marked as ACM-4200 (K1510) belongs to megapixel group. Its 1.3 Mpix (1280 x 1024) resolution means three times more pixels in comparison with standard CCTV cameras. The employed CMOS sensor allows operation from 0.5 lx level without day/ night function. Implementation of MPEG-4 codec allows to transmit and record images of 1.3 Mpix resolution without high bandwidth and disc space requirements. Below we compare this camera with a product of another leading manufacturer.

	ACTi ACM-4200 K1510	???
Lens	C/CS	fixed
Compression	MPEG-4 / MJPEG	MPEG-4 / MJPEG
Minimum light intensity	0.5 lx	2 lx
Resolution	1280 x 1024	1280 x 1024
Bandwidth requirements	3 Mbps	9 Mbps
Audio transmission	2-way	1-way

China managed to implement terrestrial HDTV

In January 2008 there was started terrestrial HDTV transmission in the Beijing area. Until the Olympics open in Beijing in August, the transmissions will have been available in the rest of the host cities: Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, as well as in Guangzhou and Shenzhen industrial zones. China plans to deploy the infrastructure in the whole country by 2010.

HDTV broadcasts will be available also via mobile devices. Intel, in cooperation with Silicon Legend, has prepared Intel Centrino processor dedicated for reception of the Chinese television. In June there are expected laptops from leading manufacturers, which will enable the users on the go to watch transmissions of the Olympic Games in HDTV standard. These will be products of Lenovo, HP, Asus, Sony, Samsung, and Toshiba for Chinese market.

Megapixel revolution - IFSEC 2008

From May 12 to 15, 2008, Birmingham will host the most important world security trade fair, IFSEC.
This fair enjoys excellent reputation both among exhibitors and visitors, so it is not affected by the decline of world exhibitions. The whole exhibition space is reserved long before the event. This edition will draw all major companies dealing with security issues.

The perfect location of the exhibition (the whole complex includes Birmingham airport and railroad station) makes the fair more accessible for the public - there are expected more than 30,000 visitors this year. High reputation of the fair is the result of hard work of its organizers. It is recognized as one of the best prepared fairs in the world. Permanent and often updated website promotes the exhibitors all year round. Early enough announced conferences and lectures attract many participants. Clear division of exhibition space into sections makes it easy for visitors to find what they are looking for.

This year the main topics include: RFID & Smartcards, Counter Terror, Access Control and Security Solutions, CCTV Village, IP & Networks, Security Guarding & Support Services, Intruder Alarms & Physical Security, Fire Solutions. Due to participation of all major manufacturers, the fair is an indicator of technological developments and trends for the near future.

Looking through advertisements in magazines and fair announcements, we may expect in video surveillance technology:

• significant increase of the share of megapixel cameras. Wider use of these cameras will gradually supplant speed dome cameras,
• migration to MPEG-4 with H.264 codec in all IP CCTV devices including DVRs,
• dominance of WDR sensors in analog cameras,
• integration of CCTV and access control systems.