Articles about: Digital video | Audio recording | Voice call logging

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

2012-01-12T06:35:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as well as the health insurance exchange, there is going to be a bigger emphasis on prevention and timely access to care. Due to the provider reference database, individuals who are not accustomed to accessing a complicated health care system will be able to identify providers to receive care. In order to help providers get more information about newly acquired patients, the provider reference database has the ability to interface with statewide health insurance exchanges.

This process may expel the need to repeat tests that have already been performed. In addition, “practices could indicate whether or not they have additional capacity for new patients, the type of patient mix they handle, and the type of reimbursement they would honor.”*

“Given the health threats to our nation’s population posed by natural disasters, biological agents, and pandemics, the need to amass as much information on the providers and patients in our health care system becomes increasingly important. The proposed database can make it possible not only to provide access to providers, but to survey the providers regarding early signs of significant threats to our safety. In the midst of a crisis, there is generally an influx of providers willing to offer assistance immediately. The database can be used to systematically notify providers so that efforts are coordinated as needed.

The importance of the health challenges we face as a nation suggest that we cannot allow ourselves to be over involved in political posturing. Such activities may slow or cease the progress we are making in developing a state-of-the-art HIE and promoting the widespread use of electronic health records that, when coupled with a comprehensive provider reference database will go a long way toward meeting our nation’s health information needs,” says the author.

*Source: Online Research Journal Perspectives in Health Information Management

A Healthcare Provider Reference Database for Rural Populations

2011-12-19T09:45:00.000-05:00

It is no secret that a significant amount of federal funds and attention have been given to the implementation of a Nationwide Health Information Network. This is especially true considering the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act as part of the ARRA, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 as well as the definition of “meaningful use,” of electronic health records as part of the ARRA.

Despite the fact that the main aim of the Nationwide Health Information Network is to connect providers and consumers for the timely and secure exchange of patient information, attention to electronic access of health information has rapidly increased.

For instance, recent natural disasters highlight the need for a health care provider reference database, as it will finally allow patients to access provider information when the patient’s customary source of care is not readily available. The possibility for patients to access such information, either online or through phone-enabled access portals will make matching displaced individuals available.

Enforcement of Verison 5010 HIPAA Standards Delayed

2011-12-12T15:09:00.000-05:00

Just a couple of days ago, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that enforcement of the 5010 version HIPAA transaction standards is going to be delayed until the end of March 2012.

According to a CMS press release, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Office of e-Health Standards and Services claim that it is not going to start enforcement for 90 days. This is to allow HIPAA-covered entities an opportunity to "fine-tune" their systems, despite the fact that the official deadline to implement the standards remains January 1, 2012.

The decision was made to delay enforcement after getting industry feedback that "some covered entities and their data trading partners would not be ready to comply with the new standards by the deadline."

“Feedback indicates that the number of submitters, the volume of transactions, and other testing data used as indicators of the industry’s readiness to comply with the new standards have been low across some industry sectors,” CMS wrote in the press release.

The updated standards are a prerequisite for using the ICD-10-CM/PCS code sets in electronic health care transactions. Organizations are required to begin using ICD-10 codes on October 1, 2013.)

Survey on the Level and Extent of Usage of EHRs in Saudi Arabia Hospitals

2011-12-12T15:04:00.000-05:00

Annual survey aims to find out the level and extent of usage of electronic health records (EHRs) in government-related hospitals in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. In addition, there are plans to develop a website (http://ehr2011.weebly.com) to serve as a forum of exchange on the development of EHRs.

The country's government has prioritized the development of e-Health (health information technology) and allocated funding for a period of three years, (from 2008 till now.) During this time, some sectors of government made really important efforts in developing e-Health services.

EHRs are known by a multitude of names, including electronic medical records (EMR's) and computer-based patient record (CBPR's.) In a word, the Electronic Health Record (EHR) is a longitudinal electronic record of patient health information (such as demographics, progress notes, problems, medications, vital signs, past medical history, immunizations, laboratory data and radiology reports.)

To determine the level and extent of EHR usage, two kinds of surveys are undertaken every year, the first one is done at the hospital level, and the second one at the physician level. While the former aims to look at the uptake of EHR among hospitals in general, the latter explores the extent to which physicians make use of EHR systems in their practices or in hospitals.

In the report of the study it was noted that "Hospital-based surveys answer questions about the diffusion of uptake of EHR systems in hospitals. Questions such as, are hospitals moving toward EHR adoption? Are hospitals advancing in the level of EHR usage? Physician-based surveys answer questions about the resistance or acceptance of physicians in adopting EHR systems, the components of EHR systems that physicians use the most, and the profile of physicians most likely to use EHRs. It is logical to start with hospital-based EHR surveys before embarking on physician-based ones."

Results of such surveys are usually presented in one of two ways, either using simple percentages to show the level of availability and usability of the various dimensions of EHR adoption or putting these percentages into a model to deduce the “stage” of EHR adoption and its “score.”

The report says that "In general, there are 19 government hospitals in the Eastern Province that fall under the Ministry of Health. Of these, only three (15.8 percent) have EHR's. Two of the three hospitals have more than 10 full-time IT staff members, while one has less than five full-time IT staff. All three hospitals have implemented the same EHR software and were using it successfully. In addition, these three hospitals have less than five full-time staff in their medical record department."

"Regarding the security measures of their EHR information system, one respondent stated that his EHR information system was secured and provided protective measures regarding the privacy and confidentiality of patients’ information." Nevertheless, the two remaining were not able to comment on these topics.

In addition, one respondent noted that the EHR system used in his hospital provides protection versus "malicious programs, denial-of-service attacks, hackers, crackers, and spam," while the remaining two respondents claimed their "EHR system provides protection only against hackers and spam."

Source: Online Research Journal Perspectives in Health Information Management

Call recording in other Health Care areas

2011-11-26T12:19:00.000-05:00

Recording and evaluating calls in the health care industry, provides us with the peace of mind we need. For example, we are able to determine what was stated during those conversations. As liability issues may arise, the integrity and safety of the hospital structure and the surrounding grounds is very important. Environmental engineering procedures such as water supply, emergency power, food protection, patient space provisions, and fire safety are just a few areas among those that are important to record.

The first point of contact with the patient, often the switchboard, is key in making a great first impression. Patients have a wide array of choices when it comes to health care providers, so the retention of current patients as well as providing excellent service to new patients is extremely important.

Important information, such as insurance information is often passed over the phone and verbal commitments are made in regards to HIPPA, thus it is very important to know not only “what was said” but also “what was not said.” That is why monitoring for accuracy is a key component to resolving any liability issues.

Health care Industry: Call Recording and Monitoring

2011-11-26T12:10:00.000-05:00

Call recording insures that any verbal transactions occurring over the telephone will be available for review should a dispute arise. In addition, recording, monitoring, analyzing and evaluating inbound and outbound phone calls allows a closer hands-on supervision of interactions.

Coordination of personnel and departments during an emergency is essential. The recording of phone and radio calls during a time of crisis will prove to be invaluable.

A lot of health care departments require the recording of both radio and phone communications, as it can help resolve issues related to response time and patient interaction. Even in dietary settings, ensuring that all requests are recorded and monitored can assist in the resolution of any discrepancies.

If there is a need to transport patients from one facility to another, recording phone and radio calls for response time, accuracy of patient information, as well as departure and arrival information, will improve efficiency and effectiveness of transporting patients.

Quality Monitoring and Voice Logging Systems

2011-11-16T18:43:00.000-05:00

Today, patients have greater choice in choosing a physician to provide their personal health care. The Physician Referral Service is able to act as the “front door” to finding a primary care physician or specialist to meet the patient’s preferences together with the medical insurance plan.

Tissue and blood banks may also be a department of interest to record, considering that this is critical information and could present a liability issue.

Health information services/medical records is another department that can be found in every hospital. They often receive calls asking for medical record(s) copies and procedures must be followed to comply with HIPPA.

Using quality monitoring and NICE Voice Logging Systems in departments such as house keeping, transportation, patient care express, dietary, environmental engineering, switchboard, bed management, human resources, revenue cycle call center, emergency preparedness, home health services, outpatient pharmacy, etc. will also improve efficiency and effectiveness of these procedures.

Voice Logging Systems in Healthcare Services

2011-11-16T18:37:00.000-05:00

During the last decade, the health care industry has added more than 1.7 million jobs to the United States economy. In recognizing the expanding health care requirements, the Federal Government made an official announcement which stated that improvement of quality patient care can be done with the help of IT technologies, which includes digital voice logging and quality monitoring systems.

There are a lot of compelling reasons for health care facilities to record. Among them are liability, verification, customer relationship improvements, competitive advantages, training, etc.

Hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care facilities, patient transport services, and pharmacies are just the beginning of the organizations list where NICE digital voice recorder solutions will fit well.

For instance, in hospital market departments, recording of phone and radio calls for liability purposes, and accuracy of response time is essential. Or if the hospital is a “trauma center” for a given area they are regulated to record. The emergency room may have helicopter dispatch, or normal ambulance dispatch and the need for both radio and telephone recording applies.

Due to the importance of providing the doctor with the most up to date and accurate information, this is an area where recording for quality is also essential.

Central Logic and Word Systems Inc. Teamed Up to Increase Hospital Efficiency

2011-11-12T20:36:00.000-05:00

Just a few weeks ago, in order to perform the optimization of patient flow transfer as well as phone call recording, storing, and retrieving technologies, Word Systems Inc. together with Central Logic officially announced a strategic relationship. The companies' agreement can help increase communication and compliance for hospitals.

Central Logic, the health care industry’s leading provider of innovative patient flow software and consultative expertise, has recommended NICE Systems to a number of large clients. Effectively utilizing patient flow and call recording software helps hospitals and hospital systems to improve not only overall operations, but staff performance.

“When combined with Central Logic’s ForeFront Call Recording solution, the NICE software offered by Word Systems, is certainly a proven tool for making hospital communications more innovative and more efficient.” said Darin Vercillo, MD and CEO of Central Logic. “Central Logic is confident our nationally lauded solutions offer improved performance when combined with Word Systems’ NICE products.”

Word Systems specializes in the sale and service of critical recording solutions required by multiple markets, which in addition to a lot of other spheres, includes health care. Additionally, the company offers cutting edge solutions and is committed to serving customers; looking to provide them with leading technology and the highest level of service.

“Healthcare facilities present unique challenges for most call recording providers,” said Jim Halsmer, VP of Word Systems, Inc. “The experience of our professional services team will help Central Logic meet those challenges by providing a reliable and scalable solution that is very easy for end users to quickly access the right information whenever it is needed.”

Updated: Prioritizing Seaport Stakeholders

2011-11-03T20:38:00.000-04:00

It's been nearly 7 years since seaport projects, port authorities, or port management companies have been taking the lead in installing the required equipment in for all. Every stakeholder advises in regards to the information it requires, as well as any other needs it might have. Besides this fact, all those using and managing the system(s) should get proper training.

Not long ago, Larry Bowe, President of PureTech Systems stated that “For seaports that are currently in the process of designing a security system, this would be a great time to speak with other ports in adjacent areas that have used this collaboration approach.”

“At seaports, law enforcement is usually of leading importance, and they are mainly interested in a reliable surveillance system of high forensic value,” explained Aluisio Figueiredo, COO of Intelligent Security Systems.

“Some law enforcement teams keep a "face book" of incoming and outgoing people by using facial capture capabilities native in the video management software. This provides the team with good references when suspicious activities are reported.”

A lot of agencies all over the world focus on a good container recognition and tracking system. “It is important for customs officers to know the track of every single container transported through a port,” Figueiredo said. “If any discrepancy is picked up during any stage of the process, the officers would be able to deal with the situation immediately,” he added.

“Typically, what we see is the agencies coming together to determine who does what for certain situations,” said James Chong, CTO of VidSys. “The organizations talk through the potential risks and priorities for known situation types to assess and determine each agency's role.

Without this process, there is no clear delineation of responsibilities, so coming to an agreement on situation procedures prior to an event, and then having clear communication with stakeholders when a situation arises are critical.”

“This means that law enforcement personnel are able to focus on surveillance data and looking for faces, while the customs officers could focus on container records for effective container recognition and tracking.”

Prioritizing Seaport Stakeholders

2011-10-27T21:49:00.000-04:00

When a large number of stakeholders are operating side-by-side on a daily basis, each parties security risks and priorities become a very important question. This is why typically, before consulting system integrators or solution providers for system design and implementation, seaports try to understand the requirements from all of the stakeholders.

Larry Bowe, President of PureTech Systems mentioned that “Making sure every stakeholders needs are considered and prioritized assures the investment in technology and infrastructure, has the greatest return and increases the likelihood of successful technology adoption.”

William Moore, Business Development Manager for Oil and Gas, Schneider Electric, believes that “Redundancy is not necessarily a bad thing, but with this approach the different agencies are able to pool in and ensure prudent use of resources for maximum quality of security,” and “these security committees are responsible for finding the best products available within budgetary parameters.”

With today's cutting-edge technologies, seaports can pool in resources for an integrated security solution that addresses needs of various on-site stakeholders.

“The committee members are usually open to the SI's suggestions on the best security technology in the industry, as none of these committee members want to integrate sub par products that could harm employees and visitors,” Moore added.

Situation Management Solution for Public Safety

2011-10-27T21:44:00.000-04:00

We recently discussed how NICE Systems had introduced the NICE Situator for public safety. As a quick reminder, the solution builds on NICE’s leading Situation Management capabilities in the security sector. The Situation Management Solution was created to help public safety operations “enhance emergency preparedness, improve situational awareness, and streamline incident response.”

Emergency communications centers as well as emergency operations centers have to be prepared for any situation. So, in order to manage situations effectively, center personnel need to get relevant, real-time information about what’s happening, as situations can be very different, for example, there could be anything from shooting incidents to severe weather outbreaks.

Several different types of public safety operations benefit from NICE Situator’s streamlined incident response capabilities, this is due to its open architecture. NICE Situator integrates with “video surveillance systems, video walls, location tracking systems (AVL, GPS,) gunshot detection systems, license plate readers, communication devices, alarm panels, fire and safety sensors, real-time mobile video, CAD/RMS, mass notification systems, telematics devices, watch lists, crime databases, poison control databases, mobile devices such as PDAs and in-vehicle computers, etc.”

We must take into consideration the fact that operating procedure documentation is usually paper-based, and real-time information sharing is demanding. To let center personal know what is happening and how to improve the situation, NICE Situator analyzes and correlates information and applies adaptive response plans.

Difficulties of Integrating New Equipment for Seaports

2011-10-20T21:28:00.000-04:00

Despite the fact that the integration of old and new systems is now a much smoother experience than before, there are still some difficulties. One way to phase out the old and bring in the new, easier and more reliable systems, is to use encoders and digital virtual matrix switches. This is especially true when taking into account the fact that this kind of hybrid infrastructure is common for current seaports.

“Usually, we try to find out what the protocol is via analyzers and network sniffers,” chief operating officer of Intelligent Security Systems, Aluisio Figueiredo said. “If this proves to be unsuccessful, we then use dry contacts and relays to integrate such systems.”

According to Marketing Director for the Americas, Nice Systems, Pat Kiernan's statement, in case the solution providers go out of business, the support organization that receive the rights and ownership of the software for interface support could be reached. “Almost all software providers have their code stored with a law office or similar entity as a protection for the customer in case of bankruptcy. It is usually a requirement in requests for proposal.”

President of PureTech Systems, Larry Bowe added that “At the onset of a project, the seaport can request manufacturers to place designs in escrow that can be released to the port should they cease to offer a viable replacement or cease to exist. That way, the port can hire an integrator directly to maintain the applicable system component.”

He also mentioned that “If there is no one available to support the system, then little choice is left but to replace the old system when it begins to fail.”

In regards to old equipment that is being currently used, William Moore, Business Development Manager for Oil and Gas, Schneider Electric, suggests to move it to a low-traffic, simply because it's a less critical area for a small cost without sacrificing security coverage. “The use of new technology in critical and high-traffic areas is highly recommended. With the advances made in HD, wide dynamic, megapixel and low-light cameras, seaports would be better off converting to better, newer technology.”

Integrating New Equipment for Seaports

2011-10-10T13:52:00.000-04:00

Due to continued R&D efforts, the integration of old and new systems is now a much smoother experience than before.

The need to integrate different security systems for a seaport transcends from safety reasons, to operational efficiency concerns, claimed William Moore, Business Development Manager for Oil and Gas, Schneider Electric.

“Solution providers need to be able to work around the port schedule, the best practice is to keep an open line of communication with the security committee and all parties at the port. For example, down time needs to be addressed when security measures are implemented.”

Larry Bowe, President of PureTech Systems admitted that nice and quick installations and integrations can be done by involving the operations team, saying that “Once the needs of the security team, the operations team, and other stakeholders are understood, it is much easier to select a security solution that meets the most objectives.”

“There actually are good practices for continuous system integration that maintains backward compatibility while making new system capabilities available,” Bowe added. “With the increased popularity of XML, interfaces between products and subsystems can be extended without breaking previous integrations. This method is sometimes referred to as loosely coupled integration. When engineered properly, systems can process the information they understand and simply ignore the information they don't understand. Existing functionality continues to work, and new functionality is available if the receiving system knows what to do with the new information.”

Ed Merkle, Director of Port Security and Emergency Operations, Port of Virginia pointed out that “The PSIM (physical security information management) should not only integrate all systems on site for real-time data streaming, it should also connect to agencies outside the seaport, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the U.S., for crucial and relevant information that affects seaport operations.”

“One weekend, the live feed from NOAA to our PSIM reported a thunderstorm warning 27 minutes before it was reported on the local news outlets, and the PSIM was able to guide the operator what should be done as preparatory procedures,” Merkle added.

The problem is that there are a lot of perimeter and VCA setups at seaports that produce false alarms. “The combination of basic perimeter fences with simple or smart cameras does not yield an adequate level of security in many cases,” said Hagai Katz, Senior VP of Marketing and Business Development, Magal Security Systems. “Ineffective perimeter protection can create many false alarms, which, in addition to being both time consuming and costly to verify, can cause security personnel to lose vigilance.”

Therefore, Aluisio Figueiredo, Chief Operating Officer of Intelligent Security Systems, recommends that fine-tuning the entire system should be carried out during initial installation, as well as performed only by a trained integrator.

Fourth Generation of the NICE Inform for Public Safety

2011-10-05T18:24:00.000-04:00

Not long ago, NICE Systems Ltd. debuted the new version of Generation 4 NICE Inform multimedia incident information management solution for Public Safety at the 2011 NENA Conference and Expo. The new release builds on the company's market leading technology that includes new capabilities for enabling Public Safety operations, as well as “for further enhancing (their) Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) readiness, incident visualization, and investigative capabilities.”

It's no secret that in order to reduce infrastructure costs, a lot of city, county, and state Public Safety agencies are investing in shared IP networks and systems. The fourth generation of the NICE Inform enables agencies to extend all the benefits with new capabilities.

Thanks to the enhanced NICE Inform multimedia incident information management solution, agencies using NICE Inform get the ability to access captured multimedia content from any shared system on the network, as well as integrate it with locally-captured multimedia data for “comprehensive incident reconstructions.”

According to company's statement, the NG9-1-1 architecture will emphatically increase the amount of information stored in shared databases.

US Army Medical Center to Adopt Solutions from NICE Systems

2011-10-05T18:21:00.000-04:00

The Brooke Army Medical Center is a hospital and Level 1 Trauma Center at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, where the U.S. Army is expanding and upgrading video surveillance systems using equipment from Israel's NICE Systems Ltd.

According to a recent statement from NICE, the BAMC has been using its video surveillance solutions for 10 years and is now expanding the deployment to secure new facilities.

Additionally the Brooke Army Medical Center is renovating an existing facility where NICE video surveillance solutions are already deployed.

"The security requirements of BAMC are very stringent," said Yochai Rozenblat, President and Chief Executive Officer of NICE Americas. "We're happy to have been able to play a key role in securing Brooke Army Medical Center for the last decade and look forward to serving the hospital's future security needs."

The Brooke Army Medical Center is deploying the latest version of NICE's IP video solution, NiceVision Net 2.0, which provides smart video capabilities for all "edge" devices, such as encoders, access control, and cameras.

General Availability of NiceVision Net 2.5 Officially Announced

2011-09-30T19:22:00.000-04:00

Just a couple of days ago, NICE Systems made the official announcement in regards to the general availability (GA) of its release of the newest version of NiceVision enterprise-class, open-platform, intelligent IP video surveillance solution, NiceVision Net 2.5.

The new version of the NiceVision is now considered to be "making the right MOVE," to a leading Internet Protocol video management solution. According to a company's statement, the word “MOVE” contains the initial letters of the main advantages offered by NiceVision Net 2.5.

In case you are one of those who still do not know what is new in NiceVision Net 2.5, here are some things you can expect:

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) improvements achieved through Net 2.5’s industry-leading recording throughput of up to 512 mbps per server.

Smart phone support for iPhone, Blackberry, Android and others; as well as web support for connectivity without the need for a client download.

Advanced video management improvements, which include “multiple display screens, intuitive visual navigation and a new event management interface to better support collaborative response.”

NICE to Educate Security Professionals on Benefits of Situation Management

2011-09-30T19:14:00.000-04:00

In the near future, NICE Systems is going to be hosting a series of executive breakfasts in the Americas; in order to educate security executives on the benefits of Situation Management. They will be highlighting how organizations can use Situation Management to revolutionize security operations. This executive breakfast series will provide a forum for security professionals to experience the applications and benefits of Situation Management first-hand.

The events are set to be held in cities across North and South America. The main theme is “Connecting the Dots: Leveraging Situation Management to Revolutionize Security Operations.” Security professionals will learn “How to leverage Situation Management to maximize the value of their existing security solutions, by creating a more open and interoperable security eco-system.”

For those of you who are interested in registering for an event in North America, please visit http://solutions.nice.com/Situation_Management_Registration/

Locations and dates for the NICE Security executive breakfast sessions are as follows:

North America

Miami, FL: October 14th

Pittsburgh, PA: October 21st

Atlanta, GA: October 28th

Seattle, WA: November 4th

South America

Mexico City (Mexico) October 12th

Brasília (Brazil) October 26th

Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) November (date TBD)

New Enhancements in NiceVision Net 2.5

2011-09-20T19:32:00.000-04:00

The primary enhancements in the most recent updates to NiceVision include, compliance with Open Network Video Interface Forum (ONVIF) standards, and support for web and Smartphone connectivity, such as Blackberry, Android, iPhone, etc.

Israel Livnat, President, Security Group, stated that "The enhancements in NiceVision Net 2.5 enable for the industry leading performance of video surveillance, addressing some of the most pressing needs of today's security professionals. It is a flexible video solution that can accommodate hybrid environments while enabling a smooth and cost efficient migration to a pure IP video surveillance ecosystem. Furthermore, it can help gather and leverage security and business insights from their video surveillance implementation. Such insights can help them improve people, asset protection, and operations. The latest version also helps improve efficiency to achieve a lowered, Total Cost of Ownership for a cost effective and environment-friendly solution."

The NICE Security Offering addresses the needs of governments and enterprises with intent-based solutions for fighting crime and terror. It's also important to mention that easy IP migration is enabled by a smart hybrid video recorder, supporting both IP, and analog cameras.

NICE Enhances NICE Situator Real-time SSM Solution

2011-09-20T19:27:00.000-04:00

Not long ago, NICE Systems, the worldwide leader of intent-based solutions, together with Quantum Secure, the leading provider of enterprise software, announced that they have teamed up in order to make Quantum Secure's physical identity management solution interoperable with NICE Situator.

Integrating physical identity management capabilities to NICE's situation management solution gives security teams a better, real-time view of what is happening and where, as well as who is involved.

"We are happy to make Quantum Secure's physical identity management capabilities interoperable with NICE Situator," stated Israel Livnat, President, NICE Security Group. "The addition of these capabilities will further help security operations improve response, mitigate risk, and comply with stringent regulations, such as NERC CIP-004 and CIP-006 for electric utilities, which deal specifically with identity management and physical security."

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Quantum Secure, Ajay Jain added that "Today's organizations are demanding interoperable solutions in order to create a homogeneous physical security ecosystem across all of their sites, systems, processes, and applications. NICE and Quantum Secure share a common vision in this respect and the interoperability of SAFE and NICE Situator is another step toward delivering these capabilities so organizations can meet heightened security and compliance requirements and streamline their operations."

NICE Systems Nominations for 2011 PSAPs’ Finest Awards

2011-09-12T18:47:00.000-04:00

NICE Systems, the leading provider of Insight from Interactions solutions (and other value-added services that reduce financial risk, ensure safety, and security) officially announced, not long ago, that nominations are already open for the 2011 Public Safety Answering Points' Finest Awards.

"Public safety communications is on the threshold of a huge transformation with Next Gen 911, but for all the promise of new technology, we should never lose sight of one thing," said Eric Hines, VP Security, NICE Systems.

The Public Safety Answering Point's (PSAP) Finest Awards which is sponsored by NICE Systems, "recognize individuals for their exceptional performance and contributions to the field of Public Safety communications." Every year, winners are selected in four different categories, Director, Line Supervisor, Technician, and Telecommunicator of the year.

"It's the people behind the technology who are the true lifeline, but more than often, they don't get the credit they deserve. NICE is proud to continue to sponsor this awards program as a way to recognize the unsung heroes of 911," said Eric Hines.

Over five years, the winners have been chosen by a panel of judges who review the nominations and evaluate each candidate. The process culminates in an awards ceremony on NICE's Annual APCO Conference and Expo in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

New Point-of-Sale Video Surveillance Solution Leveraging Technology

2011-09-12T18:41:00.000-04:00

The CBORD Group, Inc., a market-driven, diversified growth company that serves healthcare facilities, colleges, universities, chain restaurants, supermarkets, senior living facilities, corporations, and a host of other market segments has recently announced a new addition to its cashless payment solution-CBORD® POS Video Security™.

CBORD POS Video Security is a state-of-the-art video surveillance system that makes overseeing retail point-of-sale transactions easy, thanks to the opportunity to look up transactions in real time as well as specific transactions after the fact.

Read Winkelman, Vice President of Sales of the CBORD Group stated that, "The key advantages of our new system is the ease of use, the ability to look up transactions after the fact, and the capability to query by suspicious transactions, such as "No sale" or "Void" transactions. Our customers have clearly indicated a need for this technology, and we're excited to bring the right solution to the market."

Meanwhile the CBORD Product Manager, Scott Jerabek, noted that "This collaboration with Agilence, MICROS®, NICE, and CBORD brings together the industry leaders in loss prevention, point-of-sale, video technology, and cashless systems, creating the best security system for the healthcare sales environment."

"CBORD POS Video Security is easy to use, yet extremely powerful. By combining function with simplicity, the system allows new users to get up and running quickly," he added.

New Version of NICE SMM Solution with Greater Openness and Interoperability Now Available

2011-09-12T18:36:00.000-04:00

NICE Systems Ltd. recently announced enhancements to its open security situation management solution, NICE Situator, the leading Physical Security Information Management software solution. The SSM Solution now offers enhanced visualization and workflow, pre-configured packages for addressing growing compliance requirements, as well as the specific needs of different vertical industries.

"We are happy to introduce these new capabilities in NICE Situator," said David Vortman, General Manager, Security Management Solutions, NICE.

NICE Situator's main enhancements include capabilities for precise, real-time tracking of relevant assets (vehicles, aircraft, ships, radar targets, sensors, etc.), these capabilities are ready-made and vertical-market specific so that customers can easily customize their own visualization icons and logic.

"With more than two hundred gateways to leading security and safety solutions, NICE Situator offers a very high level of openness, and introduces previously unavailable situation management capabilities to leading organizations in the transportation, utility, banking, and public safety sectors worldwide. Extending NICE Situator's openness outside the organization through external business process integration was the next logical step. With the new NICE Situator version, organizations can leverage a wealth of external information sources for decision support when responding to situations or threats," added Vortman.

One More Successful NICE Customer Conference

2011-09-07T19:45:00.000-04:00

It is no secret that the recent NICE annual Customer Conference, Interactions 2011 that was held in Las Vegas, NV. The conference was a huge success, with more than 1500 attendees and where NICE Security, for the first time, participated, with a contingent of more than 100 participants.

Customers came away from the event better educated about security operations and public safety, as well as the best industry practices and emerging trends in the market.

In addition, it's important to note that for the security and public safety, this year's customer conference was a quite a big step toward building a strong, interactive, and participative community.

One of the highlights of the event was a presentation on the NICE User Group. The NUG talked about the value of customers sharing experiences, the power of the NUG to represent the interests of all users, and how in the near future the group is going to be launching a special user group just for NICE security and public safety customers.

U.S. BAMC to Deploy NICE Video Analytics and IP-based Surveillance

2011-09-07T19:40:00.000-04:00

Just a couple of months ago, on June 27 NICE Systems Ltd. announced that Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC,) a U.S. Army Hospital and Level 1 Trauma Center at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, is expanding its implementation of NICE security solutions and upgrading its video surveillance capabilities with NiceVision Net 2.0.

The BAMC has been using NICE video surveillance equipment for 10 years at this point, the center is now expanding the deployment to secure new facilities.

In addition, Brooke Army Medical Center (which is a state-of-the-art facility noted for cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery and emergency medicine) is also renovating an existing facility where NICE video surveillance solutions are already deployed.

The upgrade to the NICE IP video surveillance will also help the center achieve higher levels of redundancy to ensure video recordings are not lost or compromised.

"The security requirements of BAMC are very stringent," said Yochai Rozenblatt, President and chief executive of NICE Americas, NICE. "We're happy to have been able to play a key role in securing Brooke Army Medical Center for the last decade and look forward to serving the hospital's future security needs."

NICE Situation Management Solution for Public Safety

2011-08-26T13:05:00.000-04:00

NICE Situator's open architecture empowers public safety operations to make their existing technologies perform to the fullest. This is achieved by the integration of video surveillance systems, video walls, location tracking systems (AVL, GPS), gunshot detection systems, license plate readers, communication devices, alarm panels, fire and safety sensors, real-time mobile video, CAD/RMS, mass notification systems, telematics devices, watch lists, crime databases, poison control databases, mobile devices such as PDAs and in-vehicle computers, and many other systems.

Just a couple of weeks ago, NICE Systems Ltd. introduced the NICE Situator for public safety. The company demonstrated this solution this year, and last year at the NENA Conference and Expo, as well as at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

A lot of different types of public safety operations can benefit from NICE Situator's streamlined incident response capabilities. For instance, "in an EOC, a gunshot detection sensor integrated to a NICE Situator could automatically trigger video from near-by cameras to pop up on an operator's display, instructing the operator to dispatch the closest units based on their locations; while at the same time pushing video out to officers' mobile devices."

In addition, the NICE Situator can be integrated to support technologies, databases, and resources outside of the traditional public safety realm.

The President of the NICE Security Group, Israel Livnat stated that "The public safety landscape has become increasingly complex, with EOCs, 9-1-1 centers and first responders are handling many different types of situations and threats that require close collaboration. At the same time, there has been a proliferation of public safety-enabling technologies that have the potential to offer rich insight, if they only worked together. NICE Situator bridges these islands of information to enhance real-time awareness and situation management. Agencies can be confident they're responding effectively to any situation in accordance with their pre-defined operating procedures. Interoperability also improves because agencies can work off of a Common Operating Picture and joint response plan, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities, enhanced by real-time collaboration."

NICE Introduces New Capabilities in NICE Inform

2011-08-15T16:43:00.000-04:00

Nearly two months ago, Nice Systems announced the launch of it's fourth generation of the NICE Inform multimedia incident information management solution for Public Safety.

In order to extract more value from their investments in shared technologies, and also, to allow for further enhancements to the company's Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) readiness, incident visualization, and investigative capabilities; the company has developed its latest generation of the NICE Inform multimedia incident information management solution for public safety, on NICE's market leading technology with new capabilities for enabling Public Safety operations.

It's no secret that a lot of city, county, and state, public safety agencies are investing in shared IP networks and systems, the new version of NICE Inform enables agencies to enhance Public Safety agencies' interoperability and reduce infrastructure costs.

Those agencies that are currently using NICE Inform, have an ability to capture multimedia content from any shared system on the network, as well as combine it with locally captured multimedia data for comprehensive incident reconstructions.

Israel Livnat, President of NICE Security, said, "We are very excited to introduce our fourth generation version of NICE Inform with enhanced capabilities to help Public Safety operations improve their visualization of incidents. Today's clear trend in Public Safety is toward shared IP networks and shared solutions to eliminate technology duplication and improve interoperability. With NICE Inform, agencies will be able to leverage these shared systems and be better prepared for NG9-1-1."

NICE to Showcase Smart Security Solutions

2011-08-15T16:35:00.000-04:00

Just a couple of months ago, an ISC West Conference was held at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, on April 5-8, 2011. NICE Systems was demonstrating its smart security solutions in booth 7109 at the conference.

Among its smart security solutions that were to be showcased was the NICE Situator, which not so long ago was named the leading PSIM (Physical Security Information Management, which may also be referred to as, Situation Management) software solution by independent analyst firm, IMS Research.

For the first time, NICE Systems presented a new version of NICE Situator (release 7) that "enhances inter-agency interoperability and raises the bar in terms of openness, situation visualization, and situation work flow for operations in the transportation, utilities, public safety and banking sectors."

In addition, NICE Systems also made a preview the next version of NiceVision Net, "an analytics-enabled, hybrid, Smart Video Recording platform that offers unmatched cost of ownership and allows security operations to migrate to IP at their own pace."

NICE Systems Helps DFW Bolster Security Capabilities

2011-08-07T14:06:00.000-04:00

Not long ago, NICE Systems made an announcement claiming that "the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has placed a multi-million dollar order to expand [its] NICE implementation." Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is going to be spreading out NICE's Internet Protocol video surveillance solution, as well as the NICE "Inform Incident Information Management Solution."

"The expansion is part of a strategic modernization initiative to strengthen DFW's security, threat detection, emergency response and risk mitigation capabilities." At the time that NICE Solutions is going to provide a foundation for Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to migrate to IP video surveillance, the company also plans to address Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport's growing security requirements.

Additionally, DFW will be expanding its audio recording capabilities, "adding the NICE Inform Multimedia Solution, which enables authentic incident reconstruction through synchronization of voice recordings and video."

"As one the world's busiest airports and a gateway for many millions of passengers, DFW has built a reputation as a leader in airport security," said Yochai Rozenblat, Chief Executive Officer and President of NICE Americas; "We are honored that DFW has entrusted NICE with its security needs."

NICE Presentations at National APCO

2011-08-07T14:02:00.000-04:00

Nowadays, more and more states and regions across the country are investing in Internet Protocol (IP) infrastructure, and technology in order to be ready for the transformation, as the Next Generation of
9-1-1 comes closer to reality.

On Sunday, August 7, 2011, NICE's John Rennie will be joined by Ashish Patel (Intrado), James Lipinski (Vermont Enhanced 9-1-1 Board) and Major Thomas Gross (Miami-Dade Police Department) for an NG 9-1-1 panel discussion at the National APCO Conference.

The participants of the panels discussion will examine the current state of NG 9-1-1 as well as all of the needed changes. In addition, panelists will share perspectives on what has worked well so far, their thoughts on opportunities for improvement, as well as lessons learned along the way.

NICE is also going to hold a detached APCO Theatre presentation on August 9th at 10:30 am. The presentation, named "Situation Management 101: How to Streamline and Simplify Situation Management in Your Center," is known to provide attendees with "a live demonstration so they can see what Situation Management is and how it works, and how it can enhance their situational awareness, efficiency, interoperability and incident response."

Is it legal to tape record telephone calls?

2011-08-01T14:25:00.000-04:00

You are already familiar state and federal laws concerning wiretapping and eavesdropping. In addition to those laws, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has placed additional restrictions on tape recording conversations, as well as avowed the importance of privacy in telephone conversations.

For example, California law does not allow tape recording of telephone calls unless all parties in the conversation give their permission. Nevertheless, in case an individual, or members of one's family are threatened with any kind of crime involving violence, tape recordings can be legally made. The person getting the threats even has a right to make a tape recording without informing the other party.

It is important to mention that federal law allows recording of telephone calls with the agreement of at least one party to the call. Despite the fact that most of the states have adopted laws based on the federal standard, twelve states require the consent of all parties in the call, under most circumstances. These states are, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

Needless to say, these laws do not apply to law enforcement investigations, emergency situations, or patently unlawful conversations.

Who Can Monitor Digital Telephone Communications?

2011-08-01T14:16:00.000-04:00

Actually, law enforcement agents can access phone communications by tapping a line and just listening in on the conversation. However, taking into consideration the fact that digital communication services usually convert phone conversations and other transmissions to a digital code, it became impossible to simply "listen in" on the line.

The Digital Telephony Act (which is aimed to provide law enforcement officials with assurance that they can "tap" or have access to the content of any communications incorporating new digital technology, including voice communications transmitted in digital format and transmissions of text and data between computers using a modem) requires all currently-existing telephone companies to make digital communications available to law enforcement officials.

This law specifically states that it does not change or expand the ability of investigators to conduct a wiretap, but instead, it allows them access to digital communications in the same way as voice communications, once a legal wiretap has been authorized.

It is important to mention that the telephone companies "are not required to decrypt encrypted communications unless the telephone company itself provides the encryption service," which means that the federal government has to repay the telephone companies "for the modifications necessary for compliance with the law."

Who Can Legally Monitor Phone Conversations?

2011-07-25T13:33:00.000-04:00

Federal law enforcement officials have the right to wiretap a telephone line, only after they show "probable cause" of unlawful activity; which must involve certain specified violations. In addition, the court order has to limit the surveillance to communications related to the unlawful activity, and to a specific time limit (usually one month.)

For example, until recently, California wiretapping laws prohibited all wiretaps without the consent of all parties to the conversation, except for "investigations involving certain controlled substances violations. "Nevertheless, beginning in 1996, the State Legislature revised this law "to allow state law enforcement officials to obtain wiretaps in investigations involving murder, solicitation to commit murder, aggravated kidnapping, crimes involving bombings, and conspiracy."

Additionally, the California law does not apply to wiretaps by federal agents authorized by a valid federal warrant. For instance, federal agents have a right to turn to federal court and obtain a warrant to place a wiretap in their state, regardless of the fact that state officials may be restricted by state law from obtaining a wiretap under the same circumstances.

If it is necessary to inspect the telephone system, to provide or monitor the quality of phone service, or to protect against theft, employees of your telephone company may listen to your conversations.

Source: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

What to do if Your Phone is Tapped?

2011-07-25T13:25:00.000-04:00

A lot of people think that their phone line is tapped if they hear noises on the phone such as clicks or voices. It is important to note that almost all wiretapping devices emit no audible sounds. So, if you hear someones conversation on your phone, it may simply be "crosstalk," which is a common phone problem.

In case you suspect that your telephone line is tapped, the first thing you have to do is call your local phone company. The majority of phone companies can inspect your phone lines for wiretap devices for free. In case your local phone company does find a wiretap, they will then check to see if the tap is authorized and alert you if it is illegal. In addition, they will also notify law enforcement and remove the device.

It is important to note that in case the wiretap is legal and made by law enforcement, (and authorized by a court,) you will not be notified. If however, a legal tap has been discontinued, the court has to notify the tapped party (within 90 days of the wiretap termination) that the wiretapping has taken place.

If your phone company found an illegal wiretap, it is best to notify local law enforcement officials, as well as consult a lawyer. Legal actions can be taken if you discover that someone has deliberately intercepted your private phone conversations.

Source: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

Wiretapping and Eavesdropping on Telephone Calls

2011-07-25T13:12:00.000-04:00

Taking into account the fact that comparatively few legal wiretaps are authorized in the U.S. every year, the flow of technology has made it easier than ever to illegally wiretap, record, and eavesdrop on phone conversations.

As mentioned previously, wiretapping is any interception of a phone transmission by accessing the phone signal. Meanwhile, electronic eavesdropping is done with the use of an electronic transmission or recording device. Electronic eavesdropping is used to monitor conversations without the consent of all parties. It deals only with eavesdropping on telephone conversations, despite the fact that various types of conversations may be subject to electronic eavesdropping.

Wiretap laws are quite broad in scope. Despite the fact that federal wiretap laws apply to oral, wire, and electronic communications, at this point it doesn't regulate silent video communications (web-cams or any other video monitoring.)

A few years ago, there were more than 2,000 criminal wiretaps authorized, most of which were for mobile devices in drug cases. Information gathered from the wiretaps led to 4,537 arrests and 678 convictions. Keep in mind the fact that these statistics do not include terrorism-related wiretaps or wiretaps conducted through the National Security Agency's warrant-less wiretapping program.

Source: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse

Situator - Nice Systems Public Safety Innovative Solution

2011-07-11T22:44:00.000-04:00

"The dispatcher has full awareness of what's going on," Chaflawee said. "Situator provides guidance based on the information that is available and the development of the event. That guidance is based on predefined response plans."

For instance, if a gunshot detection system is deployed, the Situator would automatically have video from cameras near the incident pop up on a dispatcher's display; then, it would instruct the dispatcher to send the closest units based on their GIS location(s,) while at the same time sending the video to the officers' mobile devices.

"Situator puts all of the resources in front of the public safety workers, instead of them having to sit there and think,

"OK, we do have cameras, I have to call somebody, or walk over and take a look at them, or I have to pull them up," Robinson said. "They automatically will be displayed for them and not only that, they will be displayed at the proper locations."

Nice Systems has also recently announced the release of its fourth version of its Inform platform. This allows municipal and public-safety agencies access to multi-media content, such as video, voice and GIS, which can be combined with multi-media content captured locally to create comprehensive incident reconstructions.

Next-gen 911 texting platform "flat out works"

2011-07-11T22:21:00.000-04:00

Nice Systems has recently announced that during an April trial on the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) Convention, 5 public-safety answering points (PSAPs) in Harris County, Texas, were able to get 911 text messages from any SMS-enabled mobile device from the 4 biggest wireless carriers in the country: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.

The five public-safety answering points are part of the Greater Harris County 911 Emergency Network (GHC 911), that consists of 50 PSAPs which includes Houston.

The network copes with more than 10,000 calls per day, and approximately 7,500 of those calls come from wireless phones. Besides the sheer call volume, Greater Harris County 911 Emergency Network provides dispatching services to more than 150 police, fire and EMS agencies.

About two years ago, a system that was deployed in Black Hawk County, Iowa, became the first in the country to successfully manage a 911 text, keep in mind however, that the event involved only one public-safety answering point, the Black Hawk Consolidated Public Safety Communications Center, as well as only one wireless carrier.

Tami Timperio, Cassidian's Vice President of Marketing, mentioned that the fact that the GHC 911 trial involved multiple PSAPs and wireless carriers is specifically noteworthy.

It's also important to mention that the trial took into account the county's vast and widely diverse geography. "Technicians were sent out to very rural areas, as well as areas outside of their jurisdiction to ensure that the technology worked," Timperio said. "Stan (Heffernan, GHC 911's chief operating officer) said, in his own vernacular, since he comes from Texas, that it just flat out worked." "They're very excited about it."

Vesta DMS System Finally Completed

2011-07-11T22:11:00.000-04:00

According to Tami Timperio, Cassidian's Vice President of Marketing, during the National Emergency Number Association Convention, Cassidian showcased a couple of "forward-looking" concepts. "These are things like call-handling through CAD, which is not done today, notifications integrated with mapping … and an integrated application approach for the future of call-taking based on i3."

Not so long ago, Cassidian completed a comprehensive test of a Vesta DMS system, this test was deployed in the New York City Police Department's new emergency communications center to replace a legacy ISDN system. "It lasted 30 days, of six times their peak call volume per hour," Timperio said. "It was volumes never seen, ever."

The center is set to go live in the third quarter 2011. Once it starts working, it is expected to feature 1,400 call-taking and dispatcher positions, and will consolidate all of the city's 911 functions in one center. "It dwarfs anything in the U.S., perhaps worldwide," Timperio said.

The company is going to build the second center for superfluity purposes and is slated to start working in the 2013-2014 time frame.

Public Safety: Nice Systems Situational-Awareness Solution

2011-07-11T21:52:00.000-04:00

Last week, on the National Emergency Number Association conference, "Nice Systems," showcased a new model of its "Situator" situation-management solution for the public-safety sector.

Despite the fact that it has been used by airports, seaports, and public utilities for two years; the company's sales director for public safety, Dan Robinson mentioned that the device's new interface will bring more convenience to public safety's specific needs.

"Most other security centers are more interested in access control and flow within the organization or within their environment, and not so much externally," Robinson said. "In a 911 center, almost 99% of their activity is external and funneled through their CAD (computer-aided dispatch) system… We had to figure out how we were going to fit in with these various CAD (systems.")

According to Nice's senior marketing director for public safety, Diamond Chaflawee, the Situator's main value is that it breaks down silos. Thanks to the Situator, a 911 center is now able to use all systems (such as video surveillance, gunshot location, GIS, and chemical spill sensors) through a single interface; giving the dispatcher the full picture of what is happening, without having to put all of the parts together by manually accessing each system.

How to record telephone conversations

2011-06-27T18:26:00.000-04:00

In order to record your telephone conversations you must first take several steps to prepare; to begin, unplug the handset from the phone and plug it in a handset splitter, then plug the recording device into one end of the splitter and the handset into the other. This is how you will be able to record both ends of the conversation.

This set-up works great with most phones and is indeed effective in case you need to record a conversation considering the fact that the phone-line is not recorded all the time. For example you are on business trip and while staying in a Hotel you call your client. In the conversation you strike a deal for a certain amount of product. So evidently if you record that call there will be no further dispute.

In the case of an analog set tap, the first thing to do is to split the output from your phone system and get one output to go to an analog recorder. The other should then go to the analog phone.

If you are using a digital set tap, it is important to note that there are special cards that are usually used in a computer for digital taps. These cards are used for decoding the digital signal that is sent to the phone. This should be connected at the main distribution frame (MDF). It should go in series with the phone connection, as it is the same connection where the port from the phone system is connected.

One of the advantages of such systems is that on most of them, these cards are able to read your display and unveil the caller ID (only in case it is displayed.) In addition, they can read the lights of the phone and record when any light is lit.

Needless to say, if you want to record phone conversations, one or all of the parties on the conversation have right to be informed that they are being recorded.

How to record telephone conversations: VoIP Services

2011-06-22T17:07:00.000-04:00

In case you need to record Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), in example, services such as Vonage, Cablevision, or any other similar service; you will have to unplug the phone from the device that was given to you and then plug it into a splitter. Once this is done, plug the phone into one end of the splitter and the recording device into the other. This way will surely help you with both: cordless and corded phones.

Another option available to you for Voice over Internet Protocol services, where one is typically using a corded telephone handset with a removable cord, is to split the cord from the handset and plug it in to the recorder and the handset.

Taking into account the fact that the IP is decoded in the phone, for VoIP phone systems, you would need a special VoIP recorder that will "sniff," the IP packets and decode the IP stream. Now there is also a possibility to program the recorder in such a way that it sniffs the IP stream and only records definite extensions. Do keep in mind however, that the Internet Protocol stream that is sniffed by the recorder has to contain the IP information of the phones you would like to record.

How to record telephone conversations: Analog line

2011-06-22T16:42:00.000-04:00

There are various ways to record telephone conversations. For example, if you need to record an Analog (Home Phone) line, practically all you have to do is to split the phone line and have one split go to a recording device and the other to a telephone, and you will get a recording of the conversation from both ends of the line. If this is a cordless phone or you are going to record every extension that is sharing the phone line - there is no reason to worry, as this method will still be effective.

At the same time however, it's important to note that this is less efficient in large companies. Usually, it is much more important to record who took the call but not where the call came from. Since big companies have more phone lines than actual phone devices, this method becomes less cost efficient.

For example, to record every call a call center took, they'd have to record every line in each of the departments since calls can come in on the general number and be transferred to customer service.

Types of Phone Recorders: Pros and Cons

2011-06-20T18:08:00.000-04:00

Digital Recorders that have Removable Memory

It goes without saying that Digital Recorders that have "Removable Memory," are always preferred to the kind that only have internal memory. The external memory keeps the availability high and the price down. Among the numerous types of memory, the SD and the CF options are usually the best choice(s).

Before buying a digital recorder however, don't forget to check on the availability of memory options. It's important to note that, if a recorder is equipped with removable media, it gives you the possibility to remove it from the recorder and put it on a personal computer, which can help you determine which of the calls are important and which calls can be deleted.

Digital Recorders That either Record To or Interface with a Computer

Digital Recorders that either record to or interface with a computer are the most flexible recorders on the market. It's hard to name all the advantages of a recorder that has an application written for a PC ( such recorders usually connect to a personal computer using a USB plug), as it allows for convenient browsing through the calls, and this is just to begin with. Most of these above mentioned recorders capture caller ID and dialed numbers, which makes reviewing calls on a PC screen much easier.

Types of Phone Recorders: Pros and Cons

2011-06-20T17:51:00.000-04:00

Tape Phone Recorders

Tape Phone Recorders have one integral imperfection, the more tape on the spool, the longer recording time, however this also increases the chances of the tape tearing. In most cases a tape provides 30 minutes of recording time per side, so after half an hour it must be flipped over for further recording. In reference to its advantages, we can firmly say that the only evident advantage of the tape phone recorder is that it is less expensive than any other type.

Digital Phone Recorders

A digital phone recorder is the most portable phone recording device available. We must also take into consideration the fact that there are no moving parts in digital phone recorders, so less can go wrong, thus making them more reliable. The efficiency of the taping depends on the way you tape.

Voice Activation

It's important to note that utilizing "Voice Activation," to record phone calls may not always be reliable. The unwanted sounds (when no one is on the telephone line) can be recorded and vice versa, the recording can stop when someone is still talking.

Line Sensing

In case you decide to choose a recorder that has a "Line Sensing Mode," this simply means that this type of recorder is meant to record telephone lines.

Digital Recorders that only have internal memory

Digital Recorders that only have internal memory have one big flaw, as you can only record a restricted number of calls. It does not matter how much time it takes you to use the internal memory (a week or a year), once it is full, you will not be able to record any more. In most cases, it is limited to a one or 2-line display to navigate between calls in order to determine which ones can be erased.

Simply put, the best phone recorder to use, no matter what the application, is the one that has the ability to both sense Line Voltage and also to be connected a computer.

Top Reasons to use NICE Voice Logging Recorders

2011-06-13T19:11:00.000-04:00

Using a voice logging recorder gives you an excellent possibility not only to record business and private phone calls, but also to record company meetings, and office interactions. Voice logging also gives you the opportunity to save your recordings to a computer, which can be further reviewed with ease.

The main benefit of recording company meetings, for example, is the ability to use this record of information for future reference or for training material. It then becomes easier to train new employees if you do have a record of a training session.

It’s important to note that voice recordings can protect you and your employees from false claims, as recordings can be used in court or in private a meeting. Thanks to a recorder set to record on your phone, you will be able to show the real conversation you had with a client or business partner.

As mentioned previously, digital recorders have the ability to store your calls to your computer, which makes it easy to review and archive important business calls.

I am sure that those of you who have ever had a call where money was a topic of conversation, understand the benefits that recording such a conversation can bring. No matter whether the call is going in your favor of not, having a recording of it can prove who was right and who was not.

In addition, if you need to use a voice logging recorder on another phone, you can easily move it, as it can migrate. Besides, it doesn’t matter what kind of phone system you have. NICE Voice Logging Recorders can be used for PBX, VoIP, as well as a plain old telephone (or multiple phone systems at once). Our professionals will help you to choose a recorder that best fits your needs.

Last but not the least, it should be pointed out, that you will surely look more professional on calls with clients, as it allows you to manage a call more smoothly. As a person who has contact with clients or customers, you can’t always stop and write down what was said, right then and get it all correct. It’s no secret that asking to repeat everything does not look nice to potential clients, but if your call is recorded, you will simply be able to replay it later.

What is Voice Logging?

2011-06-10T15:06:00.000-04:00

Telephone recording or voice logging, is the practice of regularly recording audio, from telephones, radios, microphones and other sources. This allows businesses to keep records, improve customer service, increase security and at the same time decrease errors. Voice data is typically stored on hard drives, RAID drives, or SAN storage solutions. Despite the fact that Voice logging is synonymous with phone recording, it also includes recording radio and VoIP conversations.

As voice logging is the practice of regularly recording audio, which is frequently used in business situations, there are a lot of benefits in recording conversations between a customer and his business partner(s.) Logging Voice data is a very important business function, as it provides your employees with telling examples of correct and incorrect work with customers. There are two basic modes for recording: the voice-activated mode (vox), and the one in which the recording is continuous (non-vox mode.) Additionally, there are three types of business phone recorders: the analog systems, Digital systems, and the software only systems.

NICE Digital Audio Recorders Today

2011-05-31T12:36:00.000-04:00

Digital audio recorders are usually used as voice memo recorders, as well as voice message recorders in portable telephone sets. Different kinds of audio recorders (such as heavy devices that use motor driven magnetic tapes ,they are relatively large, or lightweight portable units which are powered by small batteries, and can be easily hand held) are frequently used in conferences, business meetings.

As mentioned previously, nowadays voice-activated and voice logging recorders are often used by the Public Safety Agencies in monitoring various communications, which include police, fire and aircraft, medical services and any other kinds of emergency services.

More and more people choose NICE Digital Audio Recorders, in order to provide accurate records of business meetings, legal proceedings, educational material, etc. As a matter of fact, due to the scientific and technological advancement, solid state memories employing integrated circuits have supplanted tape recorders in a lot of apps.

The reason is simple, integrated circuit recorders are able to record analog values showing the immediate amplitude of the sound reaching the unit's microphone. In other words, the microphone output can also be digitized and stored as binary values.

Why Do Most People Get Wiretaps?

2011-05-31T09:59:00.000-04:00

Let us consider some basic scenarios, where a person might decide to buy a "bug" to solve a problem. Down below you will find a ranking of the situations when consumers usually had to buy a wiretap:

Heads of various departments and levels purchase hidden digital audio recorders or telephone bugs, to somehow check the work of their employees. Indeed, we have seen a great number of reports from different consumers claiming that the reason of their decision to buy a wiretap is that they suspect their employees in the systematic neglect of duty or even worse, theft.

A lot of people use bugs or phone wiretapping if they suspect their spouse of infidelity. Very often buyers when ordering mention that they know about the spouse's infidelities, but can not prove it.

The third place in the ranking of the customers occupied by those who employ babysitters, to look after their children. Very often people have doubts about the correct performance of their duties.

According to recent surveys, every third person would like to purchase wiretapping to solve their problems.

We live in an age of intense technological change and today listening devices become more powerful and at the same time more and more miniaturized, there is no guarantee that you do not have a bug whereby rivals get their information.

Quick note: The wire tap received its name because, historically, the monitoring connection was an actual electrical tap on the telephone line. Legal wiretapping by a government agency is also called lawful interception.

Recording Your Cell Phone

2011-05-31T09:53:00.000-04:00

In every person's life there may come a time when one is faced with the decision - either to continue a dialog with a certain person and not record the conversion, or vice versa, to record in order to protect oneself. There are a lot of reasons why one may want to record their conversions.

One such reason may be a "legal battle". Taking into account the fact that legal issues concerning the recording of phone calls must be considered, if you managed to record an important call it may save you thousands in legal fees. There are two types of state notification in the U.S. - either a one party notification or a two party notification, depending where you live. Recording your cell phone calls can be legal as long as you understand that you are being recorded (in case of a one party notification state.)

Another reason to record your mobile device is just an easy way to remember and reproduce what was said. No one is able to remember (and prove) every small detail that was expressed on the phone, that's why recording is the most convenient way to figure out what was said.

Top Reasons to Have a Digital Voice Recorder with Removable Media

2011-05-18T09:52:00.000-04:00

Not sure what voice recorder is right for you? You are in the right place! Today we will talk about the advantages of a digital voice recorder with removable media. There are numerous reasons to use a digital recorder, for example, a digital voice recorder may be very helpful if you need to store your recordings on a computer, as well as the fact that you are able to use it as a MP3 player or Radio. The digital voice recorder can record cell phones, landlines, satellite phones and VOIP phones. Digital recorders have numerous other benefits as well, the most common reasons are listed below:

A digital voice recorder with removable media protects from false claims;

A digital voice recorder with removable media can be used as a surveillance phone call recorder;

It allows you to store removable media backups to your personal computer;

Digital voice recorders with removable media stealthily monitors conversations;

It can be set up to auto record;

An A/C can be used for several months;

It contains separate folders for different types of calls;

In addition, you can use digital voice recorder with removable media as a MP3 Player or Radio as well as for taking notes.

Advantages of NICE logging recorder equipment in Medical Services

2011-05-16T09:54:00.000-04:00

Taking into account the number of medical malpractice suits in local, city and state hospitals, the departments dedicated to distributing advice in any emergency situation, concerning care for a patient; can be considered as the prime consumers for a technology, allowing them the ability to be recording all communications. Evidently, there have been some discrepancies given the liability involved with such services.

Now, for example, personnel of emergency services such as hospital emergency rooms, telephone and radio communications with medical ambulance corps or the clinical advisers, no longer have to rely on their memories. As they now have the ability to quickly and easily check and verify important facts, which consequently leads to less errors.

Another advantage of using "Communication Logging recorder equipment," is evident in situations when the placement of responsibility is necessary, especially taking into consideration that patient transport requests, from the nurse's station, are all made by phone. This means that the dispatched requests for these patient transfers are all verbal.

A recent study shows that medical advice lines that are recorded have a tendency to improve effectiveness and increase professionalism within the department.

Communication logging recorder equipment in EMS

2011-05-15T14:33:00.000-04:00

Thanks to communication logging recorder equipment, all telephone and radio communications associated with Emergency Medical Service Operations are provided with an unattended, voice perfect, digitally timed recording. Besides the fact that the conversation recordings are stored, they can be easily reproduced and duplicated as well as erased and reused. As a matter of fact evidence on from these recordings is even admissible in court.

Personnel of emergency services no longer have to rely on their memories, thanks to this specialized equipment, they now have the ability to quickly and easily check and verify important facts. This means that most errors are eliminated, and coordination of Emergency Medical Services can be improved. In these cases, for example, the "Call Check Message Repeaters," can be especially useful.

In addition, to protect the paramedic personnel from unwarranted complaints or lawsuits concerning treatment and services rendered, critical communications between physicians and personnel are always recorded and stored. Considering the fact that all of the recordings are electronically exact, with the time provided, the question of when and from whom the request was received, alongside with a number of other facts can be easily resolved.

NICE systems in Public Safety Agencies

2011-05-09T13:04:00.000-04:00

Nowadays a lot of communication logging recorder equipment is being used in Public Safety Agencies. Besides the fact that it plays a great role in work of Public Safety Agencies, the specialized equipment can help in making the correct decision in life and death situations.

There are a number of evident advantages, for example, all logs of incoming and outgoing telephone and radio communications are kept and can be easily and quickly reviewed if needed. In addition, the recordings are electronically time coded, which means that the public safety department will be protected from groundless citizen complaints.

There is no need to rely upon human memories, as this system gives us the ability to check and recheck, important facts, this then, automatically eliminates error and improves coordination of emergency services.

In case of situations like bomb threats or false alarms, the recordings become a source of identification.

The communications logging recorder equipment allows exact studies of air time, complaint volumes, etc., in order to form justifications for personnel or additional equipment.

The Benefits of SMART IR

2011-05-02T12:08:00.000-04:00

Once you understand the principle of infrared security cameras, you can begin to understand all of the benefits of SMART IR's. The thing is that during the security camera's work at night, there is usually very little ambient light available. It can come from various sources like street lights, building lights or even the stars and, the moon - depending of course on the setting.

The infrared LED arrays are used to increase the available ambient lighting, as they convert photons from the ambient light into a light that is visible by the camera image, which simultaneously makes the subject visible. This is quite impressive considering the fact that the source of light produces no visible light.

Standard IR security cams are well suited for apps, but sometimes consumers makes similar mistakes, such as purchasing an infrared cam that does not fit their app. In order to make the correct choice for your needs the first thing you have to do is to figure out the size of the area you wish to cover. In case of a wrong choice in terms of a system, you will find that the video footage is either over- or under-illuminated. It usually happens that a user sees hot or dark spots, because of the needed strength of the infrared array was misjudged.

As the subject moves closer to or further away from the camera, SMART IR uses auto set up of the infrared light, as a result, you can see a clear image.

Digital Noise Reduction System

2011-05-02T11:51:00.000-04:00

Only when you fully understand the meaning of "noise" will you be able to understand all of the benefits of digital noise reduction (DNR) technology. It's quite easy to imagine (or to see) noise as just any unwanted disturbance in a signal (it can either block, mangle or change and intersect with the signal.

At the same time, talking about a signal processing, noise is any unwanted data that is produced, and for example on video signals this comes across as fine static or "snow." It may be easier for you to understand if you can imagine that you are sitting in a crowded restaurant and having a conversation with your friend, so now imagine your conversation or a certain message you want your friend or colleague to hear with the signal. Meanwhile, all of the sounds around you (like music or other conversations) are "noise."

Now we can easily compare the digital noise reduction system with your brain, as both of them filter out unwanted data or unnecessary back ground noise. The goal here is for you to get the most out of your conversation, or in the case of video signals, to correct any imperfections in the signal.

Benefits of Digital Noise Reduction (DNR)

2011-05-02T11:32:00.000-04:00

As you already know, noise is an unwanted disturbance in a signal which can block, mangle or change and intersect with the signal. So among the numerous benefits of a digital noise reduction (DNR) system, we would like to highlight some of them. The most important facts are that when using a DNR system, you get not only a cleaner signal but, a more visually appealing image. In addition it gives you the ability to better distinguish between true motion and image noise.

The thing is that you have a possibility to store more video evidence on your hard drive, first, as the system delivers a cleaner signal, resulting in up to 70% disk space savings. Another very important fact is that cameras equipped with digital noise reduction technology give a more visually appealing image, which after all makes it easier to identify suspects.

Last but not the least, digital noise reduction technology makes it easier for your camera to distinguish between true motion and image noise, which at the same time allows the system to be more efficient in motion detection, specifically when there is not adequate lighting.

Audio in Video Surveillance System

2011-04-08T09:04:00.001-04:00

Considering the fact that the use of audio in video surveillance systems is still not very widespread, having audio is able to improve a system's capability to reveal and interpret recorded situations, as well as to enable audio communication over an IP network. But, taking into account the fact that in some countries the use of audio can be restricted, though, you should first check with local authorities in your area.

Audio applications

If to take audio as an integrated part of a video surveillance system can be a priceless addition to a system's capability to identify and "understand" events and emergency situations. Even though, the capability of audio to cover a 360-degree area leads to the coverage extension of a video surveillance system, areas which are beyond a camera's field of view. Additionally, it has a possibility to teach a PTZ camera or a PTZ dome camera to visually verify an audio alarm.

And that's not the half of it, as audio can also be used to provide operators or any other users with the opportunity to not only listen in on an area, but as well to make orders or requests to any visitor that want to enter a building or any other area under surveillance protection.

For example, if a person in a camera's field of view behave in a suspicious manner, like lingering near a bank machine, or is trying to enter a restricted area, a remote security guard will be able to send a verbal warning to the person. At the same time if there is a situation, in which a person has been injured, he will have a possibility to remotely inform and notify the victim, which can also be beneficial. When it comes to access control I can't but mention that it is a remote 'doorman' at an entrance, which covers area of application. Other apps include a remote helpdesk situation (such as an unmanned parking garage), as well as a video conferencing. The effectiveness of a security or remote monitoring solution can be increased by audiovisual surveillance system, as it enhances a remote user's ability to get and report information.

Hidden Listening Devices for GSM

2011-04-03T05:27:00.000-04:00

The listening devices destined for gsm is the best helper for those who are engaged in espionage activities, as it gives a lot of opportunities while using it in small amounts.

The wiretapping device is designed to provide acoustic control in real time. The device usually looks like a GSM receiver-transmitter, which features a highly sensitive four-level microphone. The device easily identifies the range of human voices. By the way, the case of the device is usually the same size and shape as a matchbox. The device contains a hidden slot for the SIM card and a mini USB-port. The card can be easily removed thanks to the spring mechanism, simply clicking on it with a fingernail.

While trying to understand the use of hidden listening device for GSM, there is no surprise that for the most of people the system of work will be not very clear as it is quite difficult to understand the purpose of the device, so it can be easily installed in any location. GSM listening device has built-in rechargeable battery that allows you to be in standby mode up to ten days, and you will be able to listen to the conversation up to 4 hours. Also, the devices can be permanently connected to a power source, as there is no indicator that can declassify it, so the procedure of eavesdropping will remain unnoticeable.

Bugs for Wiretapping

2011-04-03T05:18:00.000-04:00

Despite the fact that nowadays the human right on protection of personal information is widely declared, it happens that very often the only way to resolve some questions is to purchase and install hidden listening device.

If you want to obtain reliable information, in some cases, the usage of bugs for wiretapping may be the only way. They are used for testing the loyalty and quality of work of employees in various companies, convicting treason or systematic lies one of the spouses, for business security and so on. Also, such devices are often purchased by married couples to control the work and performance of nanny's duties while looking after children especially during prolonged absence of parents.

Bugs for wiretapping can be used for listening to the phone as well as for installation within various premises and vehicles. If to take into account the dimension of such devices (especially in comparison with the first ones), the risk of their detection is significantly small.

Today there is no problem to order such devices in the Internet or to purchase them in the shop, considering the fact that you have a big variety of choice of what you need or want to use. There is a great number of types of the hidden listening devices, which allow you to listen to landlines and mobile GSM phones, as well as different types of rooms, to mask and encrypt conversations, produce rapid detection of unauthorized implanted listening devices and record the received information.

These devices will help you find all the unwanted items in your home or office. If you decided to toss it yourself, we advise you to pay attention to the following:

1. Electrical sockets, wire cables. These places are the most "convenient" for the bugs, as they can constantly "be fed".

2. Gifts from employees and business partners.

3. "Forgotten" thing is the most innocent way to throw a bug.

What for to use candid cameras?

2011-04-03T05:12:00.000-04:00

Candid cameras can be installed in various locations. Very often, such cameras are camouflaged as a usual household item we are used to. There are some cameras, cleverly and inconspicuously mounted in the pens, lighters, buttons, sensors, fire alarms, etc.

Optionally, you can buy a candid camera for video surveillance without any concealment and install in the most suitable place.

Some business leaders and organizations use such cameras in order to see what their employees do during working hours. Some people use closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in order to protect their home.

Wealthy citizens usually set this kind of devices to monitor their working staff at the same time to know how well workers do their job. Some parents use candid cameras for additional control of their children.

This is especially useful when adolescents are prepping for some important exams or doing a hired tutor for university admission.

Hidden Listening Devices for More Security

2011-04-03T04:59:00.000-04:00

I think there is no one left in the world who did hear in his/her childhood from parents, that eavesdropping is good or something like that. But every rule, as we know, has exceptions and sometimes one may think "Maybe I should buy a listening device?"

Very often the answer "yes" is the only right one. After all, this device will allow you to get to know the truth about what indeed your new potential business partners talk about, or what is happening in the business office at the time when you are not there. For example, children can make undesirable acquaintances, and considering the fact that you are always busy with work, you still need to know about the situation at home. What I am trying to say is that there are hundreds of reasons what for you may need a listening device.

Nowadays there is no problem to purchase this kind of devices even without leaving your home, as you can buy it through the internet shop, or a professional consultant will advice you the best variant via phone, and you will get it delivered and set in your office or any place you need. This is a fast, convenient and reliable way to be hip to the situation at home, office or any other place you are interested in.

Modes of Video Surveillance System

2011-03-28T08:46:00.000-04:00

When changes in video signal are detected, the motion detector gives an alarm. Image from "suspicious" camera immediately displays on the monitor together with the information about alarm and a built in buzzer beeps.

As we mentioned before, there are a lot of systems that include a trace mode, where a moving object is marked with a white plume that shows the trajectory of motion.

You can also connect the motion detector to the access control system that in case of alarm will allow, for example, lock the door locks.

In order to make the system more convenient and effective there are different modes in video surveillance system that can be set up according to situation.

In most of the cases, to make the work of the system more efficient we need to set different detection parameters. Therefore, the motion detectors include two modes: day and night.

At the same time there is a "Museum" mode that is very convenient for use in museums. In this mode, the appearance and movement of new objects (like visitors) does not affect on the motion detector, but when one of the objects that is taken under protection changes the position, the detector immediately reacts and give the alarm.

Outdoor movement detectors

2011-03-28T07:06:00.000-04:00

Considering the fact that there are models that are designed only for indoor installation, using such detectors in the street system usually brings additional problems instead of increasing the efficiency of the system.

At the same time if to use properly configured outdoor motion detectors, the efficiency of the system is highly on its highest point. Such detectors can distinguish man and animal, determine the direction of movement of the object, prevent false alarms from the snow, rain, wind, etc.

Needless to say that the size of the on-screen image, and its rate of movement displayed on the screen, depends on the distance to the object. Consequently, if the object is far away from the camera it seems to be smaller and moving slower. That's why a small object in the foreground may seem larger than the attacker in the background. In order to compensate for the distortions of perspective, the entire screen can be divided into regions with different parameters of the operation.

If to switch on the detector trace mode, the cells that recorded a movement will be marked on the screen with white dots. If there is a moving object, its trajectory of motion would be marked with a white color and attract the attention of the operator, so he will be able to see the object. This mode is included in the majority of motion detectors.

Important parameters of video surveillance system

2011-03-28T07:03:00.000-04:00

Sensitivity

Sensitivity is one of the main parameters that capable to distinguish the offender from the background noise and filter chamber. If the sensitivity is very high, the shadows of objects can cause false alarms. At the same time if there is a too low sensitivity, there may be no clear definition between the offender and the background, which may lead to the incorrect work of detector, as well.

The size of the object

There is also a possibility to set the size of the object (of the alleged breaker) depending from the place where your camera is. The motion detector will give an alarm only if the image of the offender will take more than the given number of cells. For example, if the system is programmed to operate at a moving person, then it does not react to the appearance of a cat, dog or bird.

Direction of movement

VMD can determine the direction of motion as they distinguish movement direction like top - down, bottom - up, right - left and right - right. Among all these directions, camera will distinguish only those whose direction coincides with the set. Such detectors are used, for example, to protect the car parks. They can be programmed so that they do not react when cars enter and vice versa when it exit.

The parallelism of Video Motion Detection

2011-03-28T06:56:00.000-04:00

Different models of motion detectors have a different number of input channels. In multi-unit systems is used motion detection. Multichannel detectors contain a built-in switcher, where parameters are set independently for each channel.

Zone of observation

In order to make the programming convenient, motion detectors usually have on-screen menus. Using them operator sets the configuration of the observation. If the camera is, for example, in a room or hall, and in its field of view gets a window, the movement on the street can lead to false positives. To prevent this, the part of the screen with the window, should not be in the “protection area”.

In order to make it more easy and convenient for user, in some detectors, the entire screen is divided into 360 cells.

Talking about the outdoor motion detector, to prevent false positives objects like trees, grass, etc are as well removed from the “security zone.” It’s a quite common thing when an incorrect installation of outdoor camera leads to the inefficiency of the motion detector. The number of zones that can be set up depends from the type of the camera.

Video Motion Detection (VMD)

2011-03-28T06:39:00.000-04:00

The main goal of motion detection is to improve the efficiency of the security system and to reduce the influence of human factors. The detector monitors incoming video data from cameras, and in case of emergency, it automatically turns on the videocassette recorder (VCR) to record.

In multi-video systems it reduces the number of monitors that have to be used. Considering the fact that motion detection controls the situation in case of movement, there is no need to show the picture of all cameras on the monitor, at it automatically output the "alarming" picture on the monitor.

Analog and digital detectors.

It goes without saying that the first motion detectors were analog. They monitor the level of brightness and analyze its changes. But the possibilities of analog equipment could not allow to set up reliable criteria by which the detectors had to give the alarm.

Even a slight change in lighting in the room, caused by, for example, a shadow or a cloud, could easily cause false alarm.

New digital-Video is much more effective, they have been successfully used in outdoor and indoor surveillance. That’s why, digital motion detectors are replacing the analog in the market.

Principle of Operation

The principle of operation of any digital motion detector is based on an analysis of changes in the video signal. Every frame coming from the camera detector is being compared to the one that is already stored in its memory. In certain intervals of time, the image is replaced with the newest one. While comparing, the detector identifies the differences between these two images.

In the vast majority of digital detectors are formed one or several zones of observation, which give the size of the object and sensitivity. At the same time in some of them direction and compensation of the distortions are introduced by the prospect. Typically, the detectors are given 2 different sets of parameters to work day and night (day / night).

What for Do I Need a Video Surveillance System?

2011-03-21T04:15:00.000-04:00

CCTV is a combination of software and hardware that is intended for the organization of video surveillance. Nowadays, CCTV is an integral part of any modern security system, which includes:

Surveillance for shopping centers and supermarkets. The system helps reduce theft, monitor the work of staff and cash transactions, improves general security of the object.

Surveillance for stadiums and sports facilities - video surveillance system allows you to control the situation at the time of events (games, competitions), raises the level of safety for staff and visitors.

Surveillance for offices and banks - in this sphere, security is indispensable and very important. The main task of the system is to watch and control employees and clients, as well as monitor the entrances to the building. In these cases should be used the most high-tech products, which some times are even integrated with security and fire safety.

Surveillance for industrial and warehouse space - to control workflow and increase efficiency of employees are often used simple video surveillance system with inexpensive cameras and remote viewing via the Internet, so you can watch your office from anywhere in the world.

Surveillance for local government agencies - a system designed to enhance public safety and law enforcement.

The main advantages of IP-Surveillance

2011-03-20T14:58:00.000-04:00

The operator of the system can monitor in two ways, locally and remotely (with a PDA, cell phone, etc.) and perform the functions of administrative surveillance system using of Web technologies.

Unlike analog systems, simplified installation of IP Network Video does not require installation of additional coaxial cable and connect to the existing ACS facility or with the help of wireless technology.

Video quality: in modern IP-systems is used MPEG-4 format which allows more efficient use of network resources in comparison with the format M-JPEG.

Ability to transmit over a single cable, not only video but also audio, as well as manage and administer IP-cameras.

Flexibility and scalability of IP video surveillance is the ability to build a physically distributed network video monitoring, control and remote control without any limits in distance.

Another advantage is integration with many of the currently existing surveillance systems.

Tasks that require high resolution at low requirements for light, frame size, etc can be easily managed. The presence of the Customer's LAN with high bandwidth of 100Mbit/sec and above and free ports Ethernet.

Types of technologies of surveillance: IP CCTV

2011-03-20T14:53:00.000-04:00

In an IP-based video surveillance systems connectivity devices are based on standard network architecture - LAN Ethernet. In fact, the user receives a distributed digital video surveillance system, which allows him to apply for data processing and analysis of modern information technology.

A key element of the network is IP-Surveillance Network (IP) video camera, which has a lens, optical filter, CCD, built-in microprocessor for digitizing / video compression, network controller for connection to Ethernet and other elements. The most important thing that each network camera has its own IP-address, computer functions and built-in software that allows it to operate as a full-fledged network device. Unlike analog cameras, IP-camera does not need a direct connection to a computer or any other hardware or software. Its connection can be carried out using a wired connection as a wireless (Wi-Fi, GPRS / EDGE, 3G, satellite communications, etc.). That's how a complete or partial mobility of the user can be achieved, so he can monitor remote sites practically from any part of the globe.

Types of technologies of surveillance: Analog CCTV

2011-03-20T14:48:00.000-04:00

Analog equipment still remains in the catalogs of the largest producers, and such famous brands as BOSH, on the basis of manufactured components, offers a special module for converting "analogue" cameras to IP-device.

What is the reason for such a long life path of analog devices? Here are several possible reasons:

The cost of equipment. Currently, the cost similar to the parameters of IP cameras is 20-50% higher;

Proven technology and analog video surveillance solutions. You can use the individual components from different manufacturers;

In comparison with IP-cameras there is a higher level of technical parameters, such as: speed, reliability, precision positioning, automatic adjustment of parameters;

Response time - there is no problems in the analog system of tracking the moving object with a robotic camera. In a similar IP type of the system it's practically impossible because of the increased response time;

Using the equipment of video transmission over twisted pair reduces the number of wires and cables.

Some more advantages of analog CCTV equipment:

Analog cameras are used as the source of a signal in a number of digital or hybrid security systems such as VideoNet, Dalmier, Sensormatic, Sanyo, Panasonic, etc.

Advantages of CCTV systems

2011-03-20T14:42:00.000-04:00

The CCTV systems allow the installation of video surveillance for objects of any complexity, considering the fact that it does not require a work of high qualified staff. Both, digital video recorders (DVR) and ordinary computers with video capture cards can be used as a recording device. Among the advantages of DVRs is the function quad (multiplexer), VMD, VCR, etc. It is also equipped with modern DVRs network or modem interface that allows you to send video over IP.

In contrast to the DVR system built on the basis of PCs has a wider range of functionality, performance and capacity of the archives, as well as familiar to PC users interface.

A competitor to video surveillance systems is systems of network or IP-CCTV, which are the basis for IP-cameras. Such systems do not require installation of additional communication lines, data transmission occurs on the network infrastructure, built on the protocol IP. Control and administration system is carried out from any computer with access to the network and special software. IP cameras are more expensive than the analog cameras, but maintaining such a pace of production, in the nearest future they will become more affordable.

Solved problems with the help of video surveillance systems

2011-03-20T14:32:00.000-04:00

Video surveillance systems (closed circuit television, CCTV) – is a software and hardware (cameras, lenses, monitors, recorders and other equipment), intended for the organization of video surveillance at both the local and at geographically distributed sites. Nowadays, CCTV is an integral part of any modern security system.

What problems can be solved with the help of video surveillance systems?

The visual control of the situation in the protected object provides information for the post of observation in a multi-mode (standby) or full screen (an image from one camera to full screen) in real time, which gives a possibility to make a quick decision concerning a situation;

The possibility of organizing a continuous video surveillance on a digital video recorder or a computer system. It allows to document the violation and provides an opportunity for effective analysis of each situation;

Video surveillance systems may activate the alarm, thanks to using motion detectors, video cameras or external alarm sensors, as well as inform the operator of an alarm system in a controlled area with a light or audible warning signal. In this case, triggering the motion detector can automatically activate the record for the full registration of a situation. Depending on the situation, one of a numerous scenarios of the system response launches, which can lead to changes in work part of the system or starting other applications, etc.

The Japanese are developing new 3D video surveillance system

2011-03-15T16:21:00.001-04:00

Year 2016. Summer Olympic games are held in Tokio. Probably… At the same time and place the new 3D video surveillance system should start its work. It’s being developed, sure thing, for protection from terrorism. The salt is that the surveillance would be done in 3D.

It sounds very easy: two-dimensional image from camcorders would be passed to data-centers where it’d be transformed to three-dimensional (to all appearance, it’s done by color registration from different angles). Got three-dimensional models of citizens which came in view to cameras would be compared to database of same three-dimensional models of suspicious characters and wanted criminals in real time.

The Japanese are going to spend near $1.000.000 on their project. They believe that a three-dimensional system will help find out criminals much more effectively than usual. As in case of usual comparing image from camera sometimes it doesn’t let identify a person correctly (angle is different, etc.), so a creation of three-dimensional model will make criminal’s detection possible, at least with more probability.