Online Tech Meeting with a Vendor?

[MetzLyov]

Hi folks, one of the things I thought I could provide in our forums was a chance for you to chat/post directly with a vendor to get technical questions answered/discuss changes/how to use/tips/techniques/etc.

Here's what I have in mind:

A special thread (possibly a sub-forum) where, for one hour, a product engineer or tech manager from a company of your choosing (I'd like to start with a video surveillance company) is available to answer questions that you ask.

In theory, how it would work is that you'd log in and the video company product manager and/or engineer would be there for that specific one-hour period. You'd be able to post a question about their products or working with their products, and they'd be able to respond directly. For example, if you have a tech question about a firmware update for a DVR, you could ask it, and they'd respond. It would approximate a "chat" format, but using the forums platform so they could post links to product sheets and technical information.

All the responses would be saved (just like normal posts), but by scheduling it for a particular time, you could ask a question and then ask follow-up questions if the answer needs further details. With luck, you'd also be able to feed off other members' questions and help develop technical questions of you own.

Basically, it would be like conducting a public technical support session with a vendor of your choice, without having to get in your car and go to a conference or a meeting.

Does this interest you, and if so, what company would you like to have on board (perhaps a company whose products you are just now learning about?)? I think something like a video management system might be kind of neat to discuss, or maybe bring aboard a big vendor with a big product range?

Post up your replies/suggestions/etc. and let's see if we can't create something here that allows integrators and users to interact directly with the product developers.

Best regards,
Geoff Kohl, SecurityInfoWatch.com

Geoff, will this continue or is a dead issue? There are other forums that have similar, yet more aggressive approach on inviting manufacturers and force them to answer questions on real problems and without any hype..

I thought this was a good way to bring them and have them answer questions.. and just wandering if this post will continue.

Thanks,

[CameraMan]

Anything happening with this? Or did it happen already while I wasn't paying attention?

[SIW Editor]

It's Alive!

Trident Tek (TYCO) has agreed to be involved in session #1 at your request. I'm tentatively planning for Jan. 29 or Jan. 30 (sorry for the delay, but I've got some planning and promotion to do to get the word out about this).

Go ahead and let folks you work with and deal with know about this opportunity to get questions posed directly to the Trident Tek folks (they are becoming a part of American Dynamics, as you might have guessed).

They can talk about the technology, what it means to become part of A.D., anything you want to chat about. It should be a lot of fun... Not sure who they will pick to be in front of us -- might be Paul, might be someone else...

Stay tuned...I'm really looking forward to this.

//geoff/siw

[MetzLyov]

People I'd like to speak to:

Panasonic
Pelco
Dedicated Micros
Everfocus
Pentax
Steelbox
DVTech
VisualGate
Asis
NBFAA
Sanyo
Axis
Cisco

Any other ideas?

Here are few more:

Bosch - http://boschsecurity.us/index.html
American Dynamics - http://americandynamics.net/home/default.aspx
GE Security - http://www.gesecurity.com/portal/site/GESecurity
CBC America - http://www.cbcamerica.com/

[CameraMan]

People I'd like to speak to:

Panasonic
Pelco
Dedicated Micros
Everfocus
Pentax
Steelbox
DVTech
VisualGate
Asis
NBFAA
Sanyo
Axis
Cisco

Any other ideas?

[SIW Editor]

Good point, 97. This will need to be constructive. Bashing isn't the point anyway; the idea is to bring in a vendor you've always wanted to learn more about and get into a technical discussion with, and have a chance to have some questions answered. We could probably get someone sitting in also with a marketing/sales role if you wanted to get into sales strategies with them. It depends on how much of that sales angle they want public, of course.

Integrator97, I'd be very open to having independent (non-vendor) tech types come in for a session (and hopefully stay a while). I personally believe that integrators and resellers like yourselves who sell more than one competing product line are actually some of the most knowledgeable tech types in our industry, however, there are some good, knowledgeable persons operating as technical specifying consultants. I have a couple ideas; but who were you thinking about? (PM me if you'd prefer not to splash names over the forum.)

Geoff

[integrator97]

There are some good points made here. It will be important to not make this a bashing session, otherwise it won't be constructive and helpful, and other "guest lecturers" won't want to come. If you don't like someones product, don't join in that session. If you can offer something constructive, or want to learn more about the product or subject, then join in. Nothing wrong with pointing out a problem, or asking for a missing feature.

It will also be nice if we can get some general experts, without a product agenda to push.

[CameraMan]

CameraMan,

I don't believe it is a matter of being lazy or any type of MS conspiracy- it is pure economics. There just are not a lot of MACs running in Security Control Rooms. I think over time you will see more MAC friendly devices. It is the same for access control systems, etc ( I still remember the day I had to tell Apple that their new CCure 800 would have to run on a PC!!).

There needs to be a market before the manufacturers will scramble to fill the MAC void.

John

Oh, but there is a huge- well, large- untapped market: educational sales.

I know this, because the department in our company that deals with educational sales sends me down a request from some college or school district about twice a month on average for a cctv system. I'll design something, and they'll send it back saying "must be Mac compatible" and I'll send them an email saying "such things do not exist yet" and they will send me an email saying "how can that possibly be?" and I call them and explain to them that the security industry is not exactly known for their adaptibility and they will get all mad and complain to their supervisor that I'm being unhelpful.

[N. A. Corbier]

One word: ActiveX. Macs don't support it.

[MetzLyov]

Panasonic, for example. I wanna look some Panasonic engineer right in the thread-reply when he explains exactly why none of thier IP cams work in a Mac enviroment, not even the consumer-level stuff. I especially want to see how they avoid using the word "laziness".

CameraMan, this request will never happen with any manufacturer, regardless the size... Look at it this way - if you were the manufacturer, will you be willing to face all the tough questions imposed on you by a group of professionals about your products limitations? I personally will not and I am not sure how the rest of the members feel about it.

On the other hand, all the professionals here can give you real solutions and real answers without any marketing hype... This will be a better approach to get answers rather than having a manufacturers peddle their ideas, most of which are there to serve their own purpose and not what we really need....

[john_harrington]

Basically all the majors have them...

The trick to integrate your analog cameras in this type of an environment is to use encoders that will convert your analog signal to digital and then store everything in your NVR...

Software does vary from one manufacturer to another.. Each vendor has very specific requirements... Most do not like to see their software being interfaced with others IP cameras... So, you have to do your homework thoroughly...

One such software provider that comes in mind is Trident Tek - http://www.tridenttek.com/ that recently was acquired by Tyco Security division (American Dynamics)... From what we see, this platform does not care whose IP cameras you can use nor analog cameras through appropriate encoders.. All they care is to sell a license sit per camera... Not sure if this is the best way to go.. yet..., but it gives very flexible platform for present and also for future expansion... and the most importantly, it is an open architecture, which allows others to adhere to it.

Geoff,

I concur on IP and Trident Tek. The person at Trident Tek you want to contact is Paul Zsebedics, CEO. He is very knowledgable.

John

[john_harrington]

Panasonic, for example. I wanna look some Panasonic engineer right in the thread-reply when he explains exactly why none of thier IP cams work in a Mac enviroment, not even the consumer-level stuff. I especially want to see how they avoid using the word "laziness".

CameraMan,

I don't believe it is a matter of being lazy or any type of MS conspiracy- it is pure economics. There just are not a lot of MACs running in Security Control Rooms. I think over time you will see more MAC friendly devices. It is the same for access control systems, etc ( I still remember the day I had to tell Apple that their new CCure 800 would have to run on a PC!!).

There needs to be a market before the manufacturers will scramble to fill the MAC void.

John

[CameraMan]

Who are "them"??

Panasonic, for example. I wanna look some Panasonic engineer right in the thread-reply when he explains exactly why none of thier IP cams work in a Mac enviroment, not even the consumer-level stuff. I especially want to see how they avoid using the word "laziness".

[MetzLyov]

Yes, but I want to hear them say it.

Who are "them"??

[MetzLyov]

OK, it sounds like the preferred vendor engineer would be working for a company in the IP/network video surveillance space. So let's say IP cameras. Nice place to start since it can build off knowledge that we all have on analog cameras.

I've got a couple folks in mind who would probably be willing, but I want to put you folks in the driver's seat on this. So, if you can, start tossing out IP camera vendor names you might want and I'll call 'em up.

This would probably be in January; December is too quickly passing through the hourglass.

Geoff

Basically all the majors have them...

The trick to integrate your analog cameras in this type of an environment is to use encoders that will convert your analog signal to digital and then store everything in your NVR...

Software does vary from one manufacturer to another.. Each vendor has very specific requirements... Most do not like to see their software being interfaced with others IP cameras... So, you have to do your homework thoroughly...

One such software provider that comes in mind is Trident Tek - http://www.tridenttek.com/ that recently was acquired by Tyco Security division (American Dynamics)... From what we see, this platform does not care whose IP cameras you can use nor analog cameras through appropriate encoders.. All they care is to sell a license sit per camera... Not sure if this is the best way to go.. yet..., but it gives very flexible platform for present and also for future expansion... and the most importantly, it is an open architecture, which allows others to adhere to it.