Megapixel Cameras Aid in Fight Against Small Business Crime

  • Feb 14, 2012

For small business owner Marjan Kostomaj, running the family commercial printing business is filled with everyday challenges that range from marketing to production issues to equipment maintenance. One issue he no longer has to worry about is the building’s video surveillance system.

Kostomaj's business, Tiskarna Kostomaj, located in Celje, Slovenia, recently adopted an Arecont Vision megapixel camera solution. Kostomaj chose Arecont's megapixel cameras after IP VGA video camera surveillance systems were tried, unsuccessfully. According to Kostomaj, the previous cameras did not have the image quality and were not reliable. 

“Property crimes, particularly burglary and vandalism can seriously affect our business and the other cameras were simply not doing the job we needed,” said Mr. Kostomaj. “We needed a camera system that would be able to recognize a person or vehicle within the camera field of view (FOV).  And that’s exactly what we have with the Arecont megapixel cameras.” 

In designing the new system, Tiskarna Kostomaj selected Arecont Vision megapixel cameras that ideally matched their needs. The AV3130 provides superior night vision to cover the outside of the building and the parking lot. The unique dual-sensor, day/night 3/1.3-megapixel IP camera delivers up to 15 frames per second (fps) at 2,048x1,536 pixels of high-definition color resolution. In low-light conditions, the AV3130 changes from color to black-and-white and the camera’s frame rate increases to a maximum of 30 fps at 1,280x1,024 pixels. 

To meet their demands for higher resolution and identification for internal coverage, the company selected the AV5100DN, a 5-megapixel MJPEG camera providing 2,492x1,944 pixel resolution at 9 frames per second (fps). The camera offers simultaneous full field-of-view and region-of-interest video, and image cropping allows streaming of full-density partial images. Included in the new video surveillance system is the AV1300 camera, featuring 1,280x1,024 pixel video at 32 fps, forensic zooming, region-of-interest (ROI), image cropping and motion detection. 

“Any business makes itself vulnerable to crime if proactive measures are not taken to help prevent it,” said Scott Schafer, executive vice president, Arecont Vision. “Megapixel cameras have been proven time and again as highly effective tools to improve image quality and reduce the number of cameras to cover the customers’ location.”

Higher resolutions enable customers to minimize the number of cameras they use without compromising coverage. The ability of fewer megapixel cameras to take the place of many standard-resolution network cameras or analog cameras contributes to an overall lower system cost. The use of fewer cameras also requires less labor and cabling while providing high resolution. Using fewer cameras to cover larger areas also translates into cost savings related to infrastructure (cables, mounts, housings, etc.) which makes it easier to realize a system return-on-investment (ROI). Also, the availability of higher-resolution images can provide prosecutable forensic evidence.  
 

Featured

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.