Monitoring the situation

CCTV applications come in all shapes and sizes, and there are monitoring solutions available, these days, for every situation.

One company offering unusual monitoring solutions for control room surveillance set-ups is Barco.

Its iSurveillance display solution features rear-screen projection, graphic controller, and web-based operating software. One projection module can display up to 64 video or graphics windows simultaneously, and as such, is suited to large-scale monitoring applications.

Two or more modules can be combined into more compact systems, while a display wall can also be constructed to monitor hundreds of cameras.

UK business development manager Simon Turtle says that while the iSurveillance system has a higher price tag than a typical monitor stack, it has lower operation and maintenance costs over the course of its life.

He says that the iSurveillance system can incorporate 25 equivalent-sized video screens in the space that would be taken up by a stack of 12 conventional CRT monitors, and would use 150W as compared to the 1500W of the CRT option.

The system is designed for 24-hour operation and incorporates a dual lamp projection system.

It offers front or rear access to the projection unit, lamp replacement in under a minute, and Barco claims it consumes less power than comparable systems, with lower electricity costs, less heat output, fewer components and cables, and fewer failure points.

The system has the capability to blend and control direct inputs from RGB (computer signals), analogue video, streaming (IP) video, and any graphical data passed via the network. Each of these sources can be flexibly viewed on the large video wall at any position, and can be resized on the spot.

An alarm can trigger the display layout to change in order to bring the relevant view to the attention of operators. The layout and preferences for the display wall can be altered from any authorised PC that is connected to the LAN, by using a Java application running in a standard web browser.

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Following are some of the latest developments and products launched in this sector

Low power use

JVC has introduced a new range of low power-consuming 15-inch and 17-inch LCD colour video monitors. The flat-screen monitors come in a durable metal cabinet which can be used stand alone or rack mounted.

The monitors have a viewing angle of 130 deg, and JVC claims they consume “considerably less electrical power than the more traditional CRT displays”.

They come with two standard composite input terminals, each with a bridged input, and can also be connected directly to a PC through a 15-pin input terminal to display.

They also feature mains power input, VA-XGA PC inputs, external remote control, and have switchable 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio.

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New from Sanyo

Sanyo’s VMC-8621PA is a 21” high-resolution colour video monitor, boasting over 450 TV lines.

It features three channels of audio and video – two composite, one S-Video – which are input/output selectable from the front panel.

On-screen mode setting is available, and menu languages include English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Russian.

The monitor has a built in 1W compact loudspeaker, and comes in a durable metal cabinet. It has multi-system compatibility, allowing it to detect PAL or NTSC input signals automatically.

Overscan/underscan is selectable from the front panel, and there is an automatic voltage selector, from 100V to 240V AC, 50/60Hz. Auto-termination helps to simplify the bridge wave control.

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Flat panel from GE

GE Infrastructure – Security has launched the KLC-15HS, a flat-panel 15-inch colour LCD monitor. GE says the 15HS is a “stylish and space-saving replacement for the classic CRT-style monitor”.

The monitor includes a base for free-standing installations, and offers a variety of optional mounting accessories, including a rack mount, post arm mount, and a simple wall mount.

IT features 500 lines of resolution and a 160 degree viewing angle – 80 deg left, right, up and down. It has a multi-language on-screen display, and offers loop-through inputs and a built-in speaker.

It accepts 100 to 240V AC power inputs, and its dual scanning system is NTSC and PAL compatible.

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Security data link

Panasonic’s new colour monitors – WV-CM2080 (55cm), WV-CM1780 (45cm), and WV-CM1480 (40cm) – are equipped with ‘Panasonic Security Data Link’.

This is a new feature which allows the remote control of image input using an optional controller.

All three can be installed in EIA 19-type racks using standard or optional adaptors.

The CM2080 features 500 TV lines of resolution, three channel video inputs (composite A/B or S-video), and 0.7W maximum speaker output.

An EIA 19-type mounting bracket is provided.

The CM1780 has 800 TV lines of resolution, while the CM1480 has 750 TV lines.

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Small is beautiful

LCD and plasma display specialist Product Shop International is offering its 5-inch AN501 and 5.6-inch SP5603A TFT slim line monitors.

The AN501 is PAL and NTSC compliant, and has L/R and U/D image reverse monitoring.

It is equipped with a stand and mounting tray, enabling it to be recessed in a wall, or vehicle dashboard. The SP5603A also has left/right image reverse, and has proven popular for use in commercial transport.

They have two audio/video inputs (with stereo on the AN501), and allow playback from any composite video and DVD source.

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Robust and reliable

CBC has launched a new ZM-CR range of Ganz colour monitors, designed to provide high quality images and to be robust and highly reliable.

Four sizes are available – 9”, 14”, 15” and 21” – and all come in sturdy metal casing.

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