VIDEX
10 - The ultimate in
Videx was originally developed and launched as a world leader in 1991 and has remained the technology leader in security surveillance ever since.
The Videx range of Products again proves that South African innovation and technology can be the world leader in specific niche markets with the latest versions, Videx 9 and Videx 10 proving the innovative excellence of Videx state of the art technology.
The Videx technology is developed by the VTR Group of Companies
- VTR being the professional consulting engineering arm,
- Software and Electronic Laboratories being the development and programming arm and
- Securicor being responsible for High Tech Security Installations.
The group was formed in 1984 and the 15 year celebration of the groups formation is being celebrated in 1999 from February 22nd to February 26th, by demonstrations on the VTR test site
2.
History of the Videx Products
The first Videx CCTV recorder (fully Windows compatible) was developed and introduced to the South African market in 1991. The first installation is still operational with only two call outs. The first after six months to improve the set-up and the second, five years later, to re-set-up when the warehouse in which Videx operates, was moved.
The Videx 01 was a digital, Black & White Video recorder recording onto 80 MByte Hard Disk Drives (the largest then available) using an adapted JPEG algorithm (years before the standard was published). Compression ratios and quality were the same as that currently achieved by the best algorithms. Only 3 cameras were catered for, recording simultaneously. In 1992 an eight camera version, Videx 02, with an eight camera multiplexer, were introduced and shown at IFSEC '93 in Birmingham UK.
By 1993 an eight camera colour version, Videx 3, was introduced and later in the year Videx 4 was developed, which was a 64 camera version and also allowed fast image transfer over telephone lines. Videx 4 was never marketed but was soon superseded by Videx 5. Videx 5 was launched in 1994 as a full 64 colour camera system with alarm control, monitoring over telephone lines and was shown at the 1994 ESSEN show in Germany. Demonstrations included the Monitoring of systems in South Africa via telephone line from Germany. The sales of Videx to European banks to protect their ATM's as well as other international sales to places like Iceland, Sagreb, Seara Leone and Curacao started.
By 1995 Videx 6 was developed to include features specifically requested in Europe for the ATM protection.
The Videx Parking Guard (later renamed VIDEX 7) was also developed in 1995 to monitor Parking Areas, to monitor Entrance and Exit movement and to calculate tariffs for the same vehicle entering and exiting a Parking Area - i.e. a full Parking Control System.
This system has also been used in many factories for movement monitoring and control, not only of vehicles, but also of materials. Due to the introduction of Windows 95 in 1996, the old frame grabbers, running under Windows 2, .3.1 and 3.11 became obsolete. Videx 8 used new technology, Windows 95 compatible, frame grabbers but never achieved the satisfaction of the original frame grabbers.
3.
Videx 10
Early in 1997 it became clear that the latest Windows environments (Windows 95, Windows NT and currently Windows 98) required a new approach to Videx technology. Programming using Delhi was easier but full control of the hardware environment became more difficult. Furthermore Securicor had been installing Access Control and Turn Key Systems for more than 10 years while Videx was focused on CCTV with alarm functions only. An absolutely stable management system, incorporating all aspects of CCTV, Alarm Management, Access Control, Building management and sophisticated remote control and monitoring was required.
Securicor was just completing SANDF projects at Lohatla (near Sishen), Bloemfontein and Kroonstad all based on Videx 8 where monitoring of sophisticated CCTV systems, gate monitoring and electrified fences, by Radio and over long distances, were the essential features. At many City Councils Videx 8 was monitoring huge city areas and reporting attempts of theft, vandalism and criminality over ISDN and telephone lines with CCTV evidence ready for the courts. In all these installations expanded and sophisticated features as well as access control would have been very handy.
The VTR group's experience in Access Control and sophisticated Turn Key projects goes back to the early 1980's (SEL was started in 1981 as a security products research and evaluation entity) and it was realised that all products on the market, apart from neither complying to nor integrating all the required aspects included in complex security installations, suffered from many frustrating limitations.
A detailed specification was drawn up for Videx 10 based on the experience gained over more than 20 years of detailed security design involvement by the VTR group's professional engineers (adding up to hundred of man-years of experience). The new system would include not only expanded CCTV capabilities but also full Access Control and management functions with absolutely no limitations, (other than imposed by the computers used), of the number of cameras, networking (i.e. interconnection of systems) number of card readers, types of card readers, number of people on the access control, numbers and types of alarm points etc.
The new system also integrates all types of peripherals to a security or building management system including electrified fences (measuring to 1% of distance where a penetration occurs) and analogue measurements (e.g. temperatures, power usage etc).
Videx 10 development started in 1997 and performance are continuously being enhanced. A number of Videx 10's are already installed where access control and CCTV surveillance, plus other features are successfully integrated (examples - Gauteng Provincial Government, Pietersburg City Council and Mosgas) and some of the most sophisticated CCTV installations ever done in South Africa are currently in progress.
4.
The Videx 10 is based on a UNIX kernel (absolutely stable and allowing access to features hard to control in a Windows environment) with user interfaces using Windows as a user friendly environment.
The Unix kernel is not accessible to the user and is extremely stable. A possible misuse of a Windows machine does not affect the system since the Windows environment is a reporting environment and only sends requests and set-up information to the Unix kernel.
The only limitations to the system is the hardware utilised, which, however, is always expandable.
All known access control, CCTV and monitoring functions are incorporated in the system (based on the extensive experience of the VTR group with virtually all products in existence).
As can be seen from the above the Videx 10 is impressive and can perform any function perceived as a possible requirement by the designers.
Videx 9
The Videx 10 features are very powerful but may be more than clients may require and therefore, during Videx 10 development a subset, running on a single Windows based machine, was developed for the commercial market and with more modest features than that of the Videx 10.
The Videx 9 concentrates on fast digital recording of CCTV images on a single machine with limited access control, alarming and control abilities. The full ability of monitoring over networks, telephone lines, ISDN or radio links is however retained.
Both the Videx 9 and Videx 10 again makes the products and services of the VTR group the most advanced in the world.
The CCTV contract for the extensions to the Balfour Park Shopping Centre was recently awarded to Securicor. The Videx system is being installed to effectively monitor and manage images from a large number of cameras (from Black & White Dome Cameras to sophisticated colour CCD Cameras). The architect from Cox Derby Gibson said that this was the largest Video Surveillance system that he had seen so far.