Bedfordshire-based AMG Systems – the company celebrated across the globe for specialising in the design, manufacture and installation of video and data transmission systems for use in the transport, public, Government and military sectors – has taken the decision to expand its offerings by venturing into the world of network camera manufacturing.
Under the brand name of AMG Panogenics – a sister company established by AMG Systems’ founder and managing director Dr Alan Hayes and David Myers – the organisation has just launched two five megapixel, 360 degree network cameras conceived, designed and manufactured on UK shores.
“We’ve been trading for over 20 years now,” explained Hayes as we chatted at AMG Systems’ headquarters (which lies within The Stratton Business Park, a mere stone’s throw from the heart of Biggleswade) about the reasoning behind this bold move into new territory.
“We’ve developed very good relationships with systems integrators and installers,” he continued. “Our business model’s wholly based on excellent customer service. In short, we’re trusted, but we also know we cannot compete with the Far Eastern manufacturers in terms of being a ‘Me too’ supplier of cameras. We’re engineers, and we have a relatively high cost base here.”
Traditionally, 50% of AMG’s business has been conducted overseas, the other 50% here in the UK. The same split pertains between pure security business and business in the transport infrastructure market (in which AMG Systems’ transmission solutions are constantly lauded).
“This year, the commercial side has been mainly focused on overseas contracts,” explained Hayes, who touched on the migration of video to IP offerings – the latter based on standards – and then the advent of HD technologies morphing from the consumer to the business world (while in turn showing off their capabilities over and above their PAL cousins).
“Many practitioners still want to use analogue cameras for their outdoor security applications,” stressed Hayes.
Serial Digital Interface without compression
What Hayes described as “an interesting twist” happened two years ago when the call came for Serial Digital Interface (aka SDI) without compression.
“The serious players are now offering HD cameras complete with an SDI port,” he stated. “We feel we have to follow the trends. In South Korea, for example, there’s a desire for uncompressed SDI video all the way to the monitor.”
One wonders what would be/is being done on the recording front in such an instance, as there’s too much data to be considered for a set-up of this nature?
According to Hayes, much of the world’s Ethernet expertise lies in Taiwan. “We tried to develop Ethernet products here in the UK,” explained Hayes, “but there was a lack of support from chip manufacturers. Thus we went to Taiwan and worked with designers there as they co-exist alongside the major chip houses.”
Development of the two new cameras is different. For a start, they’re UK designed and UK manufactured and launched under the self-funded, venture capital-free Panogenics brand. That brand is being driven forward by David Myers, the managing director of Panogenics, and a design team whose constituent individuals harbour many years of experience in the field of 360 degree cameras.
Development of the new PanoCam 360A – and its vandal-resistant, external/internal cousin the PanoCam 360B – began around 12 months ago as Hayes and Myers ramped up an idea to diversify (and differentiate) the AMG business.
“Feedback from the integrators with whom we’ve already spoken about the cameras is positive,” suggested Sara Bullock, AMG Systems’ international sales and marketing director who joined us for the interview. “They really like the technology we’ve employed.”
Detail concerning the cameras
The PanoCam 360A SMP network camera provides up to 14 simultaneous electronic PTZ and – as its name suggests – panoramic video streams which may be recorded or viewed in real-time. Multiple electronic PTZ allows each end user to control the camera as if it were their own unique PTZ.
De-warping is provided within the cameras, in turn reducing loads on the NVR system and improving overall performance. Images can also be viewed by way of a standard web browser (thus no software’s required).
Also of interest for potential end users is the fact that the PanoCam 360A doesn’t feature any moving parts. In other words, there’s no scope for wear and tear and maintenance costs will, in turn, be reduced.
On top of that, the cameras’ full 360 degree horizontal and 180 degree vertical field of view coupled with “industry-leading” five megapixel resolution means that camera count may be greatly reduced and blind spots kept to a minimum.
Interestingly, the PanoCam 360A models output the full panoramic image for recording purposes. These may be combined with an integrated recording system to afford retrospective electronic PTZ.
In short, end users can ‘go back in time’ and follow subjects as if they were still viewing the images in a live situation.
“Put simply, these cameras provide total situational awareness,” asserted Bullock. “That’s not achievable when you’re using fixed cameras and PTZ domes. There’s also scope for up to ten pre-sets and privacy zones.”
MJPEG, MPEG4 or H.264 streaming is standard on this model, with the frames per second count standing at 12.5.
The PanoCam 360B variant, meanwhile, features a vandal-resistant die-cast housing (while a low profile housing option is available for transport applications).
Like its cousin, this camera also plays host to HTTP AVI and playback SDK for simple integration with third party NVRs and video management systems.
Upgrading of megapixel ratings
“In essence,” continued Hayes, “what we have designed here are cameras where the megapixel rating can be enhanced [there are already plans in place to upgrade to eight megapixels] and where the sensors and processors will do what the end user wants all inside the camera.”
There’s also a full intention to bring analytics on board. “People will pay for analytics if they’re a necessity rather than a nicety” is Alan Hayes’ view on this matter, and to prove that point he’s busily trying to forge working relationships with some of the more prominent analytics developers.
At present, the cameras aren’t compatible with ONVIF but the suggestion is that they will be brought into conformance through time to make sure any lack of such ‘badging’ isn’t an issue at the procurement/tendering stage.
To help promote the Panogenics operation as well as the new cameras, only yesterday AMG launched an updated version of its website. Click here to learn more about the AMG Systems and Panogenics-based solutions on offer.
Info4Security would like to thank Dr Alan Hayes and Sara Bullock for their invaluable assistance with this article