Going National

Jun 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Stephanie Silk

Digital video systems are a staple of the security industry, and EYESthere, Carrollton, Texas, is looking to take the digital security trend national, one franchise at a time.

EYESthere's customers use video surveillance for security, access control or point-of-sale. Randy Andrews, vice president of product development and chief solution architect for EYESthere, says that no business should still be using a VCR. “Digital video is on people's radar; they are aware. There are two parts in dealing with the transition: the issues of conversion to new technology, and educating the public,” Andrews says.

To take digital security national, EYESthere is currently attempting to set up franchises all over the country. The goal is to open 210 franchises by the year 2010, and each will help surrounding businesses set up their own customizable camera system. “The core and primary reason that people move forward with this technology is that as soon as you get your DVR properly tuned, your services come into play. You can have it record motion, and the correct motion only. It won't record a spinning fan. You don't have to scroll through video; you get a time stamp with exactly when something happened. And you will get 30 days of recording at the least,” Andrews says.

Digital video systems, which permit live remote viewing from any Web browser or supported PDA, allow users to watch days of footage in minutes. There is also the option of having an e-mail or phone call sent to a user to inform them of motion detection, for example.

Andrews says the most prevalent trend he has seen among his customers is that now that businesses own working surveillance systems, they find themselves watching the video even when no security mishap occurs. “What used to be purely a security tool has become an empowerment tool,” he says.

EYESthere also offers a blend between access control and surveillance, says Andrews. One system attaches a video clip to a text read-out that a user may receive when someone walks in the door of his or her business. “We are seeing a lot of interest of that integration so that you are no longer checking your access control system and your video — you get both.”

EYESthere also offers training and support to ensure the system works. “I walk into businesses all the time where only half of the security system works. If this were your bank account, you would want it to work all the time. That's our goal. There needs to be a national provider who can approach these needs and questions from customers.”

One customer that uses EYES-there is Ed Hutson, owner of Johnson Creek Rentals, Portland, Ore., a retailer of equipment rentals such as concrete tools and trucking. He looked into getting a DVR system after getting tired of switching out many tapes per day from his VCR system. After seeing a nearby business install EYESthere equipment, he gave it a shot. “I thought it was really slick, and now I can have 20-30 days of data stored, and go right to any point at any time,” Hutson says.

Being able to go to any point at any time came to use, says Hutson, who caught a criminal that had been stealing from his business and others in the area. “I was able to pinpoint an exact moment, and get a license plate shot. When I brought a CD with the file on it to law enforcement, it was a slam dunk.”

EYESthere' approach is to bring together the camera industry and the computer industry and offer one simple solution to customers, Andrews says. “When computer-based technology came along, we approached the camera industry from the computer side. Approaching it from that side is a whole new world,” he says.

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© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

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