The thermal side of the moon

It’s time for a high-speed run-through of the latest and possibly greatest security news happenings and whatnot. Yes, it is!

Let’s begin with this thermal camera, which has been looking at the far side of the moon. How about that, eh? Pretty impressive stuff. It’s only a matter of time before they catch someone over there doing some moon graffiti or defacing moon bus shelters or something. Isn’t it? It is.

Then! It’s time to hear about BT Redcare’s price freeze decision. What’s being frozen? Prices on analogue circuits. When? Find out! (To find out, please click on the link to the story.)

Chargecrest has gone ahead and merged strategically; a meeting has been organised for some door supervisors; and Canon is looking to get itself a sweet 10 per cent of the Indian security market.

And in case you missed it yesterday: security underwear.

Bye. Bye!

www.info4security.com, www.ifsec.co.uk

SIA report, and Cisco loves Pelco

A big day of security news – so no time to waste. Let’s do this thing.

First up, the Security Industry Authority has been reported on. Find out what the reporters had to say about ’em. Here is where the story is. Click it!

Then there’s the coming together of two big players in a technological marriage of CCTV proportions: Cisco and Pelco. Both of these firms have names which finish with the letter ‘o’.

Everybody likes some video analytics. Do security officers? Perhaps! Geoff Thiel tells us about this.

BT Redcare called off their big 21CN switchover recently. Now they’re talking to customers and other folks at a series of events. Details? Oh, certainly.

And fast-rising Chinese CCTV manufacturer Hikvision has released some new PSIA-compliant cameras. Good value? They certainly have standards.

www.info4security.com, www.ifsec.co.uk

IFSEC 2009 – Day 1

Guess what? It’s the end of Day One at renowned security industry trade show IFSEC. You may have heard of it.

The entire I4S extended family is here, having fun together. In a sense. As a consequence, these rambly bits are likely to be somewhat briefer than usual, at least until Friday. That may be a relief. Or, just possibly, it may be utterly devastating.

But fear not – the stories are all there, and there’s video and photos and a whole heck of a lot more besides. It’s all good, clean, family fun.

DM says hidden costs spark return to analogue

Video: Phil Doyle of Axis Communications

Unsold cars create new market for radar

BT Redcare launches new products and prices

IFSEC’s appeal (Day One)

Tonight the IFSEC Awards take place. We’ll be the first to let you know who the winners are – on info4security.com, of course.

The security week: Exclusive Dickinson interview – and installer auction site

Aloha, security news fans. It’s been a cold week full of interesting, newsy things in a security vein – so let’s skip these preliminaries and get down to it, shall we?

First up is SMT Online editor Brian Sims‘ exclusive and in-depth interview with former BSIA chief David Dickinson. They delve into regulation, the ACS, training, rebranding and One Member, One Vote. It’s a heck of a ride.

We also had the tale of a website dedicated to selling excess security kit from wholesalers and distributors direct to installers. It was so fresh, we were the first ones to cover it. Well done us, eh? Thanks.

BT Redcare announced that they were limiting price rises to a maximum of 10 per cent. And if that’s not exciting enough for you, Brian Sims burst back into the news analysis fray with his first SMT Online Editor’s View of 2009.

And there was an interesting piece in which one company suggested that a trend was emerging for CCTV installations at high street lettings and estate agents. Are they unpopular or something?

Of course, it wouldn’t be Friday (quite literally – Friday would not exist) without your favourite weekly security music video feature, Songs About Security. Who gets the treatment this week? Why, it’s hairy Britpoppers Supergrass. It is!

Another thing that happens every week is the Job of the Week from delightful and charming security jobs website Jobs for Security. This week it’s a particularly exciting role, which makes me think of Grissom and the ginger bloke from NYPD Blue and Gary Sinise from those space movies. That’s right: the job is for a Forensic Investigator. It’s CSI-tastic!

Back to School. It’s not just a Rodney Dangerfield classic, it’s a reminder that we should all consider thinking back to school, and how important security of schools and other educational establishments is, and how vital it is that we attend the conference Securing Educational Establishments. It’s what Rodney would have wanted.

Now your appetite’s been whetted, hunker down on the main course at www.info4security.com and www.ifsec.co.uk. Delicious!

BT Redcare price announcement, and a video comparison

Today we lead off with an exciting announcement from BT Redcare that it has put a cap on price rises – not a baseball cap or anything silly, but 10 per cent – for existing services to customers in 2010. Is that generous, or in line with market forces? Would an actual hat have helped at all?

There’s also a video from Pixim, which the digital imaging technology company claims shows the advantages of its chipset over conventional analogue CCD cameras. Controversial!

Synectics has gone out and upgraded Wakefield Council’s CCTV control facility. That’s nice of them. And Canadian company Digimerge, which is involved in all sorts of DVR and cameras malarkey, has entered the European market, with offices in Ireland.

SGW Security Consulting has gained ISO 9001 approval – well done, chaps – and Mitsubishi Electric is offering installers free training on its DVRs and associated software.

Training, in a very real way, is education, and what better way to get involved in and discuss securing educational establishments than by attending the conference Securing Educational Establishments? There is no better way. And that’s my final answer.

Get on your high horse, pardner, and visit www.info4security.com and www.ifsec.co.uk.

The security week: Cameras, a look back, invective, and sauciness

In our final Friday dispatch for 2008, we’ve got an exclusive article by SIA chairman Baroness Ruth Henig, looking back at what’s been a fairly eventful year for the UK’s industry Regulator.

And we’ve got advice from our dashing doctor in residence – that’s the CCTV Doctor – who helps out a patient with a foggy night time camera problem.

SMT Online boss Brian Sims loads up his opinion-cannon and fires out forthright invective in the shape of his Editor’s View.

And he’s been out to BSIA chief David Dickinson’s retirement dinner. John Bates takes over the top role next year.

Importantly, we’ve got a story from Milestone Systems about their Christmas events, which involved some staff dressing in saucy police outfits. We felt obliged to run the photos in the public interest.

And Milestone has also been involved in a vital security installation at a high priority hotel for pets. This week’s Song About Security is a tribute to this important work.

Brilliantly, BT Redcare’s new boss is called Roger Vigilance – like some kind of mild-mannered security superhero. And it’s a tale of people with almost the same name, as Reid goes to work for G4S, and Reed takes on a new role at VSG. Wow!

Our glamorous Job of the Week is for installation engineers. If you would like a job, this one seems like it may be ideal. Others can be found at Jobs for Security.

The next instalment of The Security Week will hit your screens on January 9, 2009. Have a thoroughly relaxing break. We’ll see you on the other side.

Dickinson and dogs

Woah. Dude. We’ve got a totally awesome range of stories for you today, bro.

Apologies for that. Today, Brian Sims, SMT Online‘s gourmand-about-town, gives us the inside running on BSIA chief David Dickinson’s retirement dinner. There are photos and insights galore, so tuck in.

We’ve also got the crazy tale of an IP video surveillance installation at that most humble of locales, the luxury hotel for dogs and cats. It’s almost as if the animals’ owners must be insane with wealth or something!

Exclusive to I4S, SIA chairman Baroness Ruth Henig reviews 2008 from the Regulator’s perspective. It’s been a pretty bumpy ride.

But fear not – one of the most excellently named men in all of security has taken over the reins at BT Redcare. Step forward, Mr Roger Vigilance. (Know any other appropriately-named security colleagues? Let me know…)

If you’ve got a great name, or even an average name – or perhaps a downright bad one – it would still look better written on a pay cheque from your place of work. Find (or advertise) a job at Jobs for Security. That’s what it’s there for.

Avast, matey. Yonder or something are the wesbites www.info4security.com and www.ifsec.co.uk. Yo ho ho, etc.