There is nothing typical about Berklee, which presents many challenges with regards to physical security. The student body of nearly 4,200 is served by approximately 1,000 faculty and staff members. The campus is made up of 30 different buildings spread across multiple city blocks in downtown Boston.

“Some of our buildings are over 100 years old,” notes Roy Murphy CPP, Director of Public Safety for Berklee. “They’re used to house students, classrooms, music studios, performance venues, editing facilities and more. People associated with the school are moving about the campus regularly throughout the entire day. Our situation is unique in that we also serve as a landlords to many retail tenants who occupy the lower levels of some of our buildings.”

Working with exacqVision integrator GS Security, Berklee replaced 16 legacy DVRs with exacqVision Hybrid servers as well as commercial servers, connecting to the existing 200 analog cameras, as well as adding over 100 IP cameras from Axis and Panasonic. In their security control center, a six-monitor video wall powered by the exacqVision client enables viewing of all 300+ cameras simultaneously.

The exacqVision native Macintosh client was one of the key factors in their decision:

Given the fact that Berklee is a highly creative environment, it’s not surprising to find many Apple Computer products on campus. In fact, Macintosh is the standard platform of the school and Macintosh computers are issued to students and faculty. “The fact that the exacqVision client is freely available on Macintosh computers, as well as Windows and Linux, was another huge selling point for us,” notes Nick Costa, Systems Manager with Berklee. “In addition to using the client on a Mac, many of our faculty members and even students use the free exacq Mobile app on their iPhones, iPads and even Android devices.”

The complete case study is here:
http://exacq.com/downloads/exacqvision-education-Berklee.pdf

Our thanks to Joe Gillis and Nick Sink and the team at GS Security for this impressive and professional installation.

Pictured, from left: John Sullivan, Senior VP Sales, ADI; Allan Stone, Distribution Sales Manager, Exacq; Andy Morra, VP Marketing, ADI; Michael Flink, President, ADI.

Version 4.8 is currently available for download here. Key features in the Version 4.8 release include:

• Faster, easier search 
• Panoramic video views
• Enhanced export Archiving 
• Improved Maps – Add I/O triggers to Maps 
• Audio alerts added to event monitoring
• ePlayer and exacqReplay Improvements 
• Post-motion recording configuration added
• IP Camera Additions from Arecont, Basler, more
• Czech Translation added 

Here are some of the features in detail:

Faster, Easier Search
(availability: exacqVision Start, exacqVision Professional, exacqVision Enterprise)

Version 4.8 brings yet more Search Page improvements:

Improved Timeline – Cleaner, easier-to-use timeline bar and display. Simple right-click on timeline bar to mark start and stop points for video export.

Easy Export – Use mouse scroll wheel to zoom in on the search bar graphic timeline to choose the desired search times.

Faster Multi-Camera Searching – Significant speed improvements enables faster multi-camera search queries, especially when doing multiple searches.

Serial Integration Search Improvements – Serial data now graphically stored with image saves. ATM, POS and other serial data now easily exported with video images. Additional improvements have been made to serial data to automatically remove all unprintable characters from the display.

Panoramic Video Panels
(availability: exacqVision Start, exacqVision Professional, exacqVision Enterprise)

View Megapixel IP panoramic cameras the way they were meant to be seen, in a borderless wide-panel view. Borders can now be removed in the Client Setup page allowing multiple lens images using panoramic cameras or multiple cameras.

The borders are easily removed in the Client Setup page here:

Enhanced Export Archiving
(availability: exacqVision Start, exacqVision Professional, exacqVision Enterprise)

Version 4.8 now allows video export archiving greater than 4GB and containing video from greater than 16 cameras. exacqRecall now automatically discovers and allows targeting specific drives for export. A new “Write Progress” bar shows the current status of the export.

Improved Mapping – I/O Triggers Added to Maps
(availability: exacqVision Professional, exacqVision Enterprise)

Input and output triggers and events can now be added to maps along with cameras and audio sources.

New Audio Alerts – Sounds Added to Event Monitoring
(availability: exacqVision Professional, exacqVision Enterprise)

“Play Sound” has been added as an Action Type within Event Monitoring, enabling sounds to play on selected events or alarms.

ePlayer & exacqReplay Improvements
(availability: exacqVision Start, exacqVision Professional, exacqVision Enterprise)

The OSD (On-Screen Display) for the camera as defined in the client is now also seen on the ePlayer used with the exacqReplay right-click instant-replay feature. A timeline bar has also been added to provide a time-based scroll mechanism.

Post-Motion Recording Configuration Added
(availability: exacqVision Start, exacqVision Professional, exacqVision Enterprise)

Post-alarm video has now been added to each camera setup in addition to the already-existing pre-alarm video setup.

IP Camera Enhancements and Updates
(availability: exacqVision Start, exacqVision Professional, exacqVision Enterprise)

Basler
A 16:9 aspect ration is now supported in the Basler BIP2-1920 series of cameras: BIP2-1920c, BIP2-1920c-dn, BIP2-D1920c-dn (indoor), BIP2-1920c-dn (outdoor).

Arecont Vision
The latest version of exacqVision now supports the Arecont Vision 20-megapixel panoramic cameras: AV20185 (180 degrees) and AV20365 (360 degrees).

Language Translation Updates

Czech
Czech localization has been added, bring the total number of exacqVision localizations to 22.

Recent Releases
With this release we continue to make rapid progress with exacqVision, and incremental releases have hit about every 2 months. A large number of new features have been added in a short period of time. You can see the full release history of exacqVision here:
exacqVision Release History

Download and Installation
As always, the latest versions of exacqVision client and server software can easily and quickly be copied over existing versions while retaining all user settings. The latest versions can always be downloaded from the exacqVision Downloads page, or you can click on ‘Check for Updates‘ within the ‘About‘ box in the exacqVision software.

exacqVision Server software is available in both Windows and Linux versions, and the exacqVision client software is available in Windows, Linux and Macintosh native versions. Any version of exacqVision client can connect to any version of exacqVision server.

Updated server lineup – Our entire line of exacqVision IP and Hybrid servers is getting an upgrade to the latest Intel Sandy Bridge chipsets. Performance options have also been added to each product line for demanding local client and web service applications. The EL-Series of embedded appliances feature upgraded Intel Atom processors, and an Intel i3 option. The professional A-Series moves to an Intel i3 as standard, with an Intel i5 option, and come with Dual NICs as standard. And the enterprise-level Z-Series moves to the latest Intel Xeon and i7 processors. All units are either already shipping with the new chipsets, or will be shipping by October. Same price, better performance.

exacqVision 4.7 – We unveiled the latest version of our software, which features a redesigned Search Page, user login/logout feature, Fish-eye lens dewarping, Enterprise Notifications, and numerous camera additions and enhancements. More details in the exacqVision 4.7 blog post.

exacqVision Web Server 2.2 – The latest version of the web server allows access to server-side views, enabling saved views to be recalled by browser-based users.

exacq Mobile 2.2 – The latest exacq Mobile apps for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices has a new Saved Views feature, allowing for multiple camera views and layouts to be saved and recalled simply by swiping through the various saved views.

Enterprise Health Manager 1.4 – The latest version of Health Manager features additional alarm monitoring, plus the ability to right-click video replay for any logged alarm.

exacqVision HD-SDI "Tri-brid" Server – A new addition to the A-Series server lineup enables 16 SD analog inputs, up to 64 IP inputs, and 4 HD analog inputs, compatible with most HD-SDI and HDcctv-certified cameras.

exacqVision START – Our new low-priced Start software also received a number of new features with the 4.7 release, including the redesigned Search Page, fish-eye dewarping, user login, and numerous camera additions.

Elsewhere on the show floor, exacqVision was being featured in a number of booths. Samsung was showing exacqVision integration with their IP cameras. Access control vendors including S2 Security, Gallagher, and IDenticard were showing integration of exacqVision with their access control systems. GBO Security was using exacqVision software to highlight their unique InfinityLens line of megapixel camera lenses. On Sunday, the day before the show opened, we held our Manufacturer’s Rep & International Distributor sales meeting with a full house.

Several of our technology partners issued press releases in conjunction with ASIS on their latest integration with exacqVision, including these:
  – Bosch to demonstrate integration of IP cameras with third-party software at ASIS International 2011
  – Sentry360 Gains Ground on Industry Acceptance of 360-degree Imaging with Exacq Partnership
  – ImmerVision Enables exacqVision With 360-degree Functionality

We certainly appreciate all of our integrators, distributors and end users who came by the booth. We’ll be back at ASIS next year, in Philadelphia. Some pictures from the show are below. You can also view more pictures here.

Version 4.7 is available for download here. Key features in the 4.7 Release include:

• Enhanced Search Page
• New Client Login/Logout capability
• Dewarping for 360-degree lenses and cameras
• New Enterprise Notifications page
• New camera additions and enhancements

Here are some of the features in detail:

Enhanced Search Page
Version 4.7 has a freshly-designed search page, the first of many search page improvements coming. The new search layout is more intuitive, and includes a number of new search features, including the ability to set start time and end time. The search results appear in a dynamic timeline that scales appropriate to the start and end time parameters. The cleaner layout enables more screen real estate for the video windows.

A close-up view of the new search bar is here:

The new Search Page is in the 4.7 versions of exacqVision Start, Pro, and Enterprise.

Client Login/Logout
A new enhanced security feature in version 4.7 adds the ability, on a per-server basis, to require user login for each connection. This new setup option appears on the Add Systems page:

When that login parameter is chosen, a prompt for user login credentials will appear when attempting to connect to that system:

The new Client Login is included in the 4.7 versions of exacqVision Start, Pro and Enterprise.

Real-time Dewarping for 360-degree cameras
Support has been added for real-time dewarping for 360-degree cameras and lenses, including those from ImmerVision and Sentry360. Expanded Digital PTZ Settings on the Camera Setup page enable configuration of the 360-degree parameters:

In the fully zoomed-out mode, the camera shows the entire view in the warped mode:

Using exacqVision’s Digital PTZ, you can zoom in and pan around the image in a fully dewarped mode. You can also set up multiple camera views, giving the effect of multiple, individual cameras watching different parts of the viewing field:

The following fish-eye cameras and lenses are supported:

The complete line of FullSight™ Series cameras from Sentry360 are supported:
  – FS-IP 1000
  – FS-IP 10K
  – FS-IP 2000
  – FS-IP 3000
  – FS-IP 5000
Sentry360 issued their own press release on exacqVision support here.

The full line of Panomorph lenses from ImmerVision are supported:
  – IMV1-1/3
  – IMV1-1/3NI
ImmerVision issued their own press release on exacqVision support here.

The new dewarping finction is available in the 4.7 versions of exacqVision Start, Pro and Enterprise.
 

Enterprise Notifications page
A new feature added to exacqVision Enterprise is the Enterprise Notifications page. This is a new item in the "My Enterprise" tree:

Enterprise Notifications enables the configuring notifications for all exacqVision Enterprise-enabled servers from one screen:

IP Camera Enhancements and Updates
There are numerous additions, tweaks and enhancements for the various IP camera plugins in Version 4.7, including:

ACTi
Zoom support has been added for the full line of KCM-Series cameras from ACTi.

Arecont
Support has been added for the new AV20185DN and AV20365DN 20-Megapixel panormaic cameras from Arecont.

Arktan
Support has been added for the AT-16SD180-N 180-degree panoramic camera from Arktan Systems.

Bosch
Enhancements to the exacqVision Bosch ONVIF driver include support for encoding interval parameter, as well as frame rate for the supported cameras from Bosch.

IQeye
Support has been added for the new  IQA33 and IQA35 Alliance Pro models from IQeye.

ONVIF
Enhancements to the exacqVision Samsung ONVIF driver include multi-profile support and H.264 support for the supported cameras from Samsung.

Pelco
Numerous bug fixes, as well as added support for the Sarix PTZ cameras from Pelco.

Samsung
Enhancements to the exacqVision Samsung ONVIF driver include multi-profile support and H.264 support for the supported cameras from Samsung.

Sanyo
Support has been added for the new VDC-HD3500 and VDC-HD3300 HD IP cameras from Sanyo.

Vivotek
Support added G.711 audio for all 8000-series and some 7000-series models from Vivotek.

Recent Releases
With this release we continue to make rapid progress with exacqVision, and incremental releases have hit about every 2 months. A large number of new features have been added in a short period of time. You can see the full release history of exacqVision here:
exacqVision Release History

Download and Installation
As always, the latest versions of exacqVision client and server software can easily and quickly be copied over existing versions while retaining all user settings. The latest versions can always be downloaded from the exacqVision Downloads page, or you can click on ‘Check for Updates‘ within the ‘About‘ box in the exacqVision software.

exacqVision Server software is available in both Windows and Linux versions, and the exacqVision client software is available in Windows, Linux and Macintosh native versions. Any version of exacqVision client can connect to any version of exacqVision server.

Our 2011 listing has us at #401, reflecting an 851% growth between 2007-2010. Making the list two years in a row reflects continued, sustained growth. We are certainly grateful to our entire customer base: our Certified Resellers, our Distributors, and the end-users who have adopted Exacq products in their facilities, for enabling this growth rate.

To qualify for the Inc. 500 list, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2007, they had to be based in the United States, privately held, for profit, and independent – not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies – as of December 31, 2010, with a minimum required revenue for 2007 of $100,000 and a minimum for 2010 of $2 million.

The Inc. 500 website gives an analysis of companies by categories. Exacq is in the Security category. We are the only physical security vendor in the top 500, and the highest-ranking physical security vendor in the entire 5000 list.

The Inc. Magazine profile of Exacq is here. Our Press Release on the 2011 Inc. 500 listing is here.

Exacq debuted on the Inc. 500 list last year, and our report on that is here.

Thanks again to all of the Exacq employees, resellers, distributors, and customers, for your continued support.

It is an interesting case study, detailing the unique security challenges facing Northridge Cooperative Homes, a non-profit housing development in the Bayview-Hunters Point area of San Francisco. The article starts out:

The community campus is located next to a decommissioned naval shipyard, Hunters Point, and near San Francisco’s downtown area situated in one of the city’s prime hilltop locations. However, the area surrounding the community contains some of San Francisco’s rougher neighborhoods.

It’s a security struggle that many condo associations and housing authorities endure: safely managing their interior grounds while holding at bay outside threats with no ties to the community.

They started out with just 24-hour guards, but:

What they didn’t account for at first, however, was that, as a large open site with multiple buildings that lacked any secure perimeter, the property presented substantial opportunity for trespassing, illegal dumping and general criminal activity. With only street lighting in place, perpetrators could use the low-light conditions at night to their advantage, as most criminals do.

After repeated incidents, NCH realized it needed a surveillance system in place—and fast—to establish safer grounds for its community members and help reduce the crime, vandalism, violence and illegal drug activity. Specifically, NCH sought out a system that would monitor vehicles and their occupants entering the community and capture vehicle license plate numbers.

NCH chose San Francisco-based integrator Applied Video Solutions:

NCH enlisted the expertise of local integrator Applied Video Solutions to provide a full security and system needs analysis at the property. The integrator completed a full site survey and needs assessment, and designed a tailor-made video management solution that would aid in tackling the various challenges of the community and help manage the specific issues of the property’s aesthetic layout.

Applied Video Solutions’ analysis provided NCH with a clear understanding of what it would need to control when it came to physical security. The question then became, given the challenges of the site, what technology should NCH use in order to deliver the desired outcomes?

After significant lab and field testing, including a wireless interference survey, products from Axis Communications, Exacq Technologies and Hautespot Wireless Networks were selected for their performance and reliability.

The full article makes great reading and is available here. This installation was also highlighted in a case study done by Applied Video, available here.

This installation will also be featured in the seminar entitled "Run a Tight Ship: New Tools to Enhance Site Security" at the upcoming AHMA-NCNH Conference in Santa Clara, Sept 15-16.

Organizers of the Wegman’s LPGA Championship decided to augment their security operations with electronic security this year for the first time in the history of the 35-year-old event.

Wegman’s brought in the Securitronics Company to secure the event. Owned since 1997 by Jeff Heath and Terry Rivet, Securitronics is an 18-person systems integrator with offices here and in Syracuse and a remote location in Buffalo. Rivet, Securitronics’ EVP, said the bulk of the company’s work is in card access and IP camera installations. It also does some intrusion, intercom and emergency phone work. It focuses on the health care, financial and education verticals across its statewide footprint.

The article goes on to describe the installation, which includes exacqVision servers, Axis Communications IP cameras, and a Fluidmesh 10-node network:

Securitronics installed eight Axis cameras, (two thermal cameras, two interior fixed dome cameras and four fixed-position day/night cameras) which were used to watch the delivery area, operations area (where all the maintenance people resided), a carts storage area, the medical area (where drugs were stored), and the expo tent—inside and out.

“The thermal cameras were used in the areas of the golf course that are accessible at all hours and completely dark at night,” explained Mark Robinson, Securitronics director of operations.

The cameras were monitored via an ExacqVision server at a portable mobile security office that was set up in an RV.

Security personnel could watch the video from the security trailer and from a smartphone while onsite or offsite. “This system greatly increased [the security operation’s] eyes on the site,” Rivet said.

The full article can be read here.

The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety & Security recognized Wegman’s LPGA for their achievement in security this year at an awards ceremony yesterday at the NCS4 Conference in New Orleans.

"The reason for this new award is to allow professional leagues, NCAA member institutions and amateur organizations to honor outstanding safety and security achievements," NCS4 Director Dr. Lou Marciani said in a statement. "These achievements involve actions above normal operational activities whereby a safety or security issue may have been tackled."

We want to thank Securitronics for their excellence in deploying this security system. Pictures of the Securitronics booth in the registration tent at the event are below.

Arecont presented Exacq three Technology Partner of the Year awards: for North America, for Middle East & Africa, and the overall Global award.

We certainly appreciate these awards. Exacq has supported the full line of Arecont Vision megapixel IP cameras since they first were introduced; we were the first VMS vendor to add support for the H.264 models when Arecont introduced them years ago; and there are hundreds of major installations around the world that use the combination of exacqVision VMS and Arecont IP cameras.

Thank you again, Arecont Vision!

In addition to the list, the IBJ also had an article that highlighted the top ten companies. The feature on Exacq begins:

There’s technology behind all those video surveillance cameras you see everywhere, and that is what’s behind the growth of Exacq Technologies Inc.

President Dave Underwood said the company is in a high-growth industry where the market is changing rapidly— from analog cameras and dedicated digital video recorders to Internet protocol cameras and video management system software.

The article goes on to talk about Exacq’s products and customers:

Exacq Technologies develops the software that manages the cameras. With its systems, real-time and recorded video can be viewed, managed and configured from any location on a network. The company sells its products to professional security integrators like Koorsen Security Technology, which then sell to the businesses, schools, hospitals and other enterprises that require surveillance.

Underwood said about 500 integrators around the world sell Exacq’s technology to end users such as Coca-Cola, Nike and Apple, as well as locally to Carmel-Clay Schools and Community Health Network, among others.

And it ends discussing Exacq’s growth:

With concerns prevalent about liability and theft, and businesses wanting to protect people and property, Underwood sees Exacq continuing to grow. The company ranked No. 173 on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing companies in 2010, and he said he’s been notified that it’s back on the list for 2011.

The full article can be read here.