PowerLinx Inc (PWNX)

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Review of the Secureview camera.

SECURITY CAMERAS :

SeaView has issued ludicrous claims for massive sales growth (400,000 units, $168 million revenue in FY 2001) of its SecureView security camera. To assess these claims, a brief background discussion of surveillance cameras reveals a different story. A basic overview of the technology reveals no such mass-market opportunity exists.


There are literally hundreds of different types of security cameras: digital vs. analog, fixed vs. movable, color vs. black-and-white, fixed focus vs. variable length, wired vs. wireless, visible light vs. infrared, indoor vs. outdoor, with wide variations in clarity of image, form factors, etc. Hidden cameras disguised as emergency lights, motion detectors, smoke detectors, clocks, exit signs, books, pagers, teddy bears, etc. can be readily purchased in the $100 to $300 range. Prices range from a few dollars to hundreds or thousands, depending of course on features.

(See clock-cam, exit sign cam, motion detector cam, etc. examples here : http://www.hiddencamera.com/camera.acgi$search?template=results.html&cart=-1235088237&start=... )

SecureView's single camera is a black-and-white, analog camera that is "disguised" in a floodlight and screws into an ordinary light socket. It does not move -- it delivers a fixed image only. Its claim that it provides a "breakthrough" in ease of installation without changes to building wiring is subject to numerous restrictions, including:

· it cannot be used in place of an existing floodlight or emergency light, because it emits no visible light

· its image transmission is limited by the location of the electric circuit breaker panel in the particular building

· Its sole form factor, that of a standard floodlight, points in only a fixed direction.


For complex surveillance applications, such as military buildings or large retail establishments, the cameras comprise only one small part of a complete installation. The design of a complete surveillance system requires engineering expertise to deal with storage and monitoring of the video streams from the cameras, as well as the placement, selection, installation and maintenance of such equipment. The cameras themselves represent only a tiny fraction of a surveillance system's contract cost.


For home use, there is a wide variety of potential solutions, both wired and wireless. Again the SecureView camera represents no breakthrough. Even if it works as claimed, it presumes:

· that the homeowner has an accessible floodlight fixture in the exact location desired for the camera to view

· that light from that bulb is not needed (SecureView does not cast visible light)

· that the homeowner intends to have continuous access to a single black-and-white monitor, in a single location, of a single image for security monitoring purposes

· that the monitoring location is accessible by an electrical circuit on the same sub-panel as the camera is placed

· that such a solution is worth $399 for a single camera (not including monitor), the SecureView price point.


Numerous home security camera kits are already available both online and in stores, offering lower price points and multi-camera monitors. Several kits, available from well-known consumer brand names such as Sony and Magnavox, offer 4-camera complete kits, including 4-way monitor, cameras, housings, and controls,
for appx $800 retail. http://www.123cctv.com/cctv/agora.cgi?page=exposedsystems.html

Kits can also be purchased to make any security camera transmit its images via wireless. Costs range from less than $100 to $300, depending on distance, number of cameras, switching capability, etc. http://www.123cctv.com/cctv/agora.cgi?page=transmitters_.html

Given these competitive market realities in both the industrial and home surveillance cameras, the SecureView is clearly more of a marketing gimmick than a breakthrough solution.

We here at PACIFIC are partial to the Kevlar bodysuit cam , the dual facing helmet cam and the shoe-tip cams for those outings to the local mall.

I found this at www.insidetruth.com

I guess uit has en posted for 8 - 9 months now, Must be truthful being it is still posted and no one has challenged it in court?

Truth rocks!

Peace
Happy Posting ----
LOL

JP