Sanyo Electric: range of new megapixel cameras and GIT-Interview with Hilmar Salac. Since the launch of the zoom type camera VCC-HD4000P as a pioneer of full HD last year, Sanyo has been gaining high reputation in the market and the camera was selected as “Product of the year” at the Ifsec 2009. Sanyo Electric now launches a full lineup of nine new full HD/full frame rate models in the fastgrowing high-resolution network camera area of the security industry. The new cameras are available starting from November.

Smaller in Size, Better in Performance

The new line up includes the major types of security cameras in terms of product shape: CS mount types (VCC-HD2100P, VCC-HD2300P, VCCHD2500P), vandal-resistant dome cameras (VDCHD3100P, VDC-HD3300P, VDC-HD3500P), a zoom type camera (VCC-HD4600P) and also two PTZ cameras (VCC-HD5400P, VCC-HD5600P). The new cameras will expand the range of possible installation environments.

The new lineup incorporates the newlydeveloped ‘Xacti HD-Pro’ image processing engine that allows sophisticated functions and the next level of image quality. Xacti HD-Pro is an upgraded version of the engine used in Sanyo’s Dual Camera Xacti that is highly regarded in the consumer video camera market. By applying Sanyo’s ultra-miniature mounting technology acquired through the development of Dual Camera Xacti and digital cameras, a 40% size reduction over previous Sanyo models was achieved. Consequently, installation of a security camera in a way that does not spoil the interior ambience has become possible, which expands possible use environments compared to conventional products.

Through making such compact model designs, Sanyo has taken on the challenge of remaking the stereotype of a security camera. Now a security camera which has been a highly-obtrusive object, can naturally blend in with the installation environment.

High Performance as Standard

All models and product types of the new HD Series enable full 1,920 x 1,080 HD resolution for high-definition, high precision security surveillance and all models are compatible with a 25ips full frame rate. Smooth and natural video imaging with high-definition image quality ensures capturing of crucial moments. The product lineup meets the diverse needs of customers by being able to flexibly create high image quality network camera solutions. For the CS Mount a lens selection is possible. The vandal-resistant Dome is equipped with a high-resolution vari-focal lens. The zoom camera offers a high-resolution 10x AF optical zoom lens and the PTZ cameras have a high-resolution 10x AF optical zoom lens that rotates for broad range surveillance.

Power and Comfort: The Twin Engine Xacti HD-Pro and Optimum IP-Pro

For the new HD Series, Sanyo’s high quality motion picture technology is actively applied, which is used in the Xacti Series that has been leading the digital movie camera market since its launch. Following the highly-regarded image processing engine used in the existing model VCC-HD4000P, Xacti HD-Pro has been developed for professional security cameras by further upgrading the advanced image processing engine used in the dual camera Xacti.

The top-end models incorporate the Twin Engine system equipped with the new network oriented engine Optimum IP Pro. In conventional network cameras, image processing is heavily-loaded. The Twin Engine system makes the operating environment smoother and more comfortable by doing image processing and network processing separately to drastically reduce processing load.

New Full HD Processing Engine

Through the new technology significant functional enhancements have been made and new functions were incorporated to meet market and customer needs:

Multi-Streaming

All cameras use dual codec, supporting both the latest video compression standard H.264 and the still image compression standard MJPEG. Smooth video-based surveillance or clear still imagebased surveillance can be selected depending on the intended use. Twin Engine models incorporate a multi-streaming function to enable simultaneous output and transmission of H.264 and MJPEG up to 4 (quad) streams. This allows for example, that while using low-resolution streams for real-time surveillance of multiple places through multiple cameras using surveillance software, the full HD setting can be selected for the recording stream so that in the event of a crime taking place the suspect may be identified easily in the clear high-definition images.

Video Analytics for High Precision Surveillance

The video analytics function enables higher precision surveillance by utilizing preset subject information in terms of size and behavior to identify the behavior of certain subjects.

Convenient Focus Assist

The ‘Convenient Focus Assist’ Function is incorporated to facilitate focus adjustment upon installation. Sanyo’s original ‘Focus Assist Function’ makes installation work dramatically easier. By simply pointing the lens at a target and pressing the ‘focus assist adjustment’ button, the camera automatically detects the target and adjusts itself to the optimum position. Fine focus adjustment can be done manually by operating the fine adjustment button.

Card Recording

An SD card slot is incorporated to ensure reliable security surveillance. In the case of a network problem records may be saved temporarily on the SD card. Also a dedicated external HDD can be connected for long-duration recording, which is a unique feature offered by no one else.

Digital PTZ

By clipping the observation target area (VGA size) from the entire photographed image (2 megapixel), Pan/Tilt/Zoom can be done digitally. With this digital PTZ function, it is possible to easily move to and zoom-in on the spot to be observed, increasing the efficiency of surveillance operation.

Flexible System Construction

For Sanyo network cameras the Software Development Kit (SDK) is provided to enable user-levelapplication development and integration into network surveillance software by other companies. With this, each user can construct their system flexibly.

In addition, Sanyo is a Contributing Member of ONVIF and will be able to respond to protocol standardization which is expected to be done in the near future.

GIT-Interview

The introduction of the new IP camera lineup is a key step for Sanyo in the security market. GIT SECURITY had the opportunity to ask Hilmar Salac, Sales Manager at Sanyo Sales & Marketing Europe, about the product launch.

GIT SECURITY: What expectations do you have for the introduction of the new camera series?

H. Salac: After the success story of Sanyo’s first FullHD camera launched already last year we are very confident to have a great success with such an outstanding high quality camera lineup. Already the first version was elected as CCTV product of the year at IFSEC 2009. This gave us the confirmation that direction, concept and product design are right.

As it is world’s first complete Full HD 1080P camera lineup for CCTV, it gives users a great variety of options to create the best solution on HD level. The complete lineup will be launched in only three months from October to December 2009 and will have a major impact on Sanyo’s brand awareness.

The market for Megapixel-IP cameras is growing fast and your new line-up consists of 4 Megapixel cameras. Why don’t you unlike other vendors stress the fact that you have more Megapixel than most of your competitors?

H. Salac: If we look at Sanyo’s know-how, coming from a long time leading position in camera technology from CE market and especially the state of the art products in dual camcorder technology and if you mix this with more than 40-years of experience in CCTV you can easily guess that this is an advantage against other CCTV specialized companies.

Sanyo does not rely on 3rd party ASIC or DSP chipset. All core elements are developed and designed by Sanyo itself. The ability to produce currently more than 15 Mio. digital cameras per year in one single high-tech factory including CCTV shows the powerful resources we are able to use.

A warranty of 4 years on the whole camera lineup and very high given MTBF times show the trust we have in the outstanding and probably leading quality of our products.

Honestly spoken surely each individual producer has some USPs and sometimes even some outstanding solutions for IP Video, but coming to Megapixel technology competition becomes less, at least in the so called A-brand level we want to be in. The key arguments for this new lineup are surely the small, compact design, picture quality, performance, features and usability. When this new concept was created, we took note about the lessons learned from the first HD camera generation that certainly had it’s limits.

Sanyo uses CMOS sensors for the new camera models. What is the reason for that?

H. Salac: One of the reasons is that the camera DSP was already designed for a CMOS chipset and it was of cause easier to allocate same CMOS chips as we currently use hundreds of thousands of those chips in our CE camcorder production. The quality level of the CMOS chips used in these cameras is outstanding.

And finally it has something to do with the higher processing speed of CMOS against a CCD version in Megapixel camera technology. A better backlight compensation and no smear effects are other arguments for the use of CMOS chips.

Contact:

Sanyo Sales & Marketing Europe GmbH,
Munich, Germany
Tel.: +49 89 45116240
Fax: +49 89 45116260
info@sanyo.de
www.sanyo.de