Friday, September 14, 2012

What is the Difference Between Network IP Cameras and Analog CCTV ...


If you are considering installing a new video surveillance system, or expanding your existing video surveillance system, you might want to consider installing, or upgrading to a network IP video system. A network video surveillance system offers you a number of improvements over a traditional CCTV video system, like better image quality and lower cost to own and maintain.

A network IP system runs off a local area network, or LAN, which connects computers by ethernet. You access each camera like it was it's own computer, because it has it's own network IP address. You can control this camera from anywhere in the world and it makes for easier use than a traditional analog CCTV video system.

For years, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) video surveillance systems were the only choice for video surveillance of your home or business. At first, the images from analog cameras were transmitted through cables to a quad, or monitor for viewing. With the advent of the Video Cassette Recorder (VCR), you were finally able to record the video to a VHS tape for future viewing. However , if you had to actually find an instance of needing the video for law enforcement, it required watching, or fast forwarding through hours of video.

This advanced to using a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) or DVR card in a computer to convert the analog video signals to digital formats. Then the video can be recorded to a hard disc, or burned to a DVR. They were still closed systems using CCTV cameras that were viewable only by the administrators of the surveillance system. Recent advancements have allowed those DVR's to have the ability to connect to the Internet, so you can remotely view the cameras from any Internet accessible computer or smart phone. The problems are that the cameras are still analog and the system is far from perfect.

While Network IP Cameras have been around since the mid-1990's, they were originally not as good as professional analog cameras. The allowed digital imaging, networking, and storage, though they were usually web-cams that let you view a tiny, grainy image over the Internet, or a local area network.

The times have changed; technology and IP technology have married up with the digital camera, to create the ultimate video surveillance system. IP network capable cameras have caught up with analog camera technology, and now exceed the quality of the video from traditional CCTV cameras.

The main benefits of an Network IP based video surveillance system is:

* A complete digital solution, no need for DVR's or DVR cards.
* Ease of set-up, no video cables to run.
* Power the camera over your LAN, no power cables to run.
* Pan-Tilt-Zoom is built in, no need for additional hardware.
* 2-way audio is built in, now you can hear and talk to the person.
* Interlace problems are eliminated in high resolution cameras.
* The video is secure, and can be easily scalled as you needs grow.

These are the main advantages of a network surveillance system over an analog surveillance system, so you can make an educated decision before you purchase a new system, or upgrade an existing CCTV based system. You should know that IP cameras are more expensive then CCTV cameras, as they are considered a little computer by the network, and have the digitizing hardware built in.

The cost of installing a network IP camera system starts to pay for itself after 8 cameras, as you have a decreased labor cost due to no video cable to run, you just hook up a switch to a local area network and run your IP cameras off that.





Central 1 Security - Alarm Systems

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Hidden Meanings Behind Rose Colors by Gregg Pennington ...


Do you see the world through rose colored glasses? Traditionally this saying was used to describe someone who only sees pleasant things around them, blissfully ignorant of any problems. Roses actually come in a variety of colors, so you could wear a set of yellow or blue rose colored glasses and experience a completely different set of emotions than with the traditional red or pink lenses.

Throughout history, roses have been given on every imaginable occasion, and this highly symbolic gesture has continued to evolve in meaning and tradition. Give the wrong color rose and you could be socially ostracized- well, most likely not, but it never hurts to be aware of the symbolic meaning of the roses you are going to send.

Many of our ideas about the symbolic meaning behind plants and flower colors come from Victorian times, when people did not feel free to verbally express certain feelings. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, first in Europe and then later in the Americas, language-of-flowers dictionaries flourished, giving proper Victorian people a more societally acceptable way to communicate deep, passionate feelings.

Red, at least on St . Valentines Day, is the most commonly given color of rose, and it usually symbolizes romantic love. It can also symbolize courage and passion, but giving red roses to someone not aware of this could lead to an uncomfortable misunderstanding. Be aware of the possible perceptions of your intended recipient.

While all red roses symbolize desire, subtle variations in color can have different symbolic meaning. Amaranth red roses are a symbol of long standing desire, and cardinal red means sublime desire. Carmine means false desire, and fiery red can represent flames of passion. A deep red rose can indicate bashful shame. The burgundy rose has always been symbolic of unconscious beauty.

Do you need a rose that sends a more platonic message of friendship and good will? Consider the yellow rose, messenger of joy, friendship, caring, sympathy, delight. A yellow rose can also symbolize new beginnings, and can say, "Remember Me".

In Victorian times, yellow roses were a symbol of jealousy. The ambiguous nature of the meaning of yellow roses lends magic to this color choice as a gift.

The white rose is commonly used in weddings, and in this context it signifies happy love. It can also mean spiritual love and purity, humility, charm, or innocence. It can also mean, "I am worthy of you, " or be used as a gesture of platonic love.

Lavender roses symbolize love at first sight and enchantment, and can also be used to say "congratulations" to a graduate. Any shade of purple rose exudes a sense of majestic beauty.

A pink rose can hold many meanings. A darker pink rose can symbolize gratitude and appreciation, while a lighter shade of pink could show admiration, sympathy, or joy. Orange roses can signify enthusiasm or desire, or a feeling of warmth, whereas coral usually implies only desire.

The final two colors of roses are intertwined with the world of fantasy and mythology. While neither black nor blue roses occur naturally, both are attempted by florists through drying and dyeing. Black has traditionally been symbolic of death. Consequently, the black rose has been seen as a bad omen, but may also signal rejuvenation. The black rose is probably best used only as a gag gift, however , its meaning is likely to be misinterpreted and you may wind up scaring someone. The blue rose has been considered the "holy grail" of roses. While scientists are currently trying to genetically engineer this elusive flower, the only ones now commercially available are created using blue dye. The blue rose symbolizes fantasy, impossibility, and the search for miracles.

Sending roses has always been a way to express feelings that are difficult to convey in words. By carefully selecting the color, you add a touch of class to any gift and can convey a message steeped in emotion and history. Even though you are no longer blissfully ignorant about the meaning behind the colors of roses, at least you can find the rose colored glasses that best fit you.


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Chapter 16 - The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

How to make an Outdoor Artificial Palm Tree by Justin Foss


Here is a step by step guide to make a artificial palm tree for your home or terrace.

1) First we have to make a life like mold of what ever particular palm tree we are using would have to be created. This mold could consist of either an entire tree, or sections that could later be assembled. This would take some artistic skills to carve out the curves and lines of the particular type of palm tree used.

2) Once the mold has been created, then the composite material used would have to be examined to determine what would be most realistic. This composite would have to be made of some sort of synthetic material to withstand the elements.

3) The sections would be taken out of the molds, cleaned of any excess, and then if not molded with a colored finish, painted and left to dry prior to assembly. It would be important to have the texture and color of the trees be as consistent and realistic as possible, a channel would have to be incorporated into the mold as to allow passage of the fiber optic cables that could be run through to light the tree.

4) Assembly of the tree would be via dowels with some sort of an epoxy and potentially a wire frame as to lend support and strength. Drying time of the epoxy would be determined by several factors.

A) The types of composite material used.
B) The epoxy used.
C) Humidity and working environment.

5) Once the trunk is assembled and the epoxy hardened, then it would be time to Manufacture and attach the palm fronds. These also need to be as realistic as Possible and would be made of some sort of synthetic composite material.

6) Once the fronds are manufactured and painted they would be attached to the trunk Via wires and epoxy for added textile strength. A wire frame would be incorporated within the fronds as to allow for life like sculpting. These trees could be manufactured to varied lengths and types according to the planned landscaping and desired effects of the environment to create a restful serene ambiance for future clients


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