Along came the digital era for video. The problem was that the early digital video technology had one primary purpose and it was not security. It was merely to accommodate the consumer markets and compress video cassettes down to a level where they could fit a movie on a single DVD. The second was to be able to be able to compress and store pre-recorded video on a set top box for cable TV companies; something like TIVO.

In order to do this they need to compress the video using an algorithm. This only required some basic compression technology, since the underlying characteristics were constants and fixed. What do we mean by constants and fixed. They are taking pre-recorded data and compressing, they are not dealing with live video and the underlying variables of changing light, motion and scenery. A quick discussion of video compression would help you comprehend what we are talking about here. In trying to give a simplistic explanation in order to compress the video obviously something has to be removed or altered to make it smaller. In a fixed pre-recorded environment this is easier since all parameters are known and defined. In live video, it has to be predictive and interpret what is happening in the scene.

The technologies that were available up until about 2 years ago were known as simple codecs. Codec stands for Compression/Decompression. Meaning as the video comes in it compresses and when it comes out the other end it decompresses it back to original form. Simple codecs are not capable of dealing with live video for a myriad of reasons. The chart below explains the differences.

While the above may be Greek to you, in short the results are video recorded using older technology will give you fuzzy, chopped up images because they are not complex enough to interpret what is going on. In simplistic terms, it is above the simple codec comprehension level and the faster objects move the worse the video gets. The below images demonstrate the differences.

You will notice on the above charts items called MPEG2, MPEG4, H.264AVC. These are just the names of the different video compression technologies. The below chart shows the evolution of the video standards.

Video compression standards are developed by consortiums as there are millions of hours that go into development and no single entity is capable of devoting the resources. In fact, the task was so extensive that the two competing global consortiums, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) got together and formed a joint team to develop standards for the future.

Older technologies from the 1980's were as we discussed simple. There was no thought at the time of video over cell phones, digital video surveillance, advanced video gaming, etc. So the joint team started on an entirely new architecture. Understand too that development of technology is limited to the availability of underlying sub architectures to make them work. Remember the movie Back To The Future? The DeLorean had to travel through time from the 1950's back to the future and required plutonium and 1.2 Jigawatts of power. Well, those items were available in the future but not then. So although he had the DeLorean that was capable the underlying technologies were not their yet.

The first attempt of the joint team was a standard called MPEG2 or H.262. Its development began around 1990 and was completed and adopted as a standard around 1994. It was still a simple codec since the underlying technology was not there yet but it was still much improved over its predecessors. The joint team then embarked on what was to be the ultimate standard in the late 1990's known as H.264AVC. It was completed and adopted in 2004.
Since then, a number of significant improvements have occurred that have increased the quality even further and is the world's first complex codec. The prior simple codecs were based upon the Huffman algorithm written in the 1950's the Arithmetic algorithm that the H.264 uses was designed in the new millennium not in the Elvis era. It's the Flinstones compared to the Jetsons!

Where are we going with this? The point is that Digital Video Recorders came into being about a decade ago. Obviously, they had to be using a simple codec with all its faults as we have described herein. Remember, that up until 2 years ago there was no other good viable solution. In not wanting to lose market share everyone from the Panasonic's to Mitsubishis of the world on down ran to market with inferior products and relied on the power of their brand to overcome the issues. It was a catastrophe. Customers were over promised and the product under delivered. So in today's market the customers are all skeptics. They hear but don't believe and they are usually not technically savvy, they are result oriented. So talking about MPEG, Codecs, etc. it's all B.S. to them. The short version is I don't care, I don't believe, you have to show me.

A little history is also in order of the infrastructure of the security business. For decades, security from the equipment side has been a black box business. It consisted of cameras, cable, vcr, monitor. Basically, there is nothing technical about it. In the present era, it is an Information Technology ‚ IT business. As such, the entire industry structure from manufacturers to installers is ill equipped to deal with technology in the computer and networking world. It's not something where you can simply changeover. It's a different industry, different culture, different skill set, different employment base. Accordingly, they have limped along.

So why haven't these companies with all their resources jumped on this new technology? The answer is they have built up this legacy base of accounts built on antiquated architecture that they cannot abandon, without a mutiny from customers. So why not just upgrade? Because the old systems are not upgradeable and have to be scrapped, which is why the mutiny. Try explaining to a customer, you know you just spent $$$$$ on that system recently and it doesn't do what you expected but now we have something new for you. Oh, by the way the bad news is the old system has no value.

Further, as we discussed most of the industry fixtures are not IT companies. Typically, they buy product from others and just brand it. So they are not necessarily up to date on the latest and the greatest, because this is not their core competence. Which brings another issue of when they go out to the customer who is less educated about the technology then they are, it's a case of the blind leading the blind.

Even the companies that are sophisticated enough to know that the H.264 technology is the way to go, it's not a matter of ok let's do it. H.264 is just a standard. It's a base to work from. Just because someone is using this standard does not guarantee a good quality product. Development of a software or hardware solution to be good and stable takes years. So if they have not been an early adopter of H.264 which predated its approval as a standard, most likely they are still in the design and development phase.
At Aventura Technologies, Inc., we are in the 5th generation of development of the architecture which began some 4 years ago. Further, as advancements have been made in the technology others getting started are not able to take advantage of this progress as they first have to get the basics down. This is why we tell people we are a good 18 months ahead of the nearest competition and no one in this market place can compare to our quality and stability.

While others have been set back and are now first jumping on the bandwagon to first get a usable video product, we at Aventura have moved on the last couple of years into creating solutions utilizing this exciting technology. It's not just a matter of record and playback good quality video, rather it's a pro-active security solution with intelligence. Aventura and its strategic partners have been developing industry specific applications addressing the most common problems not necessarily only security related.

What is it that Aventura can do?

Retail

• Count foot traffic that enters the store
  
• Identify the directional movement of people once they are in the store
  
• Identify and track an individual as they move through the store
  
• Trigger alarm if someone left something behind in the store such as a handbag
  
• Notify security if an undesirable enters the store
  
• Identify abnormal behavior patterns such as cashier putting money in pocket
  
• Overlay cash register (POS) data on the video and analyze transaction detail
  
• Fingerprint time and attendance and door controls no more buddy punching
  
• Centrally monitor multiple locations from a central point and perform visual guard tours which can cover more area then physical security
  
• Use the video system for revenue generation ‚Äì by using open video ports with pre-recorded advertising to be displayed on monitors around the store
  
• Retrospectively search recorded video and pan, tilt and zoom control optically video in all 360 degree range of the cameras

Parking lots

• Access control
  
• Read license plates
  
• Identify illegally parked cars
  
• Identify stolen vehicles (police use only)

Malls

• Identify unusual activity (possible fighting)
  
• Monitor tour routes of physical security
  
• Market demographics
  
• Bi-directional voice communications over IP using surveillance system
  

Hotels

• Access control to rooms no keys required
  
• Monitor all POS devices and generate reports
  
• Monitor off limit after hour areas such as pools and alarm when intruded

Apartments

• Identify illegal sublets
  
• Central station doorman to control multiple buildings from a remote location
  
• Give tenants ability to view lobby cameras before granting entrance
  
• Monitor off limit areas such as rooftops and notification when there is activity

Construction Sites

• Mobile solutions movable from job site to job site
  
• Mobile solutions that are deployed in security vehicles
  
• Monitor and record vehicles entering and exiting the construction area
  
• Post event search database for particular type vehicles or plates
  

Cruise Ships

Casinos

• World‚Äôs most advanced video surveillance solution
  
• Only system capable of stabilizing images on pan/tilt/zoom cameras
  
• Requires 1/3 the physical space of the competition
  
• No need for additional HVAC
  
• Requires 1/3 the storage of the competition
  
• 3x faster downloads of video
  
• Virtually upgradeable therefore no obsolescence unlike the competition
  
• Capable of interfacing with existing matrix switchers
  
• Capable of interfacing with existing POS and access control devices
  
• Monitor tables and count rooms and get a 360 degree post recording view, playback and zoom control with no distortion

Bridge and Tunnel

• Stalled vehicle identification
  
• License plate identification
  
• Monitor traffic flow
  
• Possible bomb detection

In essence as you can see virtually anything is possible. Aventura Technologies, Inc., is well known for being the only company in this industry that does custom applications. Rather then being a security company Aventura is a solution provider. It's not just security.

The products we manufacture or co-market are:

• Digital Video Recorders
  
• Video Surveillance Cameras (Including intelligent 360 degree cameras)
  
• Biometric Access Control and Time and Attendance Hardware and Software
  
• Fiber Equipment for Transmitting Video and Audio
  
• Intelligent Video Software
  
• Surveillance peripherals (monitors, cables, connectors, switches, etc.)
  

Services provided:

• Vulnerability assessments
  
• Security consulting
  
• System design, engineering and architecture
  
• Systems integration
  
• Custom application design