Stripped Down

Like I said in my "Minimalism" posting I am a big fan of minimalism, here is another proof that less or simple is the ultimate sophistication.

I too am striving to design CCTV solutions as minimal as I possible can.

Wonder where can I get those environmentally friendly stripped-downed keyboard, Anyone?

BTW if I were the designer of this keyboard I will make it smaller to save our mother earth :)

High Speed Broadband

Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) launched the highly anticipated next-generation high-speed broadband (HSBB) service, UniFi yesterday.

The UniFi packages comprise triple-play services of high-speed Internet, video (IPTV) and phone, with speeds of 5Mbps, 10Mbps and 20Mbps.

Residential Packages are priced at RM149/month (5Mbps), RM199/month (10Mbps) and RM249/Month (20Mbps)

Business Packages are priced at RM199/month (5Mbps), RM599/month (10Mbps) and RM899/Month (20Mbps)



Lets keep our fingers crossed, this service might cause a baby boom in our surveillance industry as naked broadband speed is everything for CCTV's long distance monitoring & viewing.



Initially this high speed broadband service is available at Bangsar, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Shah Alam and Subang Jaya.

Kopi Luwak

Last weekend, I went to an Indonesian Teak wood furniture shop in Sri Hartamas.

After a little chat with the owner of the shop, he asked if I am interested to bring my CCTV business to Java, Indonesia. With 130 million inhabitants, Java is the most populous island in Indonesia. He said with the rising concerns for safety and security, the surveillance CCTV market has been witnessing exponential growth for past few years.


He told me, as a trader he is constantly looking for business opportunities. He said he is trying to bring Kopi Luwak from Indonesia to Malaysia.




Kopi Luwak is the world most expensive coffee beans. The bean goes from the coffee tree through the digestive system of the palm civet and then to the roaster.

You have read correctly, Kopi Luwak is cat poo coffee!

Synology New Product Launch 2010

Vivotek IP Camera Solution, participated in Synology new product launch at Melia Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 16th March 2010.

Synology is Network Attached Storage to provide an innovative way of storing and sharing digital contents.

It latest Surveillance Station 4 supports full range of Vivotek products including the latest IP8161 2 megapixel H.264 Day & Night Fix Network Camera.



I will revisit this topic in the near future. Meanwhile check out these photos at the product launch.

No CCTV Sunday #27: Movie with Story

My friend, Kenny bought me this Steven Spielberg classic movie "*Batteries Not Included" DVD.



Wonder nowadays why they don't produce film like this anymore... movie with story.

Best CCTV

A good CCTV design is to allow a user to watch clearly a committing or a committed crime.

But the best CCTV design is to prevent crime from happening.



What is the point of knowing who ate your bread, stop them from eating your bread!

CCTV Brands

A customer complained to us that it is all too confusing as there are too many CCTV brands to choose from.

Well, like it or not, there is no escape from brands as we lived in a civilized society.



I am not too sure about the Toyota choice though.

Minimalism

I am a big fan of minimalism, may it be in my CCTV system design, running of the business or my personal life.


But don't get me wrong, I am not lazy;

No CCTV Sunday #26 Diversities

Malaysia, a lovely tropical country where I was born and bred. She has a biodiverse range of flora and fauna and this multiracial federation consisting of Malays, Chinese, Indians and other ethnic groups like Ibans, Kadazan-Dusuns, Bajaus etc who practice diverse religions and cultures.

To me, diversities is the very key of Malaysia's success, advantages, competitiveness and its captivating charms.

On this splendid Sunday, please enjoy this Anglo-Indian Canadian stand up comedian, Russell Peters talks about the unique and funny characters of 2 of our major ethnic groups.

p/s. Thanks to Sean Tan. He introduced this joker to me when he was back from Canada.

Cheap CCTV Contractor life?

CCTV workmanship fee can be dirt cheap, but is these what you want to see at your posh corporate office with your prestigious guests and valuable customers around?

Seriously, is other people life that cheap to you?

Easy or Difficult

A prospect asked us to quote him a 4 camera points cctv solution for his furniture outlet.

We told him without site visit we could only quote him the cctv gear but not the deployment workmanship cost. He was furious, he said it is merely a very simple 4 channel solution and insisted that we must furnish him with a full solution quotation on the same day.


Well, a "simple" 4 channel cctv deployment can be as easy as;



or as difficult as;



Did we quote him on that day? Of cause not.

Tout Jour Prest

Last Saturday morning a CCTV installer came to pick up some gear from us.

He looked sick and tired.

He said his customer called him at 11PM to tell him that his whole cctv system was down. The installer and his team had worked through the night to revive sections of the system.

Like it or not, in our CCTV business, we have to be 'Tout Jour Prest' - always ready.

No CCTV Sunday #25 Even After All

The other day I heard Asha Gill (the ex Channel V veejays) being interviewed by BFM89.9 radio station on my way home.

This "in conversation" radio programme will ask their guests to bring 3 songs of importance to them to the show.

Am particular interested in the 2nd song recommended by Asha; Even After All by Finley Quaye.

She said her ex-job required traveling and every time she will be away for couple of months. Her mom sent this single to her while she was on the road.

I would like to dedicate this song to my pal, Kenny in Melbourne.

" You just survive soldier "

Rocket Scientist Solution

A lot of CCTV prospects came to us for the most advance and sophisticated CCTV solution.

Every time, we have to share the following story with them.

NASA, one of the most well-funded scientific research groups in the world, has tried their best technology to find out whether melted glacial ice from the Arctic ends up in the ocean, and failed.

Having exhausted every possible solution from their usual box of scientific tricks, the researchers must radically transform their approach.

Idea after idea is talked through, analyzed, and rejected. Then one scientist who has been sitting deep in thought whilst the others argue, speaks up:

“We could use bathtub rubber ducks.”

The room erupts with laughter. Has he lost his mind?

September 2008, NASA dropped 90 yellow rubber ducks into holes in Greenland's Jakobshavn glacier.

Clash of the Titans

Today yet another CCTV prospect wanted to know which is a better surveillance solution; the conventional Analog CCTV or the IP camera solution.

Again I have to explained to him that the question itself is wrong. There is no better solution. If one of those solution was better than the other, for sure there is only one solution left in the market. The right question to ask is, which solution is suitable and be able to meet his surveillance requirements.

The two solutions are like the two "Clash of the Titans" movies, both has its pros and cons. The 1981 film is a classic and able to fulfill many fans' entertainment needs but am sure the upcoming 2010 remake will make full use of the new technology to satisfy the ever demanding moviegoers.

Personally I adore the original stop-motion animated classic but I too am looking forward to the new 3D remake.

Liverpool Football Club

It is impossible to talk to CCTV prospects who can't differentiate between Ayam Brand and Liverpool Football Club.

They keep insisting that all CCTV gear like DVR, CCTV cameras, IP cameras are the same especially if they were with wing-creature as their logo and established in 1892.