Ningbo: my next stop.

We fixed the office at Ningbo, which is the building behind us.

This is a great location near the bus & train station. Sub-way is also constructioning.

SW is a new LEGO game

我兄弟说: 新軟體開發型態 Application Framework :

" 軟體開發的方式從打孔機, 組合語言, 直譯語言Basic, 編譯語言 C, Pascal, Fortran, 到 SDK 與 API library, 一直到現在的 Application Framework.  Framework 顧名思義就是 "套好的框架".  軟體開發不再是, 如木工雕刻一樣, 一錘一斧將軟體完成 (這樣的方法若要完成一個 word pad 應用軟體恐怕要 1年), 在 Microsoft Application Framework 的架構下, 只需將需要的功能從開發環境中選擇與拼湊, 任何一個熟練的軟體工程師一個下午就能完成一個 Word pad 軟體程式!

缺點呢?  任何一個軟體工程師完成的 Word pad 都會長得一模一樣, 因為在 Framework 開發環境, 所有人都使用相同的Frame,  軟體作品不再是藝術品, 而就如同灌漿出來的佛像一樣, 是個有功能而無風格的產品! 這是軟體功能複雜到人腦無法設計與負荷後, 必然形成的開發方式, 而軟體工程師 即成為 "軟體IC" 的裝配工,  "人"特有的創意與藝術將只存在於應用程式的美工和音樂中! "

 

让我想到LEGO, it is easy to play, but hard to be an expert.

How CCTV deal with HD?

Many people know that HD (or Full HD) become a normal requirement to consumer products like STB (Set Top Box), Smart phone, TV, BDP (Blue Disk Player)… More HD contents were provided through internet, broadcasting, cable, or satellite, more user get used to it. Contents droved the demands of devices selling to consumers already, but Surveillance seems still struggling to moving forward.

 

Those leading companies of Surveillance like SONY, Bosch, Pelco, AXIS, GE, …are all trying to catching up the trend of the HD surveillance era. SONY tried to promote several ways to approaching that. It made the marketing event "GO MEGA" science 2008 in IFSEC, UK, and tried "SLOC" science 2011. They also promoted 960H in 2011 & 2012; but still, the market moved slowly.

 

Nevertheless, most of Taiwan based surveillance companies concluded the IP will be the future; we can see the result are quit close in this year (2012) those IPO companies got bumper return from the revenue growth, but indeed, they are suffering for the GP (Growth Profit) drops.

 

As the example of one of the leaders company, Geovision, they announced tones of models of IP Cameras within these 2 years. Utilizing the strength of their Brand & SW CMS, Geovision jumped up by their revenue as a fact. Geovision hired more people to take good care of these products, include PM, Engineer, and supporting team. Building up the LABs, setup factory, purchasing equipment…lots of money invested for the new business sector. If you check their financial report, you will find that EPS dropped. Not only Geovision, Those IP surveillance makers like Vivotek, ACTi, Dlink are also fighting with the ASP and GP drop on their financial report as well.

 

Do you know what that means? The HD ear comes now.

 

When the HD price dropped to 3 times of the SD solutions, volume comes with sales. Current the HD solution is still about 5 times of the SD, so everyone is preparing to catching that wave. HDSDI of HDCCTV alliance, DVB of ccHDtv, IP Mega solution with ONVIF are all ready & waiting for that.

SLOC, will SONY helps Intersil-Techwell win the market?

Intersil-Techwell were merged at 2010. And seems that Techwell didn't loss it's competence of development speed during this shake. After a long co-working with SONY, Techwell provide a very new approach to win-back the transitions from its newest interface, SLOC.

 

SLOC is dealing with not only IP but symutaniasly Analog CVBS signal is transmitted. This is a very innovative way to dealing with both side: Analog & IP no matter where you from, you can be easily adapt your camera like use to be with the existing COAX cable.

 

Is that a good way and benefit the user? Or benefit the manufacturer of ASIA? Might be you will get the ISP (Image Signal Processior) for IP-camera, HDCCTV camera from SONY which integrated SLOC interface next year.

 

Let's wait and see.

 

IP or HDCCTV? what's the market forecasting to 2012: view point from Taiwan manufacturers

When Mega IP solutions became a hottest topic to the Surveillance market at 2010, major market players who had been investing years on Sales & Marketing on the trade show events worldwide faced a hardest decision: should I build my own team to fight for the market or should I buy a Software to support my Hardware only?

 

There's no easy answer. And most of the key players chose different approach by their own.

 

This is part of strategic decision making. Too many masters of marketing had wrote this kind of articles already. Which one is the best? No one tells.

 

Come back to Taiwan, there are no big companies are playing the game world-wide. Just few good medium-size companies like AVTECH, GEOVISION, EVERFOCUS, DYNACOLOR, HUNT, HISHARP, AVERMEDIA, VIVOTEK… are focusing in this market and trying to be somebody in this small unique field.

 

They did, because of they were already ranked top 50 ww by A&S magazine.

 

What's their choice? I see most of them seeking for more conservative way which is IP. Nevertheless some of them like HDCCTV(HDSDI) more, but still deal with IP is because of too many marketing resource have been invested into the consumer field by the Service Providers, both internet and mobile. Thus, it will be much easier to educate the buyer or consumers, or create a fashion. They don't care what's the best solution for surveillance system or what will be an issue of security of content protection, privacy. These are too heavy to be considering.

 

I am not trying to convince everyone to against the market trend of IP. I think Mr. Tud of HDCCTV alliance will not do so neither. We are all focusing on a better solution for CCTV surveillance to be upgraded to HD. That's what the really demanding from market. In another word, better picture quality.

 

But how to? What will be the most cost effective way? I saw many hurdles in front of HDCCTV now. There are low quality cables like 3C2V or 66 Ohms cables installed in the field. If HDCCTV(HD-SDI) run on this kind of cables, the performances will be too bad to be accepted, no matter in distance or video stabilities. Then the signal amplifier will be needed. And the cost of system will go higher again.

 

Is there any better solutions? SLOC of Intersil Techwell? Or EoC (Ethernet over coax), IPoC(IP over Coax)… there are so many people are thinking of the same thing: will there a better way to save the installation cost and utilized the old construction to upgraded to HD of video. Yes, there must be some good existing technology there waiting to be used.

The third way of CCTV?

Mr. Todd Rockoff came to Taiwan last week to share updating information of HDCCTV Alliance and introduce the goal to this organization. In his presentations, he tried to point out the advantage of this Alliance and the key successful factor: compatibilities.

I go through his explanations of many features like:

1.      Better quality

2.      No latency of video

3.      Easy adapt, commission, and use

4.      Lower total system installation cost

5.      The third way to provide VSS(Video Surveillance System)

I think the key missing parcel is power supply over cables and the cost of cabling.

There are many solution providers trying to utilize the current installed Coax (coaxial cable) to provide upgrade VSS in the field, such as IP over Coax, SLOC (from Techwell-Intersil), or HDCCTV. But no one can be confident that they are the best solution. According to the history of technology migrations, it's not determined who can provide better technology, topology, cost-performances ratio, or visions. You can find the stories like IEEE1394, Iridium, and many others already there.

The key is the customer. That will be you, professional people in this field. Professions like it, then it will work.

To win this change, there's a chance for Taiwan, China, and Korea.

HDCCTV 的當下與未來

CCTV轉往HD的議題已經有6年的時間了，選擇現在來談它，無非是因為最近又轉回這個風潮外，另一個主要的動力是從全球市場的角度看台灣與中國之間的競合，發掘了一些契機。

SDI的介面並非新東西，從早期的VIDEO EDITING時代，就早已被廣泛的應用。台灣的DATA-VIDEO，MINTRON，都早有涉略。只要早期與電視台設備相關領域有接觸的前輩，幾乎都非常了解這個規格。

每一項技術的普及，都離不開規格的標準化，只有標準化才能有普及的機會。IP SURVEILLANCE之所以在近年來才開花結果，也是因為ONVIF 與PSIA的公開與開放，以中台韓的硬實力，加上歐美的軟實力，才使的市場開闊了起來。HDCCTV使用SDI為標準，不外乎也是著眼於這個理由。從這個角度，可以看出HDCCTV的企圖心與未來性是非常大的。

台灣的硬體設備製造廠商一窩蜂的想在這個市場裡取得先行者優勢，其實是緣木求魚的。一般來說，規格的制定者會在公布標準前，準備好下一個更有競爭力的方案，以期待風潮型成之後，用更有競爭力的二代產品一統江山。而目前的規格投票者，只有CSST、GENNUM、STRETCH三家。而下一代的產業規格雖然已經公布，但是仍舊無法實現。所以A&S的報導" HD CCTV聯盟成立"，而認為" 彰顯混合監控需求 "，其實我是不同意的。真正的關鍵還是在規格的實踐，以及市場的推廣兩件事上。

SONY在SDI的投入是非常早，即使在今天，SONY仍是多數的SDI設備提供者。從SONY在台灣市場推廣960H的角度來看，SONY並不想太快的將CCTV規格推向HDSDI去。他們的目標還是一步步的蠶食鯨吞整個市場，讓規格緩升值。先是960H，再來720P，然後才會到1080HD。
因為即使大如Samsung、SONY，仍然需要人抬轎、轎抬人。SONY的如意算盤應該是陸續是放已經握有的技術，讓市場慢慢升溫、競爭、淘汰、最後收割。所以市場的推力無庸置疑，仍舊在這些大老手頭上。

但是不能忘了CSST是中國CCTV的代表廠商之一；雖然是個聯合軍團，掌握了14個各領域的專業公司，如果一但整合成功，將集結相當的能量來推動自有的市場的普及化。而加入HDCCTV聯盟的優勢是: 取得最新的規範並且以自身的產品來影響規範的走向。如此便能避開各個專業廠商的產品規劃時程不一的問題，而進一步提供完整解決方案，一次購足。

台灣廠商與中國的競合並不是沒有可能的二率背反，在HDCCTV的能力與經驗上，仍舊是台廠的步調較快。台廠的供應鏈成熟，上下游整合速度快，在還沒有設計解決方案之前，台廠應該可以取得先機。但是先行者的優勢來自於技術或者市場的掌握，在目前的歐美市場的高端項目，韓系廠的經驗和被認可的品質應該是買家的首選。不過普遍韓系產品單價高，整體公司營運成本也高，當規格是清楚被定義下來的情形下，台廠跟上腳步的速度應該是韓系廠商背後的芒刺。當台廠完成方案之後，中方即可快速的模仿與量化，提供性價比高的產品來供應國內市場進而擴大HDCCTV的成功案例。以自身的市場培育外銷的基石，再次占領CCTV的國際市場，應可期待。