Flexible, Expandable IP/Hybrid Camera & Recording Systems for Offices & Businesses

You can buy security cameras anywhere. But to have a truly functional, robust surveillance/recording/monitoring security camera system for your office in Burbank, IL, you need system design, installation, programming, and integration with your data network from someone who truly understands both. Don't get sucked into contracting services from a "camera installer" for whom IT networks are just a sideline or vice versa.

For decades, Andromeda has served the IT/Security needs of small-to-medium sized organizations like yours in the greater Chicagoland IL/Indy area. We have cultivated expertise in both the data network "brains" as well as the camera/access control/alarm/communication "arms and legs" of office systems and have years of experience integrating these together for a diverse cross-section of businesses, municipalities, and other associations/organizations.

Your timing for creating or expanding a current security camera surveillance system could not be better. There is no longer a need for an expensive, dedicated system to monitor your premises. We also provide great options for expanding an older security camera system with better/newer analog and digital technology without scrapping what you might already have! By leveraging your existing IT network for your security camera system(s), Andromeda can save you time, money, and lots of headaches with efficient integrated systems that can do more than you probably imagined: real-time alerts, automated responses, and more.

Security Camera/Surveillance/Recording Systems -Burbank, IL 60459

We are a certified Panasonic Network Camera Installer. We utilize the latest in IP Video Camera technology, which allows the cameras, DVR recording and viewing all to be performed on your existing computer data network. This allows you to use your existing investment in your data wiring and data systems and extend that network into the security camera/webcam arena.

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Panasonic Cameras and Recording Software

• Panasonic manufactures over 20 different types of network video cameras. The following are some of the features that are available:
  Wireless
• Outdoor
• Power-Over-Ethernet (PoE)
• Digital and Optical Zoom
• Very High Resolution
• Low Light, Night Viewing
• Motion and Thermal Activation
• Full Pan, Tilt, and Zoom with Scanning Presets
• 2-Way Audio with Microphone and Speaker

The ability to record and later playback is an important and necessary part of any video security system. There are many options available; from on-camera memory sticks to a full-blown, searchable recording system capable of storing months worth of video from all your cameras. The viewing software is very user-friendly and easy to use.

Andromeda Technology Solutions will work to understand all your needs and provide a solution that exactly fits those needs, and allows for future growth if necessary. Our attention to detail will ensure you receive a system that you will be 100% happy with.

Applications

There are many types of applications where it pays to see there, when you cannot be there. Here are just a few types of oranizations that have benefited from our security camera systems:

• Parking Lots
• Daycare / Nursery School
• Construction Sites
• Car Dealerships
• Retail Stores
• Restaurant / Franchise
• Self Storage
• Hotel / Motel
• Multi-unit Residential

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Flexible / Programmable / Expandable Surveillance Systems

You can start with just a few cameras and expand the system as you grow. It is very easy to add security cameras to the system, without throwing away any of your initial investment.

There are options to synchronize recordings with your POS receipts, so you can exactly match the video recording with an individual receipt transaction.

The wide variety of camera types and camera options make the system extremely flexible to fit almost any application.

We can also setup remote access for you to view live video or search through recorded video, from any remote location with Internet access. You can keep tabs on your business without having to be there.

Integration: Get The Most From Your Security Systems

How does Integrated Security work?

How does Integrated Security work?

Integrated Security works by allowing you to program a multitude of responses—both in the Cloud and as control back to external hardware—based on any number of triggers from external hardware regardless of origin/type (cameras, access sensors, alarm fault sensors, motion, smoke, temperature,...)

Why is Integrated Security better?

Why is Integrated Security better?

This allows the entire system and designated human responders to more accurately assess the detailed nature of a security event and respond in the most precise/appropriate manner, virtually eliminating undue responses to false alarms.

Triggers:
• Motion in ...more

I.S. Responses:
• Discontinue ...more

Triggers:
• Door opening ...more

I.S. Responses:
• Selective lock ...more

Triggers:
• Zone fault ...more

I.S. Responses:
• Set/Reset ...more

Triggers:
• Manual Pan/Tilt/Zoom signals to designated cameras
• Overrides of any current Access Control statuses
• Set/reset Alarm status

I.S. Programmable Responses:
• Alert Central Station
• Email/text alert to owner/designated responders
• Pop appropriate camera feed(s) to all responders
• Release of appropriate cameras to manual control

Integrated Security works by allowing you to program a multitude of responses—both in the Cloud and as control back to external hardware—based on any number of triggers from external hardware regardless of origin/type (cameras, access sensors, alarm fault sensors, motion, smoke, temperature,...). This allows the entire system to more accurately assess the detailed nature of a security event and respond in the most precise/appropriate manner, virtually eliminating undue responses to false alarms.

AndroPedia Tech Library

As part of our service, it is important to keep our client-partners well informed on Security Camera system developments, news, and best practices. Here is just a sampling of typical items from our AndroPedia^SM library archive:

It’s that time of year again (finally)! Warm weather has returned to the Midwest and the snow has melted for good. Time to open the windows, let in the fresh air and get some spring cleaning done. It’s also a great time to tackle some annual security camera maintenance on your CCTV camera system.

Regular security camera maintenance and upkeep is a great way to make sure that your cameras are functioning properly this year and for many years to come.

So what do you want to make sure and check up on, clean or even adjust during your security camera spring cleanup?

Check out the CCTV Security Camera Maintenance checklist below:

Camera & Camera Mounting Equipment or Housing

1. Check the camera and camera lens for damage
   1. Is there any damage? Dings, Scratches or even cracks in lenses?
2. Check camera field of view
3. Is the camera monitoring the field of view you desire?
4. Clean camera, lens and mounting equipment
5. Dust camera lenses
6. If camera is enclosed inside of a dome or other housing, make sure to clean the enclosure and dry it fully

Wiring/Cabling

1. Visually check any exposed wiring
   1. Is there any wearing?
   2. All cables are firmly connected?
   3. All cable dressings are intact?
   4. All necessary insulation is still intact?
2. If you suspect any wiring issues – contact your CCTV Camera support company for maintenance

Recording Equipment

1. Viewing Permissions Audit
   1. Do all necessary personnel have access to remote viewing software on their PC, tablets or smartphones?
   2. Are there any personnel or devices that need to be disabled from remote viewing?
2. Confirm cameras are recording
   1. Are all cameras showing up on your recorder?
   2. Are cameras recording properly?
3. Check/Update Storage
   1. How much storage do you have for recordings? Do you need more?
4. Confirm Backups
5. Make sure viewing software and equipment are up to date
   1. If you are backing up your footage (we recommend it), test your backups to confirm they are functioning properly.

Ideally, we would suggest that you go through this security camera maintenance checklist quarterly. Far better to regularly check these things than to find that a camera, wire or other piece of equipment has been faulty for months and months. Additionally, today’s systems have updates and patches to their software that are important to maintain.

Andromeda can help you manage this process with ongoing security camera maintenance packages or regularly scheduled visits.

If you’d like to schedule some spring cleaning or get in touch with our team regarding your Security Camera needs you can call our office at (815) 836-0030 or email our team at Contact@WeNetwork.com.

Even Sweeter: Fill out the form below to get 10% OFF for a camera maintenance visit (if booked before 4/30/2019)!

The post SPRING CLEANING FOR YOUR CCTV CAMERAS! HERE’S YOUR ANNUAL SECURITY CAMERA MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST appeared first on Andromeda Technology Solutions.

It’s no secret that smartphones, tablets and cloud services are changing the way businesses operate in 2018. Data from Pew Research Center – 95% of adult Americans now own a cellphone of some kind and 77% of those phones are smartphones.

Of these smartphone owners, a recent study from App Annie indicates that on average, a smartphone user spends over two hours daily using apps in their phone. There are a bunch of interesting stats:

• An average person has 60-90 apps installed on their device
• On average a smartphone user opens at least 9 apps a day

You can look at this more in depth here.

You can use your smartphone to access documents on the go, check in with your team and collaborate on projects – so why not apply that same availability and accessibility to your integrated security?

Read on to discover three ‘game changers’ you can take advantage of when you connect your smartphone and integrated security.

1. Smart Phone Badges for Access Control

Keyless entry is becoming more and more standard in professional buildings. It can streamline payroll, secure a building or section of a building and gives peace of mind among many other benefits. Traditionally, this technology has meant a reader at specific doors and key fobs or badges that allow/deny access once swiped. There can be issues with this though such as employees sharing key cards/fobs or losing them etc.

Within the last few years, access control systems have added the ability to scan smart phone devices for entry into buildings. With special programming and hardware the access control reader can use your smartphone just like a fob or keycard to grant or disallow access to your facility.

2. Remote Access via Smartphone for your Camera System

When it comes to cameras and recording equipment things have come a long way from recording footage to a hard copy of a tape. Recording equipment used to have restrictions on where you could view footage. Realistically, most installations involved cameras installed that hooked up to the recorder which also hooked up to a PC in a specific location. You could only view footage from that one PC.

Good thing those days are history!

CCTV Camera systems are now viewable from many different locations. You can install viewing software on your home PC, your laptop, your tablet and your smartphone. This means that when you are out of the office on business or when you want to see what’s going on at the office after hours, all you have to do is pull out your smartphone and open the software app.

From there you can view footage, zoom in and check things out easily.

3. Remote Access & Control for Integrated Security Solutions (Access Control & Burglar)

Whether you are out of the office regularly for meetings or just gone for the evening it is stressful to wonder whether your alarm system is armed or whether someone accidentally left the back door open.

With today’s integrated security solutions and remote accessibility via smartphones/tablets, you don’t have to let those worries keep you up at night. You can arm and disarm your building with the touch of a button.

You can also lock and unlock doors at your facility.

When all of these features are put together you are able to see what’s going on at your office from your phone. You can lock and unlock doors when needed – say if an employee needs to get in after hours. You can also arm or disarm your burglar system from anywhere.

You’re basically unstoppable . . .

But really, integrated security and your smartphone are a match made in tech heaven. For more information on smartphone features and integrated security give us a call at (815) 836-0030 or send us an email at Contact@WeNetwork.com. We’d love to hear from you.

The post Integrated Security And Your Smartphone – Three Game Changing Features You’ll Want To Implement appeared first on Andromeda Technology Solutions.

Recently, Microsoft announced a small but important improvement to one of its signature products, Microsoft Word.

The company is planning to roll out a plagiarism checking tool bundled with a virtual writing assistant powered by the company's increasingly powerful AI/Machine Learning code.

If you're interested in trying it out, it's currently available to customers using Microsoft 365 EDU A3 and A5. The plan is to make it available to all Microsoft 365 customers beginning in July 2020 for Education customers, and to Consumer and Enterprise users by the fall of 2020.

Initially, the new feature will support English only, but later in the year, additional language support will be added.

Mike Tholfsen, the Principal Product Manager for Microsoft, had this to say about the new addition:

"Powered by Bing Search, the Similarity checker can identify and help writers with originality in their writing and learn more about appropriate attribution through tools that facilitate the easy insertion of relevant citations. This can aid writers in focusing less on the mechanics of writing and more on the content."

Where adding citations is concerned, once the feature is available, users will be able to select from MLA, APA, or Chicago-style citations. Word will automatically add them as appropriate, based on the selection made. Cited text will also automatically be surrounded by quotation marks, though users will have the option to delete those as desired.

If a text block longer than 40 words is found to be an exact match for something else online, the text will be formatted as a block quote, automatically.

Note that in order to make use of the new feature, users will need to install or enable Microsoft Editor, which will enable its use inside Office 365 and Outlook. Microsoft Editor is also available as a standalone browser extension for both Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

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