How video surveillance fits into the home

Roundtable participant Dennis Dop heads marketing at Videofied, which has developed an integrated PIR sensor with video camera; the company approaches video in the home as a way to verify alarm signals.

Fredrik Nilsson is general manager for Axis Communications, a company that has worked with service providers to offer the option of network cameras in the residential setting. He says the market has been stuck in the "early adoption" mode for at least 10 years.

Jonathan Klinger oversees marketing of residential systems for Honeywell Security and Custom Electronics. He believes there will be strong adoption if the market reaches a point where professional quality video systems can be offered to home security users for less than $2,000 installed.

In 2007, there was more talk than ever about the potential of video surveillance applications for residential security. Companies were showing new solutions for residential camera systems, some of which integrated into residential alarm systems. Some systems were designed around the ability to instantly verify intrusion alarms; others were set up for homeowners to generally "look in" on their properties.

It's hard to tell if a consistent vision for the future of video in the residential market has been created, but we went out to three vendors - a camera vendor, a top alarm systems provider, and a company specialized in alarm verification - to get their input on what the market would hold and what some of the top hurdles would be. One thing is for sure -- there's no silver bullet that's going to create instant market penetration for residential video surveillance; it's going to take time for video cameras to become as essential to home security as an alarm keypad - if it ever becomes that common.

Three vendors participated in the roundtable, and we're pleased to note that they offer diverse backgrounds and viewpoints. Here's who you'll hear from: Jonathan Klinger is director of marketing for residential systems at Honeywell Security and Custom Electronics; Dennis Dop heads marketing at integrated camera/intrusion sensor firm Videofied; Fredrik Nilsson is general manager for network camera manufacturer Axis Communications.

These vendor's responses represent what we at SIW think is some of the best thinking about how to approach video surveillance for home security. Enjoy their diverse opinions as you contemplate how your security business can tap this potential market.

Are we at the "early adopters" stage of this potential technology revolution yet?

Dennis Dop/Videofied: I would say that this is not so much of a technology issue with "early adopters" buying into it, but it is more a question of residential customers seeking greater security and faster police response.

Jonathan Klinger/Honeywell: We're seeing dealers using residential video as an up-sell opportunity for their traditional burglar install or to augment a "smart-house" type of installation. Many of their customers are using video to look into their homes, to track their children's comings and goings, to monitor their vacation or second homes, and to provide a greater sense of awareness of their concerns and security for their property and assets. In addition, we see an increased number of home owners installing a traditional commercial multi-channel DVR solution in the home to record events, particularly if there is concern of vandalism, theft or other property crimes. We're also seeing more requests for a video solution that would allow adult children to look in on their elderly parents, although this market is still emerging as prices fall and installation complexities lessen.