GE's Security business has introduced its new Legend pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) dome camera, which sets a new standard for integrated dome cameras.
With Legend, users avoid the jerky video of traditional cameras, which use gears and belts for motion. Users can even program resets to within ±0.015°.
Legend cameras incorporate GE's revolutionary new SilkTrak direct drive technology with closed-loop positioning feedback to provide the smoothest, most precise performance of any dome camera. SilkTrak eliminates the gears and belts that cause rough, jerky motions when viewing other PTZ cameras. With SilkTrak positioning, users obtain better tracking of objects while optically superior, injection-molded dome bubbles ensure crystal clear images, even at high zoom settings.
"GE's new Legend dome camera is designed for the ultimate in ease of use, from installation, to programming, maintenance, and even making the transition to a digital system," said Robert Siegel, Security's marketing manager for video solutions. "Drop-down graphical menus simplify programming for presets, tours, macros, privacy masks, alarms and more. Features, such as single-hand insertion and removal with built-in coax and UTP connections, make this dome camera the easiest on the market to install and service."
Incorporating 1.0 lux color sensitivity, this new 26x day/night dome camera offers customers true 24-hour surveillance even in low light conditions, making it the most advanced camera available on the market. Closed-loop positioning technology provides preset positioning accuracy of ±0.015 degrees. A 26x optical zoom camera with 12x digital zoom gives this new dome a 312x total zoom.
Spherical privacy masking uses a 3D representation of the camera view and eliminates mask drift caused by camera tilt angle. With the ability to store 24 privacy masks and display eight simultaneously, the dome prevents operators from viewing neighboring or sensitive areas while still viewing the surroundings.
Since Legend cameras are field upgradeable to provide streaming digital video, they provide a path for users to transition from analog to digital systems. A plug-in video encoder/decoder facilitates field upgrades of Legend cameras to full IP-based systems.
An electronic image flip feature eliminates the need to rotate the camera 180° at the bottom of the tilt travel to track objects. With 184-degree tilt travel and electronic image flip, the camera can track activity directly underneath it without having to spin on its pan axis. Each of the 128 preset positions stores the pan, tilt, and zoom position along with a complete list of camera settings including backlight compensation, iris, and shutter settings.
Sixteen shadow tours can store a total of 20 minutes of pan, tilt, and zoom operation. Thirty two macros can also be programmed, each with up to 16 steps that can be set for presets, tours, relay outputs, or links to other macros. Eight alarm inputs can be assigned to presets, tours, or macros and can control either or both relay outputs.
Separate passcode levels prevent unauthorized personnel from changing programming settings while still allowing administrative access.
Installation is easy and can be accomplished with one hand. Users simply align the notches on the camera assembly with the tabs on the housing and slide the camera up until it locks into place. Housing options are available for indoor and outdoor applications. Exterior housings are rated for weather resistance.
The Legend pan-tilt-zoom dome camera with SilkTrak direct drive is available now.
