Recently, DMP ran an advertisement asking, "Haven't we always known cameras would replace motion detectors?" an unconventional claim from a company that is one of the largest conventional intrusion / alarm manufacturers.
In this report, based on an interview with DMP's VP Of Industry Relations, Mark Hillenberg, we examine what this means for the company, its outlook on motion detection, and more.
Other IPVM DMP coverage:
DMP Launches X1 Cloud Access Control
DMP X1 Cloud Access Test
Cloud Access Control Rankings 2023 - Alarm.com, Brivo, DMP, Feenics, Kisi, Openpath, PDK, Verkada
DMP's Britton Family Acquires Majority Ownership Of iENSO
Executive Summary
While DMP's existing business is primarily built on intrusion and traditional motion detectors, its marketing and comments to IPVM emphasized the benefits of video and analytics over motion detectors, including:
Stronger false alert resistance than traditional motion detectors, e.g., (heat, shadows, etc.)
Specified alarm triggers, e.g., person detection and
Video verification / event tied with alarm to remote monitoring stations, end-users, etc
Despite discussing the benefits of video / analytics over traditional motion detectors, DMP emphasized continuing to sell / support traditional motion detectors. However, it projects that the market / end-users will "start selecting" video analytics over traditional motion detectors.
More broadly, DMP emphasized its long-term play is "interoperability" or providing a unified or end-to-end system for its end-users, including intrusion, access control, video, and fire, which is becoming a common approach in cloud offerings to expand their offerings further into existing accounts horizontally.
There are three main elements to consider with this move: (1) the strengths and weaknesses / false alert resistance of the analytics being used, (2) DMP building proper support channels to sell and support the third-party analytics integrated into their branded appliances; and (3) while offering built-in analytics is positive, DMP does not have direct control over the improvement and development of these analytics, which could be limiting.
For more on our analytics testing, see Camera Analytics Rankings 2024 - 20 Manufacturers, 39 Analytics. IPVM plans to add testing of DMP analytics next month.
DMP Strong Marketing Against Motion Detectors
Below are examples of marketing where DMP marketed benefits of video analytics versus motion detectors:
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Also, its marketing shows reducing alarm fees and false alerts in the Gateway’s spec sheet:
Long-Term Play: Unification
DMP shared its goal is to unify or have "interoperability" between its offerings, which has become a more common trend in the last several years. DMP expands:
We view the marketplace as four pillars: intrusion, access control, video, and fire.
Our long-term play here is the interoperability, [for example] between intrusion and access control has long been a player that we do very well and provides distinct advantages to not only dealers, but ultimately the end users of those systems.
Expanding that they plan to add stronger interoperability on the video side and are becoming "more serious" about it:
Our goal is to provide the same level of interoperability by adding video. We have been dabbling in video for quite some time and are continuing to become more serious about our video offering.
More broadly, the trend of unifying access and video has been growing, with many end-users either requiring or expecting to manage multiple systems / products in one single interface, which was historically fragmented and completely separate.
Customers Will Decide
While DMP largely emphasized the benefits video analytics offer over motion detectors, it was also critical of the usability of video / analytics when a building is locked / armed and unoccupied:
The customers will decide what replaces what. It is certainly true in the context of AlarmVision. [For example] In our building there are 56 cameras, and probably at least that many motion detectors as well.
Those cameras are of no value to anyone when the building is armed and locked, and no one is in it. Other than if someone breaks through the window or comes through a door, you would possibly be able to see them if you were looking for them and have a record of who did what.
However, motion detectors or analytics could trigger alarms for any unexpected events in a locked, armed, and unoccupied building. Still, strong / top-performing video analytics could trigger alarms before motion detectors on the interior. For example, exterior cameras with vehicle or people detection analytics monitoring the parking lot or entryway to a building can alert on potential threats before someone enters, breaks glass, enters doors, etc.
Continue To Sell Motion Detectors
DMP confirmed:
Going forward, we will continue to sell and partner with motion detector manufacturers and sell those, at least until people stop buying them.
But, Video Analytics / AlarmVision Much Better
DMP expands on the benefits of video / analytics over motion detectors, noting they are replaced in a "much better way":
Now, with video analytics and AlarmVision technology that lets the analytics talk to the intrusion panel, the motion detector's function is somewhat replaced in a much better way.
Adding on some of the historical false alarm issues with motion detectors and the benefits of people detection provided by video analytics:
Motion detectors just sense motion. I have a giant plant behind me, and if the HVAC system blows the leaves in a specific way, it will potentially set off an alarm and various other things that can cause a false alarm. Video analytics are obviously way smarter, they detect people, so it is a much smarter way to go about, and it uses the infrastructure already in place.
Also, DMP's specification sheet for its XV Gateway / appliance highlights the advantages of video analytics over motion detectors' false alarms caused by moving leaves, shadows, light, etc.:
Customers Will Start To Select Video / Analytics Over Motion Detectors
DMP further emphasizes that customers will start to select video and analytics over motion detectors, but they are not "pivoting":
We foresee that video cameras with analytics will make it so motion detectors that are no longer required. We are not pivoting and saying we are not supporting them, but we think this is a better mousetrap, and customers will start to select this over traditional technology.
Expanding on the benefits, alarms based on an analytics event detecting a human are more specific than those generated by motion detectors, which do not provide visual confirmation or a (possible) detection of a human:
The analytics that detect human activity make the difference between having to get there right away and something that may not necessarily be a threat to your business unless a person is confirmed and could wait.
Monitoring Impacts
With the rise of remote video monitoring and the decline in police response to intrusion alarms without video, DMP highlights its differentiation and the benefits of adding video analytics to generate alarms, compared to constant remote monitoring or alarms triggered only by motion detection without video:
This is a key piece to how our technology is a bit different. Long-term video monitoring, with people just sitting at lots of screens of video, it is well proven it does not work. However, analytics bring out anomalies or notifications to those to try to highlight the things to be concerned about.
However, some of the difficulties are operating hours and shifts. We don't need notifications when people are walking through the building during business hours. But when the intrusion system is armed, an analytic detects a person within the building, which is an absolute alarm and will go to the top of the list.
With AlarmVision, the unique piece is not via the NVR or Camera; it is via the intrusion panel to the monitoring panel receiver, so they can utilize it the way they are used to. But now, it is augmented with video information and an alert from video analytics.
Also, the ease of viewing / response as this can be done from an end-user directly who receives events to their mobile app when a site is armed:
You could also spin up the mobile app and allow the end users or the monitoring center to respond or disregard an alarm once it is sent.
Analytics Will Enable Account Expansion
DMP's approach to offering an analytics appliance that can connect to existing cameras with their XV-Series gateway and apply Camect's analytics or "AlarmVision" (while not novel or new to the industry) will enable DMP to expand further into their existing accounts, offering analytics as alarm triggers integrated with its intrusion offering.
More Broadly, Analytics Performance Key
While Analytics performance has been improving over the last several years, the performance difference between the best and worst in our rankings/testing is significant, so the true benefits of analytics over motion detectors would depend on the video analytics' environment and false alert resistance.
Note: IPVM plans to test DMP / Camect's XV-Series Gateway analytics in the coming months.
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