Nice has debuted its new surveillance camera lineup, and with functionality designed for both residential and commercial environments, integrators working on the ELAN platform have a decent bit to dig through in this release thanks to some added benefits introduced in ELAN OS 9.0. Let’s get started.
A Look at Nice’s New Surveillance Camera Lineup
The new security camera lineup from Nice includes three new devices: the 4MP and 8MP fixed camera solutions, as well as the 4MP PTZ model for commercial environments.
A feature running throughout all three models is Nice’s AI-ISP image processing, which the company says improves sharpness, reduces motion blur and delivers more detailed color visibility in low-light environment compared to similar environments.
Each model also comes equipped with Adaptive Night Color, which turns on a white light when a person—or a vehicle (the option can be toggled)—is detected before switching back to IR to minimize light pollution.
Surveillance Integrations on ELAN OS 9.0
The big feature among all three is that Nice has developed some very specific integrations with its ELAN control platform to squeeze more functionality out of the devices, allowing them to slip more seamlessly into a smart home environment.
ELAN OS 9.0 introduces a range of extra support for the new surveillance line including NVR audio recording and playback, as well as some AI-powered features such as time-lapse and video summary that let users jump directly to key events.
OS 9.0 also allows real-time, full-duplex audio to transmit between the cameras and any ITP touch panels, HR40 remotes or mobile and desktop apps. Aside from that, ELAN integration also opens the figurative door to specific security automations such as tripwire and region detection for more unified property surveillance.
Nice is also on record saying that it’s updated the surveillance interface to reflect a more “modern, intuitive layout” that should make it easier for users to navigate and highlight parts of footage, while staying aware of critical activity across the property.
For Integrators
The updates aren’t without a few goodies for integrators as well, as, baseline, the ELAN integrations are also meant to help streamline device onboarding into the ecosystem. Additionally, the cameras come with universal mounting options for a more streamlined physical installation onto a property.
Onboard analytics have also been enhanced, according to Nice, meaning automations can be a little bit more reliable without the concern of false alarms.
Security’s Banner Year in the Smart Home
Looking back on the year, security, specifically surveillance, has had quite a successful run both among integrators and homeowners. While we at CE Pro figured that surveillance would get a big boost from AI integrations, we weren’t quite expecting the shift in the cultural zeitgeist we’re seeing at years end.
Security has become much more of a lifestyle add-on for people versus a proactive protection measure, and for that reason, surveillance solutions have been gradually ticking up throughout the year as one of the most sought-after smart home product categories by homeowners.
In speaking with manufacturers for our year-end reflection series, it seems that integrators have caught onto this as well, as quite a few have noticed an uptick in sales surrounding these products that conveys a widespread embrace by the channel compared to previous years. Whether or not security is opening up as a potential entry point to the smart home is yet to be determined, however.
That does put a bit of pressure on manufacturers, however, who now, rather than selling solutions that feel like bolt-ons, need to come up with devices that can come together as part of a cohesive ecosystem within the smart home.
