The latest attempt at creating standardisation and interoperability in video surveillance has been announced by ONVIF.
The new release candidate is for Profile G, the specification designed to store, search, retrieve, and play back media on devices or clients that support recording capabilities and on-board storage.
Profile G from ONVIF, the global standardisation initiative for IP-based physical security products can be seen on ONVIF’s website. It follows hot on the heels of Profile S, which ONVIF introduced in 2012 as the standard interface to stream video and audio between conformant devices and clients. Profile G now brings video playback into the Profile concept.
ONVIF says that having global interface specifications with specific functionalities easily identified by Profiles makes it easier for end users, integrators, consultants, and manufacturers to harness the opportunities offered by network video technology.
Steven Dillingham, chairman of ONVIF’s Profile G working group and software engineer for Vidsys, said in a statement:
The introduction of Profile G will complete the circuit between live video and the other half of the equation, which is video storage.
This further refines the level of interoperability among ONVIF-conformant products.
Profile G will encompass devices ranging from cameras and encoders to networked video recorders (NVR) and client systems such as video management systems, building management systems and physical security information management (PSIM) systems, among others. It can be deployed between a PSIM solution integrating video playback from an NVR, including specific features such as starting and ending recording: searching video using various filters such as time, event, or metadata; video retrieval and playback; and, on the receiver side, creating a source of IP media.
ONVIF circulates new Profiles first as release candidates for six months, which allows members and stakeholders a final implementation review. When that process is complete, the final Profile is published and technology providers are able to test products for conformance to the final version of Profile G. This process is intended to allow members to introduce conformant products more quickly when the final Profile G is released in early 2014.
Although Profile G and Profile S are related, the two are independent profiles and encompass different functionalities of a network video system. Some devices and most clients may implement both profiles, for example a camera with onboard storage or a digital video recorder. In contrast, a camera may implement Profile S for transmission of the video while an NVR would incorporate functionalities from Profile G.
There are currently more than 1,600 products conforming to Profile S in the market from nearly 460 ONVIF member companies.
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I really hope this succeeds because anything that leads to standardization and interoperability is always good for the consumers. The ability to build a multi-vendor solution opens the doors to competition and innovation and is good for us all in the long run.
Absolutely, I applaud standardisation.
@Johnathan Selin: Yes indeed since that will allow the doors for the buyers to compare and get a good service for a reasonable value. I think allowing multiple platforms for users open the door for them too to cover more ground in the market.
Such standardisation provides a minimum requirement, so it’s still up to manufacturers to try and exceed this to ensure their products remain desirable.