Selection and Support

High resolution video streams, H265 smart CODECS and fisheye lens correction are a few examples of the complexities faced when decoding video streams for display.

Selecting the correct video display solution for your project will result in customer engagement, confidence, limitations and awareness of cost obstacles prior to installation. Bespoke market place solutions present high cost rigid hardware design requiring an additional software interface for further integration and operator training. Selecting the right hardware and software combination can be challenging, however, many off the shelf hardware products can in many cases prove more functional than perhaps first considered. Below is a step process that integrators should evaluate before selecting video wall or decoding station components at the start of the project. 

A simple and common example follows, video decoding is a resource intensive task, an 8 MP camera is roughly equivalent to the decoding density of 24 D1 camera streams. If an 8 MP camera is to be scaled to a smaller resolution on the video display, using the camera’s secondary lower resolution stream could invoke a cost saving factor of  24 for each 8 MB camera.  

Certain characteristics detailed below can result in solution hidden costs. Distributed video systems (virtual matrix) Vs Centralised enterprise solutions (single desktop canvas)  introduce further complexities vs cost subtleties. Submit your enquiries for no obligation feedback for us to detail and explain functionality trade offs. BlueBox will provide a number of options form a variety of video hardware vendors to off the shelf build options for further evaluation.

Step 1. Display Capabilities

How many displays does the solution require?

What will be the resolution of each display?

Will the display devices be powered and operational 24/7?

What is the cable length from the displays to the video decoding device?

Step 2. Choose Content

Can the native VMS video wall software be avoided?

How many IP video streams per display?

What video format will be used, i.e. H264 or H265?

What are the resolution and framerate requirements for video?

Can playlists / sequencing / carousels be used to display a greater number of streams?

What other applications need to be captured, i.e. remote desktops, SCADA systems, schematics, maps, news,, access control, collaboration technologies?

Can all content be ingested using Ethernet IP?

Are physical capture cards required for AV signal capture?

Step 3. Interactivity Options

Should archived NVR content be available on the decoding controller?

Is real time dewarping of fisheye camera lenses required? 

Should video streams be capable of displaying across multiple screens?

Shall a portion of the video wall be dedicated to AI automation?

Will response/event/action boards be displayed?

Step 4. Security and Reliability

Is dual power redundancy required?

Is dual system failure redundancy required?

Should all open IP ports be reviewed for closure?

Advising on software and hardware options, BlueBox engineering consultancy approaches project development based on existing through to future business requirements. BlueBox provides a no obligation initial assessment of requirements against available technology costs for integrator consideration.

Acting as an independent consultancy service, your business can digest, independently review and consider all available options before deployment of any video technology solution.

Project installation and training are provided as professional services by BlueBox.

Experienced enough to undertake substantial projects, however small enough to offer an unrivalled level of service and support, the BlueBox engineering team focuses on customer requirements and support.

For further details please visit our contact page.