Video monitoring software on industrial cameras

Longwatch, a division of Industrial Video and Control (IVC),  has announced that Longwatch video monitoring software products have been integrated with IVC’s latest industrial cameras.  IVC is a leading supplier of cameras and video systems for industrial, military, and commercial applications.  IVC acquired Longwatch in February 2011, and the two companies have worked since then to create video solutions using Longwatch software and IVC’s cameras. (See our story Video surveilence pioneer acquired - 3rd Feb'11)

Longwatch video surveillance software runs on a standalone PC or can be integrated with almost all popular HMI/SCADA platforms used in automation and process control, including General Electric iFix, Wonderware InTouch, InduSoft WebStudio, and Control Microsystems ClearSCADA. The software allows automation and process control operators and engineers to view live camera data on their HMI screens, pan and zoom cameras from the HMI, “rewind” archived video data to review historical events, link archived video with historian data, and record what operators saw and did during an “event” at their HMI screens.

Longwatch software—including the Console Recorder, Video Management System, Longwatch Viewer, Video Window and the Video Historian—now provides seamless, integrated support of IVC’s latest, state-of-the-art industrial cameras including:
• MZ-3630-04 - Outdoor manual zoom day/night switching color fixed megapixel IP camera
• PTZ-3330-11 – Outdoor 26x day/night switching color PTZ IP camera
• AMZ-3641-02 – Class I Division 1 3 megapixel color fixed IP camera
• APTZ-3141-xx – Class I Division 1 day/night switching color PTZ IP camera (all versions)
• APTZ-3142-xx – Class I Division 2 day/night switching color PTZ IP camera (all versions)

The combination of Longwatch video monitoring software with IVC’s industrial cameras allows IVC to meet the needs of industrial plants for security surveillance, process monitoring, pipeline and well-site monitoring, and video monitoring of remote sites, such as pumping stations, power transmission lines, offshore platforms, water and wastewater facilities, mines, and similar applications.

Video surveillance pioneer acquired

Two companies, focused on leading-edge video solutions for industrial and automation applications, join forces to expand the market

Industrial Video and Control (IVC), a leading supplier of cameras and video systems for industrial, military, and commercial applications, announced the acquisition of Longwatch. IVC, based in Newton (MA US), is known for its industrial camera systems that incorporate ruggedized cameras and state-of the-art video management software.

Operator Console Recorder
headline in Read-out (2009)

Longwatch’s Video Surveillance system, first introduced in 2005 to water treatment and power plants, is able to transmit video over existing instrumentation networks at speeds as low as 9600 baud. Longwatch has since established itself as the leader in integrating video with industrial SCADA applications. Its Video Historian automatically links video with various user databases (including data historians). Its most recent innovation is the Longwatch Console Recorder, which records industrial control console displays and enables easy playback for troubleshooting, operator training and regulatory compliance.

Synergies
“The acquisition of Longwatch is a great opportunity for IVC,” said Norman Fast, CEO of Industrial Video and Control. “It establishes us as the clear leader in industrial video applications. Longwatch’s leading edge software in SCADA video and remote monitoring will be a major addition to our product line and will bring extraordinary value to manufacturers and commercial users,” he added.

Stephen Rubin, CEO of Longwatch, stated, “IVC makes cameras and enclosures specifically for rugged applications as demanded in process and manufacturing industries. Together, IVC and Longwatch can now deliver leading-edge solutions that deliver value that standard camera integrators cannot touch. The know-how and service capability of IVC combined with their cameras and our software brings a totally integrated, reliable solution to customers.”

Moving Forward
IVC will maintain the Longwatch brand and operate the company as a division of IVC. According to Norman Fast, the plan is to make both companies’ product lines interactive while building on the Longwatch brand, leveraging its reputation for innovation in remote monitoring and process control. IVC’s Relay Server, which interfaces with a multitude of cameras, will interface with Longwatch’s Video Control Center – the software that drives the Longwatch Viewer, ActiveX controls for video integration, as well as the Video Historian. Longwatch’s Video Engine, which provides “at the edge” recording of events and video, will also provide video streams to the IVC Relay Server.

IVC also plans to add support of its extensive camera offering to the Longwatch environment. IVC manufactures and sells pan-tilt zoom, fixed, auto-zoom, and manual zoom cameras that incorporate the latest in imaging technology. Their industrial cameras are suitable for the harshest weather and environmental conditions; some models have been certified for use in Class I Division 1, Class I Division 2, and ATEX (inherently dangerous) environments.

See also our blog The Next HMI revolution (November 2009)

Video system upgrade

Enhancements and upgrades in the Longwatch Video System Version 5.2 include a Value Edition of the Console Recorder, a low-power XLP version of the Video System that delivers surveillance in remote areas with limited power budgets, and improved database functions.

Console Recorder Value Edition

The Longwatch Console Recorder acts much like an airplane’s flight recorder, because it stores all the screens that operators saw before, during and after a critical event, and it records every action the operators took during that time. Playing back the operator’s display can help solve problems faster and more accurately, because the display correlates other plant data in an intuitive way.  The Value Edition of the Console Recorder allows users to install the terminal monitoring software at a low entry cost.

The Value Edition of the Console Recorder monitors and records all activities at up to six operator consoles, including screen displays and operator actions via the keyboard and mouse, so that engineers and supervisors can replay an “event.” By replaying the event, engineers and supervisors can see what the operators saw and did, and determine if the operators were given the proper information and took the appropriate actions. The recorded data can be saved and used for training purposes, process improvement, justification to various regulatory bodies that the correct actions were taken, and detailed “post mortems” of events.

When part of a complete Longwatch Video Surveillance system, the Enterprise Edition of the Console Recorder can also synchronize with video taken in the plant from multiple cameras, and with real-time and historical process data (including trends and alarms) from existing process automation systems, This allows engineers and supervisors to completely reconstruct an event, using video from the plant, data from the historian, and the operator displays and actions from the Console Recorder.

The Value Edition of the Console Recorder captures data from six operator terminals, but it can be upgraded later to the Enterprise Edition Console recorder and Video Historian. 

See the free demo version.

Low Power System

Version 5.2 also includes an extreme low-power (XLP) option, where video cameras and the Longwatch Remote Video Engine can operate from solar power and batteries. The XLP system “hibernates” until a signal from an intrusion alarm or motion detector or operator wakes it up. The system then begins recording live video immediately, sends a short “alarm clip” to a remote operator at a central HMI/SCADA system, and continues to record data until commanded to return to hibernation.

The XLP system is ideal for well sites, pumping stations, pipelines, offshore platforms or other remote areas where 120Vac line power is not available. Such sites typically have some form of RF data link, and use solar power for their instrumentation. The Longwatch XLP system uses very little power during hibernation, yet provides these remote sites with video monitoring capabilities.  Longwatch communicates from the remote station using virtually any network provided, ranging from low-speed radio modems to satellite and cellular links.

Enhanced Database Functions

The Longwatch Video system is designed to work with data historians and real-time databases from a variety of HMI/SCADA vendors, so that real-time and archived video can be synchronized with live and historical data. For example, if an operator sees a “Low Level Alarm” on an HMI screen, he or she can switch to live video to view the vessel. If the operator sees material flowing out of a crack in the vessel, he or she can call up archived video synchronized with data from historians to quickly determine when and why the vessel started leaking, thus enabling efficient trouble-shooting and corrective action.

Operators already have the choice of using the Longwatch Viewer or integrating with existing HMI/SCADA databases, such as iFIX, InduSoft and Wonderware.  Version 5.2 now includes a new software tool, The Longwatch Video Window, that enables integration with additional HMIs such as ClearSCADA that do not support ActiveX. The Longwatch Video Window allows users to display video generated by Longwatch Video Engines from remote and/or in-plant cameras using their existing HMIs.

Other advanced database tools include support for ODBC compliance database drivers, global toolbar filters in the Longwatch Viewer that allows user filters to be applied to multiple database queries at the same time, enhancements to support non-SQL Server databases, and improved paging support for extremely large databases. Version 5.2 also includes a user-friendly interface allowing for more rapid installation, easier configuration and reduced training requirements.

See also Tuning the forgotten loop,(April'10) and  Console Recorder (Sept'09)

Wake up video surveilence in remote areas

Video system for pipelines, well sites, pumping stations and other remote applications hibernates until it’s needed, then wakes up instantly to record video.

Originally developed for a major oil and gas company to monitor remote wells in North America, the Longwatch XLP Low Power Video Surveillance System is powered by solar cells and batteries. The system hibernates in a low-power standby mode until an external sensor, such as a motion detector or intrusion alarm, or a command from the central control room sends it a signal to wake up. The system immediately records a short “video alarm clip,” transmits it to a remote operator at a central HMI/SCADA system, and continues to record video on its disk until commanded to return to hibernation.

The XLP system is ideal for the tens of thousands of well sites currently operating worldwide with traditional instrumentation network communications. These well sites typically use low-bandwidth line-of-sight VHF radios with industrial protocols such as Modbus. The XLP system can transmit its video clip to the control room using an RF data link, where it can be viewed using the Longwatch Viewer or integrated into the HMI/SCADA system. The Longwatch software makes minimal use of the available bandwidth, so it does not interfere with control and instrumentation data. The XLP can also use Ethernet, wireless, cellphone or satellite communications when power consumption or bandwidth is not a concern.

Once the operator sees the alarm video clip and message on the HMI screen, he or she can then command the Longwatch system to transmit live video, and remotely pan, tilt and zoom the site cameras to further investigate process or intrusion alarms. This allows the operator to see exactly what is happening at the remote location and determine the next course of action, such as dispatching a maintenance crew to repair a leak or summoning the local police to deal with intruders. Video enables the operator to quickly decide the best action to take to provide safety and reduce downtime or environmental impact.

Sleeping on the Job
The low-power video surveillance system is designed to operate on a minimal power budget. At many remote well sites, the instrumentation, controls, RF communications and the video system are all powered by a solar system and batteries. Each component has to conform to a rigid power budget. For that reason, the Longwatch XLP system goes into “hibernation mode” to conserve power.

In hibernation mode, the Longwatch XLP system’s processor, solid-state disk and most peripherals are inactive, so that it consumes very little power while waiting for a wakeup signal. The wakeup signal can be an intrusion alarm, process alarm, or a request from a remote system, such as the central HMI/SCADA system. The Longwatch system can be configured to return to hibernation mode either automatically or on command after a period of activity.

For such an application, where the video surveillance system must respond instantly, digital cameras can’t be used. Not designed for hibernation, digital cameras take a minute or longer to “boot up,” and can miss valuable video coverage. For that reason, Longwatch recommends using traditional analog video cameras, which turn on almost instantly. With analog video cameras, the low power Longwatch XLP video surveillance system can begin capturing live video within 6-7 seconds of an intrusion or process alarm – up to ten times faster than a digital camera.

Advantech Puts the System to Sleep
The Longwatch XLP Video Surveillance System was developed with the help of Advantech’s Design To Order Service (DTOS), which solved the problem of how to monitor sensors and wake up the video system.

The XLP uses an Advantech UNO 2173 Atom-based computer. The UNO 2173 has a 1.6GHz Atom processor, 1GB of memory, Windows XP/E operating system, and battery-backed SRAM. When operating, the fanless UNO requires only 12W of power.

Based on Longwatch’s requirements, Advantech’s DTOS group created a custom digital I/O board for this application so that it could monitor digital inputs even in hibernation mode. It takes inputs from gate sensors, motion detectors and intrusion alarms—or digital inputs from the site’s RTU, such as leak detectors, pressure switches, etc. When it detects one of the digital inputs, it wakes up the XLP video system. When the XLP’s computer and UNO I/O board are in hibernation mode, the entire system consumes less than 2.5W.

Video productivity software expanded

Console screens and operator actions on ACP thin clients can be captured, stored and reviewed.

Longwatch's video productivity suite of software can now work with any ACP enabled thin client. This includes the Longwatch Video Historian, live and archived video, and the Console Recorder.

With the Console Recorder, customers can now record thin client screens for use by operations for trouble shooting, training, and compliance.This unit , when used with ACP enabled thin clients, helps customers reduce downtime and see exactly what their operators were viewing during shutdown, line stoppages and other system events.

The Longwatch Console Recorder software records what is seen on the ACP thin client, and the operator’s responses on the keyboard and mouse, but does not have any impact on terminal services sessions or servers.

Managers and supervisors can view recorded screens to determine what really happened during an “event” from the operator’s perspective. The Console Recorder can synchronize recorded video from the operator console with manufacturing databases and process historians, so that when managers and supervisors view the recorded operator screens, they can also view archived data from the historian or databases on additional thin client screens. This is extremely valuable when doing root cause analysis and troubleshooting, because it recreates the event. The recordings can also be used as a training tool for new operators or to share with operators for continuous improvement.

A major benefit of an ACP ThinManager system is that the main Longwatch software application resides on a secure central server, which can support multiple ThinManager stations. The ThinManager terminals do not host the software, so a customer does not have to worry about making software or security upgrades on multiple systems.

Because a single ACP thin client device can support up to five monitors, a user in one location can view one or more video screens plus displays from multiple applications running on the main server or on other computers on the network.

Running Longwatch video software in conjunction with a thin client is seamless from the administrator or operator perspective. The Longwatch Console Recording Engine interacts with the thin client software without any changes to the ACP system overall. The result is the same as capturing screens from a standard PC; that is, menus, commands and screens appear and react exactly the same to user entries from a keyboard, touchscreen or mouse.

“Because the ACP system is seamless, customers running a Longwatch console monitoring software with major HMI/SCADA platforms, such as Wonderware, Intellution, TheFix, or ClearSCADA, can implement a thin client application without any changes to the HMI or Longwatch software,” says Steve Rubin, president of Longwatch.

Tim Caine, chief technical officer at Automation Control Products (ACP), says, “ACP is very excited that the integration with the Longwatch product has been completed. The ability to record sessions from ACP enabled thin clients will prove to be a very useful function for end users in a wide variety of plant floor installations.”

The fourth dimension!

Live video adds a “fourth dimension” to intelligent visualization and control solutions.

“Real-Time Video Provides a Fourth Dimension for Intelligent Visualization and Control,” a brief by Craig Resnick of ARC Advisory Group, says that adding video to today’s HMI operator stations in automation and process control can play an important role in improving a company’s ergonometrics, while also enhancing safety, security, and regulatory compliance.

"Longwatch, Inc. has demonstrated that it is in a unique position to provide real-time live video that enables synchronized visualization, integrates applications, and delivers contextualized information."

ARC report

“Most HMI solutions only provide the operator with a partial view of what’s happening across the entire process,” says Resnick. “When real-time live video and other external applications are not well integrated with the display, the operator is confronted with many different types of visualization tools and unsynchronized data. This breeds confusion.”

For operators to make the correct decisions quickly, they require synchronized and appropriately contextualized information. “This is only possible when the applications have been well integrated into the HMI, enabling all information – including live video, documentation and operator instructions, and maintenance and production data – to be presented on any screen at any time,” he explains.

ARC believes that video is the key to maximizing operator performance. “Since it’s well accepted that ‘seeing is believing,’ integrating real-time live video into human machine interface (HMI) tools provides an excellent opportunity to maximize operator effectiveness and ergonometrics,” he says. “Live video adds a ‘fourth dimension’ to today’s excellent intelligent visualization and control solutions. Integrated, recorded video can also improve operator training and provide cause-and-effect insight for process improvements.”

Most companies in the fast-growing remote video monitoring space have plenty of expertise in basic video technology. However, providing real-time video that effectively integrates and synchronizes live visualization with industrial applications to provide operators with contextualized information requires significant additional expertise. ARC warns that adding video to HMIs is not a simple matter.

“Specifically, it requires expertise in specialized areas such as HMI hardware and software, manufacturing execution systems (MES), data recording and historization systems, and industrial networks,” notes Resnick. “It requires a thorough understanding of how industrial plants operate, specific safety and security requirements, and regulatory compliance issues. The company must also understand distributed system architecture, automation industry standards, and Microsoft software development tools. Ideally, the company should also understand the manufacturing-related business drivers across a wide range of industries, such as water & wastewater, power utilities, oil & gas production, food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, and discrete parts manufacturing.”

New version of video surveilance system

Longwatch latest release is available in three platforms that eliminate the need for custom programming to set up a video surveillance system.
The Longwatch Video System Version 5.1 is now available in three distinct platforms that make installation, configuration and application easy. The platforms eliminate the custom programming needed with traditional video systems and create a “fast track” for integration with a process control, HMI/SCADA or automation control system. The result saves money by reducing false alarms, reducing labor costs, reducing support costs, and improving decision-making speed and accuracy.

The platforms include:

Console Recorder Platform: Monitors what operators are watching on HMI displays and records their keystroke actions, so that playback reveals what operators saw on the screen during an “event” and what they did about it. A small software module acts as a “camera” to record exactly what is on the system screen, including mouse movements. The result is video that can be used for root cause analysis, process documentation, operator training and process improvement.

Video Historian Platform: Automatically links and synchronizes historical trend information and stored video from multiple cameras in the field or process. This enables the operator to actually see what happened when various trend conditions occurred. It also includes a patent-pending “process tab” that automatically links SQL database messages from alarm, quality and other MES databases with video from automatically selected cameras. The result ranges from seeing what happened when an alarm was posted in the HMI/SCADA/DCS system, to having a “video traveler” of a manufacturing or batch work order as it works its way through the plant.

Surveillance Platform: Eliminates “blind spots” in video surveillance by providing the most flexible and efficient networking support available. Event messages automatically contain video “snippets” that show what happened before, during and after an event, to help reduce false alarms and to help inform first responders when necessary. Events can be triggered by security alarms, door switches, level or leak sensors, limit switches, or a variety of hardware and software-generated signals. Video can be sent over wired or wireless networks, including instrumentation networks, ranging from 9600 baud serial up to satellite, broadband and fiber.

Each of the platforms is supplied on a CD-ROM, which allows fast installation and integration with cameras of all types, industrial networks, and HMI/SCADA systems, DCSes, process historians, and control systems of all types.

“Longwatch is delivering software specifically made to integrate video with industrial applications, especially for improved operational performance and safety,” said Steve Rubin, president and CEO of Longwatch. “We have customers who are able to reduce their labor costs with Longwatch. Other customers use Longwatch systems to reduce downtime by catching and fixing problems before they become costly. Longwatch paid for itself in minutes by preventing downtime for a wallboard manufacturer. These customers needed no special hardware and no custom software to achieve results. Longwatch was applied ‘out of the box’ to save them start-up and ongoing maintenance costs. We’re doing for industrial video today what our team did 25 years ago for HMIs: making the application simple to use, highly valuable for the user, and general purpose to help many industries.”

See also Steve Rubin's article "We can tune PID controllers, but what about tuning the operator?" published in March 2010.

White paper on “Tuning the Forgotten Loop” published

We can tune PID controllers, but what about tuning operators? This white paper describes a new method for combining archived video, recordings of operator actions and process historians for training and tuning operators.

An operator’s job has often been described as hours of boredom interrupted by moments of sheer panic. What the operator does during panic situations often depends on how well he or she has been trained, or “tuned.” Advanced tuning of an operator can yield better outputs, higher quality, fewer errors and a wider response to fluctuating operating conditions. This white paper explores how to improve operator actions, and offers a method for doing so.

As part of cost reduction and increased automation, fewer humans are involved with operating larger and larger plants. Thus, those few operators who are left have huge responsibilities, and their actions can have a major effect on plant output and, ultimately, business performance. “Tuning the Forgotten Loop,” by Steve Rubin, president of Longwatch, covers the problems facing operators, including alarm floods, trying to diagnose problems in the plant from HMI displays, lack of attention, boredom, being faced with abnormal situations, and human error.

With the increased emphasis on Six Sigma quality issues, new technologies such as the Smart Grid, increasingly complex HMI screens, and insurance and regulatory issues, operators are under increased pressure to perform. But few tools are available to train and “tune” operators. Simulators help, but nothing beats giving operators visual feedback of their responses to alarms, incidents and accidents.

This white paper suggests that video recordings from the plant, video recordings of operator consoles, and data from plant historians can be combined to provide operators with an “instant replay” of their actions, or the actions of experienced operators faced with the same situation. Being able to reconstruct exactly what happened during an incident aids in troubleshooting, training and “operator tuning.

Download the white paper in pdf format here or view it on-line here.
We highlighted the Longwatch Control Console in Read-out September/October 2009.

Remote video surveillance capabilities

Control Microsystems Inc. (CMI) and Longwatch, Inc., a leader in integrated video surveillance systems, today announced the ability of the SCADA host platform, ClearSCADA, to provide video surveillance of remote processes and assets. Existing industrial networks can conveniently and cost-effectively transmit video images over the SCADA communication infrastructure.

Control Microsystems’ ClearSCADA host platform can be integrated with the Longwatch Video Surveillance Platform and Video Historian Platform, along with IP surveillance cameras, as a solution to capture and convey important security information for critical infrastructure. The video surveillance uses Modbus protocol and is event-driven to conserve bandwidth. The Longwatch system continuously takes and stores video locally. When motion is detected, an alarm is raised and a video “snippet” is attached to the alarm message and sent to the central control site, showing what happened before and after the event. Through a graphic display in ClearSCADA, operators are able to view what is occurring on site, preventing the need for sending someone to investigate the alarm.

“Control Microsystems is dedicated to enhancing security in the SCADA market,” says Eric Schwantler, ClearSCADA Product Manager. “Customers can cut costs and maximize resources by immediately viewing real time video on their ClearSCADA host screen and controlling the cameras remotely when a security threat is detected.”

Communications between the Longwatch Video Control Center and the Remote Video Engines, deployed in the field and host locations, can be either Ethernet IP or Modbus over serial. The Longwatch video platform interfaces to ClearSCADA primarily via OPC, with Longwatch acting as the OPC server and ClearSCADA the OPC client. Video alarms, camera status, and camera control can then be achieved from ClearSCADA via the OPC interface.

“Longwatch, Inc. has been successfully providing video surveillance over new and existing SCADA networks and we are very pleased to be working with Control Microsystems in developing a seamless integration of both process monitoring and control as well as video monitoring of field assets,” says Steve Rubin, President of Longwatch. “Our Longwatch Video System™ integrated with ClearSCADA is one more cost-effective option to achieve an optimized SCADA system that saves users time and money while improving security, safety and operations.”

See also the story of Longwatch on The next HMI revolution.

Remote system

Remote video monitoring system for utilities

WIPAT increases security and provides a virtual patrol for remote facilities

Satel-West has announced its WIPAT Remote Patrol and Monitoring System for utilities such as electric power companies, oil and natural gas pipelines, and water & wastewater treatment plants. The system provides constant monitoring of remote utilities and public infrastructure without land-based vulnerabilities or reliance on telecommunications carriers.

WIPAT is a long-range, drop-in-place, wireless video monitoring system that provides video clips, still images, event logging, access control, multiple digital sensor inputs, output contacts for control of devices, and a suite of event logging tools. Advanced configuration allows for large networks, integration with common industrial control hardware and software, integration with common security hardware and software, satellite connection and redundancy.

Operating on wireless public safety channels with options for satellite connection and solar power, WIPAT allows industry and public services to monitor critical areas without relying on vulnerable ground connections, such as phone lines, fiber optic cable or hardwired networks. WIPAT delivers a unique combination of Satel wireless and satellite technology integrated with Longwatch remote video hardware and software to deliver cost effective security and surveillance systems for remote locations and assets.

Longwatch components include a Video Engine at each remote site to acquire and archive live video from multiple cameras, and interface to Satel wireless components. The Satel system transmits video via wireless to a utility’s control room, where a Longwatch Video Control Center takes incoming video data from the remote sites, stores it on a local disk, and presents it on the utility’s HMI/SCADA system. The Satel/Longwatch system can interface with all leading SCADA and distributed control systems (DCSes), making it a drop-in-place monitoring system for all existing utility control systems.

This system not only provides live and archived video for security purposes, the video can also be used by operators to monitor and diagnose control or operational problems at remote sites. An operator at an HMI can select a live feed from any camera at any remote site to investigate problems at remote pumping stations, compressor stations, switching systems, substations or power generating plants. The operator can also “go back in time” to see archived video from 10 seconds to 10 days before an event occurred.

“Longwatch provides a robust and flexible complement to our long range products and we are very excited about our technologies and resources coming together to enhance public security,” said Sergio Tacci, President of Satel-West. “The ability to see, document, record, and respond to events anywhere was not enough. We wanted to have a product completely removed from land-based service providers, yet simple and affordable enough for small as well as large utilities.”

“Longwatch is pleased to provide the Longwatch Video Surveillance software and appliances for the new WIPAT system. When combined with SATEL-West radios, Longwatch surveillance systems provide utilities unique capabilities to view live video or video clips related to events and alarms. Delivering video to the central control center enables operators to make better and more timely decisions when responding to remote events,” stated Steve Rubin, President & CEO of Longwatch, Inc. “In addition, the distributed architecture of the Longwatch Video System provides operators with secure storage of high resolution video for use in investigations or prosecution.”

See also 25 Years of PC-Based Control for the inside story of Longwatch!