In this release, Milestone pioneers the use of multiple Nvidia graphics cards on top of Intel GPU acceleration (Graphics Processing Unit) to achieve ultra-high performance.

The Xprotect Smart Client 2018 R1 and Smart Wall now support hardware acceleration, where system performance can be boosted just by adding a supported graphics card to take over the heavy lifting in decoding video, leaving room for the system to handle other tasks. This means that the user can view more High Definition or Ultra HD streams just by adding one or more supported graphic cards to the computer running the Xprotect Smart Client or Smart Wall.

The support for DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) video sharing technology allows users to directly connect their VMS system to any DLNA-supported TV and display video captured from cameras without needing a Smart Client or even a computer for display.

The DLNA support is highly valuable for retail stores, kiosks, gas stations and law enforcement facilities who want to display video from a certain area. This feature can have a preventive function: showing malicious persons that video surveillance is present. This can be a discouraging factor to deter incidents and prevent loss. The feature will give users the ability to create a carousel flow of all or selected cameras in their installation for a flexible, visual representation.

Selective blurring of video image regions enables Milestone users to easily meet privacy requirements. The blurring can be permanently applied to the stored video or be liftable, depending on a user’s credentials. This gives Milestone customers free choice in optimal camera positions while meeting privacy regulations. It also helps maintain a level of situational awareness that is not possible if sensitive areas are blacked out.

Among the many operational enhancements in this Xprotect release is an optimised software installer with automatic detection of hardware devices. There is a new structure for Milestone Device Pack releases, with drivers managed so that customers can choose to download only recent device drivers.

Xprotect 2018 R1 also includes a Mobile SDK that enables Milestone partners to easily embed video feeds into apps for Android and iOS devices.