SecurityWorldMarket

06/09/2010

Seawolf imaging chip launched from Pixim

Mountain View, Ca (USA)

Pixim Inc., a provider of imaging technology for enterprise security cameras, introduced its Seawolf chip recently, said to be the world's first single-chip, enterprise video camera solution. For the first time, security camera manufacturers will be able to use a single, digital chip, rather than more complicated mixed-signal, multi-chip sets to develop new cameras for all lighting conditions. The Seawolf chip provides 10 times the low-light performance of previous generation security camera chip sets as well as the industry's proven greatest wide dynamic range (WDR) and accurate color performance at half the hardware build cost.
Boasting 690 HTVL effective, Seawolf delivers the highest usable resolution to the CCTV end user. Traditional, analog CCD-based cameras lose much of their resolution when the video is recorded and reviewed. However, due to Seawolf's high total resolution (horizontal times vertical), its high quality color images are preserved by commonly used DVRs and displays.

The Seawolf chip is also ideal for IP cameras. Users of IP cameras will benefit from Seawolf's global electronic shutter, progressive scan image capture, and full D1 resolution at 30 frames per second.

Single board camera modules based on the Seawolf chip make it easier for manufacturers to develop compact camera formats, a rapidly growing market segment. Seawolf-based cameras will offer true all-lighting capability, meeting the most demanding image quality expectations across the largest market segments within the broad video security industry, including retail, banking, gaming, education, transit, commercial, and industrial applications.

"It's gratifying to be able to release a new product that gives our camera partners significantly improved performance while reducing their cost," says John Monti, Pixim's vice president of marketing and business development. "With Seawolf, Pixim-powered cameras will compete in the market place at unprecedented price points with low-light, high-resolution, and wide dynamic range capabilities making them the best mainstream cameras available."

"Pixim's Seawolf solution proved itself during our testing," says Dieter Dallmeier, founder and president of Dallmeier electronic. "We are continuing our analyses, but based on our initial tests, we will soon be producing outstanding low-light and high-resolution cameras using this chip."

"Seawolf supports our focus on providing the highest quality IP cameras to our customers," says Fabrizio Colciago, chief technology officer for March Networks. "It will enable us to expand our portfolio further with cameras that offer superior performance in a variety of difficult lighting applications."

"During testing, Seawolf performed well and the images looked great," says Tom Cashman, general manager of UTC's video products group. "We are planning on implementing it in the near future."

"The security market in the UK is always hungry for the newest technology," says Steve Baker, managing director of Genie CCTV.

"By adding a full-line of Seawolf-based cameras, we will be providing the latest in security camera technology for our customers. They will benefit from cameras that will work in any lighting condition—from lowlight to varied to constant—right out of the box."

"Our vision has always been to create superior camera solutions for our customers," says Craig Scott, CEO of OVii, an OEM/ODM company that specializes in imaging solutions for its global customers. "We see Seawolf as the means to incorporate the four core innovation principles of better, faster, easier, and more affordable into our OVii Eagle product line offering our CCTV customers the best combination of price/performance."


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