IFSEC 2010 is only a couple weeks away, and that means it's time for another slew of exciting new IP camera product announcements. Sony will be at this hugely popular UK security conference showing off a fresh batch of HD network cameras, including the SNC-DH180 network camera with IR illuminator, and the SNC-DH240 with innovative View-DR technology. Both cameras provide HD-quality video, which is a key focus for Sony and many manufacturers heading to the IFSEC event.

The Milestone XProtect Device Pack 4.8 is now available for users of XProtect IP video software. This device pack offers support for new IP video cameras and devices, plus updated support for existing devices from such popular brands as ACTi, Arecont Vision, Axis, Bosch, D-Link, Sanyo and more.

Parma's Ennio Tardini Stadium, home of the Parma Football Club, hosts soccer matches and other high-level sporting events that draw large crowds throughout the year. In order to maintain a high level of security for the spectators and workers who enter its gates, the stadium requires a comprehensive video surveillance system. Recently the existing surveillance system was expanded to include Axis HDTV network cameras. A hybrid solution featuring both IP cameras and analog cameras connected to video encoders was already in place, but the system needed an upgrade to ensure total coverage.

Axis has added a cool new Product Selector tool to their website that lets you quickly compare products from their entire catalog of IP network cameras and video encoders. You can narrow your camera search by checking off the requirements that are most important to your specific surveillance application. Select your preferred camera type, specify basic functions such as max resolution and compression, day/night functionality, PoE, audio support, and outdoor capabilities. And that's just the beginning.

QNAP is at the SecuTech Expo in Taipei, Taiwan this week showcasing a new fleet of high-performance network video recorders. This latest batch of NVRs offers some welcome additions to QNAP's already popular VioStor NVR series. On display at SecuTech are the company's new 2-drive, 4-drive, and 6-drive VioStor NVR models. Each NVR incorporates an Intel Atom D-510 dual-core processor for reliable performance and maximum throughput with very low power consumption.

Another new product line showcased at the recent ISC West conference is VideoIQ's series of iCVR-MP megapixel dome cameras. VideoIQ iCVR-MP cameras deliver high-resolution 1080p video at full frame rate, while offering sophisticated video analytics and support for IQTrack digital PTZ. This makes them well-suited for monitoring large open areas required detailed surveillance video. Each camera also comes equipped with up to a half-terabyte of onboard NVR storage. On-camera recording can reduce deployment costs, and gives you the ability to establish a surveillance solution offering zero-bandwidth recording. High-quality video can be recorded straight to the camera rather than sent over the network to a centralized storage device. This can be useful for applications where conventional surveillance installations are impossible or impractical.

This week we're adding a fresh batch of QNAP Network Video Recorders to the VideoSurveillance.com online store. Each of these powerful NVRs serves as a standalone network surveillance system complete with embedded software and mass storage capabilities. QNAP VioStor NVRS support real-time monitoring and recording from multiple cameras simultaneously. Users can even access live camera footage and archived video remotely using a standard web browser.

Axis has a new line of compact fixed network cameras ready to roll. The Axis M11 network camera series features high-resolution models supporting H.264, the latest compression standard for streaming and recording top-quality video images at reduced file sizes. Available SVGA-resolution models include the Axis M1103 (fixed iris) and Axis M113 (DC-iris). The series also includes the Axis M1104 (fixed iris) and Axis M114 (DC-iris) both of which provide HDTV 720p/1 megapixel resolution.