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Reserve Your Seat TodayI'm currently working on a surveillance project with a casino in Iowa. We frequently furnish casinos for their surveillance and security needs.
If you're thinking about implementing, improving, and/or expanding a surveillance monitoring system, it might be helpful to take a look at the solutions I'm suggesting for this project.
This project started with a simple Info Request on our website. We often receive messages similar to this one I received from a Surveillance Technician at the casino (let's call him Adam) a few weeks ago:
Hello, I am a Surveillance Technician at this casino. I've used a DPS Telecom alarm system at my last property and would like to know pricing to use one or more for our panic and door alarms here. We currently have 60 active alarms (Door and Panic buttons) and would like to be able to expand to about 80 total. We currently use Surveillus and I've used Surveillus with your alarm systems before. If you have some time this week please give me a call. If I don't pick up, leave me a message and I'll call you back. I look forward to speaking to you! Have a great week!
After I responded to this email, we set up a phone call to talk in more detail about the goal of the project. Our aim was to decide on the best monitoring system to manage the door and panic button alarms at Adam's casino.
When I spoke to Adam, he mentioned that he used the NetGuardian M16, with a previous organization. After his previous satisfaction with the gear and service he had from DPS there, Adam would like to implement DPS gear for an emergency panic button and door monitoring system at his current location.
He also expressed a desire to use a similar interface to that of the NetGuardian M16, since he is already familiar and comfortable with it. He would like to find a solution that meets these needs with a budget of less than $2.5K.
The NetGuardian 420 is our mid-sized RTU with the added benefit that expansions can be added as needed. On its own it has 20 discrete inputs and up to 6 analog inputs, but combined with expansions it can monitor up to 164 discrete points.
For this I recommended the NetGuardian 832 DX G5, adds more discrete alarm points, relays, and analog per chassis. This is a low-cost, self-contained device that makes the expansion process much simpler.
Two days after our phone call, I sent over my proposal. I identified my understanding of the Adam's needs and desires, and described how our systems could meet their needs:
Thanks again for contacting us regarding your upcoming project. We are looking forward to monitoring your site.Based on our conversation, I understand that:
- You are familiar with the NetGuardian M16.
- You need a similar device that will handle up to 80 dry contact inputs for future growth for monitoring door contacts and panic alarms.
Based on your needs, I have prepared this quote to include pricing for:
- NetGuardian 420 provides you with 20 dry contacts and provides you with the same reliability of the NetGuardian M16 you are used to. More importantly, the NetGuardian 420 allows you to add NetGuardian DX Expansion devices.
- NetGuardian DX Expansion provides you with an additional 64 dry contact inputs. You can daisy chain up to three DX Expansions for future growth.
By deploying the NetGuardian 420, you will continue to receive the following benefits:
- No or minimum learning curve since you are already familiar with the NetGuardian M16.
- Having a Telco-Grade, multi-generational, US-manufactured RTU that is built specifically for this type of high reliability operation to support your operations. Install the unit and let it do its job for the next 10 to 12 years.
After reviewing the proposal, Adam had a minor concern. Since I happened to be out of the office for an on-site client visit in Texas, he spoke with one of our other knowledgeable sales engineers, Ron Stover. Adam mentioned that what I quoted was different from the NetGuardian M16 and the user interface. He said he was used to the M16 interface and would like to use it again.
I assured him that the interface of the NetGuardian 420, although not identical to that of the NetGuardian M16, is very similar. The learning curve will be very small, and should be no problem. The NetGuardian 420, for this project, is a better option, because it has 20 inputs and the option to use expansions. The M16, in contrast, is better for smaller projects because it has 16 inputs and cannot be used with expansions. That means that if the casino needed to monitor 80 sensors, five M16 units would be required. Alternatively, a single NetGuardian 420 (with 20 dry contacts) with two DX Expansions (adding 64 dry contacts each) could be used, with extra inputs available.
It would, of course, be more profitable for us to sell five standalone RTUs than to sell one with expansions; but my goal is always to offer the best solution for each client, rather than just to make a quick buck.
To address Adam's hesitancy to move to a newer interface, we offered a Demo of the NetGuardian 420 interface to go over how to use it and explain any minor differences between it and the M16.
I'm confident that the solution I recommended for Adam will more than meet the monitoring needs of this Iowa-based casino.
Remote alarm monitoring isn't just something we do, it's what we do. With over 37 years in the monitoring industry, we know exactly what we're doing and we're passionate about creating the perfect system for you. If you'd like to know more about how DPS products and services can meet your organization's surveillance or other remote network monitoring needs, give me a call at 559-454-1600 or shoot me an email at sales@dpstele.com. I will listen to your goals and recommend the best solution for you. We can even design and create a custom product or system for your unique needs.
John Ebury
John "JP" Ebury has a background in Technology and years of experience in Writing, Project Management and Quality Management. With 13 years of previous experience in a government agency, his attention to detial makes him the ideal person to provide assistance with even the most challenging procu...
