G4Tec’s New Symmetry™ MultiMedia Controller Houses Access Control and Video Together

Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, October 1, 2006 – Group 4 Technology’s (G4Tec) new Symmetry™ MultiMedia Controller allows users to operate their access control systems, monitor alarm points and relay outputs, and control an advanced video management system in a single enclosure. The controller utilises an embedded operating system that is not based on a PC, which provides reliability and high performance in the event of PC failure.

Users can configure uniquely integrated solutions when they combine the new Symmetry M2150 8DBC Controller, Symmetry M2100 and Symmetry multiNODE 2 controller products with the new Symmetry™ Edge Network Video Server (ENVS®).

The Symmetry ENVS allows digital MPEG-4 data from analogue cameras to be stored and processed with little influence on LAN/WAN bandwidth. The unique Symmetry ENVS allows video to be kept at the edge of the network to be stored and forwarded when designated. Users can set up a time to forward activity or store and forward using event based recording capabilities.

The Symmetry ENVS store and forward utilises hard drives within the video servers at the edge of the LAN to store recorded MPEG-4 video that can be retained locally or forwarded to a central storage server on a scheduled basis when the LAN/ WAN is less active. You can replay video seamlessly regardless of where it is stored.

Event based recording records data when an event occurs. A rolling buffer within the Symmetry ENVS allows preevent recording to take place without the need to store all data on a 24x7 basis. Configure the system to send only event related data to the central storage server.

The flexible controller can expand to up to 16 readers, and may be networked to form a chain of controllers. Each chain of controllers (up to 32 controllers per chain) communicates with PCs running the security management software.

The Symmetry 2150 8DBC controller supports a full range of reader technologies including Smartcard, Biometrics, Proximity, Magnetic Stripe, and Wiegand. Several default card formats are automatically programmed as standard. Custom card formats may be defined, providing an important benefit when integrating existing cards with a new security system.

Symmetry Professional and Enterprise software manages the system along with the new Symmetry™ Video Management software module and new range of multimedia controllers, market leading DVRs and IP cameras. The Symmetry MultiMedia Controller may only be used with version 6 or higher of the security management software.

For more information about G4Tec’s Symmetry MultiMedia Controller, call (01684) 850977.

About Group 4 Technology

G4Tec has been at the leading edge of security management technology for over 30 years. We design, develop and manufacture both hardware and software in the UK for our range of security management systems. G4Tec offers UK customers full installation and commissioning services together with 24/7 after sales support. Our security management range, Symmetry is marketed globally, offering customers with business operations around the world the benefit of a common platform, high performance access control and security management solution.