Archerfish Quattro video monitoring and recording system now available at Amazon
By Laura June 
posted November 20th 2009 5:14PM
posted November 20th 2009 5:14PM
Cernium's just announced something that should really please the 'I know the cat is putting my stuff on Ebay while I'm at church' crowd. The Archerfish Quattro is a full scale, no messing around video monitoring and recording system that pays attention to the little details while you're not around. Analyzing info in real time, if the Archerfish Quattro spies something funky, it'll send a message to your mobile phone or email. The system is expandable so that you can have as many cameras in the setup as you want (well, up to four), and best of all? It's available at Amazon now, so you can order it without having to leave home -- which you don't want to do yet. It's just not safe. The Archerfish Quattro system can be purchased now for a starting price of $1700. Full PR is after the break.
Archerfish Quattro Launches on Amazon.com Interactive video monitoring and recording system now available on leading e-commerce site RESTON, Va., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Cernium announced today that Archerfish Quattro(TM), a 2009 CES Design & Engineering Award Honoree in the Integrated Home Systems category, is now available on Amazon.com. Consumers will be able to purchase the interactive video monitoring and recording system, as well as additional cameras for system expansion from Amazon. Unlike motion detection-based video monitoring systems, Archerfish Quattro has Homeland Security-grade technology built in that analyzes video content in real time. When Quattro sees something of interest - whether an expected event or an unanticipated intrusion - it immediately sends a notification to your mobile phone or email. "Archerfish Quattro provides homeowners and business owners with the video monitoring solution they thought they'd been getting with other products," said Craig Chambers, CEO of Cernium. "We're very pleased to bring a smart, complete solution to Amazon customers." Amazon.com shoppers are eligible for a special Black Friday - Cyber Monday promotional offer when they purchase an Archerfish Quattro Interactive Video Monitoring and Recording System from the site: • Systems purchased between November 26, 2009, and November 30, 2009 ship with an additional free camera (retail value $229.00); and • For a limited time, each Archerfish Quattro system also includes a free 3-month Archerfish SmartPortal(TM) Subscription. Complete details are available at www.myarcherfish.com/subscriptiron. To purchase Archerfish Quattro and accessories on Amazon, please visit http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_electronics?ie=UTF8&search-alias=photo&field-brandtextbin=Archerfish. About Cernium Cernium Corporation develops innovative, high-value products that employ video to deliver useful and timely information for better lifestyle management, communications and security. Cernium has brought advanced video technology to customers worldwide, from residential and small-medium business consumers to Fortune 100 manufacturers, government, healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, entertainment and major cultural institutions. Cernium's product portfolio includes Archerfish(®), the first interactive video monitoring and recording solution for consumers; Perceptrak(®), video surveillance software for medium-large enterprise; and ExitSentry(®), passenger flow monitoring for airport checkpoints and exit lanes. For more information, visit www.cernium.com. For more information on Archerfish, visit: www.myarcherfish.com SOURCE Cernium Corporation
That is a ridiculous price. It is essentialy, as I understand it from this blurb, a multi-video input observation/recorder.
The "smart" recording most likely being motion analysis.
But the cost is outrageous.
Nearly as much as an old style tape based system would be.
This thing shouldn't cost much more than the 4 or more usb or wifi or even ethernet cameras that attach to it and a little bit for the software.
It's not outrageous. Even if it is just a glorified computer with some webcams, its got to have a better than bottom-end processor to handle 4 live video streams with motion analysis, and it *IS* being sold as a dedicated machine, which usually has some markup. If i told my boss "We can buy a desktop for $600, a monitor for $150, and some good quality outdoor webcams for $100 each, then all I have to do is find some good open source and/or free software, configure it, make sure it works, and we're off." Or... for a couple hundred dollars more, we can have a shop monkey buy this and set it up in a few minutes, and we know it will work, and I don't have to spend my time doing it.
I know which option *my* boss would pick.
For a home solution, yeah, do it yourself if you have time. For small businesses, most people don't want to screw with DIY stuff when an out of the box solution is only a couple hundred dollars more, and you have someone to yell at if it doesn't work.
-Taylor
"so that you can have as many cameras in the setup as you want, "
Their webpage says it only supports four. I think that is where the Quattro part comes in.
Get Vitamin D for free and a webcam your probably already own.
http://www.vitamindinc.com
Not sure if you can have more than one camera hooked up but for that price you can get a few netbooks with webcams and you are all set.
interesting. it says:
"Processing requirements:
- 1.5 cameras per core
- 2 cameras per core on a dedicated machine"
Not totally free though. The beta is free until January 31st, then it doesn't say.
-taylor
From the Amazon product description:"An Archerfish SmartPortal Subscription is required for full system operation. The first 3 months following the activation of your first Archerfish Quattro device is provided at no charge."
The price for that mandatory membership is $7.99/mo for the first and $3.99/mo for each additional 4 camera unit. (www.myarcherfish.com/subscription)
First of all that's a high entry point for a 4 camera system + you pay 8 bucks a month for ever....no thanks. Someone tell Archerfish they can have one or the other, monthly fees or a high entry point.
Surveillance: More Village!
@Taylor - Actually I don't know where you work, but usually my boss is trying to cut down costs. I don't know where you pick even a $600 base unit from. That would be a pretty decent setup with a gaming gfx card etc and nobody would be gaming on this kind of system. A simple unit that could do this job can be had for $300 + 4x $100 cameras = $700 + $100 monitor + Win OS $80 + free software (vitamindinc.com) = $880 total cost. Nearly a $1000 saving compared to this ArcherFish ripoff. Not to mention they force you to pay $8 a month to be connected to them online so that the system "works", stop paying $8 a month and your system stops working - so thats another $96 every year in cost which is absolutely laughable at this point given they are asking for $1700 upfront. Forget the cameras trying to find thieves - the thieves are ArcherFish themselves!
'I know the cat is putting my stuff on Ebay while I'm at church'
Dooooooddd, where was this last week??? I wouldn't have to be in this internet cafe to type this comment.
Played with it in February... been on sale via installers and what not, now trying direct retail I guess ahead of the Solo product early next year.
http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2009-02/archerfish-brings-video-analysis-to-placeshifting/