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How does a "software-controlled" camera work? Here's how the software controlled camera features work. You can zoom in and out (up to 8x) by clicking the "+" or "-" magnifications buttons in this window. The live video image zooms in and out in real time. If the individual is not perfectly centered in the video window, you don't have to manually adjust the angle or direction of the video camera. Instead, place your mouse in the video window and drag the image up or down, left or right, until the image is centered. This is a HUGE productivity booster. If the camera's back light compensation needs to be adjusted due to light or dark skin or clothes, or because of changed lighting conditions, drag the back light compensation slide bar left or right to adjust the camera's back light in real time. The CCD 2000 camera with FlashPoint 128, 3D or Flashbus capture board is more expensive than other cameras. But if high volume capturing, high worker productivity, and high image quality are paramount, then there is no better image capture solution. Not every site needs this "Cadillac" of image capture systems. But it is available for those whose needs require it.
How is a "system" put together? A "badge system" is typically set up on a single desk. The operator controls the software with mouse and keyboard, with display monitor on top of the desk. (The PC may be on top of or under the desk.) The CCD 1000 video camera is attached to a small camera stand which rests on top of the desk and points toward a white backdrop about 6-8 feet away. A portrait light mounts on top of the video camera. If signatures and fingerprints are also captured, these capture devices are small and also rest on top of the desk. The card printer may or may not sit on the desk. (Some printers have a "footprint" as small as a laptop, while others can take up half the surface of a large desk). Typically, each peripheral device is physically connected to the PC with a cable. ImageWare Systems offers a specially designed input/output box for peripheral connectivity to the PC, reducing the number of cables that must plug into the PC directly. But at a typical capture station, be prepared for cable spaghetti. It remains an inevitability until hardware becomes wireless. Note that depending on your hardware, the cables connecting your hardware to the PC may be either serial, parallel, or USB. The cables are device-dependent. The kind of cable your hardware requires has no effect on the software.
What's the difference between Parallel, Serial and USB cables?
What's the difference between a stand-alone and networked system? "Networking" is really two separate issues: 1) There must be a physical local or wide area network to which the PC belongs, and 2) the software must allow the ability to "attach¥? to another database. In order for PC's to be networked, they must have "network hardware" installed (either a separate network card or a motherboard which handles networking itself). Suitable network cables physically connect one PC to another; network hubs and routers are also required to manage large numbers of PC's. In addition, networking software must be installed on the PC. In a typical office environment, this means, for example, that Microsoft Windows NT or Novell Netware software must be managing the network, and "client" network-software must be installed on each individual PC. And in such an environment, a "Network Administrator" will be able to assist you in setting up your computer on the network. When installing IDentifier for Windows software, application files (the "program") are installed on the local PC, while certain files containing the shared, variable data (database tables, individuals' personal data, portraits, badge files, etc.) are installed on a PC or File Server on the network. In a networked installation, up to 254 PC's running our software can simultaneously access data on the single, shared database file. Sharing a single database file is far superior to trying to maintain multiples copies of the same file on separate PC's. Typically, a single directory is created by a Network Administrator on a shared network hard drive, and our software will copy the shared files and subdirectories into that directory. It goes without saying that each PC running our software must be able to access the shared directory through Windows Network Neighborhood and "map" its hard drive in Windows Explorer. Being physically connected to a network of PC's and network servers is only half of the issue when thinking about a networked installation. The second part of the issue is the ability of the application to "attach" to a database file. IDentifier for Windows is based upon a "runtime" version of Microsoft Access. Microsoft Access provides the ability to "attach" to different databases. It works like this: If you have five separate database files on your computer, you can open each of them in turn by Using Access' "Attach" (or "Link") command and selecting the desired database file in an Open Dialog. When you do so, the information from that database opens in a window on your PC. You can now view and edit the data in that database. When you're finished, you can "attach" to another database file and view and edit data in that file. You can continue working with multiple database files in this manner. Microsoft Access is the application that lets you view and edit multiple database files. IDentifier for Windows currently offer three versions of their applications. The lowest level, IDentifier 750 for Windows, is a "stand alone" application. This means that the Microsoft Access ability to attach to database files has not been enabled. The PC's running these stand-alone applications may physically be on a local area network. But without the ability to link or attach to a separate database file, they are restricted to using only the database file installed on their local hard drive.
Can I use my existing Oracle or SQL Server database?
If I want to use data in an existing database, what must I be aware of? There are additional concerns, however, when the external database file contains "dirty" data. Examples of dirty data are:
Can I convert my existing data, both text and pictures, into a form that can be imported into your software? |
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