Milestone simultaneously releases version 6.5 for XProtect Professional and XProtect Basis+ network camera software

COPENHAGEN - 24 November 2008. Milestone Systems announces the release of XProtect Professional version 6.5, a single-server video surveillance system controlling up to 64 network cameras per server, for midsized installations that need robust network camera software with the full functionality of easy management, flexible scheduling and fast analysis. At the same time, the company is releasing XProtect Basis+ version 6.5, a single-server video management system controlling up to 25 cameras per server, for smaller installations that need reliable software with essential functionality. Both products epitomize the Milestone open platform IP video management paradigm, supporting best-of-breed solutions with the widest choice in network video and computer hardware equipment available on the market today.

XProtect Professional 6.5 is the more comprehensive of the two solutions, providing greater capabilities and additional new features such as:

Two-Way Audio

The XProtect Professional Server is capable of transmitting the new Smart Client's microphone input to remote speakers attached to IP devices. This feature complements the existing functionality for recording and relaying incoming audio from remote devices equipped with microphones to computers with Smart Client and speakers. Each speaker and microphone is assigned to a device which by default is the same as the device they are connected to. The speaker and microphone can be assigned to other devices as well.

Optimized storage and bandwidth usage

New compression technologies - With the introduction of new video compression technologies (H.264, MPEG-4 ASP and MxPEG) the consumption of both network bandwidth and storage space is reduced considerably.

Bandwidth optimized multi-streaming - To preserve bandwidth the Recording Server only opens a single video stream from the camera and is able to split it into a stream for live viewing and a stream for recording. This allows users of Smart Clients and Remote Clients to view live video at a different frame rate and resolution than what is stored in the database. You can save a significant amount of disk space by storing recordings in the databases at a lower frame rate e.g. 4 frames-per-second, while maintaining high quality live viewing on access clients with a high frame rate e.g. 20 frames-per-second.

Improved archiving - The archiving process has been improved with hourly archiving (which addresses the greater storage needs with megapixel cameras). To optimize the process one database is now closed at a time, database cleanup is performed outside the archiving window and connections to the access clients are maintained. The archiving also offers dynamic archiving which enables spanning across several disks as an alternative to direct assignment of drive and path for each database. The administrator can set archive retention time individually per camera and is also able to force automatic archiving, if the database is running full.

Both XProtect Professional 6.5 and XProtect Basis+ 6.5 share these exciting upgrades:

Support for megapixel cameras and H.264

MxPEG Support - The video compression algorithm MxPEG, which is unique to Mobotix, is now supported. The MxPEG encoding is able to maintain high image quality for megapixel cameras while decreasing bandwidth consumption dramatically.

H.264 Support - This standard introduces a more efficient compression of video with a significant reduction in bandwidth and disk space usage, combined with high video quality that matches other standards. This is also referred to as H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10 (AVC).

MPEG4 ASP Support - This video compression standard is called MPEG-4 Part 2, Advanced Simple Profile (ASP) and is an extension to the already supported MPEG-4 (Part 2), Simple Profile (SP). The MPEG4 ASP standard enables a number of technical features designed to reduce bandwidth consumption compared to MPEG4 SP.

Easy-to-use, multi-lingual XProtect Smart Client interface

Both XProtect Professional and XProtect Basis+ in versions 6.5 are delivered with the elegant and intuitive Smart Client Graphical User Interface (GUI), where operators can control and view camera images, live or recorded, centrally or remotely, as well as export evidence to share with authorities. New features with this version include:

• Two-Way Audio with 'press to talk' functionality for fast action


• Controllable carousel windows by camera, timed or manually, switchable and with pause function


• Start recording by simply right-clicking in a camera view


• Dynamic actions - Assign outputs, PTZ presets, events and views as actions to joystick buttons and keyboard shortcuts


• Wash and wipe equipment for PTZ cameras is now supported and can be activated by Smart Client


• AVI export with audio automatically included in evidence extraction


• Digital zoom within images is now a default for fixed cameras to improve viewing details


• Localization has been extended so customers can now choose between 17 languages in the Smart Client Graphical User Interface (GUI) and help system: Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish

"Both of these products fulfill surveillance needs in the SMB market by delivering top-of-the-line network camera software with the latest functionality in a powerful, intuitive, open platform that is proven and flexible for future growth," says Christian Bohn, Head of Product Management at Milestone Systems.

For more information contact:

Courtney Dillon Pedersen, PR & Communications Manager at +45 88 300 330.

About Milestone:

Milestone Systems is a leading developer of open platform IP video management software. The XProtect platform is easy to use, robust and proven in more than 45,000 customer installations around the world. With support for the industry's widest choice in network hardware and seamless integration with other systems, XProtect provides best-of-breed solutions to "video enable" businesses, organizations and institutions - reducing costs, optimizing processes, protecting people and assets. Milestone software is sold through authorized partners in 90+ countries.

Milestone again taps IT talent to power product management of the leading network camera software

Milestone again taps IT talent to power product management of the leading network camera software

COPENHAGEN - 19 November 2008. Milestone Systems has hired yet another professional from the IT industry to help drive the convergence of their IP network technology in the video surveillance market. Christian Bohn from Intel is now Head of Product Management at Milestone.

Milestone Systems is a company in very fast growth with increasing numbers of partners installing the easy-to-manage XProtect network camera software in 90 countries. To support this business expansion, new employees are hired every month throughout the organization. This month, Christian Bohn as the new Head of Product Management has been brought on board as a manager with focus on optimizing the Milestone line of product offerings. He will be in charge of the product management team on a daily basis and ensure continued development of features and functionality, fed by input from marketing and sales colleagues, and the ecosystem of authorized partners who install Milestone software for customers in every sector around the world.

Christian Bohn comes to Milestone directly from Intel where he most recently was Reseller Channel Manager. Prior to that, he was mainly involved in leading worldwide marketing and sales activities for networking systems, including business development in Europe. Bohn graduated with an engineering and business export degree from Copenhagen University of Engineering in 1997.

"We are very pleased to engage Christian Bohn for our next stages of growth," states Lars Thinggaard, President & CEO of Milestone Systems. "He has many years of management experience and comprehensive knowledge of product marketing. We have full confidence that he will strengthen our product offerings and further define our future solutions in relation to customer needs."

Milestone Systems has a large percentage of staff with backgrounds in the IT world, including other managers who have gleaned expertise at Intel, Microsoft, Cisco, HP, IBM, Ericsson, Nokia, etc. Milestone was founded by two IT entrepreneurs who had the vision to apply their expertise in developing software for real-time transfer of financial data to the surveillance industrys need to move beyond the boundaries of analog technology to the benefits of IP networking. Milestone Systems open platform IP video management software was born.

Based out of a suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark, Milestone Systems has grown by leaps and bounds in its first decade to a successful international organization with the leading position in the IP video surveillance software industry.

"I am excited to support the already proven and robust line of Milestone products - there are endless possibilities with IP-based video management software in a true open platform. Its especially gratifying to know that it helps protect people and assets while optimizing business processes," says Christian Bohn.

For more information contact:

Courtney Dillon Pedersen, PR & Communications Manager at +45 88 300 330.

About Milestone:

Founded in 1998, Milestone Systems is the leading global developer of open platform network camera software. XProtect gives users a powerful surveillance solution that is easy to manage, reliable and proven in more than 45,000 customer installations. With support for the industrys widest choice in network hardware and integration with other systems, XProtect provides best-of-breed solutions to "video enable" organizations - reducing costs, optimizing processes, protecting people and assets. Milestone software is sold through authorized partners in 90 countries.

Hikvision Partners with Milestone Systems in IP Video Management Software

COPENHAGEN - November 5th, 2008. Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd., the leading supplier of digital video surveillance products with headquarters in China, has established a partnership with Milestone Systems, the world leading developer of open platform IP recording software

The partner agreement was signed in Shanghai, China Oct. 21st by Zhiping Zhou, Hikvision's vice president of International Business, and Lars Thinggaard, president and CEO of Milestone Systems, with the presence of Danish Prime Minster Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Mr. Rasmussen was in Shanghai to advance the cooperation between China and Denmark in business and climate-related issues.

From right to left: Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark; Lo YewSeng, Director of Milestone Systems Singapore; Zhiping Zhou, Vice President of International Business at Hikvision and Lars Thinggaard, President and CEO of Milestone Systems.

Through this partnership, Hikvision's IP surveillance products, such as network cameras and multi-purpose digital video servers, will be compatible with the Milestone XProtect IP video management platform. Hikvision will then introduce the world leading XProtect platform into the Chinese surveillance market, with an eye to expanding it later on for customers worldwide.

"Though Hikvision's IP video surveillance products are newly introduced to the market, we have received numerous positive feedbacks, and have seen a great potential in the booming IP surveillance market. The partnership with Milestone is definitely one of the major steps for us to provide a higher value in the video surveillance industry. With the integration of Hikvision's high-performance IP video surveillance products with Milestone's powerful, reliable and highly scalable video management software, the market will be able to enjoy solutions that meet various requirements from diversified and critical security applications," said Zhou.

"Milestone Systems is a company in continuing fast growth, so China – and Asia in general – is one of the important regions where we want to strengthen our presence," said Thinggaard. "The Chinese market without a doubt represents huge potential and will be a natural place to have representation in relation to our partner network in all of the Asian market. The Milestone partner agreement with Hikvision is a big step on the way to increase our footprint in the Chinese business landscape."

Milestone will co-exhibit with Hikvision at the Beijing Security show in the beginning of December.

About Hikvision

Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd., the leading supplier of digital video surveillance products with the headquarters in China, has three decades of experience in research and development of video technology. From A/V Compression Boards, Embedded Net DVRs and Multi-purpose Digital Video Servers, to networked front-end products such as IP Cameras and IP Speed Domes, Hikvision provides the most advanced H.264 solution for digital surveillance industry based on its owned patented algorithms.

With 1300 employees located all over China and around the world, in which 400 are R&D engineers, Hikvision has expanded the business from China to worldwide. The dynamic growth has made the company awarded three years in a roll by Deloitte as Top 50 High-tech Fast-growing Enterprise in China, as well as Forbes' Most Potential SMEs in China (No. 4 in 2008).

For more information, please visit www.hikvision.com.

About Milestone:

Milestone Systems is a global thought leader and developer of open platform network camera software. The XProtect platform is easy to use, robust and proven in more than 35,000 customer installations around the world. With support for the industry's widest choice in network hardware and seamless integration with other systems, XProtect provides best-of-breed solutions to "video enable" businesses, organizations and institutions - reducing costs, optimizing processes, and protecting assets. Milestone software is sold through authorized partners in 90 countries.

Milestone to China with Danish Prime Minister

Prime Minister of Denmark Anders Fogh Rasmussen lead a delegation to China the week of October 20th, with a specially chosen group of representatives that included Milestone Systems, global developer of open platform IP video management software. The agenda of the trip was future business collaborations and environmental matters between China and Denmark, who will host the next big international climate agreement talks in 2009.

When President and CEO Lars Thinggaard from Milestone Systems landed in Shanghai on Monday October 20th, it was in the company of the Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and a select team of leading Danish organizations. As a representative for the only software company in the delegation, Lars Thinggaard visited a technology research park, and participated in meetings with the prime minister and top-level chinese politicians and businessmen, including people from the Chinese security industry.

The main goal of the prime minister's visit was to advance the cooperation between China and Denmark in business and climate-related issues. For Milestone Systems the agenda was investigation of the region's potential and collaboration opportunities for software development and sales in Asian markets. Today, Milestone open platform IP network-based video surveillance software is sold via partners in 90 countries, including Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan.

"Milestone Systems is a company in continuing fast growth, so China - and Asia in general - is one of the important regions where we want to strengthen our presence. We are already in discussions with a number of big players in the Chinese security market with an eye to establishing a subsidiary there, so we can support our Asian customers even better," says Lars Thinggaard, President and CEO of Milestone Systems.

Sales in Asia up by 100 percent

In December 2006 Milestone Systems opened an office in Singapore to handle sales and distribution in the Asian markets. Milestone reports that the company's sales of open platform IP video software in the Asian region in 2008 is up by more than 100 percent compared to 2007, so there are good reasons to increase the focus in this area, including China.

Milestone is looking for long-term collaborations with Chinese software and security firms. While in China on this trip, Thinggaard also had discussions with some of China's biggest telecommunications companies, who are increasingly interested in offering video services as part of their product portfolios.

"The Chinese market without a doubt represents huge potential and will be a natural place to have representation in relation to our partner network in all of the Asian markets. Milestone Systems has now signed a partner agreement with Hikvision, China's leading manufacturer of Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) and network cameras with over 1,000 dealers in that country. This is a big step on our way to increase our footprint in the Chinese business landscape," states Thinggaard.

Video surveillance protecting the environment

While the visit in Shanghai primarily had a focus on business development and innovation, the subjects highlighted during the Beijing leg of the tour were climate and energy. Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and the Danish delegation discussed sustainable energy sources and industrial influences. For Milestone Systems it was a natural opportunity to share how video surveillance can be used to the benefit of the environment.

"We have software solutions operating in windmill parks and also have installations in public works' water supplies and energy utilities around the world. Here the video surveillance is used to alert operators to potential dangers and to track production or other processes. Our software serves to protect people against terrorism and contamination - thereby safeguarding the environment," explains Thinggaard.

The road to Copenhagen

In June 2008, representatives from more than 172 countries met in Bonn, Germany, to work on a new global climate agreement for improving the environment. The Kyoto Protocol already provides some of the elements for the blueprint, and together these will feed into what is being called the "Copenhagen Outcome" - the next agreement that negotiators are hoping to achieve when the Danish capital of Copenhagen hosts the annual UN climate summit in 2009.

About Milestone:

Milestone Systems is a global thought leader and developer of open platform network camera software. The XProtect platform is easy to use, robust and proven in more than 35,000 customer installations around the world. With support for the industry's widest choice in network hardware and seamless integration with other systems, XProtect provides best-of-breed solutions to "video enable" businesses, organizations and institutions - reducing costs, optimizing processes, and protecting assets. Milestone software is sold through authorized partners in 90 countries.