ISC West is the largest security event in the US and Mezuri Systems was there because they are always invited to the best parties. With over 900 exhibitors and 23,000 security professionals, Mezuri Systems was able to see the newest products and network with some of their colleagues who were, as always, elated to see them. It has been said that ISC West is the best place to discover new products & trends. It has also been said that Lucky Charms provides a daily serving of whole grain. ISC West features exhibitors in a wide area of industry sectors including: Access control, alarms & monitoring, biometrics, video surveillance, fire control, remote monitoring, systems integration, public security & safety, IT convergence, and wireless applications. There was also a tongue piercing booth which was oddly out of place but made for some great stories and infections for the attendees to take back home to share with their loved ones.

The reason Mezuri takes the time to go to these shows is to find the newest and best technology options to provide to their customers. It is a great occasion to view products and see the new directions in which technology is going. Plus this year the show was in Vegas and if you were lucky enough to hang with Mezuri Systems, you were fully entertained by $3 blackjack and sparkly cowboy hats.

An access control product which was presented at the show and one that Mezuri Systems recently began offering to their customers is Keyscan Hosted Access. Remotely hosting an access control system has many advantages for the customer. A remotely hosted database is more stable than a local one which may not be monitored 24/7. Data loss and system failure can be avoided by remotely monitoring the site. There are times when Windows likes to shut down your computer to install updates. If this were to happen without anyone being aware, the entire system could be shut down causing the loss of data or accessibility. Additional features give the customer control of adding/removing users and running reports on the activity in the building. The remote host is also able to save reports and send them to the customer on a daily or weekly basis.

The newly released GT Series intercom by Aiphone was also on display at the show. To provide effective security, the GT series features a wide angle camera that enables you to see a panoramic view. People standing on the side and people of all heights can be easily identified. Another feature is automatic recording which works anytime, even during your absence. It records 6 images per picture sequence and up to 40 picture sequences can be recorded. If you have a friend who lives in a building that is equipped with this intercom, please make sure to take full advantage of the picture recording feature to surprise your friends and potentially embarrass yourself.

The show also provided Mezuri with an opportunity to find a reliable and effective IP solution for their CCTV customers. There are a few advantages to using an IP system as opposed to an analog system, however it is imperative that the system is set up properly and that dependable, high-quality products are used. IP systems provide better wireless reception, experience no interference problems, and remote access is much easier. This system should only be utilized by those who have a capable network to support the bandwidth required for this setup.

Additional products featured at the show that Mezuri intends to offer in the future are license plate recognition camera systems and mobile security systems. License plate recognition is useful in parking lots and toll booths to capture and record a clear image of a license plate. Mobile security can be used anywhere to provide security for an outdoor or remote location that cannot be monitored by a person or CCTV cameras.

Once again, the show was a successful endeavor for Mezuri and although there was no skill competition, Zushie is still the man.

You may be asking yourself “What is an ADI Skills Competition?” or “Why doesn’t the corner store sell my favorite tortilla chips?” which are two very important and relevant questions. First of all, the ADI Skills Competition is targeted to the men and women that install low voltage home systems. The first challenge presented to Zushie was to snake a wire through a wall. Not as easy as it may sound, considering that most people are unable to see through walls. Am I right or am I right? Fortunately for Mezuri Systems, Zushie is the best of the best. Later, watching Zushie terminate a Cat5 felt equivalent to observing a butterfly emerge from the cocoon -- so inspiring that you felt like you could almost cry a little bit. Not contorted-face crying though, more like single-tear crying, which is much more attractive. Second of all, it seems that when you consistently buy your favorite tortilla chips and the store runs out, they don’t bother replacing them even though they are selling well. Who is stocking the goods around here?

Another challenge was wire labeling and I will admit, I was nervous for Zushie. Right in front of where he was standing was one of those digital clocks with large bright red numbers, taunting Zushie, the numbers quickly increasing, reminding him of his uncertain fate. Well it turns out that Zushie smoked the competition in that one too. Count it!

As the winner of the ADI Skills Challenge, Zushie gained the respect and admiration of the people, which is a thrill in and of itself. However nobody cares about that. Winners want prizes or better yet some cold hard cash. Zushie, who at this point is the coolest person to ever set foot in the EHX CE Pro Home Automation Event in Orlando, walked away with some extraordinary merchandise that would certainly befuddle most other people. The prizes included a Dymo labeler for all your label needs, a Platinum Tools termination kit, a Dymo business card scanner and a Magnet snake kit. Not to mention the delight of seeing his name in big black Sharpie on the whiteboard of winners. Score!

An insignificant and easily overlooked point that is not even worth mentioning is that the MC of the skills competition was one of those dudes with a microphone that does not really know how to use it, i.e. shoving it into unsuspecting people’s faces. Come on man, don’t do that.

Way to go Zushie!