The Gardiner Group and CoVi Technologies, Inc. have entered an agreement which will bring CoVi's new generation of high quality video surveillance products and services to European customers.


Based in Paris, the Gardiner Group’s European network covers ten countries and offers expertise in CCTV systems, Fire Alarm, Intrusion Alarm, Access Control, Public Address & Integrated Systems, providing value added distribution of security products and systems.

CoVi Technologies is based in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2002 by veterans from the security, videoconferencing, storage, networking, broadcast, and streaming media industries, CoVi designs and manufactures HD quality video security products suitable for a wide range of environments using leading edge, but standards based, technologies to enable the industry's most powerful surveillance solutions. CoVi has been recognised by a NPS (ISC West 2004) award for its composite video output EVQ-1000™ MultiView HD video surveillance camera, which provides substantially improved image clarity that makes positive identification and detailed transaction capture possible.

The EVQ-1000’s feature set permits the product to lower capital and installation costs and improve visual utility. For example, the MultiView feature allows one camera to emulate up to four traditional cameras, by imaging additional zoom zone areas out of the full field HD source image. In addition, the Electronic PTZ function can emulate traditional mechanical pan-tilt and zoom functions entirely within the EVQ-1000 camera, providing significant maintenance cost savings.

First launched in the USA, the EVQ-1000 has already found application in Banking, Retail, Logistics, Transport and Government environments. Because it uses an HD sensor offering a 33% wider field of view, and has up to three Zoom-Under-Pictures, one EVQ-1000 can often provide video surveillance that previously required two to four traditional cameras.

CoVi’s new Crystal HD launched at the ISC West Show in Las Vegas Nevada, April 6th 2005, is the first Video Surveillance Solution that practically addresses delivering high quality video over IP networks. Crystal HD comprises HD resolution IP cameras, recording, monitoring and IP network management components. It is the only solution capable of delivering HD resolution images over corporate IT networks in an affordable, scalable design that respects the bandwidth and security constraints of real world installations. Crystal HD will be available in Europe in autumn 2005.

“As Europe’s largest independent distributor of electronic security solutions and services, Gardiner Group once again prides itself in making a positive contribution to the security surveillance market by introducing groundbreaking High Definition (HD) digital technology. The products are well suited for a wide range of environments from traditional analogue installations to state-of-the-art digital and IP networks,” said Gardiner Group Purchasing and Marketing Director Colin Kramer.