Site-Eye Integrates Timelapse Software into Hikvision Cameras

Site-Eye, the UK’s leading timelapse video provider, has integrated its software solution into Hikvision cameras using the HEOP 2.0 development platform. By converting its software into an onboard app in the Hikvision cameras, Site-Eye is making timelapse video better, less expensive, and less complex – helping its clients create professional timelapse video marketing content, monitor project management milestones, streamline supplier disputes, and improve overall site security. Hikvision spoke to Site-Eye’s Managing Director, Gareth Evans-McClave, to find out more. 

How the project started 

 In the early 2000s, when we were undertaking our first time-lapse projects, keeping cameras running was difficult – requiring frequent battery and tape changes. To overcome this challenge, Site-Eye developed a system based on digital cameras and software that could reliably take time-lapse images at defined intervals for literally weeks on end. Since then, there has been high demand for our solutions, and we are now the biggest time-lapse video provider in the UK. 

Site-Eye solutions 

Site-Eye automates the process of time-lapse imaging on site, making it very efficient and customizable to clients’ needs. For example, we can configure all connected cameras centrally, which means we can set the interval for images to be taken, turn cameras off and on remotely, and change the interval between timelapse images. Based on these capabilities, clients can create great marketing content for their projects, resolve supplier disputes faster, and increase overall site security and project efficiency. Thanks to these benefits, a project manager on a very large construction project in London reported a £1 million saving with Site-Eye.

One of our clients used Hikvision cameras for security applications and asked if we could integrate Site-Eye software into their devices. At that point, I reached out to Hikvision to see if they had this capability, and the support we received from them from day one was incredible. The Hikvision team provided us with demo cameras as well as some help and advice to get us started with the process of deploying Site-Eye as on-board software. As well as the excellent support, we’ve found that Hikvision devices are extremely reliable for our clients, and provide a great price-to-quality ratio. We’ve installed Hikvision cameras at many client sites now and we’ve never experienced a reliability issue, which is impressive.

Hikvision HEOP 2.0 to integrate Site-Eye with Ultra Series cameras

HEOP 2.0 allows us to control all Hikvision camera functions directly from our on-board app. Because HEOP 2.0 gives us the ‘key’ to the cameras, we’re not limited at all in terms of the software functions we can write and deploy. Also, HEOP allows us to harness the AI features that are built into Hikvision cameras at the factory. One example of this is the Hikvision People Counting capability, which one of our clients has used to understand the flow of people through their site at different times of the day. 

We’re working on new functionality, called SiteStream that we’re planning to integrate into Hikvision cameras in the near future. This captures 10 minutes of video between each still timelapse photograph, and the videos can be retained by the client for a pre-defined period and reviewed in the event of a security incident or supplier dispute. Hikvision is updating the firmware of HEOP 2.0 to enable the integration of SiteStream, which is a great example of how responsive and flexible the Hikvision team is.

Hikvision’s global presence and technology leadership also helps us connect with and serve customers in markets where we haven’t traditionally operated. What’s more, we ship the solution easily as an onboard app in Hikvision cameras, which means companies all over the world can use it to create professional timelapse videos of their projects.