tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54334795235500615412024-02-19T05:33:38.022-05:00Video Scene MagazineSam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-44879560651481849812013-05-07T10:48:00.001-04:002013-05-07T10:48:08.489-04:00Grant funding for video equipment<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]-->PoliceGrantsHelp.com provides great grant information. You can find out about all the grants below by creating a free account at their site. <br />
<br />
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here are are direct links to grant summaries at their site:</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.policegrantshelp.com/grants/1981776-New-York-States-Highway-Safety-Grant/">New
York State's Highway Safety Grant</a> – deadline 5/15/13</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.policegrantshelp.com/grants/1793752-Edward-Byrne-Memorial-Justice-Assistance-Grant-North-Dakota/">Edward
Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant - North Dakota</a> – deadline 5/17/13</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.policegrantshelp.com/grants/6214199-Edward-Byrne-Memorial-Justice-Assistance-Grant-JAG-Program-Arkansas/">Edward
Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program - Arkansas</a> – deadline
5/17/13</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.policegrantshelp.com/grants/2082130-COPS-Community-Policing-Development/">COPS
Community Policing Development</a> – deadline 5/24/13</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.policegrantshelp.com/grants/6206608-COPS-Micro-Grant-Initiative/">COPS
Micro-Grant Initiative</a> – deadline 5/24/13</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.policegrantshelp.com/grants/6213921-Indiana-Homeland-Security-Foundation-Grant-Program/">Indiana
Homeland Security Foundation Grant Program</a> – deadline 5/31/13</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.policegrantshelp.com/grants/1794675-Edward-Byrne-Memorial-Justice-Assistance-Grant-JAG-Kansas/">Edward
Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) - Kansas</a> – deadline 6/3/13</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.policegrantshelp.com/grants/1793708-Edward-Byrne-Memorial-Justice-Assistance-Grant-Maryland/">Edward
Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant – Maryland</a> – deadline 6/12/13</div>
Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-36027920082123728842013-03-22T16:25:00.001-04:002013-03-22T16:25:38.576-04:00Image-matching technology helps fight crime<div style="background-color: #d4d7dc;">
Verizon is automatically checking their cloud for images and videos for the child pornography.
<blockquote>William Albaugh found this out the hard way when he backed up his home computer to Verizon's online backup service. The 67-year-old deacon of a Catholic church in Baltimore County didn’t realize he was giving away his secret—after he allegedly uploaded pornographic images and videos of children to his Online Backup and Sharing cloud account, they were scanned by a Verizon partner using technology that can automatically check images and videos for the presence of children known to be the victims of pornographers.</blockquote>
Full story at <a href="http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/03/how-verizon-found-a-child-pornographer-in-its-cloud/">ars technica</a>.
</div>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-62627741306892820202013-03-14T11:26:00.000-04:002013-03-22T16:18:57.305-04:00Storing in-car video evidence: cloud or local servers?<div style="background-color: #d4d7dc;">
Officer.com posted a short article on some of the trade-offs of storing video evidence in the cloud versus local servers. Here's a bit from the article:
<blockquote>
Should you store video evidence on the Cloud or Local Servers? This was a popular topic at IACP in 2012. Both have advantages, and both methods have their challenges. How an agency chooses to store their video is a critical part of this discussion, as it will always be intrinsically connected to how they record their video and the resulting file sizes.
</blockquote>
Full article at <a href="http://www.officer.com/article/10882067/how-should-i-store-my-evidence">Officer.com</a>
</div>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-13291427844856382192011-06-24T10:46:00.002-04:002013-03-14T11:40:21.922-04:00Questions in the interview room
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiO9OCnVdoQ8Qd_2SmrFP87B6SeP8rmmo3t66frNKI8WIyatt4lgemlre425XnOJi6j7C7I5_VtN67DEFzBzwQThln1rlvBeGkIQ9745uD3jFdDlRZT_r172owQCoRWPLuknSktfFxftd/s1600/InterviewRoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="183" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmiO9OCnVdoQ8Qd_2SmrFP87B6SeP8rmmo3t66frNKI8WIyatt4lgemlre425XnOJi6j7C7I5_VtN67DEFzBzwQThln1rlvBeGkIQ9745uD3jFdDlRZT_r172owQCoRWPLuknSktfFxftd/s320/InterviewRoom.jpg" /></a></div>When something’s a big deal, it’s natural to talk about it. Like the handling of evidence, or making what you get from witnesses or suspects stick. So why is it that something that combines all of these elements and commonly becomes the centerpiece of a case is problem prone?<br />
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We’re talking about interview room recording. But the real question is: Why isn’t hardly anyone else? <br />
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A poorly setup interview room recorder is like a ticking time bomb, waiting to explode on your most important case. The high-profile one, involving a child. The one that’s recently gained national media attention.<br />
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Your people will be taking the stand soon, and you know they have no explanation for that critical, unrecorded section of the interrogation. That moment just before the suspect says "I did it.” Sure, everyone has plenty of notes, you have a signed confession. But you know the coming challenge: "Isn't it convenient that the recorder cut out just before the confession. During those minutes my client was coerced." We all know that’s what the defense will argue.<br />
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Maybe one reason it’s not a hot topic is technology has supposedly already stepped in to offer a sure-fire cure. Digital – it’s supposed to be better, cutting edge, but all you seem to get from digital is headaches. Sure fire becomes a misfire, right in front of the national media.<br />
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WHY CAN'T DIGITAL DELIVER?<br />
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Digital’s promise has always been one of heightened quality. Remember when you started buying your favorite music on digital CD disc? Digital was touted as better. And so it is with video. DVDs, DV, HDTV, DTV. It's all better, right? But when it comes to video, digital can be tricky. In many ways, digital video can be better, but in other ways, it may shoot you in the foot. And that’s the case with digital video-recording systems, including interview room systems.<br />
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Many agencies have used consumer or prosumer DVD recorders, and others have used DVRs aimed at the CCTV market as interview room recording systems. Many of these systems have served up uncertainty and unreliability. One nightmare is an unreliable system missing portions of the video recording in high-profile cases. These situations can leave an agency with no explanation. Under oath, they are forced to reveal that the equipment they specifically purchased and installed to record interviews did not do its most basic purpose in life – record the interview.<br />
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A recurring theme is a department spending a large sum of money to equip multiple interview rooms with a full-featured recording system. Networking, view-the-interview from any office and so on. Only to have the complexity overtake the main function of the device. These interview room systems can't seem to talk and chew gum at the same time. So then the department gets frustrated and purchases dirt-cheap DVD recorders, which are reliable only if used properly. There are too many buttons that can render a recording useless. The DVD recorders end up with sticky note warnings, "Do not press the blue button!" Tape covering various buttons. So, they have a system that is unreliable in a different way -- too hard to use -- with a risk of fouling the evidence because a wrong button has been pressed.<br />
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It’s a huge issue, a dark undercurrent to the daily operations of any agency. And any cure has to deliver two things: ease of use and reliability. Let us know what you think.Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-3932441871379924632011-02-28T16:22:00.008-05:002011-04-14T17:05:51.210-04:00Why verify?<b>The importance of verifying digital video evidence before leaving the scene.</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthRTWVfhyphenhyphenSSfhnbwclWjvS8VJPBuh-IRlsMj50xrZCVp_OmaAXorCWaEFO3x9shyphenhyphen2zOB15qR3qlm7WixDcPQ_G_QqJzCSKDYeKXoprDeNkaqAxPRr7Ja2ORusf1cls02O8-712iOFnakH/s1600/dvr-with-display.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgthRTWVfhyphenhyphenSSfhnbwclWjvS8VJPBuh-IRlsMj50xrZCVp_OmaAXorCWaEFO3x9shyphenhyphen2zOB15qR3qlm7WixDcPQ_G_QqJzCSKDYeKXoprDeNkaqAxPRr7Ja2ORusf1cls02O8-712iOFnakH/s200/dvr-with-display.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><em>The characters and crimes in this</em><em> story are fictitious, but the DVR is real. Everything the DVR does is real, as are all the photos. </em><br />
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<em>March 17, 1840 hours:</em> A criminal robs a convenience store.<br />
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<em>March 17, 1930 hours:</em> Detective Murphy arrives on scene. He learns the perpetrator was armed with just a stick, but still took away a good amount of cash.<br />
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Murphy interviews Julie, the store's attendant. After interviewing Julie, he asks about the store's video surveillance system. Julie points to a door. "It's in the office. It's locked," she says, wiping tears. "You'll have to call the owner." Then she points to a phone number taped to the cash register.<br />
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"Thank you," Detecitve Murphy replies, stepping toward the office door as he pulls out his phone. Through a small window of the door he sees his objective: the digital video recorder.<br />
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<em>March 17, 2020 hours:</em> The store owner arrives and introduces himself as George Gupta. George explains that he's fed up with robberies in his stores and he'll do anything to help. He goes through the menus of the DVR and finds an option to copy the video to the CD/DVD drive in the DVR. Detective Murphy asks George for a ten-minute video surrounding the two minutes of the robbery.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJf-aFWC4xQJPgrpqRVcSYBCcnZnR04ZGjP6lN-vayWXJEYYFU-u0gkGtpCPTFwbjIpsKiDDq6LSFu5pYIH6RiiYd_eImY9jEQ6c6M-CWjOOXoyFlABSQLP0bencuxiRoPMzw89sgCD1dJ/s1600/copying-0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJf-aFWC4xQJPgrpqRVcSYBCcnZnR04ZGjP6lN-vayWXJEYYFU-u0gkGtpCPTFwbjIpsKiDDq6LSFu5pYIH6RiiYd_eImY9jEQ6c6M-CWjOOXoyFlABSQLP0bencuxiRoPMzw89sgCD1dJ/s200/copying-0.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>George takes a blank CD-R from a desk drawer and puts it into the DVR. The copy starts at 0%. About fifteen minutes later the copy finishes.<br />
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Detective Murphy once learned a hard lesson: Technology is nowhere near perfect. A DVR can burn a bad CD or not burn the CD at all. So Murphy always checks the CD to see if it has anything on it. He takes the CD out of the DVR and flips it over. He tilts it in different directions. At just the right angle he sees that the CD has information burned on it. Murphy thanks George and leaves.<br />
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<em>A week later... March 24, 1610 hours:</em> There's been another robbery, this time a shooting involved. And a dead victim.<br />
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<em>March 24, 1640 hours:</em> The Lieutenant in charge comes looking for insight. "Murphy, we think this recent homicide may be connected to the robbery you're working from last week. We need to take a look at the video you got."<br />
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"Give me a few minutes to pull it up Lieutenant. I've been busy with other cases and haven't had a chance to look at it yet."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnfL2eAgWkbFewUs71Q0VAdzvzuJn249CQkKPifFBh9hY33mzW6eKlzT8Vz9MJWXloHRFAJd989mGpMQu8apAqtL4z0gh9sFWQbPu3ngueVUx0vuavea90_N124AryxK1pOv5l3ps1kJ0/s1600/CD-R-copied100-filelist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnfL2eAgWkbFewUs71Q0VAdzvzuJn249CQkKPifFBh9hY33mzW6eKlzT8Vz9MJWXloHRFAJd989mGpMQu8apAqtL4z0gh9sFWQbPu3ngueVUx0vuavea90_N124AryxK1pOv5l3ps1kJ0/s320/CD-R-copied100-filelist.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Murphy throws the CD into his computer and opens the Windows file explorer. Blank. He closes the window and opens it again. Blank. Again. <em>Crap. What's going on?</em><br />
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Murphy walks the CD over to his long-time crime-fighting cohort, Detective Williams. "Williams, see if this CD has files on it."<br />
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"You're computer's better than mine," Williams says.<br />
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"Just check it for me."<br />
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They stare at Williams' computer screen. Blank. No files.<br />
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"Crap, I'm in trouble," Murphy says and he explains the situation to Williams. "You're going to have to go get another copy of the video," Williams says.<br />
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<em>March 24, 1700 hours:</em> Murphy calls the store owner, George.<br />
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"Mr. Gupta, this is Detective Murphy. I was at one of your stores last week and got a copy of video after a robbery. We had a look at the video CD you burned for me and didn't see any files on it. I'd like to come back over get another copy. Can you meet me?"<br />
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"The DVR only holds a week of video," George responded over the phone. "What day was that robbery?"<br />
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Murphy looked at the CD. "It was the 17th, Wednesday."<br />
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"Today is Wednesday," said George. "I remember the robbery was in the evening do you know what time?"<br />
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"Six-forty," Murphy answered.<br />
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"It's four-forty. We only have about two hours to get the video," said George.<br />
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"Can you meet us ASAP, George?"<br />
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"Yes."<br />
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"Thanks," Detective Murphy signed off.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This time Murphy prepares by grabbing the department's video evidence recovery kit. It's loaded with all types of collection media and a laptop so Murphy can verify the evidence at the scene.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkc_043SoYQS20PfcTG3ZBSotdt4yu_FbaZaVQOf8VDepmhwDL7DBRDNp4STRGYxpYMSDFqn0IYZa4eDBf_QLrwcf8xS_GI0Teq3J3drsFcQoM1L2pC_0BeARGvZyF4c5eVXXDhinWUtfD/s1600/field-kit-with-lid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkc_043SoYQS20PfcTG3ZBSotdt4yu_FbaZaVQOf8VDepmhwDL7DBRDNp4STRGYxpYMSDFqn0IYZa4eDBf_QLrwcf8xS_GI0Teq3J3drsFcQoM1L2pC_0BeARGvZyF4c5eVXXDhinWUtfD/s640/field-kit-with-lid.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><em>March 24, 1735 hours:</em> Murphy arrives on scene. George has already setup the copy process for the video. Murphy opens his recovery kit.<br />
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Murphy takes out an CD-R labeled for evidence. "Let's try again," Murphy says. "Maybe it just didn't burn right last time."<br />
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The DVR seems to write fine -- 100%. This time Murphy puts the CD into the laptop right away to check the files.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnfL2eAgWkbFewUs71Q0VAdzvzuJn249CQkKPifFBh9hY33mzW6eKlzT8Vz9MJWXloHRFAJd989mGpMQu8apAqtL4z0gh9sFWQbPu3ngueVUx0vuavea90_N124AryxK1pOv5l3ps1kJ0/s1600/CD-R-copied100-filelist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnfL2eAgWkbFewUs71Q0VAdzvzuJn249CQkKPifFBh9hY33mzW6eKlzT8Vz9MJWXloHRFAJd989mGpMQu8apAqtL4z0gh9sFWQbPu3ngueVUx0vuavea90_N124AryxK1pOv5l3ps1kJ0/s320/CD-R-copied100-filelist.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>No files. Again. <em>Man this is getting old.</em><br />
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<em>March 24, 1800 hours:</em> Murphy feels tense. <em>Fighting technology is almost harder than fighting criminals.</em><br />
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"What now?" George asks. "We only have about forty minutes left until it erases."<br />
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"Let's try the format option we saw," Murphy says.<br />
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George navigates to the menu with the format option and tries to format the CD. The screen displays a foul-spelled message: "FORMATT CD-R MEDIAE WAIT". Then another message from the screen: "FAIL".<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4qS4-t-u51o8MdbTWqc-k-bx_1uChKCvPWh1Oqr-FQnNjQjLSasTYS2RTa4Mj7rrDwpxOKbcHr_DisV2o8oRVh52EMYV2CEnOpLizCxoGZG3Ye_OLgVBVvEITu-klid7rhUZ3dUMWoim/s1600/format-fail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4qS4-t-u51o8MdbTWqc-k-bx_1uChKCvPWh1Oqr-FQnNjQjLSasTYS2RTa4Mj7rrDwpxOKbcHr_DisV2o8oRVh52EMYV2CEnOpLizCxoGZG3Ye_OLgVBVvEITu-klid7rhUZ3dUMWoim/s320/format-fail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><em>How could it fail?</em> From the catacombs of Murphy's mind comes an insight. He recalls from a video recovery training class, if one type of disc doesn't work try another.<br />
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<em>March 24, 1810 hours:</em> Murphy grabs a CD-RW and they set up the copy. "INSERT A COMPATIBLE MEDIA," the DVR tells them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKbRJQWbZh6lEeDtJ5oKUjHK0O29SoaO_59CA5Kmp7ck5fGAdl50l3REhl3yZGUQz7Rk_rlwWVwzzQE8otrzbP3v9eyhUt4m-0rULi1xPXW3pKvs9yxGbYYJznEYviRDHD0xRbPUiShKf/s1600/insert-a-compatible-media.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKbRJQWbZh6lEeDtJ5oKUjHK0O29SoaO_59CA5Kmp7ck5fGAdl50l3REhl3yZGUQz7Rk_rlwWVwzzQE8otrzbP3v9eyhUt4m-0rULi1xPXW3pKvs9yxGbYYJznEYviRDHD0xRbPUiShKf/s320/insert-a-compatible-media.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<em>March 24, 1815 hours:</em> "Fine," Murphy says. "How about DVDs?" Murphy loads a DVD disc. George starts the copy. The response: "DVD-R IS NOT SUPPORTED".<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_9zvWuzo4A8d_y3BfMF4HDaCRbnT6GP8ZLxAlwts_X-qwuTYrOKjlVDwfoNcsFXsPV4XYY0LweiGs3qb5As5ps50rLeH2td-umWVq5gTIiJsHQ_YYjlwFfyH1x2RF61I9ihz18YgrU1Z/s1600/DVD-R-not-supported.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_9zvWuzo4A8d_y3BfMF4HDaCRbnT6GP8ZLxAlwts_X-qwuTYrOKjlVDwfoNcsFXsPV4XYY0LweiGs3qb5As5ps50rLeH2td-umWVq5gTIiJsHQ_YYjlwFfyH1x2RF61I9ihz18YgrU1Z/s320/DVD-R-not-supported.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<em>Only fifteen minutes left to get the copy... March 24, 1820 hours:</em> Murphy looks at the last type of disc in the kit: DVD-RW. George presses the eject button. Murphy lays the DVD on the tray. "Please," he mutters. George starts the copy. Murphy shifts his weight, staring intently at the screen.<br />
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The screen flickers. "COPYING( 0%)" But Murphy knows not to get too excited. It could be creating a blank again.<br />
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<em>March 24, 1835 hours:</em> The copy finishes.<br />
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Murphy moves the disc from the DVR to the laptop. He clicks and opens the Windows file explorer.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchk-loYToNwHkvxatyQVOLVeXtVY7EzwKh4HznKQeFcPlwtu7oAyOSq346OsQr_jtlkwoEU5OfrY0YwRVi4zgructUVXuw_H-B5hVLFmri8glYyLWpkvunGbYfu3I8EMEldwjcY5QeWaT/s1600/DVD-RW-file-list.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchk-loYToNwHkvxatyQVOLVeXtVY7EzwKh4HznKQeFcPlwtu7oAyOSq346OsQr_jtlkwoEU5OfrY0YwRVi4zgructUVXuw_H-B5hVLFmri8glYyLWpkvunGbYfu3I8EMEldwjcY5QeWaT/s640/DVD-RW-file-list.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
"Yes!" Murphy bursts out. "Yes! Thank you. Thank you. We got it."<br />
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<em>March 24, 1840 hours:</em> As the video of the crime is overwritten on the DVR, Murphy verifies the evidence on the laptop. The quality of the video evidence is good. He copies the files to the laptop's hard drive and burns a backup DVD of the evidence. George offers a drink. Murphy thanks him and walks to the convenience store's wall of coolers.<br />
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<hr /><div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial Black;">Advertisement</div><br />
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial;">Learn about StarWitness video evidence recovery tools at <a href="http://starwitnessfieldagent.com/">StarWitnessFieldAgent.com</a>.</div>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-70807751397293905822011-02-14T15:14:00.005-05:002011-04-14T17:06:12.586-04:00Situation forensic science<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxhWQC_PEuxYAVb_diaoDBHBPp5ccu1HTDfgoGghc6F616jH_SbZGIO3OcZm5WXTItmVhVEj7wAF-Bzdr58KRUEeiotul-1qYrn06GWMcQr1KEF4MW76THRsII48abwQBO9vC4Rpy6Xgz/s1600/Fingerprint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxhWQC_PEuxYAVb_diaoDBHBPp5ccu1HTDfgoGghc6F616jH_SbZGIO3OcZm5WXTItmVhVEj7wAF-Bzdr58KRUEeiotul-1qYrn06GWMcQr1KEF4MW76THRsII48abwQBO9vC4Rpy6Xgz/s200/Fingerprint.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>“The adoption of technology by police agencies has been a type of 'black box' -- police have accepted such technologies, but have generally not assessed or evaluated them. They bring in new equipment or new technologies because they work in theory, but know little about how to use such technologies so that they work best."</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That's how two Harvard scholars, David Weisburd and Peter Neyroud, explained the relationship of police and science in their article "Police Science: Toward a New Paradigm".</div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">The article makes it sound almost like law enforcement pillages science for the stuff they like (such as new technology), but aren't really taking a close look at effectiveness. These scholars are not just antagonists, though: they seek a working relationship with law enforcement. They point to ways that science might help with decisions on the effectiveness of new methods, tools and technologies under a movement labeled <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">‘evidence-based policing’</b>. Evidence in this case refers not to criminal evidence but evidence or scientific proof that the tools, techniques and even policies of policing yield positive results.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">At the core of evidence-based policing is the idea that law enforcement should seek scientific evidence to determine what policing methods work. Putting things to test and measuring results can help answer questions such as: "Do new weapons make policing safer or more effective? Will DNA testing be cost-effective for the average police agency? Can automobile vehicle locator systems be used to increase the value of police patrol?"</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=1258" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6aJM1CjZh-_79kL5IM7P-Cm-nVDzx9GCiCD2Huc0xzf5mgJKwBkm4qjbqcrU-hMSTiCTUIUUiR_82d6MtOl-CB0KE7xemyS_HcaAHQl0D1SSVsnsWNvwUbS_1hyphenhyphen4Ia3CE4hrWQpw7RP02/s1600/NASReport.gif" /></a></div>Almost a two ago, the National Research Council of the National Academies released a congressionally mandated report on forensics: <em><a href="http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12589">Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward</a></em>. The report, commonly referred to as the NAS Report, took a look at the scientific evidence behind a number of areas in forensic science. It has inspired intense debate by citing serious deficiencies in the nation's forensic science system, and by calling for major reforms and new research. The report describes concerns about the application of science across a wide spectrum of areas, such as forensic odontology, biological-evidence analysis, hair-evidence analysis, document-evidence analysis, fiber-evidence analysis and friction-ridge analysis (including footwear, tire impression, tool mark, palm and fingerprint analysis). The report asserts that law enforcement has been too willing to rely on experts while not making critical examinations of the scientific evidence behind these various areas of forensic analysis.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZalb-wdqt61E2Gfr1o_Fscpncw9a6cFC2yC2q0OHJgaLxeBzCBWwoRHMO7MWuxuePZ2ZArrL7D0rYc6EKmgLFdWtJNF5TWI5-L9h8NwPwejZ5JtLMVwQoGi7Jpjzfch-gAeJPYIDPmMBY/s1600/Fingerprint2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZalb-wdqt61E2Gfr1o_Fscpncw9a6cFC2yC2q0OHJgaLxeBzCBWwoRHMO7MWuxuePZ2ZArrL7D0rYc6EKmgLFdWtJNF5TWI5-L9h8NwPwejZ5JtLMVwQoGi7Jpjzfch-gAeJPYIDPmMBY/s200/Fingerprint2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Fingerprints are a good example. On one hand, <em><a href="http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/225320.htm">The Fingerprint Sourcebook</a></em> says prints have "served all governments worldwide during the past 100 years to provide accurate identification of criminals. No two fingerprints have ever been found alike in many billions of human and automated computer comparisons. Fingerprints are the very basis for criminal history foundation at every police agency on earth." The book cites much research in support of this assertion. Yet the NAS Report points to recent research that "experienced [fingerprint] examiners do not necessarily agree with even their own past conclusions when the examination is presented in a different context some time later."</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Thomas Bohan, director of Portland, Maine-based consultants MTC Forensics and a past president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, points to a weakness in logic of fingerprint-identification validity in the article <a href="http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100722/full/news.2010.369.html">"Forensic Science braces for change"</a>: "The FBI fingerprint division for years has asserted that fingerprint identification has been validated by a hundred years of jury trials. They just don't get it." </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2-5WXsimzU7quxxjC4nuCj7m6quZaR0DP0W3ufRdnkJLEsWWjhn9DdB8O6cEMejSlfhzo67cQx5dRVHUxj_LUv7VCcBXbGlapJteKFiMb_x6K0YPhQ6DHdChbxpYNSLiE81XvFtK5zK7/s1600/DNA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2-5WXsimzU7quxxjC4nuCj7m6quZaR0DP0W3ufRdnkJLEsWWjhn9DdB8O6cEMejSlfhzo67cQx5dRVHUxj_LUv7VCcBXbGlapJteKFiMb_x6K0YPhQ6DHdChbxpYNSLiE81XvFtK5zK7/s200/DNA.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Both Bohan and the NAS Report point to DNA as the best model for validation. Bohan describes DNA identification as being "delivered full-blown to the forensic labs after years of validation in university laboratories."</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The International Association of Chiefs of Police agrees with the need for validation of fingerprints. In a response to the NAS Report, the IACP published <a href="http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1887&issue_id=92009">"Forensic Science: a critical concern for police chiefs"</a>. In this article, the IACP endorses the need to "validate the scientific basis of some forensic disciplines--especially pattern evidence disciplines such as fingerprint identification."</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">While the IACP supports several points of the NAS Report, it raises strong concerns and directly opposes some assertions. The NAS Report favors the idea that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">science should be performed by scientific institutes</b>. Not just the research of forensic science but the analysis of evidence, as well. The report recommends that crime laboratories be independent of law enforcement agencies. The IACP "strongly opposes the report's recommendation that crime laboratories and other forensic services should be removed from law enforcement agencies." They raise concerns that "the report was developed without input from law enforcement practitioners." And they "strongly believe that all research and other initiatives designed to study and enhance the delivery of forensic sciences must include the participation of law enforcement practitioners."</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The ideas in the NAS Report are beginning to take root, though. Councilman Phil Mendelson recently introduced a bill to the Washington D.C. Council to create a forensic department independent from the police. Mayor Vince Gray has endorsed the plan. The mayor's Safety Deputy, Paul Quander, describes the need for an independent lab to <a href="http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/dc/2011/02/gray-backs-independent-crime-lab">The Examiner</a>: "Anyone accused of committing a crime facing scientific evidence should be assured that methods of analysis have undergone the scrutiny of scientific peer review and are independent from any real or perceived conflicts of interest."</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Regardless of your opinion on the role of science in policing, you can't ignore the NAS Report. All sides are taking stock in its conclusions. Paul B. Kennedy, an attorney in Houston, tweeted as <a href="http://twitter.com/PaulBKennedy">PaulBKennedy</a> while attending a National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers' seminar in 2010:</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"></div><em>(1 of 3)</em> "Don't be afraid to take on the state's forensics expert."<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"></div><em>(2 of 3)</em> "'...the interpretation of forensic evidence is not infallible.' --NAS"<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"></div><em>(3 of 3)</em> "The current forensic science is NOT based on science. Its just forensics."<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"></div><b>The common ground</b><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">With all the debate, there is one thing everyone seems to agree on. Money. Forensics is under-funded as it is currently operating. If the future becomes focused on change, even more resources will be required. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Science will come at a cost</b>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The same scholars criticizing law enforcement for not effectively examining science acknowledge this. "Medical research in the United States receives more than $28 billion a year in government funding (National Institutes of Health, 2008)... ...Research on dental care in the United States has a federal budget of more than $389 million per year (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 2007). Education research received $167 million in the United States in 2009 (U.S. Department of Education, 2009). However, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the primary U.S. funder of research in criminal justice, had a total budget of only $48 million in fiscal year 2009 and a budget for research and evaluation (in which its policing division is located) of only $13.7 million."</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The IACP endorsed the creation of an entity to establish standards and best practices but also called for that institution to "serve as a funding source for forensic science services". Agreeing with the NAS Report's idea to have an accreditation and certification for forensic sciences, the IACP points out the realities: "the IACP is strongly opposed to proposals that would institute 'mandatory' accreditation/certification requirements in the absence of secure, sustainable, and stable federal assistance funding." Without funding, a mandatory accreditation would bring our nation’s evidence-analysis system to a grinding halt.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Dr. David Hassell, FBI Laboratory Director, described the gap between basic research and its application in solving crimes to <a href="http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100722/full/news.2010.369.html"><i>nature news</i></a> as the "valley of death" because "nobody wants to pay for it, nobody really wants to do it". "That gap needs to be filled by thorough testing of new techniques before they are released to crime labs," says Hassell who is a chemist with a background in this sort of validation.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Even Washington D.C. with its commitment to implementing an independent lab sees the financial challenges. Safety Deputy Quander says, "Given our current fiscal pressures, we may not be able to immediately expand the lab into new services."</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Have an opinion on this matter? Want to get involved? Email me at <a href="mailto:samb@signalscape.com">samb@signalscape.com</a>.</div><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style "><a class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="button_count" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5433479523550061541"></a> <a class="addthis_button_tweet" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5433479523550061541"></a> <a class="addthis_counter addthis_pill_style" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5433479523550061541"></a> </div><script type="text/javascript">
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</script>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-70113171446490071782011-01-27T16:02:00.003-05:002011-04-14T17:06:26.454-04:00Forensic video greatest hits re-release<b>Our list of free forensic video software tools and websites.</b><br />
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In May of last year we published our first list of free software downloads and references to help boost your video-forensic capabilities and know-how. Today we're re-releasing our list with some new hits.<br />
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<b>The Basics</b><br />
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<em>SWGIT Best Practices for Forensic Video Analysis</em> is a PDF document of best practices. The full PDF file is hosted at the <a href="http://www.theiai.org/guidelines/swgit/guidelines/section_7_v1-0.pdf">International Association for Identification</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tswg.gov/subgroups/isf/electronic-evidence/DCCTV_Web_.doc.pdf" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI23F3vVx5hsc5fCoBzPKyUeMCP2aL2NMby1Sq04IymR0IZgv-KCQR6wf2-Lwhk2o-uKZKaz0PmB8cQracLwZPIkK5FCxSuV3LKwnVT6mv5pOvJCxO314k1Nfzz6fS7TAnKscjO3RM9yoi/s400/Clipboard01.jpg" /></a></div><em>Best Practices for the Retrieval of Video Evidence from Digital CCTV Systems</em> is a small waterproof flipbook developed by a number of law enforcement agencies: FBI, NYPD, LAPD, Secret Service to name a few. The book can be ordered through the <a href="http://www.tswg.gov/subgroups/isf/electronic-evidence/retrieval-of-video-cctv.html">Technical Support Working Group</a>, or you can download a PDF of the book from the <a href="http://www.tswg.gov/subgroups/isf/electronic-evidence/DCCTV_Web_.doc.pdf">Technical Support Working Group</a>.<br />
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<em>GSpot</em> tells you what codec you need to open that AVI file, which Windows Media Player is refusing to open. The technical name for it is codec appliance software application. Don't google gspot. Just get the download directly from <a href="http://www.headbands.com/gspot/v26x/index.htm">headbands.com</a>.<br />
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<em>fourcc.org</em> is a great website for finding a video CODEC once you know which one you need. Just find out the FourCC (or four-character code) of your video file using a codec appliance such as <em>GSpot</em> and plug it into <em>fourcc.org's</em> search box at <a href="http://www.fourcc.org/codecs.php">fourcc.org</a>.<br />
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<b>Next Steps</b><br />
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<em>StarWitness Weekly</em> offers weekly emails with the latest news in forensic video and stories of video evidence being used to catch criminals. Check it out at <a href="http://starwitnessweekly.com/">starwitnessweekly.com</a><br />
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When you get a proprietary video file as evidence the file extension may give you some insight on how what player you need to play the file. There are a number of sites that provide information on file extensions: <em>File-Extensions.org</em> claims to be "the source for file extensions information". You can access the site at <a href="http://www.file-extensions.org/">file-extensions.org</a>. <em>Fileinfo.com</em> declares itself as "the file extensions resource". Head over to <a href="http://www.fileinfo.com/">fileinfo.com</a> to search some file extensions. <em>filext.com</em> -- A free online resource by Uniblue -- is another website of file extension information. You can find the site at <a href="http://www.filext.com/">filext.com</a>.<br />
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<em>Media-Geek</em> is an online forensic multimedia community that is a great source for finding proprietary players and codecs you may need. Check out the full site at <a href="http://media-geek.com/">media-geek.com</a>. (You'll need to register and get a password to access the downloads area of the site.)<br />
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In addition to <em>Gspot</em> there are several other codec appliance applications available for free: Download <em>AFREECODEC VT</em> at <a href="http://www.afreecodecvt.com/">www.afreecodecvt.com</a>, <em>MediaInfo</em> at <a href="http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en/Download">mediainfo.sourceforge.net</a>, <em>AVICodec </em> at <a href="http://avicodec.duby.info/">avicodec.duby.info</a> and <em>VideoInspector</em> at <a href="http://www.kcsoftwares.com/index.php?vtb">kcsoftwares.com</a>.<br />
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<b>Deep Cuts</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKS3R3bfs8aRUndhVt0P9IORMPvCvLM3nCFuoyMxaLnhkYUFm1U8de2R9Rs6BKqf7AO8WO3nLvC_g_BpHN_YywlShHIKT4oYqeFyY1xMp9FTAnQmEi2CZSnvVoThyNdmK9c2xGoc-QQPk/s1600/Clipboard02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKS3R3bfs8aRUndhVt0P9IORMPvCvLM3nCFuoyMxaLnhkYUFm1U8de2R9Rs6BKqf7AO8WO3nLvC_g_BpHN_YywlShHIKT4oYqeFyY1xMp9FTAnQmEi2CZSnvVoThyNdmK9c2xGoc-QQPk/s400/Clipboard02.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>The FBI recently put together a video titled <em>Caught on Camera: Best Practices for CCTV Systems</em>. The video comes off as a Hollywood production with narration by Annie Wersching, co-star of the TV show <em>24</em>. But it deals with the realities of CCTV. It shows how the proper setup and installation of CCTV systems helps solve crimes. Watch the video on the <a href="http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2010/march/cctv_032310">FBI's website</a>.<br />
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There are a number of video players that forensic video analysts use: You can find <em>Virtual Dub</em> at <a href="http://virtualdub.sourceforge.net/">virtualdub.sourceforge.net</a>, <em>GOM Media Player</em> at <a href="http://www.gomlab.com/eng/GMP_download.html">gomlab.com</a> and <em>AVIedit</em> at <a href="http://www.am-soft.ru/aviedit.html">am-soft.ru</a>.<br />
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An image tool can be a great help when working with video. <em>IrfanView</em> is an image viewer you can use in place of Windows default image viewer. One thing it enables you to do is open two image files at once for side-by-side comparison. Download it at <a href="http://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm">irfanview.com</a>.<br />
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If you really want to get deep into video files there is <em>AVISynth</em>, a script-based non-linear video editor, available at <a href="http://avisynth.org/">avisynth.org</a> and <em>NFI Defraser</em>, a forensic analysis application for detecting partial or full multimedia files, available at <a href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/defraser">sourceforge.net</a>.<br />
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And finally, the <em>NAS Report - National Academy of Sciences: Strengthening Forensic Science in The United States</em> reviews various areas of forensics including: fingerprint, DNA, tire tracks, shoeprints, bloodstain, and firearms to name a few. The report includes some information on digital and multimedia forensic analysis as an "emerging forensic science" but does not specifically address video evidence. It does, however, make recommendations for strengthening our nation's forensic science practices. You can read the report at the <a href="http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12589">books.nap.edu</a> website.<br />
<hr /><b><em>Sponsored by <a href="http://starwitness.com/">StarWitness.com</a> -- free software demo 888-685-2100</em></b>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-31297506821154493092011-01-25T14:32:00.004-05:002011-04-14T17:06:35.376-04:00Forensic video vigilanteWe've certainly seen the gamut of law enforcement using social media and the web to release pictures and video of suspects from video evidence. But victims using these techniques is a newer twist. Social media puts the power of broadcasting into the hands of anyone. And one victim, Jimmy Minh Do, decided to use it. <br />
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"There's cameras everywhere and there's social media everywhere now, too", he says.<br />
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He got the video surveillance of his car being vandalized in the parking garage where he lives through his home owners' association. He then posted it on Facebook with the message: "On Saturday at 3:30 AM four guys wrecked my place, my elevator, and kicked a bunch of cars in my garage. They were mad they weren't let into my place. I was asleep at the time and have no idea who they are. Please help me identify them." The criminals vandalized three cars in all including Do's and another victim's.<br />
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After posting the surveillance footage, Do received tips via text and e-mail. People identified some of the suspects in the video as Colorado University football players. Do sent the information and surveillance video to the Denver Police Department.<br />
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Three of the suspects were confirmed to be Colorado University football players as reported by <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/cu/ci_17163673"><em>The Denver Post</em></a>. Do updated his Facebook page stating that the four criminals agreed to pay damages and he wasn't pursuing charges. <br />
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Colorado's <em>9 News</em> coverage of the story...<br />
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<hr /><b>Sponsored by <a href="http://starwitness.com/">StarWitness.com</a> -- free software demo 888-685-2100</b>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-63385338108830495402011-01-10T16:27:00.009-05:002011-04-14T17:06:44.908-04:00Video trail<em>Sponsored by <a href="http://starwitness.com">StarWitness.com</a> -- free software demo 888-685-2100</em><br />
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John Wheeler, a former presidential aide, left a trail of video evidence in the days before his death. Wheeler's body was found the morning of December 30, 2010 when a garbage truck emptied at the end of its route. Authorities have labeled his death a murder and are investigating. Five main events lead up to the time of his death. Based upon video evidence of the last event he was known to be alive around 8:30 p.m. of the evening prior to his body being found. Police released surveillance video from another of the five events and the locations of two of the other events are known to have video surveillance systems. Following is a list of video evidence of the events.<br />
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(The <em>Washington Post</em> has created a map of the events: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2011/01/05/GR2011010507037.html">link to map</a>.)<br />
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<b>December 28, 2010</b><br />
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Wheeler is believed to have been on an Amtrak train returning from Washington to Wilmington, DE on December 28, 2010.<br />
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<b>December 29, 2010</b><br />
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Wheeler is seen near his home at Happy Harry's Pharmacy in New Castle, DE at about 6 p.m on December 29, 2010. Happy Harry's Pharmacy has a video surveillance system but there is no confirmed report that police have collected the video evidence. The <a href="http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110105/NEWS01/101050356/Delaware-crime-In-Wheeler-s-final-1days-details-of-a-disheveled-man"><em>Deleware Online</em> reported</a>: "The Happy Harry's drugstore in New Castle also has video surveillance at its pharmacy counter, and was cooperating with police..."<br />
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About an hour later on the evening of December 29th, Wheeler shows up at the HyPark parking garage in Wilmington, DE. Police released surveillance video showing Wheeler at the parking garage. Reports from interviews with the parking attendant indicate Wheeler was disheveled, disoriented and claiming he was robbed. He shows up on the video surveillance at around 6:42 p.m., according to the video surveillance clock. He's carrying one of his shoes.<br />
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<b>December 30, 2010</b><br />
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"'About 3:30 p.m. Thursday, John P. Wheeler III, 66, was seen in Wilmington in the area of 10th and Orange streets by a member of the public', said Newark police spokesman Lt. Mark Farrall." The Newark police could not say how they "verified that Wheeler was at the intersection", but according to an <a href="http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011101050356">article in the <em>Deleware Online</em></a>: "there is a video surveillance camera mounted at the corner of the DuPont Building overlooking the street crossing".<br />
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Later that day, around 8:30 p.m. in the evening, video evidence shows Wheeler inside the Nemours Building located at the intersection of 10th and Orange streets. Police <a href="http://www.cityofnewarkde.us/archives/39/010511%20Update%20Wheeler%20Homicide%20(2).pdf">issued a statement</a> indicating that Wheeler appears confused on the video. This was the last time Wheeler was known to be alive.Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-8874605135755079192011-01-06T16:49:00.055-05:002011-04-14T17:06:52.469-04:00DVR fail<em>Sponsored by <a href="http://starwitness.com/">StarWitness.com</a> -- free software demo 888-685-2100</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkLdOOHv_iFtlVDG3YKN-VqTWhbUlTaknX1sg7mKVhqO07xM4jR7zLWTluYuqbNXr02pmZvXyHqzGcnLpguYcWsOt7hrEHQYfaO7X4ATREEwSkyRNgWyvgjLpf4zoqiPdCRihm205NIBV/s1600/dvrfail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkLdOOHv_iFtlVDG3YKN-VqTWhbUlTaknX1sg7mKVhqO07xM4jR7zLWTluYuqbNXr02pmZvXyHqzGcnLpguYcWsOt7hrEHQYfaO7X4ATREEwSkyRNgWyvgjLpf4zoqiPdCRihm205NIBV/s400/dvrfail.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>An old DVR in a Chinese restaurant -- chugging along. When you try to open the CD drive to collect the video evidence, you realize it's glued shut with grease. Crimes commonly occur in these not-so-clean places. And many occur in places where DVRs fair better: banks, hotels, retail stores and grocery stores. Even in these clean places, though, DVRs fail. Like when a grocery store’s DVR has a hard drive bite the dust before the police can get out to the scene to do the collection.<br />
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In a recent online discussion, one security sales professional states that after two years there is a 50% chance that a DVR will either need replacing or a require repairs so expensive that it will usually justify a replacement. He points to environment as a big factor. He claims DVR manufacturers offer warranties but commonly deny the warranty claims citing power surges, dust damage or liquid damage. This causes customers to replace the DVR rather than pay for repairs. Simple things such as using a power-surge protector and placing the DVR in a clean area can help extend the life of a DVR.<br />
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During the same online discussion, a number of representatives of CCTV manufacturers recount knowledge of older DVRs in the field, hundreds in fact, some up to seven years old. 2004, in other words. NASA's <em>Spirit</em> and <em>Opportunity</em> spacecrafts landed on Mars, Facebook was founded, a jet reached the speed record of Mach 9.6 and the world's tallest bridge was opened in France. That all sounds cutting edge. But consider the most popular computer operating system: Windows XP, two years old at the time. Windows Vista wasn't released for another three years, in 2007. DVRs three-to-seven years old were manufactured during the days of Windows XP, meaning they assume whomever collects the evidence and later plays back the video is using this software. If you're wondering what that means when you're running a newer version of Windows, such as Windows 7, have a look at the <em>Video Scene Magazine</em> article <a href="http://videoscenemagazine.blogspot.com/2010/12/playing-proprietary-video-evidence-with.html">"Playing proprietary videos with Windows 7"</a>.<br />
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<b>You get what you pay for</b><br />
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A number of security professionals agree that PC-based DVRs generally fail sooner than embedded DVRs. This is due to PC-based DVRs having more moving parts. Open a simpler embedded DVR and you won't find many parts. The main components include: a main circuit board, a hard drive and possibly optical drive, a power supply and I/O for devices and users.<br />
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A low-quality DVR may be more susceptible to failures of the main circuit board. But, according to online discussions, the parts of an average-quality or better DVR are inclined to fail in the following order: first the hard drive; second a button, switch or display; third the power supply and finally the main circuit board.<br />
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In today's world computer hard-drive failures seem common. And are commonly followed by, "You did backup all of our pictures didn't you?" Studies on hard-drive reliability give us some insights on what causes the failures. Things like drive age, drive size and temperature are factors. One study by Google found drive failure rates in the first year of operation to be 1.7%, in the second year 8% and in the third year 8.6%. But age isn't always bad. One study found some older drive models to be more reliable because they were sturdier, also known as, "they just don't make them like they used to.” Typically, larger hard drives have more moving parts, making them more susceptible to failure. Another factor is temperature. When a hard drive runs at a higher temperature it's more likely to fail. To appeal to users who want to use hard drives for a greater than average number of years, hard-drive manufacturers offer enterprise-class drives. A DVR that uses enterprise-class drives and has a case designed with proper airflow should be much less prone to hard drive failure. <br />
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<b>The future of DVR fail</b><br />
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Failure is not the only thing driving sales of new DVRs. New features also prompt users toward a purchasing a new unit. Just like businesses wanted to get rid of the VCRs in their CCTV setups when DVRs came out, they now want to move to networked DVRs for benefits such as remote monitoring. One security professional says, "The original non-networked embedded DVR... only place left for it is on the Island of Misfit Toys... nobody wants it anymore, but it still works fine."<br />
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Interestingly, networked DVR units are experiencing a high rate of returns due to complexity. If the user can't troubleshoot networking issues, which may not be caused by the DVR, they think the DVR itself is not working properly. Some manufacturers don't yet have technical support that can properly troubleshoot a networking issue with a user, so the DVR ends up being returned to the manufacturer.<br />
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When it comes to video evidence, we must focus on the past, present and future. Equipment from the past still hits our desks -- many of us still getting VHS tapes. At the same time, we're seeing new DVRs that have only one or two data ports, some with minimal buttons. It's a continual challenge for law enforcement to be ready to deal with any type of video evidence collection and forensic video analysis, but the preparation pays off.<br />
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Video evidence has hit a new milestone in pop culture: a "top ten list". The <em>Houston Press</em> published a list of top ten celebrities burned by video evidence over the past decade. It includes the home video of David Hasselhoff rolling around drunk on the floor, a jail confession from Tom Sizemore and more. The last two items on the list are Tiger Woods' voice mail begging, "take your name off your phone, just have it as a number" and the recording of Mel Gibson losing it, which are, as we all know, technically audio evidence.<br />
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Check out the full list at <a href="http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/12/top_ten_celebrities_who_crashed_and_burned.php">Top ten celebrities this decade who crashed and burned with video evidence</a>.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OEkomaBTppY?fs=1" width="480"></iframe>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-22094814663650226712011-01-05T15:53:00.004-05:002011-03-01T16:35:39.761-05:00Digital in-car camera standards<em>Sponsored by <a href="http://starwitness.com">StarWitness.com</a> -- free software demo 888-685-2100</em><br />
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The DOJ is currently seeking comments on proposed standards for digital video cameras for police vehicles. They're interested in feedback on things such as the testing of the cameras and rules of evidence.<br />
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The official name of the program is the Vehicular Digital Multimedia Evidence Recording System (VDMERS) Standard for Law Enforcement.<br />
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Here's a link to an article on <em>governmentvideo.com</em>: <a href="http://www.governmentvideo.com/article/101678">Police Vehicle Digital Camera Standards Proposed</a><br />
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Link to the announcement on the <em>Federal Register</em>: <a href="http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2010/12/15/2010-31486/vehicular-digital-multimedia-evidence-recording-system-vdmers-standard-for-law-enforcement#p-3">Vehicular Digital Multimedia Evidence...</a>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-24700880019604255942010-12-22T15:43:00.011-05:002011-03-01T16:36:23.610-05:00Deliberate with digital evidence<em>Sponsored by <a href="http://starwitness.com/">StarWitness.com</a> -- free software demo 888-685-2100</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje045rud1MArvUSc1_XqqkWuzinRoaEHYVKjV_P7nC1133KXdjgipKE6NRj5Y17TuIWrFSqYMZZLSij01n7WN8MoMZyICp6-FrMyMAX54aOBq8l330JNdalPdyO6AdV3rRR1KOnDoQWH7o/s1600/Clipboard02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje045rud1MArvUSc1_XqqkWuzinRoaEHYVKjV_P7nC1133KXdjgipKE6NRj5Y17TuIWrFSqYMZZLSij01n7WN8MoMZyICp6-FrMyMAX54aOBq8l330JNdalPdyO6AdV3rRR1KOnDoQWH7o/s200/Clipboard02.jpg" width="156" /></a></div>A recent appeal in Indiana claimed the court should provide the jury with the ability to examine digital evidence during deliberations. The digital evidence in the case included three CD-ROMs containing a series of digital photos. In the appeal the plaintiff, Paul Arlton, a patient who received eye surgery from the defendant, claimed that the digital format of images of his retina would have aided the jury during deliberations. He claimed that the digital images provided more detail than the smaller, printed copies, which were the only form of the evidence available to the jury during deliberations.<br />
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The Court of Appeals of Indiana agreed.<br />
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The opinion from the Court of Appeals of Indiana opinion states that the "jury should not have been precluded from accessing the digital exhibits". The opinion addresses some of the practical issues with giving the jury access to the digital format of the evidence, for example, potential unintended issues with giving the jury access to a computer to view the images. The jury could misuse the computer to access extraneous information. The opinion suggests that evidence be transformed into a medium that is accessible without a computer or provide the jury with a 'clean' computer that contains no other information and no access to the Internet.<br />
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If this ruling stands for other cases and all types of digital evidence it brings up some good questions for digital video evidence.<br />
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Full opinion from <a href="http://www.in.gov/judiciary/opinions/pdf/11091003pdm.pdf">Court of Appeals of Indiana</a>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-21948690286175047542010-12-20T13:54:00.032-05:002011-04-14T17:07:22.028-04:00Be advised: video presents the facts<i>Sponsored by <a href="http://starwitness.com/">StarWitness.com</a> -- free software demo 888-685-2100</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZXjSzyVLtAf03sDlEDPFypWpVFNJ0H0N3THJsyNsV7DmBSjA0kkCs3nwP3FaefWe7uJqchAchEf7uuxYgfsAvj_Edxo9i8G8Pte1YocrcFGg_u_cyF5HCCprbD-WBblVD8vo0P8oAPAh/s1600/Clipboard13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZXjSzyVLtAf03sDlEDPFypWpVFNJ0H0N3THJsyNsV7DmBSjA0kkCs3nwP3FaefWe7uJqchAchEf7uuxYgfsAvj_Edxo9i8G8Pte1YocrcFGg_u_cyF5HCCprbD-WBblVD8vo0P8oAPAh/s1600/Clipboard13.jpg" /></a></div>Video evidence can be a great storyteller. A storyteller of the truth, revealing the scene exactly as it occurred. One such visual truth telling benefited the prosecution when video evidence revealed missing pieces in the story of a case involving drug possession with intent to distribute. The video evidence became "the most important evidence the government presented to the jury" according to the opinion on the case's appeal; <i>US v. Jose Santos Morin, US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 09-40702</i>. At the same time, in this case, along with acknowledgement of the importance of the video evidence, the opinion offers some cautions on the analysis and interpretation of that video evidence.<br />
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On January 20, 2009 at the Falfurrias, Texas U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint a trained canine nose raises concerns outside a white trailer pulled by a red tractor-truck. After a secondary inspection by drug dogs the driver of the tractor, Jose Santos Morin, consents to a search. A U.S. Border Patrol Agent opens the rear of the trailer. His canine partner enters, jumping onto stacks of produce boxes. Inside the boxes layers of cabbage leaves wilt in their attempt to hide large black bundles. Bundles containing a harvest from a different plant. The trailer contains 284 bundles in all: a total of 9,146 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $7.3m.<br />
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Morin claims to have no idea how it got there. The passenger, Juan Manuel Hernandez, presents a bill of lading to Border Patrol Agents. The bill of lading states they're hauling cabbage from ISPE produce warehouse to Houston, Texas.<br />
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<b>The DEA investigates</b><br />
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DEA Agents Suzanne Minnick and Xavier Bedoya arrive and interview Morin about the sequence of events leading to his arrest. In his statements to the agents, Morin claims Hernandez recruits him to drive a tractor pulling a trailer loaded with cabbage on the evening prior to his arrival at the checkpoint. He claims their route was from Mission, Texas to Houston. Morin says a friend calls a cab to pick him up and bring him to a Jack in the Box restaurant for the rendezvous with Hernandez. He claims Hernandez arrives later, around 12 a.m., driving the tractor pulling the trailer. From there they head straight to Falfurris, Texas stopping only for gas in Encino where Morin takes over the driving.<br />
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The DEA agents find a receipt in Hernandez's wallet from the evening of the departure. It's from a place neither Morin nor Hernandez mention in their interviews: a Stripes convenience store in Mission. This is where video evidence enters the picture. Agents Minnick and Bedoya obtain video from the Stripes store -- 16 cameras worth, 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after the time listed on the receipt. Analysis of the video evidence launches the agents on a path to the truth.<br />
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The video shows a tale of a tractor-trailer switch-off. Around 10 p.m. on January 19, 2009 a tractor pulling a white trailer, similar to the trailer Morin was pulling when arrested, backs away from the gas pump area and parks. Soon after, a second tractor, a red one similar to the one Morin was driving when arrested, arrives and pulls up to a pump.<br />
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The first tractor detaches its trailer and pulls to a different pump. Then the red tractor backs up and connects to the white trailer. Agent testimony also notes the video importantly shows that during this trailer switch a person "who appeared to be Morin inside the store" is making purchases.<br />
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When things go to trial Morin's story changes. He admits being at the store during the time of the video and testifies with his new story.<br />
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<b>Morin's new story</b><br />
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Morin testifies that on the evening before his arrest Hernandez picks Morin up at his house and drives him to the Stripes store in the red tractor -- the same tractor Morin was driving when he was arrested. Morin testifies that there is no trailer attached when Hernandez picks him up. At the Stripes store they fuel the tractor, still without trailer, and Morin heads inside to get food and drinks. When he comes out of the store he runs into an acquaintance. The acquaintance drives him to his house because he wants to say goodbye to his family and he later meets up with Hernandez to drive with him.<br />
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But the court didn't buy it and with the video and other evidence Morin is convicted. The value of interest in the video evidence doesn't end there. We have something else to learn.<br />
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<b>Morin's appeal</b><br />
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Morin appeals his conviction with one of his objections challenging Agent Minnick's testimony regarding the surveillance video from the Stripes convenience store. Morin claims that Minnick crosses a critical line in her analysis of the video evidence. He claims she uses the video to make an impermissible comparison between a drug profile and himself. In the appeal's corresponding opinion, the judges offer some explanation of crossing this line. They explain that evidence should present only facts, thus, testifying to a defendant's state of mind rather than the facts is not allowed. Describing behavior common to the drug-trafficking trade <i>is</i> allowed. Explaining what a defendant was thinking <i>is not</i> allowed. Here's an example from a different case: an agent testified that a "defendant 'must have known he was carrying drugs' because he falsified the log book"; <i>Ramirez Velasquez, 2003</i>.<br />
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In Morin's case the appeal opinion indicates that Minnick did transition from giving background testimony about how drug organizations work to describing her "theory" of the surveillance video from the Stripes convenience store. The judges ruled that Minnick was entitled to provide a summary of the video testimony and her expert opinion of it (under federal rule of evidence 1006). But she should <i>not</i> have offered the opinion that based on her interpretation, "after everyone met at the pumps at the Stripes station, Morin and Hernandez backed up the 'already loaded' trailer that had been delivered to the Stripes station and attached that trailer to Hernandez's tractor."<br />
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Amid their ruling that Minnick crossed a line at one point in her testimony, the judges point to numerous witnesses presented by the prosecution. They herald the video evidence as the most important evidence the government presents to the jury. They acknowledge Morin admitted being at the store during the time of the video. They point to numerous facts all showing that Morin's story can't be corroborated. Employees of the produce warehouse testified that the bill of lading was forged. An employee of the Stripes convenience store testified regarding the receipt and security cameras. The owner of the cab company that Morin claimed picked him up testified that none of his drivers had any record of a passenger in the area of Morin's address on that evening. Morin wouldn't provide correct contact information for either the friend he claimed took him home from the Stripes store or the friend he claimed called the cab for him.<br />
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The judges explain that the jury was well entitled to infer from the video that Morin was present when the trailer containing the marijuana was attached. The jury was also entitled to consider the suspicious circumstance of picking up a supposed load of produce at a gas station and to consider all the other evidence. In the end the judgement of conviction was affirmed. The opinion states, given the volume of the evidence produced by the government "we are persuaded that Morin has failed to demonstrate a reasonable probability that trial would have had a different outcome".<br />
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This opinion does, however, leave those testifying to video evidence to consider how careful they must be in presenting the facts and not extending to "theories" or opinion on what is going on in the minds of those in the video. Presenting video evidence means presenting only the facts shown by that video evidence.Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-30386620314564906842010-12-10T16:39:00.003-05:002011-04-14T17:07:32.289-04:00CODEC H-E-Double-Hockey-SticksWe didn't say it, Wikipedia did. Wikipedia's article on Windows' DirectShow contains a section titled after the place you might sometimes feel you've been sent: CODEC hell.<br />
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DirectShow is Microsoft Windows' underlying multimedia framework. Windows calls on DirectShow to do things like play video and audio. Most people assume computers now play any type of video or audio right out of the box. However we deal with so many types of video we know that's not the case. <br />
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We recently had a call from someone new to the world of video evidence. They understood AVI to be a standard video format. It's not. That's right. If you didn't realize it, AVI is a standard file <em>container</em> not a standard video file format.<br />
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Here is the shake down on AVI.<br />
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Being a standard file container means that an AVI file can be opened by any program that works with the AVI format. Let's use Windows Media Player. WMP opens an AVI and looks at the video contained in the file to determine its type of compression. If can play that type of video: it does. And if it can't? It throws you a not-at-all-useful error message.<br />
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How do we cope? We need CODECS, the cure all for opening a compressed video file. Once Windows Media Player determines the type of video in the AVI file it then looks for the matching CODEC on your computer. You can think of CODECS as keys that allow your computer to unlock various types of compressed video. Each type of compressed video requires its own key. And just like my key ring is different from your key ring so is each computer's key ring of CODECS. My computer may have different CODECS than your computer, which explains why the AVI file the detective claimed wouldn't play (on his computer) played with no problems on your StarWitness computer. There are more CODECS loaded onto our StarWitness systems than the typical office computer.<br />
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No matter how cool, new, high-tech or video-enabled your computer is, you'll still run into a video you can't play. You'll know you don't have the right CODEC when you get that not-at-all-useful error message from Windows Media Player. What to do? Get a CODEC Appliance. (It's a fancy name for free software. One CODEC Appliance is <a href="http://www.headbands.com/gspot/">GSpot</a>. Once again, I didn't say it, or name, it in this case.) When you open an AVI file in GSpot you'll get the name of the CODEC. Then you can google to find a free download. Once you install the downloaded CODEC, the video should play.<br />
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Should doesn't mean always will.<br />
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CODEC woes don't always end with a simple install and download. If you work with CODECS long enough you'll see some "strange behaviors". (Not just your own strange behaviors: strange behaviors of your computer.) These could be a video opening in one program, such as Windows Media Player, but not opening in another, such as importing into Freezeframe. Or reinstalling a video CODEC, which you <em>know</em> had previously worked fine on your system, and discovering it is haywire the second time around. Even the experienced, technically savvy and computer nerdiest among us just want CODECS to go away sometimes. Many times these deeper CODEC issues involve something so dear to Windows' heart: the Windows Registry. If you end up stuck with a serious CODEC issue you may need help repairing your Windows Registry. Give us a call 1-877-674-3031.<br />
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And now you have background knowledge for understanding Wikipedia's explaination of CODEC hell, or at least you should enjoy the fact that "nuclear arms race" is used in the description.<br />
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"Codec hell (a term derived from DLL hell) is when multiple DirectShow filters conflict for performing the same task. A large number of companies now develop codecs in the form of DirectShow filters, resulting in the presence of several filters that can decode the same media type. This issue is further exacerbated by DirectShow's merit system, where filter implementations end up competing with one another by registering themselves with increasingly elevated priority.<br />
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"Microsoft's Ted Youmans explained that '[DirectShow] was based on the merit system, with the idea being that, using a combination of the filter’s merit and how specific the media type/sub type is, one could reasonably pick the right codec every time. It wasn't really designed for a competing merit nuclear arms race.'<br />
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"A tool to help in the troubleshooting of "codec hell" issues usually referenced is the GSpot Codec Information Appliance, which can be useful in determining what codec is used to render video files in AVI and other containers. GraphEdit can also help understanding the sequence of filters that DirectShow is using to render the media file. Codec hell can be resolved by manually building filter graphs, using a media player that supports ignoring or overriding filter merits, or by using a filter manager that changes filter merits in the Windows Registry."<br />
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There is hope. Some market surveys paint a picture of a future with fewer compression standards in use by the surveillance industry. But for now we have to deal with all of them odd-balls as many as they are.Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-14442126268323157222010-12-10T16:29:00.000-05:002011-03-01T16:36:52.954-05:00Video evidence everywhere<div class="indented">"The advent of video-in-your pocket camcorders and cellphones, and the proliferation of surveillance camers, mean that events that once would have gone unrecorded are preserved for posterity--and, inevitably for trial."</div><br />
An article recently published by the <em>New York Times</em> discusses the prevailance of video evidence. It explains the effect of video evidence on juries and rulings, as well as offers some predictions.<br />
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In the article, Professor Cassell, a former federal judge now teaching at the University of Utah, anticipates that in the future video evidence may need masking of parts of frames to ensure that the video has “'a laserlike focus on probative parts of the tape and exclusion of irrelevant parts of the tape.'”<br />
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Link to the <em>New York Times</em> article: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/09/us/09jury.html?src=twrhp">"With Video Everywhere, Stark Evidence Is on Trial"</a>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-28335782454114524162010-12-07T16:51:00.002-05:002011-03-01T16:37:04.200-05:00Need funding for forensic equipment?<em>(Sponsored by <a href="http://starwitness.com">StarWitness.com</a> -- free software demo 888-685-2100)</em><br />
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There's a good article in the November <em>Law Enforcement Technology</em> that discusses how to apply for grants to purchase forensic equipment. They cite two grant programs that we know have been successful in securing funding for forensic video equipment: Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program.<br />
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Link to the <em>Law Enforcement Technology</em> article: <a href="http://www.officer.com/print/Law-Enforcement-Technology/Funds-for-forensics/1$55656">"Funds for Forensics"</a><br />
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Link to more information on the JAG grant program (estimate due date June 2011): <a href="http://www.policegrantshelp.com/edward-byrne-memorial-justice-assistance-grant/">JAG Grants at policegrantshelp.com</a><br />
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Link to more information on the Coverdell grant program (estimate due date May 2011): <a href="http://www.policegrantshelp.com/grants/2044772-Paul-Coverdell-Forensic-Science-Improvement-Grants-Program/">Paul Coverdell grants at policegrantshelp.com</a>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-28751985524638070952010-12-07T16:50:00.002-05:002011-03-01T16:37:12.335-05:00Caught in the act by phone app<em>(Sponsored by <a href="http://starwitness.com">StarWitness.com</a> -- free software demo 888-685-2100)</em><br />
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One man's video surveillance system e-mailed him a photograph showing a someone's head peeking around the corner of his backyard. He checked the live video feed though his phone's app and saw "two guys rummaging around." He called the police and put one technology-driven-citizen-activism case on the books.<br />
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Here's a link to then entire article at MercuryNews.com: <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_16769952?source=most_emailed">San Jose man uses surveillance app on iPhone...</a>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-58581524872659192062010-12-07T16:49:00.002-05:002011-03-01T16:37:29.823-05:00TV show airs on the side of reality<em>(Sponsored by <a href="http://starwitness.com">StarWitness.com</a> -- free software demo 888-685-2100)</em><br />
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Every fictitious TV show we've seen exaggerates what can be done with video evidence. <em>Castle</em> got it right in one scene. "In the real world zoom and enhance can only get us so far."<br />
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<object width="460" height="277"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PaMdXjTn9rc?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PaMdXjTn9rc?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="460" height="277"></embed></object>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-17830040058835875572010-12-03T12:17:00.001-05:002011-03-01T16:37:39.928-05:00Mistaken identity based on video evidenceWrong man arrested because he looked like the mask the criminal wore in the video evidence.<br />
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Here's the link: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1334726/Conrad-Zdzierak-white-man-pleads-guilty-wearing-black-man-disguise-robberies.html">The white robber who carried out six raids...</a>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-64223134764087189512010-12-03T10:05:00.003-05:002014-01-09T11:52:55.488-05:00Playing proprietary videos with Windows 7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8by2BmMAc8CqeNSsyMkzhZZWXyzfy1QSwSD9u1f11TxtS6t-Cw5K0mts2ha-qQgKXMaSSRtYuz8Ehl5nTeXxPUZutayvfa9yXYtzvBemGolc7AXN9B897M3CEe7FD0f4hnLT_srSPRo3/s1600/WIN7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8by2BmMAc8CqeNSsyMkzhZZWXyzfy1QSwSD9u1f11TxtS6t-Cw5K0mts2ha-qQgKXMaSSRtYuz8Ehl5nTeXxPUZutayvfa9yXYtzvBemGolc7AXN9B897M3CEe7FD0f4hnLT_srSPRo3/s1600/WIN7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8by2BmMAc8CqeNSsyMkzhZZWXyzfy1QSwSD9u1f11TxtS6t-Cw5K0mts2ha-qQgKXMaSSRtYuz8Ehl5nTeXxPUZutayvfa9yXYtzvBemGolc7AXN9B897M3CEe7FD0f4hnLT_srSPRo3/s1600/WIN7.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>There's a murder at a local restaurant. During the investigation you discover there a digital video surveillance system. The restaurant installed the surveillance system in 2003, and it's been recording since. You recover the video footage by working with the restaurant owner to burn a CD from the video system. The owner tells you that the CD contains the video file and the proprietary software player that plays the video. When you try to view the video on your new computer you get an error message when you try to install the player. Why?<br />
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Your new computer is running Windows 7. The proprietary video player on the CD was created in 2002 prior to being installed at the restaurant. Windows 7 didn't exist in 2002. Thus, the video player software was not developed or tested for newer versions of Windows.<br />
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With Windows XP becoming extinct we decided to take a closer look at Windows 7 and proprietary video players. We tested 33 proprietary video players for installation and video playback under Windows 7. We also evaluated the ability and reliability of screen recording, a step necessary to proceed with a full analysis of the video.<br />
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We were able to install and run 31 of the 33 proprietary video players on Windows 7 without even putting on our thinking caps.<br />
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Great news. But that left some players requiring more than just click and play.<br />
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Here’s an example. When installing the Image Vault Player v8.6.0 on Windows 7 we got the following error message:<br />
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<div class="indented">The version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows you're running. Check your computer's system information to see whether you need an x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version of the program, and then contact the software publisher.</div><br />
What to do? (Hint: We didn't check our computer's system information or contact the software publisher.)<br />
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<b>Go XP Mode</b><br />
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Windows XP Mode is Windows 7's answer to making older applications compatible. Windows XP Mode is new. It's based upon Microsoft’s Virtual PC technology. Windows XP Mode is essentially a copy of Windows XP 32-bit running on a virtual computer within Windows 7.<br />
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A legacy software application installed to Windows 7 in Windows XP Mode is available to run from the Desktop or Start Menu as if it is a Windows 7 application. The leggacy application looks and acts just like it is a Windows 7 application, but behind the scenes it is hosted in a virtual machine. This is done automatically by Windows 7 without anyone creating, maintaining, or starting up a virtual environment. (For the record, <em>Windows XP Mode</em> is not the only way to create a Virtual PC. You could use Windows Virtual PC, <a href="http://www.vmware.com/">VMWare Player</a> or Oracle <a href="http://www.virtualbox.org/">VirtualBox</a>.)<br />
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<b>Run as administrator</b><br />
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Here’s another situation. When we tested the Sungjin video player it installed fine under Windows 7 but gave an error when we attempted to open the video to play it<br />
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The video could not be opened as a limited user. We ran the player using <em>Run as administrator</em>.<br />
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In Windows XP and prior versions of Windows all users were, by default, administrators on the system. This gave them the power to do anything they needed to do to their computer. This also gave many software applications and web sites the power to do anything they wanted to do to the system including installing malware such as Trojan horses and viruses. (Oops!)<br />
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To keep these problems at bay Microsoft recommended that Windows XP users create non-administrator accounts for their daily usage and use administrator accounts with discretion. Unfortunately, many software applications still required access to the administrator resources and would not run properly, which meant everyone just ran as administrator disregarding Microsoft's recomendations. The security vulnerability remained at large.<br />
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Windows 7 has a new security model called <em>User Access Control</em> where applications are not allowed to run with administrator privileges. In order for the user to run a software application that requires administrative privileges, such as our legacy proprietary video player application, Windows 7 provides a <em>Run as administrator</em> capability. As with any program that attempts to access privileged resources, the user is prompted for administrator account credentials.<br />
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<em>Windows XP Mode</em> and <em>Run as Administrator</em> resolved the installation and playing issues with the Image Vault Player and the Sungjin video players. In the case of two other players the roadblock occurred when attempting to screen record the videos.<br />
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<b>Old screen-recording tricks die hard</b><br />
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If you know anything about screen recording -- the process of capturing the video from the screen as it plays in the proprietary player -- you know it's important for performing a thorough forensic video analysis. And you likely know there are some tricks to ensuring good results with some players. The tricks aim to prevent black screen recordings where you record the video and when you play it back all you see is blank video.<br />
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In the Windows XP world, the two tricks of disabeling hardware acceleration and locking the video card overlay surfaces would clear up the issue. Both of these force the proprietary video player to perform software rendering, which then allows the screen recorder to capture the video, rather than just a blank view.<br />
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The March Networks DVRPlayer v4.1 and McdPlayer (by an unknown manufacturer) are examples of players that install and run fine under Windows 7 but when screen recorded the result is a black screen. These players write directly to the video card, which makes it difficult for screen capture applications to capture their output.<br />
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Windows XP allows the user to disable writes directly to the video card, forcing applications to use software rendering, but most Windows 7 drivers do not support this feature. The workaround is <em>Windows XP Mode</em>. <em>Windows XP Mode</em> does not support hardware acceleration, thus, players are forced into software rendering mode and the screen recorder application is able to capture. Fortunately, both of these players support software rendering and were therefore screen-recordable with <em>Windows XP Mode</em>. If they didn't we might have been stuck. None of the 33 players we tested fell under this condition but there could be a player out there that isn't screen-recordable with <em>Windows XP Mode</em>.<br />
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<b>If all else fails get a newer player</b><br />
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One obvious remedy is to use a newer version of the player software. A new version of the player released after the advent of Windows 7 should work.<br />
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An example is the Intellex Player version 2.2. We successfully installed this player on Windows 7, but it crashed when we tried to run it. We found the Intellex Player version 3.1. It installed and played video fine under Windows 7, and we were able to screen record the video with no problems.<br />
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Manufacturer websites and <a href="http://media-geek.com/">media-geek.com</a> are good sources for downloading an up-to-date player.<br />
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Overall, things look promising for proprietary players and Windows 7. There are still some headaches, as there are with many things in transition. But there are some good solutions as well.<br />
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NOTE: We ran all tests using Windows 7 Professional 64 bit on a Dell Precision T3400 with 4GB of RAM and tested screen recording using <a href="http://starwitnessinfo.com/">StarWitness</a> FreezeFrame.Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-42784137217306573752010-05-28T10:47:00.001-04:002011-03-01T16:40:56.392-05:00How sharp is your eye?<span style="font-weight:bold;">Can you spot them?</span> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVkDlJpz0d24QA1QKSPX53nzCXKSWa5U-JoATlqF61OWdLGaREQRV-pvbhNKUfdsgYdnKeCsULiS0m4zmGf2sJE3-zpuwYwH5e46wOaKobXU4BcEknOqD3-aWRBzUP1D4zWy83rnRH-n8/s1600/Durham17.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 574px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVkDlJpz0d24QA1QKSPX53nzCXKSWa5U-JoATlqF61OWdLGaREQRV-pvbhNKUfdsgYdnKeCsULiS0m4zmGf2sJE3-zpuwYwH5e46wOaKobXU4BcEknOqD3-aWRBzUP1D4zWy83rnRH-n8/s400/Durham17.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476333105922233394" /></a><br />
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<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwa2qpSbXmHT7CxaNCzwJrKLE4pZqsMwgex4U8Yzf5CQBh49PMGGMAWx1-Y6xhsBfcnjsx6qH0dtM_TCmFw1J-swjY1g2mui4lGHSbWL17afbsitvmS1F3DzuChRZTcZDo2kuXJW1aMwQF/s1600/Durham18.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 574px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwa2qpSbXmHT7CxaNCzwJrKLE4pZqsMwgex4U8Yzf5CQBh49PMGGMAWx1-Y6xhsBfcnjsx6qH0dtM_TCmFw1J-swjY1g2mui4lGHSbWL17afbsitvmS1F3DzuChRZTcZDo2kuXJW1aMwQF/s400/Durham18.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476333206240419922" /></a> <span style="font-weight:bold;">Any little detail could be case-breaking evidence. So peel your eyes and take a look at the two images to the right. There are SEVEN differences.</span> Scroll down for answers... <br />
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Answers : backpack buckle, backpack strap, reflection in sunglasses, hair, dot on tie, sock,leaf.Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-9456439523230386662010-05-28T10:32:00.003-04:002011-03-03T16:33:04.438-05:00Survey Says...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRmylKtW6s6QlD7Mk-oAsxRv6mJoWSbYsho6_HuNCRDXz0ZC6jkBPvBPSPg5JCCsBvFnYr1i_1JlnmoaCAqYpHcsAmzFDySlqVKWELFUTbwDSLrM8dAXAOxgffdZC3BG08WPdHlOsWCN6/s1600/Durham10.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476328994051426786" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRmylKtW6s6QlD7Mk-oAsxRv6mJoWSbYsho6_HuNCRDXz0ZC6jkBPvBPSPg5JCCsBvFnYr1i_1JlnmoaCAqYpHcsAmzFDySlqVKWELFUTbwDSLrM8dAXAOxgffdZC3BG08WPdHlOsWCN6/s400/Durham10.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 400px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 319px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Video Scene Magazine Survey:</span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Video Scene Magazine recently conducted a survey to find out how agencies work with video, and what tools they use.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">75% of respondents indicated that they worked with video evidence and completed all the questions of the survey.</span><br />
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</b> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ew6eKG8nBsD0nfg894f6tkVlj8WpeV6wdHLjKF49fjROVqs6bkrRJCaVpDhlVHf6k72EhFs-x_EyqcYK44KUHGWTclCumWTrcxdtBLpDNbGimhuE-xXErnn61YCkcqTLzk34IT-_gUIK/s1600/Durham11.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476329512781355634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ew6eKG8nBsD0nfg894f6tkVlj8WpeV6wdHLjKF49fjROVqs6bkrRJCaVpDhlVHf6k72EhFs-x_EyqcYK44KUHGWTclCumWTrcxdtBLpDNbGimhuE-xXErnn61YCkcqTLzk34IT-_gUIK/s400/Durham11.jpg" style="float: left; height: 256px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; width: 341px;" /></a><b>Your agency location by US Region</b><br />
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Of the people to responded to the survey, the majority of the responses were from the Southwest at 31% followed closely by the West at 29%.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Your title or rank</span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>This was a free range question, so the results were pretty varied. The titles ranged anywhere from Detective to AV Specialist to Loss Prevention Manager. The majority of the surveyed were Detectives at 22% followed by Sergeants at 15%.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Number of full-time sworn officers in your agency.</span><br />
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82% of those who responded to the survey work in a department of 500 or less full time sworn officers. The remaining 19% ranged from 501 sworn officers to 11,000 sworn officers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-u2PWaD9DoOco0fq1n0dTgRT7sDNXEB0oFRLM84FTmjhR3QG88FbuuC4CkeZ2UTkJzFKehZIK8O93W8HlCqzaa5N-Dy6D0gTWLi8qluoJ_fGBMFmwZbC_JfpxhXsrTN1r0RIqCwP6fWu/s1600/Durham12.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476330309782225106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-u2PWaD9DoOco0fq1n0dTgRT7sDNXEB0oFRLM84FTmjhR3QG88FbuuC4CkeZ2UTkJzFKehZIK8O93W8HlCqzaa5N-Dy6D0gTWLi8qluoJ_fGBMFmwZbC_JfpxhXsrTN1r0RIqCwP6fWu/s400/Durham12.jpg" style="float: left; height: 265px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 342px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Population served by your agency</span><br />
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This was another free answer question, which gave us results ranging from 210 to 303,000,000. The majority of those surveyed fall in the 10,000 to 100,000 at 35%.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2v-nUx0e_hvR-JYTh8BSKcUOsxOGlLWQUVAhppcl6ZQhLiVCYfT4v3Z8ECIptNynAHKdJwPrErxxAYThPgtgWWEWKVeH0ucu3M9GGRjkecrz3SqSkRa2G8BuZ7Cgh-jG37ycvq_b0VzN7/s1600/Durham13.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476330585098228146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2v-nUx0e_hvR-JYTh8BSKcUOsxOGlLWQUVAhppcl6ZQhLiVCYfT4v3Z8ECIptNynAHKdJwPrErxxAYThPgtgWWEWKVeH0ucu3M9GGRjkecrz3SqSkRa2G8BuZ7Cgh-jG37ycvq_b0VzN7/s400/Durham13.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 239px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">What department do you work in?</span><br />
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Of those who worked with video evidence the majority are Detectives at 41%, followed by those working in a Video Forensics department at 28% and in Technical Support at 21%.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8D1Sb3c_Px9smgvVskBuzxIbcchpnpxmZDIbxt8Rznw2iV5yJbZ8_PcrA7vPu2YfRzPFl8f1-3JQn9G-JK9Ti-fd0KR1UP8SVAxmKHfrNo4toW-zxqWB-yodZA9NhB82_Sb7K-2k03P_R/s1600/Durham14.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476330951752959666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8D1Sb3c_Px9smgvVskBuzxIbcchpnpxmZDIbxt8Rznw2iV5yJbZ8_PcrA7vPu2YfRzPFl8f1-3JQn9G-JK9Ti-fd0KR1UP8SVAxmKHfrNo4toW-zxqWB-yodZA9NhB82_Sb7K-2k03P_R/s400/Durham14.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 218px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 345px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">How many years have you worked with video evidence?</span><br />
<br />
40% of the surveyed who work with video evidence have worked in the field for 5-10 years. 36% have worked with video evidence for 1-5 years.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Have you presented video evidence in court?</span><br />
<br />
54% of the surveyed who answered ‘yes’ to question eight have presented video evidence in court. 46% have not.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">What type of video do you work with most?</span><br />
<br />
92% of those who answered yes to question eight work mostly with digital video. 8% work mostly with analog video.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">List any trade magazines you use to find information on video evidence:</span><br />
<br />
36% refer to trade magazines. Here are a few of the magazines mentioned by our surveyors: <br />
<br />
<ul><li>Video Scene Magazine<br />
</li>
<li>Evidence Technology Magazine<br />
</li>
<li>Forensics Magazine<br />
</li>
<li>Government Video<br />
</li>
<li>Law Enforcement Technology<br />
</li>
<li>DFI News<br />
</li>
<li>Video Technology and Applications<br />
</li>
<li>Digital Video<br />
</li>
<li>NATIA Trade Publications<br />
</li>
<li>Police Magazine<br />
</li>
<li>9-1-1 Magazine<br />
</li>
<li>American Police Beat<br />
</li>
<li>Adobe Photoshop Magazines<br />
</li>
<li>Law Officer<br />
</li>
<li>Information Week<br />
</li>
<li>Emergency Management<br />
</li>
<li>AV Technology<br />
</li>
<li>Security Magazine<br />
</li>
<li>ProAV<br />
</li>
<li>Wired<br />
</li>
<li>LEVA emails<br />
</li>
<li>Forensic Forum<br />
</li>
<li>Photonics Spectrum </li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">List any websites you frequent to find information on video evidence:</span><br />
<br />
53% do not frequent websites for information. 47% do go to the web for information. Here are some of the sites they visit: <br />
<br />
<ul><li>www.media-geek.com<br />
</li>
<li>www.leva.org<br />
</li>
<li>www.google.com (Google searches)<br />
</li>
<li>www.dfinews.com<br />
</li>
<li>www.fourcc.org<br />
</li>
<li>FVA List<br />
</li>
<li>www.resvid.com<br />
</li>
<li>www.iai.org<br />
</li>
<li>www.videoscenemagazine.com<br />
</li>
<li>www.signalscape.com<br />
</li>
<li>www.adobe.com<br />
</li>
<li>www.apple.com<br />
</li>
<li>www.evidencemagazine.com<br />
</li>
<li>www.forensicmag.com<br />
</li>
<li>www.oceansystems.com<br />
</li>
<li>www.salientstills.com<br />
</li>
<li>forensicphotoshop.blogspot.com<br />
</li>
<li>www.imagingofevidence.com/blog/<br />
</li>
<li>www.starwitnessinfo.com </li>
</ul><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvSvx04ocZ_54YVoER77RLU62OBhBKSHHheuGM13PI0ZNeK7mcB67-PNUclhhY1ysuhr0ItF75Ad23L0YwW0iAgtS9gZe4SUalO3G3lpmgQyAYsU0o7SopZikN5wyOOxGa8tN4dCcZsoC/s1600/Durham15.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476332007030751474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvSvx04ocZ_54YVoER77RLU62OBhBKSHHheuGM13PI0ZNeK7mcB67-PNUclhhY1ysuhr0ItF75Ad23L0YwW0iAgtS9gZe4SUalO3G3lpmgQyAYsU0o7SopZikN5wyOOxGa8tN4dCcZsoC/s400/Durham15.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 234px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">How many videos do you work in an average week?</span><br />
<br />
67% work less than 5 videos per week. Most of the surveyed work 0-10 videos per week, very few work more than 10 videos a week.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Does your agency have equipment dedicated to video evidence collection/recover, analysis or enhancement?</span><br />
<br />
82% do have dedicated equipment. 18% do not have dedicated equipment.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Does your agency have equipment specifically for working video in the field, for example a digital video evidence collection kit?</span><br />
<br />
49% do have field equipment, 49% do not and 3% were not sure whether they do or not.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJSGmtBv06bBNHTZAJc59xJevhg7eSvFKKx0rdUddpCKiTjnZiJqEEnQJ0SONN-l4lHBWK_YSgKllARSGZZrhfe91WqfbnXdzxbOOeDVXBU56o219b7mhs01nKjHGpjP6RCX0vRRJdJTap/s1600/Durham16.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476332500827308354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJSGmtBv06bBNHTZAJc59xJevhg7eSvFKKx0rdUddpCKiTjnZiJqEEnQJ0SONN-l4lHBWK_YSgKllARSGZZrhfe91WqfbnXdzxbOOeDVXBU56o219b7mhs01nKjHGpjP6RCX0vRRJdJTap/s400/Durham16.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 236px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">How many years has your agency worked with video evidence?</span>Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-52359487907347437252010-05-28T10:22:00.001-04:002011-03-03T16:35:45.037-05:00TOOLBOX: Technical Tips and Info<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNuedQBm2ZLLKwrnopc1Q51u8Ot55tz1pa3gGUZD72FDzXQIzTrG7djhAaPtBqfZ5dKD-QNFK9iH9BRYELw5D7UJAQhyphenhyphenxxVEjZNk1YcH4-X2rJ84MkKQJALeqlm3nWfdMZJ2Uq3cFE3oV/s1600/Durham09.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 323px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNuedQBm2ZLLKwrnopc1Q51u8Ot55tz1pa3gGUZD72FDzXQIzTrG7djhAaPtBqfZ5dKD-QNFK9iH9BRYELw5D7UJAQhyphenhyphenxxVEjZNk1YcH4-X2rJ84MkKQJALeqlm3nWfdMZJ2Uq3cFE3oV/s400/Durham09.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476328673114898034" /></a><span style="font-weight:bold;">Free Software Downloads and Reference Sites That Will Boost Your Video-Forensic Capabilities and Know-How.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-style:italic;">Many steps and obstacles may sit between gathering video evidence at a crime scene and using it as a tool in the courtroom. How do you keep the evidence viable for the courtroom? How do you deal with possibly obscure digital file formats? Where do you look for answers when you hit a doorstop? To help knock out some of these obstacles, we’ve put together a list of useful free video software and reference websites.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight:bold;">Best Practices reference</span><br />
<br />
The following links are best practice reference guides for<br />
analyzing forensic video and retrieving video evidence from<br />
CCTV systems.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theiai.org/guidelines/swgit/guidelines/section_7_v1-0.pdf">SWGIT Best Practices for Forensic Video Analysis</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.tswg.gov/subgroups/isf/electronic-evidence/retrieval-of-video-cctv.html">Best Practices for the Retrieval of Video Evidence<br />
from Digital CCTV Systems</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight:bold;">Image Viewing Software</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm">IrfanView</a>: This freeware application will allow you to view and edit still<br />
images on your system.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight:bold;">Codec Application Software</span><br />
<br />
The following freeware applications will help you establish what codecs are required to play a media file, as well as identifying whether the codecs are present on your system. They will also point out problems associated with the codecs and the media files.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.headbands.com/gspot/v26x/index.htm">GSpot</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.afreecodecvt.com/">AFREECODEC VT</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en/Download">MediaInfo</a> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://avicodec.duby.info/">AVICodec</a> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.kcsoftwares.com/index.php?vtb">VideoInspector</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight:bold;">Video Playback Application</span><br />
<br />
This video playback and editing software application is geared towards processing AVI files. It can also read MPEG-1 files and handle sets of BPM images. It’s available as a free download.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://virtualdub.sourceforge.net/">Virtual Dub</a> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight:bold;">File Extension Source</span><br />
<br />
These sites are searchable file extension databases containing information about thousands of file extensions. Entries contain the file format, a description of the file and the programs that can open the file.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.filext.com">filext.com</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.fileinfo.com">fileinfo.com </a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight:bold;">Miscellaneous Video Tools</span><br />
<br />
List of links to various video software tools, including decrypters, screen capture programs, video editors, video players and much more.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.videohelp.com/tools">videohelp.com</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.fourcc.org/codecs.php">fourcc.org</a>: source for video CODEC and format information.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://media-geek.com/">media-geek.com</a>: A forensic multimedia community containing a variety of downloads and links as well as forensic video news, blogs and forums. This is a great place to go to ask questions about or read up on video forensics. It is also a great place to download proprietary players and codecs (click downloads from the menu).Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5433479523550061541.post-38625361473534515432010-05-28T10:01:00.005-04:002011-04-14T17:08:38.076-04:00The Switch to Digital: A New Kind of CollectionThe video surveillance industry is undergoing a dramatic change with the move from analog video tape systems to digital video recorders, or DVRs. The new technology has delivered real benefits to businesses of all sizes, but has created a new set of challenges for law enforcement.<br />
<br />
Consider an example. A small business owner buys a four camera DVR surveillance system for under $500, and installs it himself in his store to replace his old analog tape system. He no longer has to bother with rewinding and swapping tapes, or worry about whether reused tapes are degrading the quality of his video. He can customize recording settings like frame rate and resolution that were not configurable at all on his old system. He may even be able to access and manage the system remotely from his home computer. When the day comes that his store is robbed, the business owner calls the police and waits for their arrival, ready to see his surveillance investment pay off.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=928413" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/VideoSceneMagazine/tour-banner.jpg" width="630" /></a></div><br />
Things aren’t so simple for the law enforcement personnel who arrive to collect evidence of the robbery. To begin with, they have never encountered this DVR model before. With the help of the business owner and the DVR instruction manual, they are able to play back the camera views from the time frame of the robbery. The investigators are glad to find a reasonably good view of the suspect from one camera. (Fortunately, the DVR was configured to record video at the highest quality setting.)<br />
<br />
How should the video evidence be collected? Before, a VHS tape could be popped out of the surveillance system and carried away. But on a DVR, the video evidence is stored on a hard drive that is built into the system. This particular system does have a built-in DVD burner, and luckier still, the business owner happens to have a blank disc on hand. The investigators figure out how to burn the video to a DVD, and return to the station to play the disc, only to find the player doesn’t recognize it. After all that trouble, the investigators are not sure whether they collected any usable evidence at all.<br />
<br />
The difficulties faced by the investigators in our example are real. There are presently over a thousand companies offering digital video surveillance and closed circuit television systems, meaning that unfamiliar systems are less the exception than the rule for investigators in the field. Where one system may feature a DVD burner for collecting video, another may have a flash card slot, and the next just an Ethernet port or analog NTSC video connection. And the absence of standards for DVR technology has produced a bewildering variety of video formats, many specific to the manufacturers that record them. This can make it difficult to verify a collected video, and difficult to share it with others who may need to view it.<br />
<br />
Most DVR systems feature more than one option for collecting video, but they don’t always give the same results. That is why it’s important to make practical decisions ensuring you collect the best quality evidence available, whatever the scenario. This includes knowing what you should have in hand before leaving the scene, what collection methods and formats are available and how they compare, and what should be considered when verifying the evidence you collect.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Original Evidence and Working Copies</span><br />
<br />
The choices you make in the field at the point of evidence collection start with one basic question - what do you need to have in hand when you leave the scene? You are likely to have several immediate demands for any video evidence you collect. For example, the video has to be submitted as sealed evidence, you’ll want to keep a copy on hand as you work the case, and you may need to quickly distribute the video to colleagues or media outlets. Each version of the collected video has a different purpose, and so there are different requirements for collecting and managing them.<br />
<br />
The version of the collected video to be sealed, documented, and stored as part of standard evidence handling procedures is referred to as original evidence. This video should be collected as close as possible to the original source, and stored on an archival-quality permanent medium. Because the medium is not meant to be reused, affordable write-once media types like CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD+R are typically used for original evidence. The goal is to leave the scene with verified original evidence (or a verified transport media copy) in hand.<br />
<br />
Any other copy of the video is referred to as a working copy. A working copy can be made from the original evidence at the scene or back in the office or lab. In those cases where video must be collected to a transport medium, such as a flash drive, it must be written to an archival format as original evidence as soon as possible.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Digital Video Evidence Collection</span><br />
<br />
In simplest terms, the collection of digital video evidence from a surveillance DVR is about collecting data from the computer files on the DVR to computer files that can be carried away from the scene. Ideally, the collected video should be the same format as the video data stored on the DVR, but this isn’t always the case. So it is important to understand how video is stored on a DVR, what evidence formats may be collected from it, and what those formats imply about the quality of the collected evidence.<br />
<br />
As it records, a DVR compresses video data to save disk space. Using a program called a codec, it encodes each frame of the video into fewer bytes by approximating similar regions both within and between frames. Some detail is lost in the process, but the smaller file size lets the DVR store a much longer surveillance history than would otherwise be possible. (The unfortunate trade-off is that a user may set compression levels so high that the recorded video is very blurry.)<br />
<br />
The way a particular DVR encodes video during recording is called the native format of the DVR. In many cases, the DVR manufacturer uses a proprietary encoding as its native format. This means that the video is not interoperable with other systems, but can only be played back on the DVR itself, or using playback software provided by the manufacturer.<br />
<br />
One way to collect video evidence from a DVR is to export it directly as a digital video file. The exported video may be in the native format of the DVR, or it may be recompressed using a standard encoding to allow playback on other systems. The distinction is important, because a recompressed video will lose some of the detail of the native format. The problem is that most DVR players (and instruction manuals) don’t make it clear what format is exported, so it becomes another unknown in the video evidence investigation.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Proprietary Format</span><br />
<br />
A proprietary format is a good indicator that an exported video file was created in its native format, without being recompressed. An exported video likely has a proprietary format when at least one of the following is true:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Playback software is exported with the video (look in the same folder as the exported video data for an installer called setup.exe or a file with an .msi extension, or a readytorun player application ending in .exe)<br />
</li>
<li>The exported video data doesn’t have a common video file extension (like .avi, .mpg, .mov, etc.)</li>
</ul>An exported video in proprietary format is likely to preserve date, time, and camera information originally recorded with the video. A disadvantage of proprietary format video is that it may not be verifiable at the scene, if the required proprietary player software is not exported with it. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Standard Format</span> An exported video likely has a standard format if both of the following are true: <br />
<ul><li>The video data is exported as a single file<br />
</li>
<li>The exported video file has a common video extension (like .avi, .mpg, .mov, etc.)</li>
</ul>Since many DVRs use a proprietary encoding for their native format, it stands to reason that an exported video in standard format may have been recompressed. Be aware that a higher-quality collection format may be available, and consider an alternate collection method if the collected video seems of lower quality than the original as seen on the DVR. Also note that a standard format exported video may lose date, time, and camera information recorded with the original video. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Collecting NTSC Video </span> Instead of exporting video directly to a file, sometimes video can be captured as it is played back. The captured video is recorded as an uncompressed video file to avoid unnecessary loss of detail in the collected evidence. A very high quality collection is therefore possible, depending on the specific capture method used. However, an uncompressed capture also produces a very large video file. For example, each minute of NTSC color video requires about a gigabyte of storage. Large files like this can be a challenge to share and to store as original evidence. There is also the possibility that the video data can’t be written to storage quickly enough to keep pace with the capture. When this happens, frames may be dropped from the captured video, which reduces the value of the collection as evidence. Finally, a video capture records exactly what you see as you watch it, so date, time, and camera information can only be captured as an on-screen overlay, obscuring regions of the video evidence. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Collecting Image Files </span> Sometimes, a DVR allows individual still image files to be exported, usually in JPEG or bitmap format. Still images are of limited use compared to video, but they can be helpful as quick review copies, or when no video collection option exists. Note that a bitmap file has an uncompressed image format, and preserves more detail than a JPEG-compressed version of the same resolution image. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Collection Methods </span> There are several different methods for collecting video evidence from DVRs likely to be encountered in the field. It is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each, as well as the video format collected by each one. This information will help in choosing the best option when a DVR supports more than one collection method (as many do). The collection methods are presented here by interface, since physical inspection is often the simplest way to determine the capabilities of a DVR. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Removable Media Drive </span> Some DVRs feature an internal drive for exporting digital video directly to removable media. Whether a tray for optical media or a slot for flash media or a floppy disk, an internal drive is easily identified as a collection option, though it may require additional inspection or investigation to determine which specific media types are supported. A video exported in this manner will have a proprietary or standard compressed format. A DVR with an optical drive can export video evidence to optical media, which may include CD, DVD, and Blu-Ray discs. The use of write-once media is recommended for evidence collection. Because optical media are associated with high-capacity storage, DVRs often support native format video collection by this method. Optical also has the advantage of being an original evidence medium, so the same physical evidence collected from the DVR can be submitted without any need for a transport medium copy. Optical discs may be used to collect long videos, though an export may be limited to a single disc. (In this case, a longer video may be exported as a set of shorter clips.) A DVR with a flash media slot can export video to one or more types of removable flash media. Flash memory cards are available in capacities of 16 GB and beyond, and can be a good option for collecting long videos. However, some DVRs may not support higher capacity cards. Though a flash memory card may be used as original evidence if needed, its relatively high cost makes it better suited as a transport medium, meaning that an extra copy step is necessary to create original evidence. Some older DVRs feature a floppy disk drive for exporting still images or very short video clips to a 3.5” floppy disk. A video clip exported to a floppy is likely to be highly compressed, due to the very limited capacity of the storage medium. A floppy disk may be used as original evidence, but if repeated disks must be collected from the same DVR, it may be more convenient to use the disk as a transport medium, and burn the collected files on an optical disc for original evidence. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Computer Data Port (USB or Firewire) </span> A USB or FireWire data port on a DVR may serve a variety of purposes, not all related to the collection of video evidence. On some systems it may be for attaching a removable media drive or hard drive to export video. On others it may be used to extend the storage available on the system for recording video. It might be used to connect an input device like a mouse or keyboard or as a maintenance port for system updates. And on a computer-based DVR it might just be a generic port. The use of a DVR’s USB or FireWire port may therefore require investigation of its purpose. The instruction manual for the DVR is the best resource for making this determination. If the instruction manual is not available, a label near the port and the options in the DVR’s on-screen menu may provide clues to using the port as intended. If the DVR can export video to a removable media drive connected to the port, the same advantages and disadvantages apply as collecting from the same type of internal media drive. For example, exporting video to an external flash memory card reader or USB thumb drive is equivalent to using an internal flash media drive. It may also be possible to export video to a USB or FireWire external hard drive. The high storage capacity of a hard drive makes it the best collection option for very long videos. A hard drive serves as a transport medium for video collection. It requires an extra step to create original evidence. Video exported from a computer data port to a removable media drive or hard drive will be in either proprietary or standard compressed format. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Analog Video Output</span> If a DVR displays video on a separate television screen or computer monitor, it may be possible to capture the display signal as evidence. The quality of the captured evidence will depend on what type of cable connects the DVR to its display and what type of signal is required as input for the capture device. Analog video capture may be inconvenient for longer videos since the video must be recorded while it plays and because the method captures an uncompressed video file. It also requires an extra step to create original evidence from the collected video, which is typically captured to a hard drive transport medium. Analog television S-Video and composite (RCA) connectors may be familiar from older consumer televisions and VCRs. A DVR may also output a composite television signal to a BNC connector, which is easily converted to RCA with an adapter. S-Video is a better quality analog source than a composite video signal. Computer monitors use different signals and connectors from analog television equipment. The most common computer monitors use VGA or DVI-I connections. A VGA connection transfers red, green and blue analog signals to the monitor over separate conductors bundled in a single cable. A DVI-I connector allows color information to be transferred digitally from computer memory to a digital display, but also provides analog color signals for backward compatibility with analog VGA displays through an adapter. Some VGA and DVI-I signals can be converted to S-video or composite television signals through a scan converter. However, this process reduces image resolution and signal quality and may not work with higher resolution display signals. If a DVR provides both computer and television signal outputs, the S-Video or composite television output will result in better capture quality than a scan-converted source. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Network Connection </span> Like a USB port, an Ethernet network port may serve one of several purposes on a DVR. Some DVRs can be networked to allow remote operation from another computer. Some can connect to network-attached storage to extend the recorded video capacity of the DVR. Some newer DVRs can use network cameras (in addition to analog cameras), and use the Ethernet connection for receiving video to record. As with USB and FireWire ports, an Ethernet port may just be a generic port on a computer-based DVR. Once again, some investigation may be necessary to determine the purpose of the port on the device. When a DVR is connected to a computer network through its Ethernet port, it may be possible for a computer on the network to collect video from it remotely. If a computer is already set up for the remote operation of the DVR, this is simply a matter of running the DVR management software on the networked computer and performing a collection as if the computer were the DVR. In most cases, the DVR management software will allow the video to be exported as either a proprietary or standard format compressed video. If the video can be played back but not exported, a capture may be performed on the computer monitor display port, producing an uncompressed video file. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Verifying Collected Video</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaI7TDe9aUYQC_Q6TLOkrhHGYvx_zQrv7Mo4cbNq2riMAGba0MZlJforW2F4R5OiuF7csuN8MpLemSu0u8fQ2p0WC3czetqLS-xxursPBnKrpx_ryx12yoQGHkZdzHt0XdWQDuwinB3tn/s1600/Durham08.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476323002272647810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaI7TDe9aUYQC_Q6TLOkrhHGYvx_zQrv7Mo4cbNq2riMAGba0MZlJforW2F4R5OiuF7csuN8MpLemSu0u8fQ2p0WC3czetqLS-xxursPBnKrpx_ryx12yoQGHkZdzHt0XdWQDuwinB3tn/s400/Durham08.gif" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 604px;" /></a> Collected video evidence should be verified to confirm that a quality recording of the scene of interest was actually gathered. By verifying video evidence at the scene, the investigator has the opportunity to repeat a collection if needed. Waiting until later to verify the evidence may require a return trip to the point of collection, where the scene of interest may have been overwritten by the surveillance system. Video evidence can be verified by answering four easy questions. If any question is answered NO, another collection is usually indicated. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Conclusion </span> With so many varieties of DVR-based surveillance systems, there is no easy recipe for collecting video evidence that is right for every situation. By understanding the collection methods available on most DVRs and the types of video each method creates, you’ll be prepared to collect and verify the best available video evidence every time.Sam Burgisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08479119872661035110noreply@blogger.com1