Fusion-based forensic science

When I first started out in multimedia forensics, there were just a few vendors offering tools to practitioners. Ten years later, there were a whole bunch. A further ten years later, and there are a relatively small group of vendors again.

When I sat down with Dr. Lenny Rudin of Cognitech a few weeks ago, to catch up and see what's new with him, we took that walk down memory lane that is customary for the "old guys." We talked all things Cognitech, and the state of the market.

I asked him about "codec / format support" in his tools and it seems that he favors the approach taken by the folks at Input-ACE - or the other way around I guess, since Cognitech has been around much, much longer than Input-Ace. The approach, seize the device and process the hard drive directly, is where Input-Ace is going in their partnership with Cellebrite and DME Forensics. Cognitech is there as well, seemingly with SalvationData.

This fusion-based approach makes sense. Do what you do, well, and let others do their thing well - then partner with them. It makes sense.

On the other end of the spectrum is Amped SRL. I remember standing in the exhibit space at LEVA Asheville when a certain developer was trying to offer his services (even his IP) to Amped. The response he received was that everything that is necessary to the task should be in FIVE. No plug-ins. No extra programs. That, and that Amped was happy with their current staff and development pace. In that conversation, Amped noted that FIVE should be the "go-to" for analysts. For a few years, this was the case. Now, increasingly, it's not.

Is everything that is necessary for an analyst's work in FIVE? Currently, there are features available in DVRConv that aren't available in FIVE. The main one that most customers wanted (when I was fielding calls in the US for Amped Software, Inc.) is the ability to "convert" everything. You see, in DVRConv, you just drag/drop a bunch of files and folders into the interface and it "converts" everything that's convertible - and maintains folder structure. FIVE, on the other hand, only "converts" one file type at a time, one folder at a time. The new "change frame rate on conversion" functionality is another example of something that is done in DVRConv that isn't done in FIVE.

Then, there's Reply. It seems that rather than continue to develop FIVE, Amped is cannibalizing it. Is Redaction moving over to Replay? It seems so. Yes, Replay now has improved tracking functions. But, what about all of those customers who bought FIVE for redaction. How are they feeling right now knowing that promises made about future functionality weren't promises kept. Promises made that weren't kept, you ask? Yes. Amped has yet to make good on their promise, made at LEVA Scottsdale, of adding audio redaction functionality to FIVE. Perhaps audio redaction will make it into Replay. Perhaps not.

Amped was once known as the provider of "specialists'" tools. Now, it's "generalizing" them as it migrates FIVE's functionality to Replay. A lot of US based agencies bought five years worth of support and upgrades when they purchased their original licenses. I'm wondering how that ROI looks now, given Amped's latest moves.

Meanwhile, Amped's competition has closed the gap and begun to overtake them in the marketplace. Dr. Rudin, sensing this, is about to make a big push with some new tools (hint: video authentication).

But, with all of this in mind, probably the oddest development is Foclar's entry into the US market. Foclar's Impress isn't a new product. It's been available in Europe for years. But, in terms of development and functionality, it's about where Amped was on FIVE's entry to the US market ten years ago. Let's see if Foclar has the wherewithal to play catch-up. As Amped raises it's prices for its products and services beyond what the market will bear, they'll leave the door open for Foclar to make some headway - should that European company choose to compete on price.

Gone - for the most part - are Signalscape, Salient Stills, and Ocean Systems. These companies still exist as fractions of their former selves. Signalscape's StarWitness is gone - replaced by interview room recorders and evidence processing machines. Salient Stills never really owned the IP in VideoFocus - which is now a part of DAC / Salient Sciences. As for Ocean Systems, it seems as though it exists at the will and pleasure of Larry Compton (who might be it's only employee). They're still offering the Omnivore, the Field Kit (Omnivore + a laptop), and Larry's training courses. Legacy products are on autopilot. Has ClearID been substantially improved / updated since Chris Russ' sacking years ago? I don't think so. I never understood the value proposition of taking 8 of the algorithms from OptiPix / FoveaPro (which were collectively priced at about $500 for about 70 algorithms) and charging much, much more. Sure, you got a new UI. But was that worth the price? I still have an old MacBook running PS CS2 just to run Chris' old stuff.

Have a great day my friends.