Year: 2020

One of Birmingham’s top secondary schools has switched to IDIS video technology in a drive to improve security, safety, and standards of personal behaviour. With its ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating, Swanshurst School is one of the city’s most popular destinations for girl’s secondary education, with more than 1800 pupils aged 11 to 19 years. “Video monitoring is key to efficient use of resources at the school,” said Swanshurst’s Strategic Business Manager, Annette Tyler, “Because we have such a busy site, the ability of our senior team to see who is entering or leaving, and to remotely monitor corridors and lobby areas, is crucial to fostering a safe and welcoming learning environment.” The school’s old CCTV system was proving difficult to use, with poor quality recordings that were hard to search through. IDIS technology was chosen to replace it, and the priority for the upgrade was not just price – although budgets remain tight for many schools – but service and performance. “To avoid a potentially costly mistake, we researched what other schools had done and looked for personal recommendations. Then we selected Unison Integrated Technology only after comparing our three shortlisted quotes and satisfying ourselves that the IDIS system would do what we wanted,” added Annette Tyler. The new solution comprises close to 110 cameras. IDIS’s DC-D4213WRX vandal resistant full-HD IR domes provide coverage for most of the school’s internal areas and more than 70 were installed. They capture pin-sharp images in all lighting conditions, handling rapid variations in brightness and shade thanks to their true wide dynamic range (WDR), and infra-red performance giving an impressive 30 metres range at night. The 27 IDIS DC-E3212WRX vandal resistant bullet cameras, which were installed to cover entrances and external areas, also deliver powerful IR night vision, with low light enhancer technology. Allowing the installation team to work more quickly, these cameras use Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) to eliminate the need for additional cabling, while the hierarchical connection between the cameras at the NVRs further guarantees the most efficient method of cabling. Optimum recording capability is provided by four IDIS NVRs (32-channel DR-6332PS-S recorders), which achieve 370Mbps throughput to ensure no latency on live footage and image capture in full HD. IDIS dual codec performance means that all footage can be recorded in high-definition H.265 but still viewed on older H.264 smartphones, tablets and monitors, so there’s no need to upgrade until the user is ready. Built-in PoE switches save further on hardware and installation costs. In the event of network instability or failure at the school, IDIS Smart Failover technology means the cameras’ SD card instantly begins recording and automatically transfers the data to the NVR after recovery, eliminating the risk of gaps in footage. Now, with minimal training, authorised senior staff and the Swanshurst reception team use the intuitive IDIS Center video monitoring software (VMS) to live-monitor internal and external areas, and quickly search recorded footage to find events of interest. This new capability is already proving to be a useful deterrent, confirmed Annette Tyler. “The solution installed by Matt Rodden and his team at Unison Integrated Technology far exceeded our expectations,” she said, “The project was delivered efficiently, and the system is so easy to use. Our pupils, parents and staff all appreciate the added protection that the new cameras give.” Looking ahead, Swanshurst School also now has the assurance that the system will remain affordable to run, with no additional fees for the IDIS Center VMS, plus options to adapt the system very easily thanks to the guaranteed forward and backward combability of IDIS tech. “Together with our integration partners, IDIS works very hard to ensure a low total cost of ownership (TCO),” said James Min, Managing Director, IDIS Europe, “This is why we are confident in offering the industry’s longest warranty against faults, the IDIS Ultimate Warranty, and in giving customers like Swanshurst School the best protection for years to come.”

The Hong Kong International Airport recently modernized its CCTV system taking its surveillance capabilities from analogue to IP by integrating OT Systems’ Ethernet-over-Coax (EoC) transmission solution to existing infrastructure. A total of 100 single-channel ET1100CPp-T transmitters were installed to connect 100 IP cameras and connected to either single-channel ET1100CPp-R receivers or 8 to 16-channel ET4200CPp-RS8/16 rackmount receivers. The ET4200CPp-RS8/ 16 receiver offers full switching capability and 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps auto-MDI/ MDIX full-duplex communication and it is available with rack-mounting installation in a 19-inch rack cabinet. The EoC solution provides flexible communications and 30-watt high power, with power over coax (PoC) technology to remote PoE IP cameras or PTZ cameras. The power supply can be connected with one-channel or multi-channel receivers like the ET1100CPp-R and ET42000CPp-RS8/16, which supply power using legacy cable. A full line of EtherXtra™ Ethernet-over-Coax products provides an alternative for system integrators and service providers looking for a solution to utilizing existing coax infrastructure and migrating to IP-based systems. Taking advantage of the existing coaxial cables, installers can provide quick installation and high performance for CCTV upgrading without rewiring their environment. Also, the EoC solution provides flexible communications and a 30-watt high power source with power-over-coax (PoC) technology to remote PoE IP cameras or PTZ cameras. This EoC retrofit easily repurposes existing coaxial cable infrastructure, enhancing the system with centralized power and creates feature-rich IP surveillance systems.  

An important infrastructure project that, for years, had been postponed for political or environmental reasons finally received its inauguration last August. The project’s tunnels and viaducts in and around the Colombian city of Medellín are intended to provide fast access to the neighbouring valley, location of the international airport. Securiton is safeguarding the tunnels and key infrastructure installations against fire. Situated in the Aburrá valley in the mid-Andes mountain range in north-western Colombia, Medellín lies 1538m above sea level. The ‘Capital of the Mountains’ is the country’s second largest city (population: 2.5 million-plus) and the second largest metropolitan region (population: 3.9 million) after the capital Bogotá. Road transport milestone Although Medellín has a city airport, it is restricted in size and serves only national destinations. More distant destinations are served by Rionegro Airport in the neighbouring San Nicholás valley. August 15, 2019 saw the official opening of the 8.2km Túnel de Oriente (East Tunnel) and a 24km expressway between Rionegro and Medellín’s eastern suburbs. Present at the ceremony was Colombian President Ivan Duque, who insisted on being the first user to drive through the tunnel. The new link cuts journey times from 50 minutes on the former 32km extremely winding route to less than 20 minutes. The main beneficiaries are the eight million-plus users of Rionegro Airport – and the wider region in terms of tourism, industry, the environment and mobility. Fire protection from Securiton The new route features three tunnels – one of which, at 8.2 kilometres, is the longest in Latin America – and nine viaducts, which allow users to negotiate the mountainous terrain at speed. Toll booths at each end of the route collect user fees from drivers. Securiton was tasked with providing fire protection for the tunnels and other facilities, consisting of ceiling-mounted SecuriSens LIST line-type heat detectors. These highly sensitive sensor cables, designed for use in environments of that nature, are capable of detecting fires despite the presence of dust, heat, smoke or exhaust fumes. SecuriFire fire alarm systems and large numbers of Securiton fire detectors ensure the safety of the toll booths, control and electrical rooms and tunnels.  

3xLOGIC, Inc., a leading provider of integrated, intelligent security solutions, has recently announced that Ocean Blue Car Wash, Prescott Valley, AZ, has deployed/ upgraded to 3xLOGIC 32 4MP camera video surveillance systems at four of its locations to date. DC Pro Systems is the integrator of record as it continues to install and maintain a growing number of Ocean Blue locations. As one of the state’s first Express Car Wash concepts, the owners of Ocean Blue Car Wash have put to use their 15 years of experience to create a new standard in car washing. The Ocean Blue experience is known for consistency and a reliable standard of service. Customers receive the same safe, quality car wash every visit. “We are standardizing on the same robust 3xLOGIC video surveillance system at each of our locations,” said Alexander J. Lazar, Owner and General Manager, Ocean Blue Car Wash. Thus far, four Ocean Blue locations have each deployed, or will soon finish deploying, 3xLOGIC V7000 NVRs and 32 V-Series 4MP dome cameras. “We really like Shane Hepola and DC Pro Systems. He brought us the 3xLOGIC technology, and I trust him and the quality job they do,” added Lazar, “These high-resolution camera views keep my employees on point and they keep my customers on point, too. The 3xLOGIC cameras pay for themselves. I’ve got cameras everywhere, recording everything. If we’ve caused damage to a vehicle, if we’re liable, we’ll certainly pay for it. However, the proof is in the video and if there is any question about a claim, the video doesn’t lie.” “Any story you can imagine from the customer, we’ve experienced it, including slip and fall claims,” Lazar continued, “We need that 4 MP resolution; it keeps our employees honest and it also deters potential robberies. Our multiple cameras provide so many interior and exterior views that we capture a lot of the surrounding properties and highway, so we can be an asset to law enforcement when needed.” I’m not at all the different sites every day, but at any given time I can log in and watch what’s going on. I’ve got a bird’s eye view, so I can catch equipment malfunctions before my staff does. Sometimes, when I wake up at 2 am, I can quickly log on to view my locations. I’ll do a night audit to check lighting, building signs, and other things. We’re not there but the cameras are – 24/7/365.” Ocean Blue does both on-site and remote monitoring of video, as well as after-incident investigations. At this time, the company is expanding to a fifth location. There are plans to build another, and by end of 2020 there will be six Ocean Blue locations. All six will have the same robust, high-functioning 3xLOGIC video surveillance, installed by DC Pro Systems. An interesting add-on feature for Ocean Blue is a 3rd party software app that takes footage from the 3xLOGIC cameras to determine spacing between the cars during the wash process. If two cars come within a certain number of feet from each other, the line shuts down automatically. Another improvement Lazar and Hepola are discussing is to implement 3xLOGIC VIGIL Central Management (VCM). VCM is a health monitoring software component of the VIGIL video management system that alerts either DC Pro or Ocean Blue to any malfunctions on the network before such developments create a problem. “The system is very user friendly. Basically, we’re trying to kill all the blind spots on the property, and I use the video for training purposes, too. We’ve got monitors in our offices and in the customer areas. That’s telling my customers we’re watching everything, and their cars are safe; and it’s keeping my employees doing great work,” Lazar concluded.