HD surveillance solution protects travelers and airport assets in Saudi Arabia

Editor / Provider: Avigilon | Updated: 10/12/2012 | Article type: Security 50

King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) is Saudi Arabia's third largest airport and occupies an area of 105 square kilometers. Because of its proximity to the cities of Mecca and Medina, the airport is the gateway to Saudi Arabia for a large number of visitors from around the world. In 2010 alone, KAIA serviced more than 17 million passengers. Over the past several years, the airport has undergone a series of renovations to enhance passenger service and ensure their safety. Most recently, KAIA deployed the Avigilon HD Surveillance System in its 13 parking lots and all duty free shops and restaurants to more effectively secure travelers and protect airport assets.

Tasked with selecting a new surveillance system for the airport's parking lots, terminals' lobbies and duty free shops, Al Musbah, a local provider of security solutions, had one goal in mind. “We wanted a high-performance, reliable, and easy-to-use solution to capture irrefutable evidence for quick and successful investigations,” said Adel Safadi, manager of CCTV & Video Analytics Systems at Al Musbah. The ability to take quick action when an incident occurs—whether it's an accident or theft—is a critical factor in reducing disturbances and maintaining high customer service levels.

A total of 274 Avigilon HD cameras ranging from 1 MP to 16 MP provide complete coverage of the airport's parking lots, terminal lobbies, and duty free shops. Eleven Avigilon HD 16 MP cameras, three Avigilon HD 11 MP, 29 Avigilon HD 5 MP, 43 Avigilon HD 2 MP, and 31 Avigilon HD 1 MP cameras monitor the 2,000 vehicles that enter and exit the parking lots daily. In the airport's lobbies and all market shops area, 24 Avigilon HD 5 MP cameras, 44 Avigilon HD 2 MP cameras, and 87 Avigilon HD 1 MP cameras deliver complete coverage. All Avigilon HD cameras are streamed and monitored around the clock in the airport's state-of-the-art control room. Security personnel manage the Avigilon HD Surveillance System using Avigilon Control Center Enterprise Network Video Management Software (NVMS) with High Definition Stream Management, which was built from the ground up to manage HD surveillance video.

High quality, low bandwidth
While very impressed with Avigilon's image quality, the airport was initially concerned that bandwidth requirements would be too high. Al Musbah wanted to ensure that the system installed could efficiently manage the transmission and display of high definition video, so the benefit of the additional detail would not be lost.

By leveraging Avigilon Control Center's High Definition Stream Management (HDSM) technology and grouping the cameras to form a sub-network that connects to the high bandwidth fibre network, Safadi was able to easily overcome any concerns. Using HDSM, the Avigilon HD Surveillance System only sends the requested pixels, so the workstation does not become overwhelmed with processing unnecessary data. “Thanks to Avigilon Control Center and High Definition Stream Management, security officers are able to navigate through the 274 cameras easily on very little bandwidth,” said Safadi. “The use of JPEG2000 compression gave us the ability to view multiple cameras on very little processing power at the viewing station, while still maintaining unbeatable image quality.”

HD ensures fair judging in competitive canoeing in Slovenia

Editor / Provider: Avigilon | Updated: 10/4/2012 | Article type: Security 50

Avigilon announced that the Canoe Center in Solkan, Slovenia, one of two national centers for wild water kayaking and canoeing that attracts 30,000 visitors each year, has deployed the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system as a video analysis tool for coaches and judges to assist in training, resolve potential disputes, and ensure fair judging at all events. The Avigilon high-definition video surveillance system was selected for its superior image quality, user-friendly interface, ease-of-integration, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.

“Image quality was the crucial factor in our decision to go with the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system, which has been very well received by our judges who now have an effective tool to review questionable trajectories and resolve disputes for 100 percent fair judging,” claimed Branko Brezigar, sports center manager at the Canoe Center. “As the only training facility to ensure 100 percent fair judging, we have a strong competitive advantage when applying to host major International Canoe Federation (ICF) events.”

On the recommendation of AGM, a local provider of surveillance system design, installation, and support, the Canoe Center installed Avigilon HD 2 MP H.264 cameras to cover the 400 meter-long course, enabling judges to clearly identify activity at all gates from any point of view. Coaches and judges monitor the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system using the Avigilon Control Center network video management software (NVMS) with High-Definition Stream Management? (HDSM) technology from two official monitoring stations. The Canoe Center will offer competing teams temporary access to live video and recorded events and will install a dedicated server to archive footage from all major events for historical review. The Canoe Center also plans to deploy the Avigilon Control Center Mobile application on iPad devices to equip judges with a tool for instant review of incidents and for coaches to provide immediate feedback to athletes.

By deploying the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system, the Canoe Center gets superior image quality from high above the course to view the smallest detail. With access to indisputable evidence, competition judges can make informed decisions and resolve disputes with 100 percent accuracy. The Avigilon high-definition surveillance system easily integrates with other event systems including Light as a Service, access control, and intruder prevention systems to provide a centralized solution that facilitates management and improves efficiencies. The Center has achieved significant cost savings due to the lower initial investment cost of the Avigilon system, reduced the need to hire additional gate judges, and will require less system maintenance. The Canoe Center has achieved a ROI because it can provide enhanced training opportunities, achieve conformance with ICF directives, and ensure higher safety standards to attract new visitors and host more international events.

“In the sport of wild water canoeing, competitors are penalized in time for touching or missing gates on the course, which can dramatically impact their results,” said Keith Marett, vice president of marketing and communications at Avigilon. “The Avigilon high-definition surveillance system delivers the image quality, reliability, and scalability needed to withstand the challenging outdoor environment and deliver indisputable evidence to ensure fair judging, making the Canoe Center the course of choice for ICF events.”

Danish bank enhances overall security with March Networks solution

Editor / Provider: March Networks | Updated: 9/21/2012 | Article type: Security 50

March Networks announced that Danske Bank Group, Denmark's largest financial institution and a top-100 world bank, has selected the company's video management software and hybrid recorders for advanced security at its corporate facilities in Copenhagen. The upgrade expands the March Networks solution the bank is currently using in more than 150 retail banking branches across Norway and Sweden, and continues to deploy working with certified solution provider Stanley Security Solutions.

“We are extremely pleased with the performance of our March Networks video surveillance solution,” said Tonny Henriksen, Project Manager, Danske Bank Group. “During the five years that we've been using the systems, they have performed immaculately. The software is also very easy to use, which means that authorized staff right down to the branch level need very little training to quickly access the video they need.”

Following Stanley Security Solution's recommendation of March Networks, Danske Bank deployed the surveillance systems to reap the operational benefits associated with the enterprise-class software. March Networks Visual Intelligence software delivers centralized video management and investigation capabilities across any number of networked locations.

“The requirement for a networked solution came from our staff in Norway, who had to travel long distances to retail branches every time there was an incident requiring video evidence,” said Tom Soederholm, Danske Bank Group's Vice-President of End-User Technology. “With the March Networks solution, they now retrieve video from the most isolated branches without ever leaving the comfort of their office. It saves time and money and is a major improvement over what we had before.”

The solution also met another of the bank's key criteria – the ability to support both analog and IP cameras with hybrid recording platforms that scale easily to match future growth. The 4000 C Series hybrid Network Video Recorders (NVRs) protect Danske's existing analog camera investments, while enabling the strategic deployment of high-definition IP cameras. The NVRs run on an embedded Linux operating system, which the bank's IT group requested to reduce security and performance issues, and incorporate an innovative docking station for faster installation and maintenance.

The bank is so pleased with the solution, it also plans to introduce March Networks Command video management system (VMS) software in its security operations centers to gain further efficiencies. Command's intuitive, web-based user interface provides full configuration and management capabilities in addition to live video viewing and playback.

More than 450 banks and credit unions worldwide currently use March Networks systems for security and fraud detection. In addition to powerful video management and recording, the solution includes Searchlight software applications that significantly reduce losses from ATM skimming, cash harvesting and other theft. The March Networks Searchlight portfolio includes Financial Transaction Investigation, which synchronizes ATM and teller transaction records with high-quality video to streamline case management and investigator performance. It also includes powerful Skimming Detection, Image Tracker and License Plate Tracker applications that enable banks to proactively detect fraudulent activity at ATMs and strengthen case evidence quickly by correlating facial images, transaction information, colors and license plate data.

Making HD less of a gamble for casinos

Editor / Provider: Tevin Wang | Updated: 9/21/2012 | Article type: Commercial Markets

Under current economic conditions, figuring out a cost-effective and future-proof technology migration path is not easy for any industry. “Because so many operators are still using analog, it is very difficult to integrate HD into the current infrastructure,” said Scott Paul, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Pelco by Schneider Electric. “A cost-effective means of transporting the existing analog cameras into the digital system and maintaining the existing analog system is essential. Educating and training operators to go digital and understanding the new operation is also essential.”

Integration
When converting to a digital system, whether it is HD or not, the first challenge is the infrastructure. “Typically, most analog systems run via coaxial cables, which are incompatible for running technology that is Ethernet based,” said Scott Bartlett, CEO of Southwest Surveillance Systems. “Instead of changing all the wiring, we use baluns that give us the ability to convert the Ethernet signals over the coaxial cable braids. This keeps us from having to replace all the wiring and in addition, enhance our distance limitations.”

Another challenge lies in the monitor room as running both an analog system as well as a digital system can be very problematic. “Some casinos are trying to use their existing monitors or workstations to convert digital to analog (which creates terrible video signals) and then pump the digital signals back through their analog video matrix. Others are running two separate systems and keyboards. Neither situation is a good one,” Bartlett said. “We have used video scalers such as Barco and RGB to perform all the converting and scaling for the video. The video scalers take multiple inputs and convert the signal, whether it is analog or digital to a DVI output thus providing the maximum resolution available without the up or down converting.”

Transmission/Networking
It can be expensive to convert existing analog infrastructure with and/or to establish robust and reliable IP infrastructure. “Even adding a few IP cameras requires a thoughtful, forwarding thinking network design and plan,” said John Katnic, VP of Global Gaming at Synectics. “Even if it costs a bit more upfront, engineer a robust network solution that can scale to the projected system size and will provide the resiliency required by regulators.”

In addition, network based video management requires higher caliber IT-trained technicians to design, configure and maintain. “And because gaming regulators often prohibit IT departments from touching the gaming network, surveillance departments are often underequipped to manage these IP-based solutions and have to play catch up on the fly,” Katnic cautioned.

The use of multicast routing on the network side in casinos is another thorny issue. “Depending on the manufacturer, there is a lot of multicast traffic on the networks. This can create huge bottlenecks and communication errors if the network is not designed properly. The byproduct of this is tearing or choppy videos. Even though most like to blame the networks when things do not work properly, we find that the network is seldom the actual issue,” Bartlett said. “It is also critical to ensure that, in the casino HD video space, that single mode fiber be installed from the intermediate distribution feed (IDF) rooms to the main distribution feed (MDF) room. This will ensure that 10-, 40- and even 100-Gbps backbones will not be an issue. If multi-mode fiber is installed from the IDF to the MDF and you want to install a 10-Gbps backbone, the distance will be limited to 100 meters.”

Latency
Network latency can be caused by a multitude of factors from routing to camera settings. “At the end of the day, casinos that are still using an analog system are typically experiencing about a 60 millisecond delay so no matter what, they will experience a greater delay when they go digital,” Bartlett said. “This latency will be exacerbated by poor network design or improper camera settings or even poor quality cameras with inadequateWDR capabilities. “

Cameras that lack adequate WDR capability will inevitably cause a lot of noise on the video signal. The noise equates to motion/high bandwidth and thus creating high network traffic and storage requirements. “High-quality HD cameras are a must in my opinion. I know there are literally thousands of IP cameras on the market but there are not that many that can truly meet stringent gaming requirements,” Bartlett said. “It is the responsibility of system integrators to thoroughly test the cameras and network equipment they want to use in order to ensure that regardless of what the spec sheet says, they can meet the requirements in real life.”

“Latency induced via the encoding and decoding process remains a key issue — not present in analog technologies — and is a reason why some casinos still maintain an analog matrix “front-end” and utilise their SD digital recording systems solely for playback/review,” Paul said. “This is still a major issue for the adoption of HD in gaming areas for PTZ. For this reason, many casinos are beginning the transition by starting to implement HD in areas such as entry and exit locations and static camera locations [more than gambling tables].”

Bandwidth
HD cameras recording at 30 fps in HD resolution put huge weights on bandwidth and storage. Different camera manufacturers deal with this issue differently. “Leading IP device manufacturers and their VMS partners offer a variety of ways to efficiently and automatically manage storage, bandwidth and latency by changing camera recording settings (data rate, resolution, frame rate) on the fly based on motion, defined third party alarms or manually initiated VMS macros. However, this is typically up to the selected VMS application to manage. Taking advantage of these types of IP camera functions requires ‘deep' integration between cameras and VMS and should not be considered a given. Some cameras offer dual streaming and when fully integrated with VMS, the camera can send a full HD stream to the recorders for optimum playback quality, and simultaneously multicast a second, less bandwidth intensive SD or CIF stream to the monitor wall or a mobile device to avoid latency or overtaxing available bandwidth,” Katnic said. “In coming years, more IP encoding devices and VMS will support scalable video codec (SVC) which, rather than producing dual or triple streams for varied usage, produces one full-featured, multilayered stream that enables clients to subscribe to the stream quality level appropriate for their bandwidth or application.”

Camera features such as region of interest generally can be of help in terms of bandwidth reduction while event triggering applications save storage space. However, these features are not legally allowed in certain gaming areas. “Most gaming standards require 100 percent motion of video recording in gaming areas so this is typically not an area where value-based configuration or programming is employed,” said Douglas Florence, Business Development Director for Global Gaming, Avigilon.“Depending on the location of the casino in the world, the percentage of gaming versus security/public areas will vary. In a mega resort, 60 percent of the cameras could be managed in this manner, where parameters of pixels per square inch or square foot are set to create an event-based recording mode.”

“We are typically “handcuffed” by gaming regulations and seldom, if ever, can use triggering events, loiter modes, or lower the resolution for gaming specific cameras,” Bartlett added. “These may be acceptable for “back of house” areas but never in money or gaming areas. As drives are getting larger and storage in general is getting cheaper, it does not seem to be an issue as of lately.”

Storage and Redundancy
With technology changing and desire to go from two megapixels to 5, 10 or 20 Megapixel HD, the amount of storage remains to be a challenge. “Storage is expensive (30 to 40 percent of the total surveillance system price), and is directly related to picture quality, which is related to the data rate and retention period for each camera,” Katnic cautioned. “IP HD cameras average 5 to 6 Mbps, which is three to four times more data/storage compared to H.264-encoded analog cameras. HD video requires more servers, software, rack space, electricity, cooling and maintenance. Also, storage servers with high density 2- or 3-TB drives configured in RAID 5 or 6 take much longer to rebuild following a drive failure, which adds vulnerability to retained data and recordings. Just because you can record in HD doesn't necessarily mean you should, especially when you have to justify cost/reliability strategy for the HD cameras.”

The different risks associated with IP systems require careful analysis and resiliency planning. “For instance, traditional analog matrix systems will display live video on the analog wall even if the network and/or DVRs go down. Some analog to digital encoder-based systems will even keep recording when the network fails,” Katnic added. “However, that is not the case with an IP camera-based system. When the network goes down, both recorded and live video will be lost if the cameras do not support edge based storage. All that video will be lost cannot be recovered.”

“Hybrid systems, which involve greater complexity and reliance on network technology, have potential risks too and casinos have expressed concern about being able to meet the mandated regulatory requirements for continuous recording with no gaps in recording. With hybrid solutions, network failures could potentially prevent the operators from accessing playback/reviews, but the analog recording should likely remain unaffected,” Paul said. “Failed DVRs could be easily addressed via a matrix macro to switch the analog inputs to a standby DVR unit if necessary. Solutions such as matrix switching DVR inputs for “fail-over” have now been replicated in digital technology; stand-by technologies, clustering technology and cloud-based storage all pool together to allow for redundancy in recording as well as multicast recording to provide true redundancy. This solution should adequately address these concerns.“

Equip casinos with better eyes on the floor

Editor / Provider: Tevin Wang | Updated: 9/21/2012 | Article type: Commercial Markets

Casino operators will not change their entire systems simply to implement HD capability. Hybrid video solutions are the logical path to provide a phased migration from SD to HD systems. The key to any upgrade/migration starts with careful planning for the design. “If not done properly with a plan in place, you can run into quite a few problems,” said Douglas Florence, Business Development Director for Global Gaming, Avigilon.

One of the main challenges in casino gaming environments remains to be the HD PTZ control latency issue. “The expectation continues to be that digital should be superior to analog and therefore, increasing latency for HD PTZ seems to be a backward step,” said Scott Paul, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Pelco by Schneider Electric. “The number one request is ‘analog-like' latency for PTZ control with HD PTZ control. I would not actually call this an ‘outrageous' request as it is quite expected to want fine responsive control for PTZ activity in a busy gaming environment, but understanding the technology behind HD video and how it is delivered to the user, it is easy to appreciate how this is not a simple hurdle that can be overcome overnight. Through operator training, adjusting the HD PTZ cameras to use the lowest latency codecs and correct network design, we have been able to get customer acceptance on this issue.”

Bit rate and recordings are challenges as well. “In most cases, if an HD camera is streaming at 20 to 50 Mbps, very few would have pockets deep enough to buy the storage required for these types of cameras,” added Scott Bartlett, CEO of Southwest Surveillance Systems.

Having an IP-based system that can integrate with an existing network goes a long way. Still, IP camera integration/compatibility with VMSs remains a key issue and challenge for the industry. “Most major camera and encoder manufacturers are now adopting ONVIF-compliant standards for IP device detection, transmission, telemetry and recording, which is making it much easier for integrators and end users to confidently deploy new IP cameras,” said John Katnic, VP of Global Gaming at Synectics. “Unfortunately, standards like ONVIF and PSIA are evolving and changing constantly and VMS and IP device manufacturers are often developing to different versions or only partially comply with the standards' specs. Moreover, the standards leave out some very important criteria that can cause a big disconnect with expectations. For example, how IP cameras and VMS are supposed to manage audio, alarms, a second or third recorded stream and onboard SD memory, are not clearly defined by ONVIF.”

Integration-Friendly
Fewer but better tested and documented changes/upgrades of the cameras would be helpful for system integrators as there are often new compatibility issues popping up in casinos. Also, it is rather imperative that the user and supplier agree on what exactly ‘integrated' means and precisely define what functions are expected before choosing a camera and VMS combination, according to Katnic. “And once settled on a particular camera and firmware version, avoid the temptation to roll out the newest bleeding edge software update without thoroughly testing the new firmware revisions with your existing VMS. Small firmware changes can cause big compatibility problems.”

Having a proprietary solution is not the best thing for casino owners. Hybrid solutions will be an unavoidable path to HD, and systems integrators will have to learn to be something more than just a re-seller of a manufacturer's equipment to be considered a true systems integrator. “The days of having proprietary casino solutions are soon to be gone and those left standing in the casino space will have the ability to integrate with each other.” Bartlett said.

Proceed with Eyes Wide Open
There is no doubt that the superiority of HD IP picture quality will charm and convince users to spend what it takes to achieve it. “It is important to remember that just because it's new IP technology, it doesn't mean it's better for every application or that it will do everything that your analog system did,” Katnic said. “At best, they're different technologies and users are likely to encounter both pros and cons. IP system will not necessarily be as resilient, fast or functional as the old matrix.”

Hybrid infrastructure, cameras and command and control interfaces should all be carefully planned and must be carried out with caution.

New kid on the VMS block

Editor / Provider: Submitted by 3VR | Updated: 9/17/2012 | Article type: Tech Corner

3VR, the video intelligence company, announced that it is opening up its Video Intelligence Platform for integration with select hardware partners for the first time. This is a first for 3VR's Video Intelligence Platform as its Video Management Software (VMS) has only been available for use with its own Network Video Recorders (NVRs) and Hybrid NVRs in the past.

Intransa, the physical security infrastructure and services company, marks the first implementation of 3VR's Video Intelligence Platform with a third-party hardware provider. Intransa customers now can augment their existing hardware infrastructure with 3VR's VMS suite of forensic search and analytics solutions to solve crimes faster, reap significant business intelligence from their video assets and reduce IT integration headaches. Today's announcement is consistent with 3VR's open platform philosophy. 3VR already has certified partnerships with leading camera manufacturers, data integration partners such as access control and POS systems and analytic developers.

"We wanted to give our customers more choices and flexibility in how they deploy our software," said 3VR CEO Al Shipp. "By opening up our software platform to premium select hardware vendors such as Intransa, we allow 3VR customers to optimize their network security infrastructure while still taking advantage of 3VR's powerful forensic search engine, case management, and wide range of video analytics."

3VR has been SELECT certified as an option for Intransa's server, storage and appliance platforms. Customers of Intransa's video-optimized VideoAppliance, EnterpriseServer and EnterpriseStorage platforms will now be able to leverage 3VR's VMS without the need for additional hardware purchases.

"Our certified partnership with 3VR enables us to combine our strengths to create a powerful, sophisticated solution that addresses a wide range of project needs, and ultimately offer greater value to our integrators and end users," said Intransa CEO Bud Broomhead.

3VR offers several built-in and premium applications that allow users to manage and bolster the performance of their video assets (mix and match analog, IP, megapixel and PTZ cameras) across thousands of sites. Local and remote management tools focused on ensuring uptime and maximizing effectiveness include:
- OpCenter – Allows customers to quickly view and monitor video from any camera on a single user interface including forensic search
- Systems Manager – Centralized system administration enables remote or local configuration of 3VR VMS, cameras, and 3VR hybrid video recorders
- Spot Monitor – Streams a multiplex or cycling display of live video on a separate monitor
- Alert Viewer – Stand-alone client software automatically notifies a user via an alert or email when suspicious activity, individuals or vehicles are identified
- Report Viewer – General reporting feature produces tabular reports of any search query against any 3VR analytic to gain valuable business intelligence
-Custom Applications – 3VR's VMS provides users with the unique ability to create tailor-made applications for their organizations

Mobotix and Pivot3 team up to monitor Anchorage bus depot

Editor / Provider: Mobotix | Updated: 9/14/2012 | Article type: Security 50

Mobotix and Pivot3 announced the Municipality of Anchorage has deployed a comprehensive surveillance system at the Anchorage Downtown Bus Transit Center. The Anchorage Department of Public Transportation is using the Mobotix cameras and Pivot3 appliances to hasten police investigations, increase operational efficiency and maintain video for compliance and investigations.

The downtown transit center, the main cog in a 14-route bus system that attracts about 3,000 riders per day, installed 29 Mobotix cameras and Pivot3 appliances that allow it to store 24 days of video to quickly tap into recorded footage if an incident occurs. The focus on video to enhance safety is part of an effort to change Anchorage's collective attitude toward public transportation and increase ridership. The video system is also being considered for purposes beyond security to help the department track rider counts and gauge the timing and efficiency of their busses.

“Public transportation can have an image problem,” said Lance Wilber, Director, Public Transportation Department, Municipality of Anchorage. “The security technology we've adapted helps improve that image. The environment at the center is noticeably more positive and overall, passengers are much more comfortable.”

The Mobotix cameras provide a high level of video quality through its use of megapixel sensors. One Mobotix camera with 3.1 megapixels records 30 times more detail than traditional CCTV cameras. As a result, larger image areas of up to 360-degree views are possible, which reduces the number of cameras needed in any environment and, therefore, upfront and long-term costs. Most importantly, as a local government on a small budget, the transit center was able to get more features than anticipated through deploying MxControlCenter, professional video management software that connects any number of cameras at any location with centralized or local, user-based operation and evaluation, as it is included with the Mobotix cameras at no additional charge.

“The cost efficiencies delivered by Mobotix's decentralized approach to surveillance technology makes it a perfect solution for a local government on a budget and bundling MxControlCenter with the purchase of our cameras further enhances the end user's ROI,” said Steve Gorski, General Manager, Americas, Mobotix. “It is nice to see the cost efficiencies of our surveillance solutions helping change the perception of public transportation.”

The amount of storage capacity required by surveillance video is a major budget item in a surveillance installation since cameras, especially megapixel cameras, can generate up to 1TB of data in one day. The Pivot3 Serverless Computing appliances reduce cost by consolidating server and shared storage functionality in a common appliance, and provide application failover that protects both storage and VMS applications in the event of a failure. The robust storage capacity allows the Department of Public Transportation to access footage of a reported crime and submit the evidence to police to enhance and hasten the investigation.

“Pivot3 appliances make it remarkably easy for users to expand their storage capacity,” said Lee Caswell, Founder and CSO, Pivot3. “This reduces the pressure to precisely calculate the storage they will need by leaving the system open for later expansion and reduces upfront costs.”

Scottish museum shields exhibits with VCA Technology analytics

Editor / Provider: VCA Technology | Updated: 9/12/2012 | Article type: Commercial Markets

William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke would no doubt be impressed that a unique set of armour made over 460 years ago for him and his horse, is being watched over by security cameras equipped with VCA Technology Video Analytics, at Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

Despite the fact that the priceless exhibit is the only known surviving set of amour of its kind, the Museum's curator has been determined to allow visitors to have an unobstructed view of the highly impressive artefact. With the risk of unintentional damage being caused by visitors getting too close to the exhibit in their enthusiasm to have a close up view of the magnificent workmanship carried out by 16th Century craftsmen, the Museum has put its trust in the detection capabilities of VCA Technology Video Analytics software, to alert security personnel to the danger.

The VCA Technology Video Analytics software has been configured to analyse the images captured by ceiling mounted dome cameras which are constantly monitoring the exhibit. An alarm is generated the moment anyone strays into a pre-defined detection zone, allowing security personnel to quickly respond by guiding the visitor to a safer distance away from the exhibit.

This solution is just one of a number of projects carried out by Glasgow based Visual Management Systems Ltd (VMS) for Glasgow Museums, where VCA Technology Video Analytics software has been applied.

VMS have provided an IP network based video surveillance system which utilises 200 cameras to monitor activity across all of the Glasgow Museum buildings. Security personnel are able to control and monitor live or recorded images captured by all the cameras via VMS' proprietary Titan Vision video management software platform which also acts as an integrated security management platform to provide visibility and control over a variety of other systems, including intruder and fire detection, HVAC and access control systems.

“In addition to helping protect the 1st Earl of Pembroke's suit of armour, the VCA Technology Video Analytics has assisted us to provide Glasgow Museums with a security solution which has generated cost savings of more than ￡500,000 a year, whilst equipping security personnel with a powerful tool to react quickly to any security incident, “said Graeme Anderson, Regional Business Manager of VMS. “At some of the buildings we have installed new cameras which incorporate the software, but we have also been able to upgrade existing camera capabilities where necessary, by linking them to VCA Technology encoders.”

At some of the Glasgow Museum buildings, such as the Riverside Transport Museum and the Burrell Collection, VCA Technology Video Analytics has been deployed as a highly reliable method of simultaneously accurately counting the number of visitors that stream through a large number of entrances. The statistical data gathered by the software, which can be configured to distinguish between adults and children, is used in support of Glasgow Museum's funding applications. The data can also be used to reduce costs by identifying busy and quite periods so that staff are efficiently deployed.

At other sites the software is being utilised to detect any unauthorised movement of exhibits as an early indicator that a theft may be taking place. From a potential terrorist activity point of view, it offers a feature which creates an alert if an item, such as a briefcase, is left unattended and is not moved for a defined period of time.

VMS have also taken advantage of VCA Technology Video Analytics' intruder detection capabilities to enhance Glasgow Museums' sophisticated out of hours detection system.

VCA Technology Video Analytics operates effectively with both indoor and outdoor cameras. The software can be used for a wide range of applications including intrusion detection, vehicle monitoring, abandoned object detection and loitering detection. It can even detect camera tampering and failure. The software can also be used to ensure Health and Safety compliance and is capable of indentifying potentially dangerous situations before they occur. Operators can be alerted, for example, when fire escapes are obstructed or when items are left in walkways.

Multiple overlapping detection lines and zones can be designated to ensure that only specific activity is recorded. Direction of movement is defined so that the software only triggers when individuals or objects move in a particular direction across a zone, or when they move into a zone but not when they leave it. A rapid 'learning time' of just two seconds means that images are detected and classified almost instantaneously.

“We found that the VCA Technology Video Analytics software was very easy to configure to match each of the building's requirements,” said Graeme Anderson. “Equally important, Glasgow Museums' control room operators, security personnel and facility managers have found that with very little training they can take full advantage of the highly valuable data collectively provided by the VCA Technology software and our Titan Vision video management platform.”

Glasgow Museums is the UK's largest local authority museum service with a collection of 1.2 million objects of national and international interest which are valued at over ￡400 million. The collection is curated in 13 different buildings most of which are themselves of outstanding significance. In addition to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the estate also includes the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre which is a 6,000 square metre environmentally controlled storage facility and visitor centre, and the Burrell Collection which can claim to be the UK's largest collection created by a single person. The estate receives approximately 2.6 million visitors every year.

Honeywell MAXPRO Mobile on display at ASIS

Editor / Provider: Honeywell Security | Updated: 9/12/2012 | Article type: Security 50

In this technological age, people are just too busy. As security professionals, it's our job to offer ways for our end users to check in on their businesses and be more productive while they're on the go. Our new MAXPRO Mobile App gives them these capabilities. We've designed our MAXPRO family of products so they talk to each other – allowing users to take advantage of some of the great features available in the MAXPRO line. Now we're offering Security on the Go!

True Remote Control
Imagine your customer owns multiple retail stores. This means he can't be everywhere at once or does it? If he has any one of these Honeywell products – MAXPRO VMS, MAXPRO NVR, Rapid Eye DVR or even MAXPRO Cloud, he can use the MAXPRO Mobile App on an iPad, iPhone or a Droid to check in. Say he wants to see the store traffic. He simply pulls up a single or multiple screens on his iPad for live video viewing.

Or maybe your customer has a burglary at the office. She can use her Droid or iPhone to take a snapshot for forensic purposes. And even playback the video for the police from her phone. We believe this new app will give your customers peace of mind since it allows them to see in an instant what's going on from wherever they are.

US second-hand store protects its closet with Axis and Salient solution

Editor / Provider: Axis Communications | Updated: 9/7/2012 | Article type: Commercial Markets

Mission
Plato's Closet puts a luxurious spin on the typical consignment store concept: customers buy and sell brandname, high-end clothing and accessories. Buyers in each independently-owned store determine product price based on an item's brand, condition and the store's current stock levels. Steve Olson, franchisee of the successful West Des Moines, Iowa store, saw their retail space grow from 2,000 sq. ft. to a 7,000 sq. ft. megastore in just a few years, and the analog system could not keep pace. They sought a system that could deliver crystal-clear video detail and grow alongside their thriving business.

Solution
ICS Advanced Technologies, an Ames, Iowa-based provider of technology solutions ranging from Internet services to audio/video installations to security and surveillance solutions, designed a tailor-made IP video system based on Salient Systems' CompleteView VMS platform that strategically morphed to meet Plato's Closet's changing security and loss prevention needs.

ICS began with an encoder solution to migrate the store to an IP backbone, then shifted to a hosted video solution with redundant Iomega Network Attached Storage as new IP cameras were added, and then fully converted Plato's Closest to an all-IP Dell-server solution to add more functionality and high-definition cameras, including the covert AXIS P8514 Network Camera.

Result
The IP video system, which now covers more than 90% of the 7,000 sq. ft. store, has helped reduce theft to less than one percent. Video evidence has been invaluable in catching customers attempting to sell stolen goods, and the high-quality video even helps settle disputes over the amount of cash that exchanged hands in a given transaction. Remote video allows the Olsons to keep the store running smoothly when they are at home or on the road, and proves an important training tool for their staff. The store has also built an excellent relationship with the Des Moines-area police and video evidence has helped put more than a few people in jail, including busting up an organized retail crime ring.

This Closet is bursting
At Plato's Closet, each location's franchisee bargains with customers for the store's inventory: gently used brand name clothing and accessories. In this cash-heavy, bargaining atmosphere where luxury items line the racks, surveillance is at a premium. Steve Olson, franchisee of the West Des Moines, Iowa, Plato's Closet, owns one of the top-grossing outlets in the nation. What started out as a 2000 sq. ft. location has more than tripled in size, and Olson's responsibilities of inventory control, security and loss prevention have grown proportionally.

“We've talked to managers at major store brands and their head offices tell them not to even bother attempting to reduce shrinkage. Of course they try to minimize it as much as they can, but they resign to the fact that if you can't stop it, just build it into the cost of the merchandise,” shares Olson. “Our goal is to have shrinkage rates as low as humanly possible.”

Unfortunately, his analog system couldn't deliver the results he wanted nor could it keep pace with the store's growth. “The store was expanding every two years, and the most recent upgrade called for an increase from 12 to 24 cameras,” said Patrick Bailey, president of ICS Advanced Technologies, the Ames, Iowa-based integrator chosen by Plato's Closet. “Most importantly, however, was getting rid of six analog cameras and offering higher resolution with IP cameras.”

From analog to hybrid to hosted to in-house
ICS suggested a gradual transition to IP video. The first step was to digitize the few working analog cameras with two four-channel AXIS 241Q Video Encoders and install new AXIS M3203 Fixed Dome Network Cameras with SVGA resolution. With the small camera count of this original hybrid system, using a server-based solution would have been costly for Plato's Closet. Fortunately, as a local Internet Service Provider, ICS had the perfect solution: hosted video. It was an ingenious idea that leveraged Salient System's CompleteView Enterprise VMS and an Iomega NAS device for high-definition redundancy.

ICS immediately improved the store's resolution and system functionality, and remote monitoring became a favorite feature of the Olsons. “My wife can see all the cameras in action from our home computer or if we're on the road. With a quick phone call, she can make sure the store's running a tight ship even when we're not there.”

Remote diagnostics was another major advantage of moving to IP. “If the system needs to be tweaked or upgraded, we're able to do so remotely from our desks close to 99% of the time,” says Bailey. “I can respond to Steve's needs much faster and keep his system up and running.”

Full-fledged IP with a covert twist
“Because of the success we've seen, we decided to invest quite a bit of money in the security system,” Olson said. “We wanted to be aggressive against theft and work jointly with law enforcement to stop shoplifting and vandalism.”

As the system has grown, they've added HDTV-quality AXIS M3204 Fixed Dome Network Cameras and installed a Dell server-based solution that continues to run Salient's CompleteView. With scalability in mind, ICS has covered more than 90% of the 7,000 sq. ft. store and can add intelligent functionality as the store's LP and security needs evolve. Video detail has settled buyer disputes over the denomination of bills that exchanged hands in a deal, as well as helped local police thwart an organized retail crime ring involving teenaged girls recruited to sell stolen goods.

Most recently, the store added the covert AXIS P8514 Network Camera, whose 720p HDTV clarity and unique eye-level position delivered perfect face shots to help capture a known local shoplifter as well as settle a family dispute of a mother who believed her eldest daughter was stealing and reselling her sister's clothes. Despite the advice from industry colleagues to let shrink take its natural course, Olson has been able to cut shoplifting below 1%. “Our system has helped put a few people in jail,” Olson said with a smile. “The police are very supportive of our efforts.”