Modern system of monitoring dorms

Basic system architecture of the IP CCTV system

Maisel SudParis is an non-profit organization whose main mission is to provide accommodation for students of two prestigious French universities: "Telecom SudParis" and "Telecom Ecole de Management" (former INT). The campus located in Evry consists of six buildings with single rooms, studios, apartments, common living areas such as kitchens, dining rooms, laundry rooms, meeting rooms.

In order to counteract vandalism committed on the open access equipment, the administrator decided to install video surveillance system. The system will be launched in February 2010.

It will consist of 106 vandal-proof ACTi cameras integrated by managing and recording software (NVR) - domes with standard resolution (CAM-7321) and megapixel cameras ACM-7411. IP technology allows for simple construction of the large system and provides effective management tools. High resolution of the cameras increases the effectiveness of the fight against pathological behavior. Vandal proof housings of the cameras are ideal for such applications - the cameras can operate without fear of being damaged.
After startup of the system the investor expects a significant reduction of vandalism and petty crime.

CCTV monitoring in automotive wholesale center

GAZELO deals with import and distribution of spare parts for cars. In Poland, it is the sole representative of several manufacturers of electric fuel pumps and lambda sensors from Korea, Taiwan, and China.

To increase security and improve the organization of work in the new wholesale store, the investor decided to install CCTV monitoring. In the construction process the contractor made cabling to all planned outdoor camera points, using gel-filled cat 5e UTP cable, prepared for CCTV cameras placed in housings equipped with video transformers with BNC sockets - TR-1Q. Video signals from four cameras are received by video transformer TR-4P placed in the building and providing its output signals to the DVR. If needed in the future, the installation allows to transmit audio, e.g. for transmitting some orders. Indoor CCTV cabling has been based on CCTV YAR cable with two power wires.

The employed outdoor day/night SUNELL cameras have on board 1/3" SONY EX-View CCDs. Thanks to high parameters, the cameras can work even in extreme lighting conditions (e.g. they can be used for monitoring of roads). Some places, very dark at night, required to use compact cameras with IR illuminators. Outdoor color cameras (with 4-9 mm varifocal lens and IR illuminator)">VF-515 IR/B, with SONY Super HAD sensors, 550 TVL resolution, equipped with 4-9 mm varifocal lenses and IR illuminators seemed to be the best choice. They were easy to mount and adjust, providing quality images with increased resolution. The inside parts of the building and the rooms are monitored with the vandal proof cameras VC-412. This model of universal (ceiling / wall) color vandal-proof camera is equipped with built-in 3.6 mm lens and IR illuminator.

Images from the set of cameras are recorded by 16-channel DVR - CPD-507 and 4-channel DVR - CPD-560. Some selected images are also available via RF system (due to use of TERRA modulators MT27P) and can be viewed on TV sets located in administrative part of the building.

There are plans for future development of the system. The key cameras will be connected to ULTIMAX DVR that allows live monitoring, preview of archives, and configuration of the system via LAN or the Internet. H.264/AVC compression is 50% more efficient compared with the previous kind of MPEG-4 algorithms, saving disc space and available bandwidth of IP networks.

ULTISYSTEM got a distinction

The ULTISYSTEM software suite that enables cooperation of local monitoring systems with city video surveillance has been honored at Video Surveillance Conference and Exhibition ALARM, in Kielce, Poland (Nov. 5-6, 2008).

ULTISYSTEM allows to connect to the city surveillance system based on IP technology (and its monitoring center) a number of local CCTV systems, e.g. in:

• sports facilities, concert halls etc.
• schools, universities etc.
• banks, offices, agencies etc.

using analog cameras connected to DVRs.

ULTISYSTEM is a perfect platform both for small local monitoring systems and large, advanced video surveillance structures. ULTISYSTEM allows to manage the whole structure with all its sub-systems from one, professional Monitoring Center (live monitoring, PTZ control, recording). It is possible to organize temporary sub-centers for the security of mass events. The whole concept is focused on cost reduction of the installations and their operation.

Megapixel revolution in CCTV

Development of IP CCTV technology has been relatively slow to date. An important reason was that DVRs with network functions (sometimes more advanced than those of some IP cameras) supported by low-cost analog cameras were an attractive alternative to IP CCTV systems.

But the limit of analog CCTV (PAL, NTSC) is resolution of the images (PAL: 720 x 576). Such restrictions do not exist in the IP CCTV systems equipped with megapixel cameras.

An analysis of the advantages of megapixel cameras can be carried out assuming that the optimum monitoring requires approximately 130 pixels per one meter of the observed object. For a 50-meter wide scene, an analog system (720 pixels) would require to employ 9 cameras. In the case of a camera with 1.3 Mpix resolution (1280 x 1024), the number can be reduced to 5 such cameras, for a 2 Mpix camera - only 4 cameras will do the same job.

A smaller number of cameras has other advantages. First of all, it lowers the cost and time of installation and maintenance. It also lowers operational costs - it is easier to conduct surveillance with a smaller number of points.

Of course, there is another alternative for megapixel cameras - very popular speed dome/ PTZ cameras. With adequate lens, it is even possible to cover the area mentioned above with a single PTZ camera. However, such a solution has many drawbacks. First of all, the camera can be set only in one of two ways. The first one provides an overall view, without possibility of recognition of some important details, e.g. the license number of a car. The second way, using optical zoom, increases the capability of identifying details, but at the expense of losing the rest of the scene.

In addition, PTZ camera has to be controlled by the operator, who must decide what is interesting at the moment and focus on that area. In the case of fixed megapixel cameras, there is always available a complete picture, with all events recorded by the system. Due to a very high resolution of the cameras, the details can be viewed using digital zoom.

CCTV at IFSEC

CCTV comapnies at IFSEC:

• Panasonic
• JVC
• Norbain
• Bosch
• Dedicated Micros
• Sanyo
• Sony
• Samsung
• Mitsubishi
• Dallmeier
• Cieffe
• IndigoVision
• Axis Communications

Nomination for ULTISYSTEM at Securex fair

We are glad to inform you that ULTISYSTEM is nominated to Securex award. ULTISYSTEM is a unique system in world scale that allows to combine local monitoring installations with city monitoring systems and use network recorders with H.264 compression - all with this one managing software.

ULTISYSTEM consists of software package and modern CCTV devices utilizing H.264 compression. NetStation software used in city monitoring cooperates with ULTIMAX DVRs (Gold Medal of INTERTELECOM 2008) and a wide range of devices: ULTINET web servers, ULTICAM IP cameras with 4CIF resolution, megapixel cameras, and IP surveillance products of ACTi, IQinVision, SONY, AXIS.

How to set OSD cameras?

Application of DSP (Digital Signal Processor) allows to enhance the array of cameras adjustments, without limitations of the previous mechanical switches and potentiometers. The cameras are usually configured through the OSD (On Screen Display) menu. In field conditions it is indispensable to employ a mobile monitor.

If you are looking for more useful informations about telecommunications I recommend Weekly Newsletter: www.dipolnet.com/inf_dipo.htm

IP cameras in high-tech industrial plant

http://weeklyreview.dipolnet.com/nf_dipo_2008_05.htm

Chunghwa Picture Tubes Ltd. (CPT) is one of the world's largest manufacturers of picture tubes and LCD screens. To monitor the whole plant, the company has decided to implement fixed IP cameras ACM-1431 IR from ACTi and dedicated ACTi NVR software package. The backbone network is based on optical fiber, the local connections are made with UTP cables. The cameras and active devices are powered with PoE technology.

The NVR server is also under video surveillance. The staff of the managing center as well as of some other sections have access to the live resources and archives according to their access privileges.
ACM-1431 is a compact day/ night camera with integrated IR illuminator. The ACTi NVR software package allows to record 64 channels (total: 1920 fps at D1).