Local recording

Wherever we look today, things are turning digital at an ever faster pace. As installers will be all too aware, the world of security, and CCTV in particular, is not immune from these changes, with the move from analogue to digital gaining momentum as the very latest video over IP digital systems come on stream. This technology really comes into its own on larger sites, where video servers can be readily integrated into the existing computer infrastructure, using this as the transmission mechanism to distribute CCTV images across a LAN (Local Area Network) or WAN (Wide Area Network) to as many viewing terminals as are required – whatever their distance apart.

End user demands for more cameras, more screens, remote viewing and bottom line economics are all playing their part in driving the take-up of distributed systems and opening up opportunities for installers who are ready to embrace this technology.

Two of the critical issues which installers need to consider when focusing on video over IP are where the recording actually takes place, and how the demand on the IT network can be minimised? The logical course of action with regards to recording is to go local, using the network as a transport mechanism to relay digitised and compressed images from the recording device to the viewing station and, simultaneously, recording evidential MJPEG quality images to the hard disk. The upshot of this is that even if the network goes down, systems won't stop recording so vital evidence can continue to be collected locally – something which would not happen if images from IP cameras are sent over the network for storage. In this case, if the worst happens, the whole process grinds to a halt.

Distributed architectures with storage at the edge of the network are increasingly being acknowledged as the best option for professional CCTV solutions.

Local recording also reflects the fact that the cost of storage is falling faster than network bandwidth. In non-security applications it is the capability for local storage that wins through time and again, whether it is Sky+ versus video on demand, audio juke boxes versus 3G phones, or PCs versus mainframes/terminals.

Bandwidth management

For installers dealing with IT managers there will inevitably be concerns about this implication of dropping video servers into an organisation's computer network, including the fear that this will clog up the system with heavyweight images when the primary concern of a business – in the case of a bank – may be the effective transmission of financial transactions.

Thankfully, with the introduction of MPEG-4 on hybrid systems such as DM's DV-IP Server – alongside local MJPEG recording – the required transmission capacity can be effectively managed to avoid conflict with other business-critical functions.

Applying a compression technique, designed specifically for low bandwidth environments, assists installers in allaying any concerns of those responsible for the network, and also offers the ability to deliver effective solutions without the need for an expensive upgrade of the existing upgrade of the existing IT infrastructure.

Applications matter

The message to any installer, who may be wary of video over IP solutions, is that if you hold back you are liable to miss out on a major opportunity for your business. It is estimated that sales of digital systems will grow by a third in Europe over the next five years, with a large proportion of that coming directly from network enabled solutions.

Of course, as a manufacturer, at DM we recognise that installers cannot operate in isolation, and need effective support and training so they are in the best possible position to take advantage of this technology and deliver the right solution for their customers. It has to very much a partnership.

Looking at the picture on the ground, there is little doubt that the latest, scalable, networked video over IP security solutions are proving their worth in key business sectors, with the ability to do away with tape management issues, deliver powerful databases and search facilities, and integrate with existing IT networks.

Typical applications include casinos, to ensure there is fair play at fast moving gaming tables; banking, to secure ATMs; and in the retail environment, to handle point of sale (POS) issues.

CCTV for casino control

The demands on today's casino security managers, having to ensure that the casino's assets, staff and patrons are safe and secure in a fast moving, frenetic environment, as visitors flock to these major attractions.

The benefits for casinos of moving from analogue to digital video over IP solutions are wide ranging. No longer do casinos have to face the prospect of running expensive coax cables from each camera back to a conventional VCR, having to change hundreds of tapes every day or manually reviewing numerous tapes to locate recorded events.

Digital video servers can be integrated seamlessly into a casino's existing IT network, dramatically reducing cabling time, cost and complexity. The Local Area Network can then be used as the video transmission medium, rapidly distributing video and audio to PC desktop on demand as well as to a centralised control room.

Such video over IP solutions can also be readily expanded to cope with new security challenges and frequent changes to casino floor plans, additional video servers simply being slotted in at appropriate points on a network to receive images from additional cameras.

There is even the ability to tie-in servers with other measures such as access control for staff, and to tag specific events such as door openings, tampers, jackpots - even text from chip counters - to time logged images. Incidents can then be stored, conveniently, in a powerful event database for future review by casino management straight from PC desktop or even via PDA to the 'pit boss'.

Since the early 1990s, one of the largest 'mega' casinos in the Southern Hemisphere had been relying on a traditional analogue CCTV solution. In the casino's jurisdiction the application of CCTV was a fundamental requirement for an operating license.

With more than a thousand CCTV cameras and hundreds of VCRs, there were a number of significant problems associated with this type of infrastructure which any future solution would have to address.

After a brief and unsuccessful trial with another manufacturer's digital products, which failed to deliver the performance, flexibility - there simply wasn't the potential to integrate a bespoke control package - and the cost benefits required, the casino finally turned to a DM distributed video solution to take full advantage of the digital CCTV revolution.

With this approach, the 750 VCRs could effectively be replaced by 100 real time four-camera video servers, capable of delivering over 1.4TB of local storage per unit; and with four channels per server recording at 100pps across all cameras, this offered 25pps recording per camera - a higher rate than had been possible with the conventional VCR infrastructure.

The potential to use the Casino's existing LAN to distribute images was certainly seen as a key advantage, whether it be to the central control room or to any password protected PC on the network. Operators would now be able to download live video and recorded events to a network enabled laptop on the casino floor.

With the DM digital CCTV systems and IP technology, the casino can move forward with a fully scalable security infrastructure able to meet its obligations to monitor the fast moving gaming tables, document possible examples of deception, protect staff, guests and casino property, and satisfy the pressing legal requirement to provide images which are admissible in court.

Checking cashpoint security

Turning to the banking sector, sadly cash machine fraud continues to soar - in many European countries it is recognised as the fastest growing form of card fraud. All too often we are seeing criminals in organised gangs applying various methods to obtain card details, in particular card skimming - where a card reading device is secretly fitted to an ATM - and shoulder surfing.

As well as fraudulent activities, there is also the problem of straightforward theft from customers once they have made a withdrawal.

This increase in ATM fraud underlines the need for vigilance and, going forward, it is CCTV systems, specifically network enabled DVRs, that will be at the very heart of efforts to deal with this threat. The potential market for this type of solution is vast, given that there are over 1.2 million ATMs installed worldwide, according to estimates by Retail Banking Research Ltd, with a new ATM commissioned every five minutes.

This is certainly an area where at DM we have invested considerable resources. Recently we developed the four camera DV-IP ATM, built around our award winning DVR technology, which is compact enough to fit readily within the confines of an ATM.

Search for suspicious activity

The ability to use text search engines to allow bank security staff the relevant CCTV video footage – homing in on suspicious activity – is a key benefit.

This type of system can be also be used to provide the sort of evidence which the police require to address the fraudulent use of cash and credit cards, and help staff to deal with customer queries over cash withdrawals.

Spot monitor support offers a visual deterrent and helps assure customers and bank employees that there is a safe and secure cash withdrawal facility.

The hope has to be that as more advanced CCTV systems such as DV-IP ATM come on line, the banks can stay one step ahead in their battle with the fraudsters.

Today the cost of retail crime, from convenience stores to the major chains, remains high, and, worryingly, staff pilferage continues to have a significant impact. The very latest scaleable digital technology is now being installed to maintain CCTV's edge in the retail environment, doing away with tape management issues, and delivering powerful databases and search facilities supporting the effective identification of suspect activity.

Seamless integration

The ability to be seamlessly integrated with other elements of the retail infrastructure greatly enhances a CCTV system's flexibility and cost effectiveness. A case in point is the way that Ethernet data input is now possible via a DVR or video server, allowing the user to conveniently link into a retail outlet's IT network.

It is also possible to tie-in solutions with other security measures like garment tagging, so if tagged goods are taken through a security barrier, an in-store alarm will be triggered, and associated digital images will be stored.

One of the key battlegrounds is POS (Point of Sale), with DVRs now being utilised as part of the retail security arsenal offering the potential for each cash register transaction to be associated with relevant CCTV footage in an event log.

At a major department store in London's Oxford Street – Europe's busiest shopping street – internal stock shrinkage was a real headache. Initially, a PC-based solution was tried, but factors such as persistent system crashes meant that it was decided to move to a more robust purpose-designed video over IP network solution from DM. This had an embedded, non-PC derived operating system, making it immune from computer virus attack – whilst retaining the benefits of digital recording.

This sort of system, which can use the store's existing IT infrastructure, is ideal for a large multi-level department store, with video servers able to be dropped in at convenient points on the IP network, ensuring that coverage can be delivered of all keys areas.

By utilising MPEG-4 low-bandwidth compression for transmission, images could be supplied to security staff on demand without clogging up the IT network, safe in the knowledge that the pictures recorded to the video server's internal hard disk were preserved as evidential quality, high resolution JPEG files.

To assist security staff, an intuitive graphical user interface was created, with maps of each floor and concession down to relevant cameras, so staff could readily access the images they needed at the click of a mouse in the frenetic retail environment.

Fortunately the evidence gathered by DM's video over IP network solution helped to secure a conviction. With retail CCTV solutions, it can never be a matter of technology for technology's sake, but rather applying it in a user-friendly manner to deliver real practical benefits for retail managers and security staff.

Digital destiny

While some installers may feel more comfortable with familiar analogue CCTV systems, the case for digital video recording and networked video servers is extremely powerful.

Ease of operation, flexibility – image storage, fast retrieval, scalability and wide distribution – and falling cost of ownership, open up opportunities for DVRs to be used effectively and economically as a security device and management tool.

This allows installers to work with businesses, from banks to casinos, to improve the safety and security of their staff and customers.

Further information can be found at Dedicated Micros' new website at www.dedicatedmicros.com.