Installations of which the installers are proud … from Birmingham to Brighton
Threshers chooses IP
Premlink has installed an advanced IP security system for the Thresher Group, the drinks retailer whose portfolio includes Threshers, Wine Rack, Victoria Wine and Bottoms Up.

On trial at Threshers branch in Brighton, the latest Panasonic IP cameras are being used in an integrated security and management solution. Premlink's Engineering Director John Aldred said the system provided "one of the easiest ways to protect assets and reduce crime".

The application uses Panasonic's pan and tilt enabled KX-HCM10 and KC-HCM230 IP cameras with built in and addressable servers.

For the intruder alarms, technology designer and manufacturer, Initsys designed a digital input module for its Install And Forget digital recording device. This takes in the alarm sensor information along with the camera images and ties them together.

The new IP system records images onto a 40Gbyte hard disk. In the event of an incident the store manager can review images locally. In the event of an out of hours break in, images and live alarm information are sent via an Initsys data centre and internet to a control room.

Accessing history
ADT Sunbury has delivered a new security system to the National Archives in Richmond, Surrey, which ensures easy access for staff, while denying unwanted visitors.

The prestigious contract, which provides protection for 1,000 years of British history, including documents such as the Domesday Book, was delivered in just two months.

The National Archives, a government department launched in April 2003, brings together the Public Records Office and Historical Manuscripts Commission.

ADT's Sunbury branch fitted C-Cure 800 access control, which allows authorised staff to circulate and provides management information, but excludes access to trespassers and walk-in thieves.

Staff have easy access using a credit card-sized proximity pass on entry to a secured door. ADT installed a CCTV security programme external 24-hour digital CCTV system for the two linked buildings last year.

Jack Lincoln, Head of Security for The National Archives (pictured above, right, with Simon Vergette, Systems Design Engineer for ADT) said the brief was for a high-tech system, but one which would also accept existing access passes, so that there was little disruption throughout the transfer process. The system "exactly fitted" their needs.

Simon Vergette said the C-Cure 800 could link in with third party systems such as the fire alarm system to print reports of everyone who is in or out of a building at any time. It could also link to other local area networks to join multiple sites.

Access and muster in one
Cam-Tec Systems has installed a Norpass access control and muster system at BASF plc in Cramlington, now one of the biggest Norpass installations in the UK.

BASF plc needed a system that would not only allow access of staff, contractors and visitors but also account for personnel quickly in an emergency. Software, online controllers and long and short range proximity readers were specified and custom written muster report integrated into the software.

Prox readers with 700mm read range are installed around the perimeter and at vehicle entry/exit. Readers with 120mm read range are in operation at entry/exit to potentially hazardous and safety areas.

Camera impresses
Active Communications of Coventry has installed two more digital cameras at a Birmingham firm after the company was so impressed with the first one.

Active installed Mobotix digital recording network cameras from Batt Networks at Etrinsic, a print and supply chain management company in Birmingham. The camera is an all-in-one network camera, recorder and player with sound, motion sensor, ISDN and video management. It uses the network connection to undertake a number of functions that are programmed directly into the camera and it can be run off a PC anywhere. Nigel Eccles, sales office manager at Active Communications said because the camera runs across the internet it is cost effective.

Weather proof web cameras are now installed at the front of the building, in the car park and overlooking the back of the offices. They are also around the inside of the building.

IP justifies CCTV spending
IndigoVision Group plc says it has achieved the first deployment in the UK of the new MPEG4 standard for CCTV operating over IP networks.

Monmouthshire County Council has used 48 new VideoBridge 8000 MPEG4 Video Transmitter/Receivers for a new CCTV system that operates over an IP network.

Systems integrator Simon Moon of Computerised & Digital Security Systems (CDS), said the modular system was easy-to-install "really great quality" digital video.

The system installation and commissioning went "like clockwork."

Monmouthshire are using a wide area network to connect together CCTV systems, which were isolated within various neighbouring towns. This would have been cost-prohibitive using traditional analogue fibre transmission.

  The VideoBridge 8000 units convert analogue signals to very high quality digital video for transmission over an IP network at a guaranteed 25 frames per second. This allows VideoBridge technology to capture and record video from complex fast moving scenes without dropping frames. Monitoring several town centres from one site has allowed the county council to justify the deployment of CCTV over its wide area network.

Runway success
ADT Liverpool has delivered a new security system to Liverpool John Lennon Airport, incorporating 70 CCTV cameras, infrared fence protection and an update of the access control system.

Over the last five years, the Airport has tripled in size from 8000 sq ft to 24,000 sq ft, making it the fastest growing in Europe.

Andy Brown, airport facilities planner said: "The sheer increase in the infrastructure of the airport and volume of passenger throughput, estimated at 3.2 million, prompted a complete upgrade and expansion of our security systems. ADT studied our specification in depth and was able to provide a CCTV system which exactly fitted our needs, updating and expanding our original system and making the change from analogue to 24-hour digital."

ADT was also contracted to maintain and update access control to authorise staff to access secured zones for both air-side areas (to be accessed only by aircraft employees) and for land-side zones (used by catering and retail staff). The access system links into the CCTV system.

The security systems provided for the airport system were devised and implemented by Operations Manager, John Jones, and Sales Consultant, Barry Juggins of the ADT Liverpool branch.

Digital system ensures shopping in safety

Retail security specialist, Unitec 24 has upgraded security at The Plaza, one of London’s busiest shopping centres to a digital system.

The Oxford Street complex comprises of 38 retail outlets, a food court and a health club. The existing VCR-based system could no longer meet requirements for high quality images and reliable coverage. Management were experiencing problems with tape management and poor image resolution from the previous video timelapse recorders.

Said Paul Marsh, MD of Unitec 24: “A number of cameras were trained on a basement corridor in the centre. Although this had proved itself to be a potential escape route for shoplifters in the past … the vast majority of the footage was usually of blank walls.”

As a solution they installed Dedicated Micros DS2 multiplexers in the central control room. These combine video multiplexing, digital recording, network video transmission and dome control in one package.

“In comparison with other digital systems on the market, which can often be quite complicated to get to grips with, the DS2’s menu-driven approach is very straightforward and easy to use,” he said.

Many of the 48 cameras now record on activity only, freeing up extra recording power to capture more accurate images. With Video Motion Detection capability, wasted images are avoided allowing image capture at a higher resolution.

The system is fully networked, enabling live images to be viewed by centre management from their own PCs.

After-hours easier

Kent and Sussex Security has installed a TeleEye remotely monitored security system at a Gibbs and Ball industrial site in Darent, Kent.

Three static cameras and two dome cameras were installed on the small industrial estate giving the storage and distribution company a simple and relatively low-cost way to monitor the site remotely without the expense of an on-site guard.

The dome cameras have 360-degree continuous rotation and 64 pre-set positions, which allow programme ‘patrol’ facility.

TeleEye works via video transmission through TCP/IP and telephone networks and has 24-hour remote access – users can log on and refer back to three weeks previous footage without even going to the office.

Site Manager, Tony Love, said that KSS had provided an excellent service. “Installation took just a couple of weeks, it was all very easy. KSS just got on with it and there were no hiccups. They were easy to talk to and made sure we fully understood how to use and operate the system. They’ve been very quick to respond to any queries.”

He said that before the installation “we had no idea what was happening here after hours. Now we can monitor the site at any time, from anywhere. It’s really given us peace of mind.”

He no longer has to go out late at night to check the premises. “I just zoom the cameras right round to check the buildings and because it’s all in colour if I see a car, I can tell by its colour and licence plate whether it’s a tenant leaving or not.”