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Axis and Raytec demonstrate the importance of effective surveillance lighting

Axis Communications, the global leader in network video, teamed up with leading surveillance lighting manufacturer Raytec to stage a test night at Axis' Hertfordshire headquarters to demonstrate the effectiveness of using network video with infrared or white light LED lighting.

Twenty Axis partners attended the Axis/Raytec test night at Axis' UK headquarters close to Hitchin in Hertfordshire on 4th February 2008.  The attendees watched a series of presentations from Axis and Raytec which explained the need to consider lighting when designing an installation and the possible additional sales opportunities for Axis partners.

As the lights at Axis' offices and neighbouring offices were switched off, through the darkness the attendees saw the image clarity achieved from using Axis day/night network cameras with Raytec lighting.  Infrared light is invisible to the human eye apart from a red glow from the unit itself but can provide light an area with distances ranging up to 370 metres when using a day/night camera.

Raytec also demonstrated white light LED lighting with a range of units which provides light for distances of up to 150 metres.  White light LED lighting has a number of advantages over conventional lighting; it offers significant energy savings, requires fewer physical units to light an area and has a working life of up to 10 years - a conventional light bulb could fail within months.

Experts from Axis and Raytec were on hand to explain the practicalities of installing effective lighting to maximise image quality.  Raytec also demonstrated infrared and white light products which could be powered using Power over Ethernet (PoE).

Alistair Freeborn from surveillance and access control specialist Quadrant, commented, "It was interesting to see Raytec's lighting range.  Using LED technology reduces customers' energy bills and with electricity prices rising this is real benefit.  Also, most end-users do not consider the maintenance costs of lighting; bulbs have a very short life and typically it is the cost of labour to replace the bulb, rather than the bulb itself that increases the total cost of ownership."

Shaun Cutler, managing director, Raytec, commented, "I'd like to thank Axis and all the Axis partners who attended the test night.  Those who attended got a real hands-on introduction to lighting for surveillance and saw what could be achieved from following a few simple rules of thumb.  Lighting for surveillance should be the preserve of the security community, it is too important to be left to others."

Steve Gorski, managing director, Axis Communications (UK) Ltd, commented, "This was a great event and I think all the Axis partners who attended got the message that the Raytec product range offers great benefits for their customers and also opens up new streams of additional revenue.  Most attendees left the event knowing that they were going to ensure they always team up lighting with their surveillance sales, it is an opportunity too good to miss."