The UK-based firm 360 Vision Technology is playing a pivotal role in upgrading the New Forest's extensive analogue CCTV network to a cost-effective, future-ready IP solution. This transformation is being achieved through the use of hybrid cameras alongside cutting-edge 5G transmission technology, ensuring seamless coverage of towns, villages, and key parts of the iconic New Forest area.
360 Vision Technology's hybrid cameras have facilitated the New Forest District Council's switch from an analogue to an IP transmission network, integrating new surveillance cameras into remote locations without the need for expensive fibre optic infrastructure. In tackling issues of anti-social behaviour, the council expanded the existing town centre CCTV system, enabling monitoring from the central control room, as explained by Rick Aisthorpe, Engineering Director at Chroma Vision Limited.
The Invictus Hybrid cameras feature a blend of HD and analogue video with RS485 control, compatible with existing systems. This technological advancement allowed for selective camera replacements while integrating new cameras to increase coverage in key locations, such as Lymington, Ringwood, and other towns. The Invictus Hybrid offers continuous 360-degree rotation, infrared capability, and innovative lighting to support both daytime security and night-time surveillance.
The mission of extending surveillance across the forested areas of New Forest without relying on traditional, costly infrastructures led to the use of 360 Vision's TX technology. This technology provides adaptable solutions for difficult environments through mobile network-based video transmission without requiring investment in permanent installations, offering rapid deployment options in regions where distances between areas pose an additional challenge.
360 Vision's TX technology facilitates video transmission from remote sites while maintaining low bandwidth usage. With this system, New Forest District Council has implemented full HD video transmission and saved on infrastructure costs. Operators can switch between different bandwidth settings, adjusting video quality according to network conditions, aided by Chroma Vision engineers' control over resolution and frame rates.
The TX wireless cameras are designed to combat anti-social behaviour in real-time through features like LED white light activation, further used to support both safety and operational needs. Once the initial requirement has been addressed, cameras can be redeployed to new sites, providing flexibility and ongoing responsiveness to emerging issues, as highlighted by Brian Byrne, Service Manager Community Safety & Support.
Integrated with the Synectics Synergy 3 video management system, the cameras are powered by existing infrastructures, including business premises. These cameras help counter minor crime hot spots day and night, supported by 360 Vision Technology’s Invictus cameras’ embedded LED technology which effectively neutralises anti-social behaviour by transitioning from covert to overt surveillance, as noted by Adrian Kirk, Business Development Director.
With a focus on environmental sustainability, Invictus cameras exhibit low-power consumption, contributing to greener council operations. These cameras provide detailed, high-definition images from previously inaccessible locations, offering a versatile tool in security management, capable of relocation as behavioural issues are addressed and resolved.
The UK manufacturer of ruggedised HD, radar and thermal PTZ imaging cameras, 360 Vision Technology, has been instrumental in the migration of the expansive analogue CCTV network of the New Forest to an economical and future-proofed IP solution – via the use of hybrid cameras and innovative 5G transmission technology.
Covering the area’s towns and villages, as well as key parts of the county’s famous rural forest, 360 Vision hybrid technology has been used to ensure a simple upgrade path from the council’s existing analogue network of CCTV technology to a future-proofed IP transmission network. Then, thanks to 360 Vision’s TX transmission technology, additional cameras have been added to the network in outer areas - without the requirement of an expensive fibre cabling infrastructure.
Anti-social activity
Designed to cover hot-spots of anti-social activity, the extension to the existing system was required to address emerging community issues across disparate areas of the region, including sections of the famous forest and surrounding towns – both during the day and into the nighttime economy
“With an existing relationship and a proven reputation for solving such issues in the most economical way, New Forest District Council turned to us to expand the surveillance coverage of the existing town centre CCTV network for monitoring back at the New Forest District Council control room,” explains Rick Aisthorpe, Engineering Director at Chroma Vision Limited.
“We already had a long-term technical relationship with 360 Vision as they had assisted us with the transition from an analogue camera network to an IP network for other customers via the use of their clever Invictus Hybrid camera - and we were confident this technology would do the same for New Forest District Council.”
Hybrid transmission technology
“Coverage was required to provide safety and security surveillance in these areas popular with both locals and visitors. A network of hybrid cameras would yield the best coverage and return on investment, whilst providing the communities involved with the best protection. Additionally, this investment in 360 Vision hybrid transmission technology would help New Forest District Council transition from an analogue CCTV transmission network to an IP network in a piecemeal way - and when budgets became available to them.”
The 360 Vision Invictus Hybrid offers HD with analogue video & RS485 control, allowing addition to legacy analogue systems such as the one here at New Forest District Council. After infrastructure upgrades, customers benefit from stunning HD and IP control with no hardware changes simply by changing the camera output.
Camera imaging technology
“This meant we were only either replacing cameras that had come to the end of their lifecycle or adding additional ones to cover the required areas – with the new units working alongside existing analogue cameras while their lifecycle ran out and therefore maximising the available budget at the time,” adds Rick.
“The Invictus Hybrid high-performance, ruggedised PTZ camera with full 1080p HD and low-light camera imaging technology, made it the perfect choice for deployment in this application, with cameras installed to bring the towns of Lymington, Ringwood, Fordingbridge, Totton, Lyndhurst, New Milton and Hythe into the network.”
Traditional CCTV infrastructure
With continuous rotation pan, unobstructed 360-degree view and 160-degree tilt, the 360 Vision Invictus camera can deliver unhindered views to the control room and for night-time vision is equipped with remotely switchable, on-board LED white light technology, backed by infrared capability for covert surveillance at night.
Subsequent to this initial phase, the council required additional cameras to cover more areas across the rural region, but at the same time were faced with the logistical restrictions of installing a traditional CCTV infrastructure. The expansive and disparate nature of the additional surveillance required negated traditional camera transmission and cabling measures - such as fibre cabling under streets or a network of traditional CCTV cameras on poles. These were considered but found to be too disruptive and prohibitively expensive - so an alternative solution needed to be found.
Mobile phone networks
“Additionally, and further complicating matters regarding the installation of cameras, many areas of the coverage required are often located in groups around the expansive rural area of the New Forest, with the towns often miles away from each other;” says Rick; “These issues, we could address using 360 Vision TX technology.”
“Using the redeployable and rapidly deployed technology of the 360 Vision TX range of cameras has allowed us to assess and confirm the security problem at each of these locations – without committing to a permanent camera. Our close technical relationship with 360 Vision really paid off here, with the team and Business Development Director Adrian Kirk suggesting Invictus TX units equipped with 360 Vision TX technology. This solution would enable simple and rapid deployment and redeployment at these additional areas with video transmission over mobile phone networks.”
Wireless video transmission solution
360 Vision TX wireless video camera transmission technology delivers camera video & PTZ control from just 6 Kbps, full 1080p HD edge recording / remote retrieval on demand and saves the council time and money on fixed infrastructure camera video transmission installation costs and the on-going cost of ownership.
Delivering high-quality camera video over low bandwidth, 360 Vision Technology’s 3G/4G/5G/LTE/satellite TX wireless CCTV camera range provides a reliable wireless video transmission solution, even within difficult wireless video transmission environments such as the remote location of the New Forest camera network. Additionally, these cameras use highly efficient optimised video compression, with unique minimal latency that is fully encrypted and secure.
High bandwidth video streams
“The Invictus TX complies with all our network security requirements, so we can always be confident of the results when including these additional Invictus units in our camera network,” says Brian Byrne, Service Manager Community Safety & Support, New Forest District Council.
Keeping running costs to a minimum, the TX range of wireless CCTV cameras operate without the need for expensive airtime contracts. With complete control of bandwidth used, Chroma Vision engineers can choose the resolution and frame rate to transmit, dependent on the bandwidth available in the area of installation. Additionally, operators in the New Forest control room can switch dynamically between low and high bandwidth video streams, dependent on network capability, adjusting CCTV camera video quality to suit.
Original requirement issue
“In use, system operators in the control room can also instantly switch on the Invictus camera’s on-board LED white light to illuminate the scene and inform people that they are being monitored,” says Brian; “This has proved an excellent feature, both for security and safety purposes.”
“If the camera is not required or after a period of use has helped to tackle the original requirement issue, we can then either choose to leave it doing its job or simply and quickly relocate it to another site awaiting surveillance. Some issues, particularly anti-social ones, can move around, but thanks to the use of 360 Vision TX technology, so can our surveillance. Being able to set-up cameras where they are most needed ensures we use our resources in the most economical way and extract the maximum return on camera investments.”
Existing business premises
In use, the latest installation of wireless TX units has tackled anti-social behaviour in forested rural areas and secured minor crime hot spots in the region’s towns – both day and night.
Linked directly to the control room, the Invictus cameras are seamlessly integrated into Synectics Synergy 3 video management system and can be locally powered via the existing infrastructure they are mounted to, in many cases on existing business premises – the advantage to the business being a camera covering the vicinity of their business.
Technically demanding environments
Adrian Kirk, Business Development Director at 360 Vision Technology says: “The mix of hybrid, TX transmission and integrated LED white light technology makes the Invictus camera the perfect choice for the technically demanding environments around the New Forest area.”
“Seamless integration into the control room not only ensures operation familiarity from the outset but the ability to switch on white light technology in an instant can simply and effectively neutralise anti-social behaviour. Invictus white light technology offers the first line of defence in stopping anti-social behaviour. Going from a ‘covert’ infrared setting to an ‘overt’ white light setting can neutralise behaviour as the subjects know they are being watched and recorded. This puts power back into operators’ hands, helping them to de-escalate a situation, and has proved to be key in tackling the incidents in the area – often now resolved without any further action being necessary.”
Providing high-definition images
“As we drive towards a greener daily functionality of the council’s network and assets, thanks to the low-power consumption certification of the Invictus cameras, we can meet the new criteria we are faced with,” concludes Brian.
“The cameras are providing high-definition images of places that we thought were inaccessible with traditional camera deployment. Once they have done their job, and the behaviour has stopped or moved on, they can be removed and redeployed at the next emerging hotspot if required.”
