IndigoVision's integrated IP video solution is providing state-of-the-art CCTV surveillance for the new £5 million Automotive Centre of Excellence at Gateshead College. The centre provides automotive, manufacturing and logistics training and includes a vehicle showroom, workshops and specialist welding facilities all fully supported with extensive IT.
The college wanted a leading edge networked based solution to CCTV surveillance and chose IndigoVision over alternative IP based systems because of its video quality, system flexibility and the ability to grow with the College's future requirements.
The system was designed in co-operation with systems integrator SDA Protec and uses IndigoVision's ‘Control Center' enterprise video and alarm management software. ‘Control Center' provides control, administration and viewing of the live camera feeds and recorded video over the IP network. Video recording is achieved using 2 stand-alone IndigoVision Networked Video Recorders (NVRs). The combination of ‘Control Center' and the IP network creates a ‘virtual matrix', which is fully scaleable unlike an analogue matrix in traditional systems.
Surveillance is provided by 21 IP cameras connected directly to the network and 4 external domes connected to the network via IndigoVision 8000 transmitter/receiver modules. The 8000 units convert the analogue camera signal to MPEG-4 high-quality digital video for transmission over the network. The IP cameras combine a professional high-quality CCTV colour camera with an IP Video transmitter/receiver in one unit and are powered directly from the IP network. Full PTZ control of the external domes is also achieved over the network.
The whole system was seamlessly integrated into the College's LAN, which in addition delivers IT and voice-over-IP services. IndigoVision's unique compression technology allows live 25 fps video from all cameras to be transmitted around the network with minimal impact on the available bandwidth. ‘Control Center' also provides integration with the College's existing alarm receiving centre - another important requirement of the project.
