Axis IP cameras' surveillance 'hangout' is the Intersport Megastore in Roermond

Intersport placed an order for 25 Axis network cameras and AXIS Camera Station software

Mission

At 4,000 square metres in size, the Intersport Megastore in Roermond is a prominent member of the International Intersport organisation. The retail store, located in a 35,000 square metre retail park in the south of the Netherlands, is open 363 days a year. A large surface area implies a large number of visitors and a wide range of products. Under these conditions video surveillance is an absolute necessity in order to be able to manage everything well.

Solution

Intersport chose IP-based surveillance systems, chiefly because of how easy they are to implement and use. These IP systems allow both images and power to run through the same cable, which saves a retail store of this size thousands of metres of cables. IP systems also offer the best options for the future. In the summer of 2009, an order was placed for 25 Axis network cameras and AXIS Camera Station software. Their implementation went smoothly and one week later the HP camera server went live. Installing the software proved extremely simple and the system worked perfectly from the start.

The 2-megapixel AXIS Q1755 is installed at the store entrance to allow correct identification of visitors on entry

Result

The cameras have a highly preventative effect. Intersport has noticed that the number of stock shrinkage problems has dropped significantly. Both customers and staff state they have no problems with the camera surveillance. It does nothing but increase security. Intersport Roermond sells items for sports, leisure and outdoor activities to Dutch, German, and Belgian visitors. In May 2009, management decided to install a video surveillance system to obtain a better overview of the store and to reduce any possible damage caused by shoplifting. Various parties were approached to provide a quote for both an analogue CCTV solution as well as for an IP-based system. Leon Joosten said: "The key factors in choosing a new system were image quality, ease of installation and value for money. Another important thing we considered was ease of use. If a security company is not available, the staff themselves must be capable of using the system, to assess images and process them."

Needs and requirements

Just about every supplier initially proposed traditional analogue CCTV systems. Roy van den Bergh, owner of Intersport Megastore Roermond stated: "We did a lot of research, and also looked at what other businesses in the retail park were using in the way of video systems. We discovered, however, that the image quality of the systems we came across would be wholly insufficient. IP solutions were not included in most providers' quotes, or were offered at prices that were 50% higher. This turned out to be caused by the relative unfamiliarity with this new technology. Mosaic, a specialist in network solutions, did provide us with a good proposal based on Axis network cameras. IP-based surveillance systems seemed the most logical solution to us, particularly because they are easy to implement and use. For example, IP systems with PoE (Power over Ethernet) require just one cable for both video and power supply, which easily saves a retail store of our size thousands of metres of cables. Besides that, IP systems offer the most options for the future. IP-based systems enable us to view live camera images on multiple PCs, even from remote locations or to play back images that were recorded earlier."

A 42-inch full HDTV monitor is used to show the IP camera images in a series of different configurations

Sharp images, day and night

The video surveillance system comprises four AXIS 210A network cameras, ten AXIS 211 network cameras, ten AXIS 216FD network cameras and one AXIS Q1755 HDTV network camera. The 2-megapixel AXIS Q1755 is installed at the store entrance to allow correct identification of visitors on entry. The images are then displayed in crystal clear quality on a large monitor, visible to all visitors, which strengthens the preventative effect. All cameras are linked using ordinary Cat.5e cables from an HP PoE switch in the cable conduit in the middle of the store. This switch is attached via Cat.6 cables to the camera server in the server room. The AXIS Camera Station Server software runs on an HP Z400 workstation with a Xeon Quad Core processor with 6 gigabytes of memory, 2.5 terabytes of storage and a 64-bit Windows XP system. A 42-inch full HDTV monitor is used to show the camera images in a series of different configurations. Up to fifteen images can be shown on one screen, thus giving an excellent idea of what is happening in the store.

Evidence

Video surveillance has already proven itself for Roy van den Bergh: "When we opened this retail store two years ago, it was a very exciting time. The economy was noticeably worsening and it absolutely did not seem like the right time to start a retail business. But both the range of products and the location have worked well and simultaneously the crisis has also offered good opportunities to improve purchasing margins. By using video surveillance, one can minimise losses through theft or disappearance, which has a positive effect on the bottom line."