Bosch video surveillance solution installed at PETCO Park in San Diego, California

Bosch VIP X1600 multi-channel encoders convert the analogue camera signals into digital format

PETCO Park is an open-air ballpark in downtown San Diego, California. It opened in 2004 as the home park of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres. It combines the best sight lines in baseball with breath-taking views of San Diego. Architecturally magnificent, it celebrates the sea, the sky, the natural beauty, cultural diversity and unique spirit of the San Diego area. Innovative design features evoke the timeless traditions of baseball in an intimate setting, with state-of-the-art fan amenities to suit every taste and budget.

Business objective:

Following a physical fight among fans during the San Diego Padres playoff season, personnel at PETCO Park knew they had to improve ballpark security. The existing VHS-based analogue CCTV system could not provide real-time recording, and the monitoring staff had limited ability to hone in on security concerns with only a few PTZ cameras installed.

Solution:

Now, a hybrid analogue and IP surveillance system uses some of the existing fixed cameras while incorporating new pan-tilt-zoom cameras in strategic locations. More than 75 analog cameras capture video of the ballpark exterior and restaurant, as well as the stadium seating and standing areas, clubhouse, suites, and the Padres Team Store. Bosch VIP X1600 multi-channel encoders convert the analogue camera signals into digital format and stream directly to five RAID arrays - each recording up to six terabytes of audio and video. The RAID arrays are directly attached to the encoders, so recorded video does not flow across the network. An Ethernet cable connects each of the multi-channel encoders to the next. The fifth encoder is connected to a network switch. This design allows security personnel at PETCO Park to use a Web browser to view both live and recorded video. Ballpark personnel review video 24 hours a day using a bank of 13 monitors in the stadium's security command centre.

With the upgraded surveillance solution in place, the ballpark's security team can better identify, zoom in on and record events that raise security concerns. On game days, personnel in the ballpark's event management centre above centerfield use an additional five monitors and a joystick command board for surveillance of the stadium's interior.

Result:

“With the digital recording system, we can provide all of the stadium's decision makers with a clear view of the activity in the ballpark through the event command centre monitors,” says Ken Kawachi, director of security and transportation for the Padres. “Key personnel can quickly review any security or life safety concerns on the monitors and communicate appropriate directions to their personnel patrolling the stadium. We are a much more streamlined operation.” Anything viewed on the monitors in the event management centre is recorded centrally. The direct attached storage ensures that this video is not lost, even if there is a network outage.