2007 News July - December

 

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17 December 2007 - IndigoVision IP Video Monitors Antwerp Traffic System

IndigoVision’s integrated IP Video CCTV system is providing monitoring for a traffic calming system in the Belgian city of Antwerp. The CCTV system monitors a series of automated bollards that regulate traffic on a number of the city’s streets, alerting the Antwerp Police to malfunctions, accidents and acts of vandalism.

The bollards can be lowered automatically during pre-determined hours or when buses and trams pass using on-board transponders. Local residents and other authorized people can gain access using a smart card reader or by entering a pin code via a keypad. The access control system shares the same network as the IP Video for communication back to the local traffic center that is the equipment hub for the project. The CCTV video is then relayed to the Antwerp Police over a fiber IP-network some 6 miles away, where it is monitored and recorded. The traffic system was installed by TV Vialis-Paque, a joint venture between Vialis Traffic BV and Yvan Paque which was created specifically for this project.

The police operators use IndigoVision’s ‘Control Center’ IP Video and Alarm Management software to view live and recorded video from the cameras monitoring the bollards. IndigoVision’s MPEG-4 based compression technology ensures that high-quality video and data can be transmitted over large distances with minimal impact on the available bandwidth, without image degradation and with negligible latency. This means that the operators can view video images that are as good as analog and have smooth PTZ camera control even though their monitoring center is located 6 miles from the cameras. The high-quality video allows the police to easily identify the license plate number of vehicles that have been involved with incidents or that have damaged the bollards. Another ‘Control Center’ workstation has been installed at the local traffic center for set-up and maintenance.

IndigoVision’s IP Video system removes the need for complex and costly switching matrices as used in traditional analog systems and replaces them with a virtual matrix. The virtual matrix allows any camera to be viewed and recorded from any point on the network - a truly flexible and scalable solution. Antwerp Police have put this flexibility to good use by using the system to transmit video from an additional 14 CCTV cameras that are part of an existing standalone analog CCTV system based at the local traffic center.

Recording of the traffic bollard camera footage is achieved using five standalone IndigoVision Network Video Recorders (NVRs) again installed at the police control center. These record all cameras continuously at 4SIF for up to 7 days. The cameras are IndigoVision’s high-end external IP Domes which are connected directly to the network. The integral 8000 transmitter/receiver in the IP dome utilizes the built-in Actively Control Framerate (ACF) feature to reduce the amount of data that is transmitted over the network and therefore that is ultimately recorded. ACF analyses the camera scene and reduces the video framerate during periods of inactivity. The IP Dome also has a digital input which is connected to a local status signal from the bollard access control unit. This alerts the police operators to any malfunctions via ‘Control Center’ alarms.

Additional rack-mounted 8000 transmitter/receiver modules are installed in the local traffic center to convert the 14 analog camera feeds to MPEG-4 digital video for transmission over the network to the remote Antwerp Police center. Here further 8000 modules convert the digital video back to analog for display on monitors.

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5 December 2007 - Town Policing Transformed by IndigoVision's IP-CCTV

IndigoVision's complete IP Video solution has helped transform the local policing of a small town in Northern Italy. Sergnano has a population of just 3,000 and employs only two law enforcement officers to police the town. The installation of an IndigoVision IP-CCTV system has enabled the police officers to cover a much larger area more effectively, reduce vandalism and respond more quickly to incidents and crime.

The cost effective IndigoVision solution was the key to the success of the project. There was no existing CCTV system to build upon so the new system had to be installed from scratch and provide cover for an area of 5 square miles. Installing traditional analog CCTV technology for the entire area would have been too expensive for a small town like Sergnano. IndigoVision's solution was installed on a combined wired and wireless network, allowing remote locations to be cost effectively monitored. The system has been so effective in reducing crimes such as vandalism that the Sergnano Police Department estimates that the system paid for itself within 12 months.

Commenting on the success of the project, Police Commander Marco Cattaneo said, "The new IP-CCTV system has allowed the police department to better manage its human resources and to achieve greater control of the territory around Sergnano."

The system, supplied by Bettini Video and installed by their local partner Centro Sicurezza Brescia, consists of eleven dome and fixed cameras. These monitor areas such as the primary school, kindergarten, public buildings, cemetery and town square. 'Control Center' , IndigoVision's IP Video and Alarm Management software, is used by the police officers to view live and recorded video from any of the cameras. The combination of 'Control Center' and the IP network creates a 'virtual matrix', which is very flexible and highly scalable, allowing cameras to be located at any point on the network.

Recording is achieved with an IndigoVision Network Video Recorder (NVR) installed at the police station. High-quality evidential video has already been exported from the system to help prosecute and investigate several crimes. Each camera is connected to an IndigoVision 8000 transmitter/receiver module which converts the analog camera feed into DVD-quality MPEG-4 digital video for transmission over the network. IndigoVision's transmitter/receiver modules have a number of advanced built-in features such as Actively Controlled Framerate (ACF). This feature analyses the camera scene and reduces the video framerate during periods of inactivity, thereby reducing the amount of video that is transmitted and recorded over the network.

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28 November 2007 - IndigoVision Protects Scotland's National Heritage

IndigoVision's IP Video technology is providing CCTV surveillance for Edinburgh Castle, Scotland's number one tourist attraction and part of Edinburgh's World Heritage site. Historic Scotland operates and maintains the Castle and the associated exhibitions but part of the castle continues to be occupied by the army. This dual role means the Castle has to be open to over 1 million visitors a year, but still maintain the levels of security expected on a site with military presence.

As part of a security upgrade, IndigoVision's local partner FPG Security Solutions Ltd has replaced existing analog CCTV cameras with an IP Video system as part of a two-phase project. Phase 1 is complete with the installation of the network fiber backbone, cameras and the monitoring/recording facilities in the control room. Phase two is planned for the near future with the addition of up to 25 new cameras, subject to approval.

The IndigoVision IP Video solution solves two unique problems associated with upgrading the surveillance system at the Castle. Firstly, the location of the current control room will be moved in the future and secondly as the Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the laying of cables in certain areas is prohibited. The current control room uses 'Control Center', IndigoVision's video and alarm management software, to monitor live video feeds from the cameras and recorded footage from the IndigoVision stand-alone Networked Video Recorder (NVR). In addition a second workstation running 'Control Center' software will be located in the manager's office.

The flexibility of IP Video means that cameras, NVRs and 'Control Center' workstations can be located at any point on the network. It is therefore a relatively simple process to relocate the control room in the future, an exercise that would be too expensive with a traditional analog system. The second phase will install a number of cameras using wireless IP network links to overcome the need to install network cabling in sensitive areas of the Castle. As IP Video is very scalable, the phase 2 upgrade can be easily and inexpensively achieved with minimum disruption to the Castle's daily routine.

The cameras are a mix of internal and external fixed domes which are connected to IndigoVision 8000 transmitter/receiver modules. The 8000s convert the analog camera feed to DVD quality full-frame rate digital video for transmission over the IP network. IndigoVision's advanced compression technology minimizes bandwidth requirements and ensures that the operators view video that is indistinguishable from analog.

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13 November 2007 - IndigoVision Leads the Way with IP-CCTV for Casinos

IndigoVision has been awarded another prestigious contract to upgrade two casinos to fully digital CCTV operation with a virtual matrix. This firmly establishes the company's integrated IP Video system as the market leader for complete digital CCTV solutions in casinos. IndigoVision believes this will be only the third casino complex in the US to go fully digital, the other two also being IndigoVision installations and follows on from a recent contract to upgrade a chain of 9 casinos in South America.

The Emerald Queen Casino and the Emerald Queen I-5 Casino in Tacoma, Washington, which are operated by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, will have their current analog VCR CCTV systems completely upgraded. The system will be deployed in full compliance with local Gaming Board regulations.

The two systems, totaling 532 cameras, will be installed in less than three months by IndigoVision's local partner Southwest Surveillance Systems. Based in Las Vegas Southwest will manage the installation from their Olympia, WA office. The flexibility of IndigoVision's IP Video technology means that the migration to digital can be phased so the casinos remain open and any downtime is kept to a minimum. All of the original cameras will be re-used, but the analog matrix, VCRs and video cabling will be replaced.

The two casinos will each have their own security control room, where operators will use 'Control Center', IndigoVision's video and alarm management software to view live and recorded video from any of the cameras in the casino. The ageing VCR system will be replaced with IndigoVision's Network Video Recorders (NVRs) which will provide fast access to recorded footage allowing gaming disputes to be quickly resolved.

Commenting on the project Mark Arquette, Surveillance Director for the Puyallup Tribe said, "IndigoVision's IP Video system was chosen following trials of competing systems. We were particularly impressed with the functionality of the 'Control Center' software, the excellent video quality and the speed at which recorded video can be accessed."

Each of the original CCTV cameras will be connected to an IndigoVision 8000 transmitter/receiver which converts the analog feed to DVD-quality, 4SIF, 30fps digital video for transmission over the IP network. This is achieved without any frames being dropped, whatever the level of motion and activity in the camera scene. This is a fundamental requirement of Gaming Boards and casino operators. Any dropped frames within a video clip could hide fraudulent or criminal activity and make any customer disputes more difficult to resolve.

This project together with the company's other recent contract wins establishes IndigoVision's IP Video solution as the benchmark for the casino industry. It also demonstrates that IP Video is a field-proven platform for the demanding CCTV requirements of casino operations, which need high resolution video images and fast analysis of recorded footage. IP Video provides significant benefits compared with traditional analog CCTV systems, such as scalability, real-time camera-based analytics and fault tolerant configurations. To find out more about IndigoVision's solutions for Casinos visit http://casinos.indigovision.com.

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30 October 2007 - IndigoVision IP Video Protects Exclusive Malaysian Development

IndigoVision’s IP Video technology is providing CCTV surveillance for Mont Kiara, an exclusive development of condominiums located in the suburbs of Malaysia’s capital city, Kuala Lumpur. Mont Kiara is a global community that attracts affluent professionals as well as a diverse group of expatriates.

The IP CCTV system was installed by IndigoVision’s local partner Multi Optochem Sdn Bhd using a Motorola Canopy wireless IP network. The system consists of 38 cameras monitoring the streets and amenities in a two mile radius around the condominium complex. Following an analysis of competing systems, IndigoVision was chosen, having shown that the system can deliver excellent video quality with a low bandwidth requirement as well as a fully scalable solution and excellent features from its ‘Control Center’ software.

‘Control Center’ is IndigoVision’s enterprise video and alarm management software and is used in the control room complex situated in the shopping center. Five security staff on a 24-hour rotating shift monitor live video from the cameras via the ‘Control Center’ workstation and on a 16 monitor video wall. ‘Control Center’ coupled with two IndigoVision Network Video Recorders (NVRs) provide up to 60 days of recording and a suite of tools for the fast search and analysis of recorded footage.

Each camera is connected to an IndigoVision 8000 transmitter/receiver unit. The 8000 converts the analog signal to DVD-quality MPEG-4 compressed digital video for transmission over the wireless network. The 8000s also receive PTZ control data from the network for the 8 dome cameras used in the system. IndigoVision’s advanced compression technology ensures that high-quality video can be streamed across the wireless network with minimum impact on the available bandwidth.

The scalability of IndigoVision’s IP Video together with the wireless network provides an ideal platform for future expansion. Cameras can be simply and inexpensively added to the system at any time, a feature that cannot easily be achieved with a traditional analog CCTV solution. Even though all monitoring is currently carried out in the security control room, additional ‘Control Center’ workstations can be added at any point on the network allowing, for example, the local police to also monitor the cameras and recorded video at a separate location.

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16 October 2007 - IndigoVision IP Video Streamlines Austrian Logistics Network

IndigoVision’s complete end-to-end IP Video solution is helping global logistics specialist Kühne+Nagel to streamline and secure its distribution network in Austria. The new networked digital CCTV system provides both security surveillance and a video record of truck and parcel movements throughout their five Austrian distribution centers in Vienna, Schwechat Airport, Port Enns, Salzburg and Linz.

As a truck arrives at a distribution center an operator tracks its movement with a PTZ dome, which monitors and records the unloading process together with the truck license plate, the driver’s identity and the truck’s arrival time. This video record provides an important element in their packet tracking system and provides visual evidence in the event of a shipping problem. The CCTV system also provides traditional security surveillance to protect against intruders and possible theft both inside and outside of the warehouse.

The system was designed and installed by IndigoVision’s local partner C&C Salzgeber GmbH in Vienna and used both Kühne+Nagel’s existing network infrastructure and much of the original analog CCTV system wiring at each of the distribution centers. The analog feed from each CCTV camera is connected to an IndigoVision 8000 transmitter/receiver rack module, which converts the signal to high-quality full framerate digital video for transmission over the IP network. IndigoVision’s MPEG-4 compression technology ensures DVD-quality video can be transmitted over large distances with minimal impact on network bandwidth. ‘Control Center’, IndigoVision’s IP Video and Alarm Management software is used by the operators to view live and recorded video from any of the cameras. Up to 30 days of video is recorded using an IndigoVision Network Video Recorder (NVR) located at each site.

Erich Varga, IT-Director at KÜHNE+NAGEL said about the successful implementation of the IndigoVision system, "When selecting a video codec it was important to find a solution which guaranteed minimum bandwidth with a high image quality. With this system we can now access video from the headquarters in Vienna, Schwechat Airport, Port Enns, Linz and Salzburg from any of our locations without incurring bandwidth issues on the network.”

The main control room in Vienna, some 300km away from the furthest distribution center, uses a dedicated ‘Control Center’ workstation to view video from each site, although video from any camera can be viewed on any ‘Control Center’ workstation wherever it is located on the network. Both live video from any camera and recorded video from any NVR in the system can be viewed and analyzed. Additional ‘Control Center’ workstations are located at each of the distribution centers for local monitoring and control. IndigoVision’s ‘Control Center’ software architecture allows the user to install as many operator workstations as required for no more than the cost of a PC – a significant cost saving for a project of this scale.

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2 October 2007 - London-wide IP Video for Schools

CCTV surveillance using IndigoVision’s IP Video technology is being made available to London’s schools via the London Grid for Learning’s (LGfL) existing IT network. The LGfL was established in June 2000 to provide capital-wide broadband internet services to London’s 33 Local Education Authorities (LEA). The network, supplied by Synetrix, went live in 2002 and now covers over 90% of schools in London.

IndigoVision’s IP Video technology will allow any participating school to be monitored 24-hours a day, via the central control room for the project which is located in the London Borough of Bromley. The control room uses ‘Control Center’, IndigoVision’s enterprise video and alarm management software, which enables the security staff to control and view live and recorded video from any of the cameras at any of the schools. IndigoVision has supplied a complete end to end solution which provides for visual verification of alarms over IP and is fully compliant with BS8418. The consultants for the project, Redbridge CCTV Ltd, has setup an additional central control room in London to monitor commercial sites and other schools outside of the LGfL.

A number of pilot schools have been successfully completed, which are monitored centrally at Bromley and locally within each school. School staff use ‘Control Center’ software during the day to monitor the buildings. IndigoVision Network Video Recorders (NVRs) provide the storage for recorded video and being a networked solution the location of any NVR is transparent to the system. Whether the NVRs are installed locally at the school or centrally in the control room, recorded footage on any NVR at any school can be viewed and analyzed centrally at Bromley, as well as by the individual school.

With so many cameras being monitored around the system IndigoVision’s advanced analytics are used to ensure potential events are quickly brought to the attention of the operators. These include such features as virtual ‘trip wires’, which ignore passing cars outside a school. However, when a person crosses the ‘wire’ in to the school, an alarm is raised and that camera is monitored. An audio warning can be broadcast over the network to an intruder via on-site speakers using the high-quality audio available on every channel alongside the video. The analytics software runs at the camera, providing real time analysis of each scene.

IndigoVision’s compression technology allows streaming of the digital video around the network at 12fps with minimal impact on the bandwidth. Each camera is connected to the IP network via IndigoVision 8000 transmitter/receiver modules, installed locally at the school. The 8000 units convert the analog camera signal to MPEG-4 digital video for transmission over the network and recording on the NVRs.

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18 September 2007 - IndigoVision Doubles Sales for Third Consecutive Year

IndigoVision, the leading supplier of IP Video and Alarm management solutions, has doubled its sales for the third consecutive year, far outperforming similar companies in this increasingly important sector of the security market. In its preliminary year end results the company has reported an increase in product revenues of 92% to £13.3m ($26.8m) for the year ending 31 July 2007, with operating profits increasing by 81%. In anticipation of continued growth IndigoVision has invested significantly over the last year with key appointments to the senior management team and a major expansion of its global sales operation.

IndigoVision has invested in strong management this year with three important new appointments; Chief Marketing Officer, Joanna Brace, Group Sales Director, Gavin Richardson and Group HR Director, Carol Scambler. IndigoVision has also undertaken a significant expansion of the global sales team and the establishment of an operations hub in the USA and Singapore, building on the company’s existing UK manufacturing and distribution base.

Commenting on the results Oliver Vellacott, IndigoVision CEO said "This has been another excellent year for IndigoVision with strong growth across all territories and in multiple sectors of the market, especially rail and casinos. The appointments to the senior management team, continued R&D investment and further development of our partner network gives us an excellent platform from which to continue the company’s outstanding growth for the coming year."

These results reflect a number of significant wins for the company, particularly in the transport and gaming sectors. In July 2007 IndigoVision was awarded its largest ever US contract to supply a fully digital 1,100 camera system to two casinos in Tucson, Arizona. This followed on from the company winning a prestigious contract for TransLink in Vancouver, Canada to upgrade the 880 camera CCTV system on SkyTrain, the world's largest automated light rapid transit system.

IndigoVision has over a 1000 major installations worldwide including two Olympic Games, the 2006 Soccer World Cup, 7 major rail networks, 2 of the world's top 5 banks, 28 airports and 5 casinos. IndigoVision completely develops its technology in-house, including a rich suite of hardware products and 'Control Center' its flagship Video and Alarm Management software. The full results statement is available from: http://www.indigovision.com/investors_financeinfo.php.

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12 September 2007 - IP Video Provides Backbone for Bangkok’s Traffic Monitoring

IndigoVision, the leading supplier of end-to-end IP Video solutions, is providing its technology as a backbone for a new integrated traffic monitoring system for Bangkok’s outer ring road network. Existing toll plaza CCTV surveillance systems located across 45 miles of the ring road have been integrated into a new central control room. Staff in the control room can now view high-quality video from inside and outside of the four toll plaza complexes, providing central monitoring for traffic management and staff safety.

Analog video feeds from the 64 existing dome and fixed cameras are connected to IndigoVision’s 8000 transmitter/receiver modules locally at each toll plaza. The 8000 converts the camera signal to DVD quality, high-resolution digital video for transmission over the newly installed gigabit Ethernet LAN. IndigoVision’s advanced MPEG-4 compression technology ensures that the control staff receive CCTV images that are indistinguishable from analog while minimizing bandwidth on the LAN. Further 8000 modules are installed in the control room to convert selected camera feeds back to analog for display on one of the 16 wall mounted monitors. The system was supplied by Industronics and their partners in Thailand, Smart Traffic Co. Ltd.

“This application is one of many traffic monitoring systems that IndigoVision has recently implemented,” said Dr Oliver Vellacott, IndigoVision’s CEO. “Traditional analog CCTV technology is just not suited to the long hauls involved in wide-area surveillance such as with road and rail networks, ports and airports. IP Video systems are extremely scalable, for example a new camera can be added at any point on the network, at any time, without new cabling.”

IndigoVision provides end-to-end standalone solutions for digital video management for systems of any size through its Network Video Recorders (NVRs) and ‘Control Center’ enterprise video and alarm management software. However, as this application demonstrates, IndigoVision’s IP Video technology is also suited to the simple point-to-point transmission of CCTV images over large distances. This enables video from remote cameras to be simply converted back to analog and interfaced into existing control rooms.

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29 August 2007 - Locomotive Safety Enhanced with IP-CCTV

IP Video systems manufacturer IndigoVision is providing the technology behind an innovative train safety monitoring system. Georgia-based locomotive manufacturer CLCX, Inc. has fitted an IP Video CCTV system to a freight locomotive to enhance operational safety, improve ease of use and provide a diagnostic tool in the event of problems. The locomotive operates on a manufacturing site moving raw materials and finished goods. The IP Video system helps improve operational safety by giving the train operator 360 degree visibility.

The CCTV system, designed and configured by IndigoVision’s authorized partner Mobilcomm, also serves as a video and audio event recorder. This is very important if an incident like an accident or near miss should occur. By recording CCTV footage of any incidents, from one of the six cameras mounted on the locomotive, the owner of the locomotive can provide evidence showing the facts of the incident.

The self-contained mobile CCTV solution consists of six fixed cameras with microphones installed on the outside of the locomotive. The cameras are connected to IndigoVision’s MPEG-4 8000 transmitter/receiver modules which convert the analog video and audio to hi-resolution digital streams for transmission over the local Ethernet LAN within the train. ‘Control Center’, IndigoVision’s IP Video and Alarm Management software is installed together with Network Video Recorder (NVR) software on a PC running Windows Server 2003. ‘Control Center’ allows the operator to view live and recorded video from any of the cameras and provides a suite of tools for fast analysis of video footage. Video can be exported for evidential purposes.

An additional mobile camera is connected to the locomotive’s local network via a 50ft Ethernet cable. This allows any of the on site maintenance personnel to video any part of the locomotive in the event of an incident or failure. Live images can then be transmitted, via a broadband VPN connection, back to a technician located at a remote maintenance service center. The technician can then direct and/or assist in troubleshooting and repairs. The Internet connection is achieved via a wireless access point located at the switching yard. High-quality audio is also transmitted with the video allowing a two-way conversation between the service center and the locomotive technician. An 802.11 wireless network, also mounted onboard the locomotive, allows the cameras to be viewed and controlled by the technician from a handheld PC.

Following the successful pilot project, CLCX, Inc. is now offering the IndigoVision IP Video solution as an option on all its new freight locomotives.

Commenting on the project, Carl Majors, President of CLCX, Inc., said “The IndigoVision solution gives the locomotive operator a 360 degree view with no blind spots. The locomotives are Ethernet controlled. The IndigoVision IP solution is dropped right in to achieve optimum operating efficiency, reliability, and safety. Further, these automated locomotives are a one or two person operation making them user friendly and economical. We are pleased with this solution and so are our customers. We especially like the quality of the video.”

IndigoVision’s IP Video technology is increasingly being used for applications outside mainstream CCTV security due to its versatility, flexibility and excellent video quality. The CLCX locomotive is just one example; others include remote diagnostic systems, mobile robotic vehicles for law enforcement and audio-visual medical training solutions.

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22 August 2007 - IndigoVision’s IP-CCTV Reveals Hidden Zones

IP Video systems manufacturer IndigoVision in partnership with a local Police Force has developed Privacy Zones, a unique solution to the problem of implementing CCTV Hidden Zones without permanently losing the video which may be needed for evidential purposes in the future. This new feature has been developed specifically for law enforcement and prison applications, but can be deployed in many public CCTV projects.

Traditionally, Hidden Zones have been crudely implemented by applying a permanent mask to the front of the camera – often a piece of tape on the lens! IndigoVision’s new Privacy Zones feature helps balance peoples’ right to privacy against the need to implement surveillance.

The Privacy Zones feature is implemented in ‘Control Center’, IndigoVision’s enterprise video and alarm management software, which allows viewing of live and recorded video from any camera on the network and is at the heart of the company’s integrated end-to-end IP Video solution. The Privacy Zones feature blocks out areas of video to avoid viewing data/images that are irrelevant or intrusive. However, unlike Hidden Zones from analog systems or other IP Video vendors, IndigoVision’s solution is currently the only one to provide these Zones without permanently losing the video.

Many CCTV applications demand the use of Privacy Zones which ensure during normal viewing that certain areas of a scene can be blocked out to protect individuals’ personal privacy. However, authorized personnel may sometimes need to view the whole scene, including these hidden areas, and record the scene for evidential purposes. A typical application would be to protect toilet areas in prison cells from being viewed by general security staff to give occupants a level of privacy. However, this can result in prisoners undertaking illegal activity in the vicinity of the toilet. To counteract this, it may be deemed justified by the organization to allow a senior officer to 'look through' the Privacy Zones in both live view and on recordings in order to deter this activity or to prepare evidence.

The new Privacy Zones feature has been successfully deployed as part of an integrated IndigoVision IP Video system in a police custody suite where a number of holding cells are continuously monitored, together with the booking desks, charging area, finger-printing and building corridors. Two-way intercom audio and the I/O for a cell call button are also transmitted over the IP network. When a cell call is initiated by a prisoner, the video is automatically displayed on a designated ‘Control Center’ workstation, together with a map identifying the location of the call. The operator can then hold a two-way conversation over the network with the prisoner. Recording of the video and audio in the custody suite is achieved with IndigoVision’s Network Video Recorders (NVRs), both of which can be exported for evidential purposes using sophisticated encryption and watermarking techniques to ensure the material is tamper-proof.

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31 July 2007 - Casinos Hit the Jackpot with IndigoVision’s IP-CCTV

IndigoVision has been awarded a prestigious multi-million dollar contract to upgrade two casinos to a fully digital CCTV operation using the company’s complete end-to-end IP video solution. The Casino del Sol and Casino of the Sun in Tucson, Arizona, which are operated by the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, will have their current analog/VCR CCTV systems completely upgraded. The system will be deployed in full compliance with local Gaming Board regulations. IndigoVision believes this to be only the second casino operation in the US to go fully digital, the first being the Mardi Gras Racetrack and Gaming Center, in Florida, another IndigoVision installation.

The two systems, totaling over 1100 cameras, will be installed in less than three months by IndigoVision’s local partner Southwest Surveillance Systems. The flexibility of IndigoVision’s IP Video technology means that the migration to digital can be phased so the casinos remain open and any downtime is kept to a minimum. All of the original cameras will be re-used, but the analog matrix, VCRs and video cabling will be replaced. The overall footprint of the CCTV system in the equipment room will be reduced by 70%, thereby releasing valuable space for future system expansion.

The two casinos, which are located approximately one mile apart, will be connected via a fiber link that allows monitoring of both casinos from one location. However, each casino will have its own security control room, where operators will use ‘Control Center’, IndigoVision’s video and alarm management software to view live and recorded video from any of the cameras in the system. The ageing VCR system will be replaced with IndigoVision’s Network Video Recorders (NVRs) which provide fast access to recorded footage – vitally important to resolve gaming disputes quickly.

“IndigoVision’s technology was chosen following extensive trials of competing systems and visits to existing casino installations,” said Mateo Flores, Director of Surveillance for the Pascua Yaqui Gaming Enterprise Division. “We were particularly impressed with the video quality, the functionality of the ‘Control Center’ software and the efficient use of NVR storage.”

This project, which is IndigoVision’s largest US order to date, demonstrates that IP Video technology is a mature platform for the demanding CCTV requirements of casino operations, which need high resolution video images and fast analysis of recorded footage. IP Video provides significant benefits compared with traditional analog CCTV systems, such as scalability, real-time camera-based analytics and fault tolerant configurations.

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11 July 2007 - IndigoVision's IP CCTV Helps Reduce Inner City Crime

IndigoVision’s IP Video technology is helping local residents in downtown Wilmington, DE, fight violent crime through an innovative CCTV solution. The area around the WCCNPAC Community Center and Adams 4 Shopping Center is benefiting from a remote surveillance solution that has been implemented using standard internet communications. Video feeds from the remote cameras are digitally compressed and transmitted via cable modems across the internet to the security control room located several blocks away.

‘Control Center’, IndigoVision‘s video and alarm management software, allows the operators in the control room to view live and recorded video from any of the remote cameras. A live video feed is also provided to the local police and high-quality evidential video can be exported from ‘Control Center’ to DVD to aid police prosecutions. A standalone IndigoVision Networked Video Recorder (NVR) is installed locally together with three bullet-resistant PTZ domes at each of the two sites. Each NVR provides storage for up to 30 days of video. The security control room is operated by Downtown Visions, who specialize in providing co-operative surveillance services to businesses and communities. The system was designed and installed by IndigoVision’s local integrator Security Services & Technologies (SST) in partnership with independent security consultants, Morris Access Management. The scalability of the IP Video solution means that other local areas can be cost effectively added to the remote monitoring scheme.

“IndigoVision was chosen for its ability to deliver high-quality digital video with minimum bandwidth requirements,” said Christopher Cundey, Senior Project Manager at SST. “Getting real time CCTV video from the remote sites via the internet was far more cost-effective then hard wiring several blocks with fiber.”

Each camera is connected to an IndigoVision 8000 transmitter/receiver module. The 8000 converts the camera signal to high-quality digital video for transmission over a 640Kbps internet connection. IndigoVision’s advanced compression technology ensures minimum bandwidth usage and helps maximize the available NVR storage. The amount of digital video transmitted and recorded is further reduced with the use of Activity Controlled Framerate (ACF), a built-in function within the 8000 hardware. ACF reduces the amount of data transmitted during times of inactivity in the scene. As soon as any motion is detected full-frame rate video is transmitted.

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