CCTV Today articles from January 2003

CCTV Today archives from January 2003

Merseyside overhaul. (News).(JVC cameras for Liverpool city centre )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... WORK is underway to install more than 200 JVC cameras in Liverpool's city centre and surrounding areas, in a scheme worth around 5 million [pounds sterling]. The existing analogue video system is being replaced with a digital storage...

Report highlights the `digital divide'. (News).(UK Online for Business)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... THE SECURITY industry should make more use of e-commerce technologies, according to a report from the DTI-led UK Online for Business. The report highlights a `digital divide' between larger manufacturers and smaller installers who, it...

VCL takes over matrix manufacturer. (News).(Betatech)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... MANUFACTURER and distributor VCL has acquired South African-based matrix specialist Betatech for an undisclosed sum. Products such as the VideoBloX, with a capacity of up to 4,080 inputs and 256 outputs, will now be sold under the Ademco...

Joint venture in line with remote video trend. (News).(TELEEYE Europe Ltd and UK Business Watch )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... TELEEYE Europe Ltd and central monitoring station UK Business Watch have formed a partnership to deliver visual alarm verification and remote surveillance in the UK. The network CCTV systems from TeleEye should enable UK Business Watch to...

Eyes down for optical recording. (News).(Leo Leisure casino)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... A new casino using an all-digital optical recording system has opened in Liverpool. The Leo Leisure casino features a surveillance system, installed by Andromico Video Systems, which records onto optical rather than conventional hard...

Hidden house cameras fitted to catch burglars `in the act'. (News).
January 1, 2003... HOMES across the West Midlands are being installed with tiny undercover cameras aimed at catching thieves `in the act'. The `House Trap' infrared cameras are being installed by police in properties identified as being particularly...

Search and retrieve research. (News).(Petards Vision )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... A STUDY into CCTV video search and retrieval mechanisms has been completed under a Department of Trade & Industry-sponsored initiative. The work by Petards Vision forms part of the Management of Information (MI) programme known as RETRIEVE...

Clocking up the miles. (News).(TEB L.B.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... A CCTV manufacturer has claimed an unusual milestone for success in 2002. French-based manufacturer TEB has judged its success by the yard--or more precisely by the mile. It has installed over 8 miles (12km) of its tube camera system in...

COE. (People).(Bob Storey and John Maxwell)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Global video network company COE is expanding its customer support team, with the appointment of Bob Storey as project manager. Bob will oversee the company's major projects for customers in the transport, industrial, security, energy and...

Panasonic. (People).(Trevor Brown, Daren Lang and Ashley Cardno)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Three new people have been added to the security systems department at Panasonic. Trevor Brown has joined as the area sales manager, responsible for North and South Ireland. Daren Lang has also been promoted to head the Government and Corporate...

Cirrus Communications System. (People).(Paul Allis)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Paul Allis has been recruited as national sales manager at Cirrus Communication Systems. Paul has been in the security systems business for 15 years. He has previously specialised in security alarms, physical CCTV and access control.

Perimeter Security. (People).(John Hurst )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... With a background of more than 30 years with Surrey Police, John Hurst is now bringing his experience to Perimeter Security as its new business development and security consultant.

Plettac Security UK. (People).(Jon Hillier)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Jon Hillier has joined Plettac Security UK to head up its new ANPR division as UK and international sales manager. The division will focus on applications for the company's Optical Character Identification Systems, including secure access...

High-street scaffolding collapse caught on camera. (News).(Cardiff, Wales)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... SOUTH WALES police CCTV cameras captured the moment when 30 tonnes of scaffolding from a 12-storey tower block collapsed on to a Cardiff city centre main street. The pictures were later used in court during the health and safety...

VCL. (People).(sales positions)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... VCL has created three new sales positions, all of which have been filled by current employees. Colin Milligan has been appointed as the company's field sales manager, Steve Jones takes on the role of major accounts manager, while Jason Wyatt...

Synectics. (People).(Alex Doorduyn )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Alex Doorduyn is the new area sales manager at Synectics. Alex's previous CCTV sales experience includes management positions at Mark Mercer Electronics and Ultrak,

Custodian Monitoring Services. (People).(Rob Thorpe)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Custodian Monitoring Services has appointed a new account manager, Rob Thorpe. His duties will mainly be concentrated in the south east region.

Open circuit.(networked digital video)(Panel Discussion)
January 1, 2003... Welcome to Open Circuit, a new series where we ask the industry and end users to contribute to current hot issues on CCTV. To kick-off our IP supplement on page 21, we look at the gap between the hype and reality of network video, and ask:...

Statistical meltdown: in trying to assess the effectiveness of CCTV, the reports of last summer concentrated too deeply on crime and the public's perceived fear of crime. Isn't it time for the academics to look beyond the statistics and step into the real world? (Let's Get Reality Check).
January 1, 2003... Ask any CCTV manager how effective their system is, and he or she will undoubtedly be able to recite chapter and verse numerous criminals their system has caught in the act, or which has enabled offenders to be identified. Ask most members...

Flying the flag: the United States has only recently woken up to its own vulnerability in the face of international terrorism. Adam Wiseberg, chairman of the BSIA CCTV section, believes that this lack of assurance could open up huge opportunities for UK CCTV companies in US airport security. (The Brit Invasion).
January 1, 2003... We tend to think of ourselves in Britain as very much following the United States' lead--in our eating habits, typified by fast food culture; in our attitude to shopping, illustrated by the proliferation of vast out-of-town retail complexes;...

A capital offence: the controversial congestion charging scheme for London--which includes some 700 cameras and automatic number-plate reading technology--is due to kick off next month. Patrick Hook examines the feasibility of the technology, which promises to generate 130 million [pounds sterling] a year to be spent on improving transport in the capital. (Traffic).
January 1, 2003... As late as the middle of last year, doubts were still being expressed about the feasibility of the congestion charging scheme, and whether the launch date of 17th February would be met, given the complexity of the technological infrastructure....

Silence in court? Over the next three issues, legal experts take an in-depth look at the law that affects owners, operators and installers of CCTV. In the first article Alan Davenport provides an introduction to the new legal landscape in which surveillance now operates. (Legal).
January 1, 2003... Five years ago, an article written on this subject would have pointed to the lack of legal regulation of CCTV and perhaps canvassed some of the arguments for and against the introduction of such regulation. CCTV had evolved into a fairly widely...

IS CCTV effective? Why do people continue to agonise over this question? asks Alastair Mcleod. After all, if the answer is in so much doubt, how come companies continue to invest in upgrading and expanding their use of surveillance systems. (Opinion).
January 1, 2003... CCTV-bashing in the media has become almost as popular as politician-bashing these days. Let's face it, politicians deserve what they get, but does CCTV? There have been a number of studies over the years on the effectiveness of CCTV in...

Complementary technology: Dr Greg Gregoriou, deputy general manager in the IT products department at JVC Professional Products, looks at how IP can bring added value to the security market. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
January 1, 2003... Today's security applications are dominantly analogue--a `tried and tested' choice. CCTV is seen by many as the preferred security solution but the arrival of IP does not mark the end for traditional CCTV. Rather, IP solutions should be seen as...

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP): unshielded twisted pair transmission has made something of a comeback as an inexpensive alternative to co-ax or short runs of fibre.
January 1, 2003... In this issue, our experts from Tavcom Training examine equipment which is used to optimise transmission in this way. Although diverse in nature and therefore sometimes difficult to make like-for-like comparisons, the following should give...

Town centre monitoring. (Industry News).(Trowbridge CCTV)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Based on Sony CCTV equipment, a 16-camera CCTV system is being used to monitor the whole of Trowbridge town centre, covering car parks, shopping areas and traffic flow. The system was designed and installed by Sony SAIF member T H White from...

Making the digital switch. (Industry News).(Visual Verification installs CCTV Software multiplexer)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Video monitoring station, Visual Verification, wanted to switch from recording all incoming video on VCR tape to digital hard disks, and chose to install a PC multiplexer from CCTV Software. The station wanted to keep more than 31 days of...

Reinforcing castle defences. (Industry News).(Kent & Sussex Security; security at Walmer Castle)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... What do you do when 10 foot thick stone walls aren't quite enough to secure your property against intruders? Answer--you install CCTV, access control and intruder alarms systems. Which is precisely what English Heritage asked Kent & Sussex...

Outgrowing old offices. (Industry News).(Centurion Security Systems )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Centurion Security Systems has moved to larger premises due to expansion. The new offices are 7000 sq. ft. in size and are said to include a state of the art security showroom. Founded in 1974 to provide a comprehensive integrated...

Club has its eyes on the ball. (Industry News).
January 1, 2003... New lenses and cameras have been the key to improved surveillance at Southend United's football ground. Pentax 12-240mm x20 zoom lenses have been used as part of Conway's Titan 450 dome camera. The housing is said to have been designed...

Finding the right compromise. (Industry News).
January 1, 2003... Striking a balance between being a visible deterrent and being in harmony with its surroundings, a 30-camera CCTV system which employs a series of Pentax lenses can be found protecting Durham's historic town centre. Ten of the 12-240mm x20...

River pier protection. (Industry News).
January 1, 2003... Photo-Scan Systems has installed one of its most challenging digital CCTV systems to date for the London River Services. Some 80 cameras have been installed on piers along the River Thames between Westminster and Greenwich, which provide...

People are seen as well as heard. (Industry News).
January 1, 2003... Canterbury Council has enhanced access control and security at its sheltered housing sites by adding ADPRO Fast Scan transmission. The previous system, comprising a centrally controlled audio only system, had its limitations and following...

The Matrix at the IMAX--(but not the movie). (Industry News).
January 1, 2003... The new IMAX theatre in Nuremberg, Germany, now features a Pyramid matrix system from Baxall. To monitor the reported 3000 people who visit the complex each day, as well as all the entrances and exits to the cinemas, a CCTV system was...

Lens experiences rocket record attempt in the desert. (Industry News).
January 1, 2003... A high resolution camera equipped with a Pentax 6mm manual iris lens, has been used by a British amateur rocket team in its attempt to break its own European altitude record in the Nevada desert. The lens was due to acquire pictures of the...

Digital recorder's speed of search. (Industry News).
January 1, 2003... A Baxall DTL960 digital recorder has been installed by Quadrant for Huntingdonshire District Council. Installed in the central control and monitoring room on the front desk, alongside an analogue real time VCR, the DTL960 model has enabled...

Remote solution sees cut-back in access violation incidents. (Industry News).
January 1, 2003... Unauthorised access to the Mowlem construction company Manchester site during out of hours has reduced, since the installation of a remotely monitored CCTV system. Monitored on a 24-hour basis by Sheffield company Camwatch Monitoring, the...

All-seeing, all-hearing. (Products & Services).
January 1, 2003... Real-time image capture and multi-channel audio are combined within a new digital video system suited to high security locations, such as banks, airports and defence establishments. Available from VisiOprime, the Videus-400 is said to be a...

Packed catalogue introduced. (Products & Services).
January 1, 2003... Bosch Security Systems (formerly Philips CSI) has added more products to Its 2002/03 EasyLine catalogue. New CCTV products Include the Reo all-in-one plug and play colour Observation Systems in new indoor and outdoor housings. These are...

Advantages of optical fibre. (Products & Services).
January 1, 2003... Plug and play adapters from AFI have been developed to enable video single transmission over most optical fibre types. According to the company the main benefits of using optical fibre are improved quality images, wider bandwidth, high...

Video sliding doors. (Products & Services).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Manufactured by Memco, MemScan is a new type of activation system for automatic sliding doors, which is said to intelligently analyse video images to sense when to open and close doors. The system consists of two miniature video cameras,...

Network reality. (Contents).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Welcome to the second of our special supplements on video over IP, or what is perhaps more correctly termed--digital video over networks. As a recent conversation with Mark Boudin, product manager at network integrators Telindus highlighted,...

Bandwith blues? Ok, network video sounds right for your installation, but what about the B-word? Simon Lambert looks at the bandwith issues of the digital video transmission options available now--and in the near future. (Network Video).
January 1, 2003... It's appropriate to begin at the end, by considering the result you want, and only then thinking about some of the latest technological approaches that you can use to meet your needs. Taking things In this order seems sensible--after all,you...

Here and now: in spite of all the attention it's been getting, there's still a gap between the hype and reality of network video. But real installations are happening, and here we profile three of them. (Network Video).
January 1, 2003... SCHOOLS in the Newport area of South Wales were suffering from repeated acts of vandalism, with repair bills for replacement glazing alone totalling 14,000 [pounds sterling] a year. Incidents included damage to fiat roofs and broken windows. As...

Exhibition & conference preview. (IIPSEC 2003).(closed circuit televison equipment industry )
January 1, 2003... Heralding a new year with a showcase of the very latest technology, IIPSEC, an. exhibition devoted entirely to network video systems, takes place in January. The emphasis will be on learning more about the opportunities in this emerging market....

Mega installation. (Products & Services).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Equipment from Baxall has been Installed at the Sharjah Mega Mall retail and leisure facility In the United Arab Emirates. Installed by Promedia Systems, the Mall's extensive CCTV system features 76 Baxall CDSP9310 cameras, five ZMX Plus...

Viewing remote images. (Products & Services).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The KX-HCM 10 network camera from Panasonic allows remote images to be viewed through a PC. Described as small and lightweight, the camera has a web server, control protocol (TCP/UDP) and e-mail protocol (SMTP) built-in. Once it is...

Connecting the new to the old. (Products & Services).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Designed by Syac, Wizeye is a range of network camera servers which can be easily connected to traditional CCTV devices such as cameras, domes and PTZ controllers. This can be achieved, says the company, by using any communication line or...

All-in-one server. (Products & Services).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... A standalone, web-based video server provides digital video and audio recording capability locally, with Internet remote access simultaneously The VP-500 from Formosa uses H.263 compression to provide at least 168 hours continuous...

Wireless solution. (Products & Services).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Providing the latest technology for surveillance solutions In remote security monitoring, GKD Datacom Solutions has launched the Internet Wireless Camera. The GKD camera can be placed wherever there Is a wireless or wired LAN or a...

Improved transmission and DVR capability. (Products & Services).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Video Communication Systems AG has introduced two firmware upgrades, enabling all its 100 and 400 range products to use MPEG-4 transmission and giving its Video Jets DVR functionality, The new firmware version 6,00 enables all 100 series...

Surveillance from a mobile outpost. (Products & Services).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... WebCCTV Outpost is a new mobile CCTV system that can be used for temporary video surveillance, 24 hours a day. Available from Quadrox, the system is built on a trailer, in a box that is secured with an alarm system. Sensors on the...