CCTV Today articles from July 2003

CCTV Today archives from July 2003

Caught on video: a growing road menace. (News).(Surrey police release footage of girls throwing bricks and stones off a motorway bridge)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... CCTV made the headlines in May when Surrey Police released footage of two nine-year-old girls throwing bricks and stones off a motorway bridge. Growing concern over the dramatic increase in such incidents led the police to release the...

Tunnel surveillance operations could go on to autopilot. (News).(an image recognition system based on the human brain is developed for use in road tunnels)
July 1, 2003... AN image recognition system based on the workings of the human brain has been developed for use in road tunnels. Using digital image technology at the rate of 50 half-images per second, the system is able to measure distances between...

Hidden camera closes the chapter of the monastery thief mystery. (News).(a thief who was stealing ancient books from a monastery library was identified with closed circuit television technology)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... HAVING baffled French police for nearly two years, a thief who was stealing priceless ancient books from a monastery library was finally identified--thanks to CCTV technology, reports The Guardian. In June, a French court heard how the...

Stortech Electronics. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Stortech Electronics has appointed a new general manager for its CCTV division. With more than 25 years' experience in the CCTV industry, Jess Johns is responsible for the development of Stortech's product offering and sales channels.

TEB. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Richard Ambler joins TEB as the company's new UK regional sales manager. In this new position, Ambler is responsible for sales development of TEB products.

Vicon. (People).(Giovanni Del Fabbro appointed to Italian office)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Vicon has appointed sales engineer Giovanni Del Fabbro as a technical manager to its Italian regional office in Milan. His role includes after-sales support and maintenance and technical training.

IndigoVision. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Formerly CEO of Liberty Broadband, Elliott Mueller has joined IndigoVision as its new vice-president of worldwide sales. elliott will assist the executive team to support the company's activities in the European and US markets, and to open up...

JVC Professional Europe. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Chris Gould has been appointed as sales executive--storage products, to the IT division of JVC Professional Europe.

VCL. (People).(Craig Quinn, Daniel Campbell, Emma Harrison and Stacey Killen join Video Controls Limited)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Four new staff have been recruited by VCL. Craig Quinn has joined as internal sales new business developer, working alongside fellow Daniel Campbell, who's joined as an internal account manager. Supporting VCL's team of area sales managers,...

PI Vision. (People).(Ian Alexander added to sales team)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... PI Vision has recruited lan Alexander to its sales team. He has ten years' experience in the security sector.

Petards Vision. (People).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Taking over from Mike Williams, Malcolm Wright, has become the managing director of Petards Vision. He was recently managing director of Pentyre.

Store owners fight back against thieves with CCTV 'gallery'. (News).
July 1, 2003... SHOPLIFTERS in Weston-super-Mare, be afraid, be very afraid! An ever-increasing 'gallery' of CCTV images--which purport to show people stealing goods--has been set up by the owners of a Spar store in the Somerset town. Estimating that they...

Alarm response centre invests in remote video. (News).(Southern Monitoring Services launches a dedicated facility to handle remote monitoring of CCTV)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... ALARM receiving centre Southern Monitoring Services recently launched a dedicated facility to handle remote monitoring of CCTV. The new facility sits alongside SMS's conventional alarm receiving operation and benefits from substantial...

New IP video training resource. (News).(Tavcom Training launches a new multimedia CD-ROM)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... IN response to the growing interest in video over networks, a new multimedia CD-ROM has been launched by Tavcom Training. 'An introduction to IP' is designed to give users and installers a flavour of the world of IP video. It is presented...

Chubb in $1 billion takeover bid from UTC. (News).(United Technologies Corp. offers $1 billion to buy Chubb PLC)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... UNITED Technologies Corporation (UTC) has offered $1bn to buy Chubb plc, subject to approval by Chubb's shareholders. The offer, which was presented on 11 June and has been recommended by the board of Chubb, values the entire issued share...

Under one (new) roof. (News).(Theresa May MP, chairman of the Conservative Party, opens the new Joint Security Industry Council offices in Maidenhead)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Theresa May MP, chairman of the Conservative Party, recently opened the new Joint Security Industry Council (JSIC) offices in Maidenhead, Stressing the need for training and education in the private security industry, Mrs May expressed...

Mike Tennent's article on training in the may issue created something of stir. As far as training goes, the debate goes on ... (Open Circuit).
July 1, 2003... AS THE organiser, on behalf of the Public CCTV Managers Association (PCMA), of the meeting to which Mike Tennent refers in his article from the May/June issue of CCTV Today, I would appreciate the opportunity to comment. The meeting took...

Market forces: the period after IFSEC provides the opportunity to gauge the state of the industry. Here we have two views of prospects in the market: the first is from a major distributor and the second based on a new report from market analysts Key Note. (News Analysis).
July 1, 2003... THE CCTV sector is on course for sustained growth over the next year or so, according to Dermot Grace, managing director of the sector's largest distributor, Norbain SD. The prediction is based on his company's reported growth of some 30%...

Power of perception: in 1991 there were no more than ten city centre high street schemes, largely operating from local funding. Over the next decade in excess of 250 million [pounds sterling] of public money has been spent on CCTV. But is it working? A conference last month at the University of Leicester provided some intriguing findings. (News Analysis).
July 1, 2003... THE BALANCING act of having enough security without compromising our civil liberties is, undoubtedly, a tough one to call. CCTV is just one element in this trade-off and was the focus for a one-day conference on last month at the University...

Alarming false alarms: false alarm rates from conventional intruder alarms show no signs of being significantly reduced, says Adam Wiseberg chairman of the BSIA CCTV section. But this situation brings opportunities to suppliers of CCTV systems, which can be used to confirm alarms. (Seeing The Problems).
July 1, 2003... One of the most frustrating problems for users and installers of security systems, together with the hard-pressed emergency services, has to be the false activation of intruder alarms. Despite initiatives such as DD243: 2002, false alarms...

Just looking: the retail sector is perhaps the most familiar with CCTV systems. After all, that's where it all started in the 60s and 70s wroth those massive arrays of tube camera hung from ceilings and looking like upside-down sci-fi robots from Star Wars. (Retail).
July 1, 2003... Things have moved on since the early days of retail surveillance. From corner shops and convenience stores to nationwide multiples and department stores, there can't be many outlets left without some kind of camera surveillance. And while...

Shaping the future: technical developments, changes in communication procedures and the increased threat of terrorism are just some of the issues which CCTV managers need to address through an active approach. (World Of Change).
July 1, 2003... In my last column, I concentrated upon the 'critical changes and critical challenges' posed by the Information Commissioner and the Security Industry Authority, as keynote speakers at our April conference. But these legislative changes are not...

Digital and IP products feature strongly in surveillance show: visitors to this year's IFSEC were able to see and try out a whole host of CCTV products. We pick out a few of the show highlights that caught our attention. (Exhibition & Conference Review).
July 1, 2003... Clever innovations and refinements to products--particularly in digital recording and IP transmission capabilities--dominated this year's IFSEC. Bosch Security Systems exhibited for the first time under one roof all its recently acquired...

Here's the signal now where's the power? We all know that one of the main selling points of IP video is saving on transmission cabling costs. Well now we can look forward to savings on power connections too, if a new technology from the IT world is applied to network video, according to this edited version of a paper. (IP Special)(Cover Story).
July 1, 2003... Power over Ethernet is a revolutionary technology that integrates data, voice and power over standard LAN infrastructure. It is the means to supply reliable, uninterrupted power to Internet Protocol (IP) telephones, wireless LAN access points,...

Beyond DVRs: digital recording technology has greatly influenced CCTV: no more wear and tear, costly maintenance and endless tape rewinding for retrieval. But this is only the start of the digital revolution, argues Michael Gilge CEO of Video Communications Systems AG. The NVR (Network Video Recorder) is the new DVR. (IP Special).(Industry Overview)
July 1, 2003... The combination of affordable image compression technology and large capacity hard disks made the development of digital video recorders feasible: video is stored in digitised and compressed form on regular computer hard disks. Although hard...

Classroom monitors: we look at two schools who are using their own networks to monitor areas housing expensive equipment--not least their own IT hardware. (IP Special).
July 1, 2003... We normally associate fast, high capacity computer networks with blue-chip corporate organisations which have the resources and the need for the best IT systems. With reports of budget difficulties, we don't normally associate such a wealth of...

Multiple recording: in the last issue, we began our review of digital recorders with single-channel DVRs designed to replace VCRs. Now the experts at Tavcom Training turn their attention to multichannel versions, aimed at replacing typical 16-channel multiplexer and VCR combinations. They discovered that at this level, there are many more differences in manufacturers' approach to features and product design. (Multi channels DVRs).(a review of several digital recorders)(Illustration)(Industry Overview)
July 1, 2003... We chose to connect eight video feeds per unit we tested. The video feeds comprised: -- * A professional test card taken off a RETMA test chart to provide a definitive measurable resolution to read horizontal and vertical TV lines. A Sony...

For whom the bell tolls. (Industry News).(NTR is using a digital recording system from Geutebruck)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Irish road toll operators NTR is using a digital recording system from Geutebruck to monitor a busy 12-lane toll plaza at WestLink, just west of Dublin. The MultiScope II system is used to provide video evidence of every vehicle passing...

Coping with congestion. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... More than 350 Bosch LTC 0600 and 0500 series cameras are being used in London's congestion charging scheme. To win the contract, the cameras had to show they could cope with fast-moving vehicles at up to 60 mph, in all weather conditions and...

Remote monitoring for kids. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... Catherine House Day Nursery Schools, a national group of children's nurseries, has chosen the VPON remote camera server from Formosa to provide on site recording at each nursery, as well as remote monitoring at their central office. The...

Digital image management system books in at hotels. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... Surveillance at hotels, leisure and conference centres owned by Ramada Jarvis, is being provided by a digital image management system from Siemens Building Technologies, Fire & Security Products. Installed and commissioned by Vaults Fire &...

Sensitive to college history. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... Campus-wide CCTV coverage is provided at Jesus College, Cambridge by an IP-based system from Intruder International. The system was designed to avoid additional cabling which might disturb the fabric of the historical buildings. The...

Casting the net far and wide. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... One of Britain's most advanced borough CCTV systems now features Vicon Surveyor dome cameras as part of its network-run surveillance system. The project for Thurrock Borough Council links some 17 locations over a 64 square mile area and...

Airside-landside barrier on a flying visit. (Industry News).(an 18-camera digital recording system is installed for Monarch at its Luton base)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... An 18-camera digital recording system has been installed for airline operator Monarch at its Luton base. The integrated system, supplied by Digital CCTV, comprises two 16-channel NET-DVIA digital recording units with alarm presets triggered...

Pixord signs with Gardiner. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... In an exclusive agreement, Gardiner Security will now supply Pixord Corporation's Internet video servers/network cameras to the UK and Ireland. Pixord's video server/network camera (Pixord NVS) compresses images and transmits real-time...

Rolled out in three months. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... A 35-camera system to service a 150 square Km area of West Lancashire has been rolled out by the district council in just three months. This phase of the system will cover Ormskirk, Burscough, Skelmersdale, Aughpon and Parbold. At the...

Striking gold with digital solution. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... When the security manager for the Resolute Golden Pride mining project in Tanzania required replacement equipment for its failing multiplexer, Digital CCTV recommended the DIVA-AX system. The system runs on a PC-operating Windows 2000 and...

Reflex management. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... Called upon due to its experience of working for other hotel groups, Reflex Systems has completed a contract to design, supply, install and maintain security systems for hotel operator, Hand Picked Hotels. The contract included the...

Cricket club's CCTV delivery. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... Specialising in the installation of electronic management and security systems, Baydale Control Systems has won a contract worth 70,000 [pounds sterling] from Chester Lee Street District Council. The contract involves the supply and...

Move offers single point of contact. (Industry News).(Bosch Security Systems relocates its UK operations into a one location at its corporate headquarters in Denham, Buckinghamshire)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Bosch Security Systems has relocated all its UK operations into a single integrated operation at the company's corporate headquarters in Denham, Buckinghamshire. The move allows Bosch to integrate its Detection Systems business, previously...

Dando's dedication. (Industry News).
July 1, 2003... Dedicated to Jill Dando, the CCTV control room for the London Borough of Hillingdon has been supplied and installed by Photo-Scan Systems. Some 100 external cameras are monitored from the control room covering the town centres of Uxbridge,...

New arrivals boost IP collection. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... Two new products, the IVC100 IP-Camera and 6000 Rack, have been added to IndigoVision's VideoBridge IP suite. The IVC100 combines a colour camera with an IP video transmitter/receiver in one unit, which can be connected directly to a...

Camera features integral server. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... Available from Selea with audio/video MPEG 4 image compression, the IP camera model Evolution 2004 features its own video server. The standalone product is capable of detecting any motion or sound, recording a video or storing it in its...

Software creates PC 'command centre' for network control. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... Allowing users to manage and store a complete digital video surveillance system over an IP network, Net Watch Management Software is available from Sony. With the installation of the software, claims Sony, a PC becomes an advanced yet...

Camera master and server. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... Eyeview has launched an integrated IP camera with built-in web server, image compressor and operating system. The WB-1000 also features extra server capacity, which lets you connect an extra three analogue cameras to a system, making four...

Opening a gate to the network. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... The VioGate-100 from IEI takes the concept of digital video recording one step further, by providing control and archiving over the network. The modular system means it is not restricted to 16 channels and the network attached storage...

Wireless A/V links. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... Featuring digital transmission of data, wireless AV link transmitters are available from Hero Electronics. Based around Sharp's 2.4GHz spread-spectrum devices and a proprietary controller, high quality real-time video and audio processing...

'Exclusive' digital high-spec compression standard. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... The new Integral DVXi from Andover Controls offers a host of new options including a high-specification compression standard (iVEX), said to be designed exclusively for the digital CCTV industry. The new DVXi operating system, MasterControl...

Fast images over the net. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... The arrival of broadband digital communication links offers new potential for security systems, according to Alcon Telecommunications. Security systems that use the Internet have no limitations to distance and can be used and accessed...

Function control via fibre optic cable. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... Designed specifically for the Pelco Spectra III dome camera, a multimode video and data transceiver module has been launched by AFI. The module fits inside the dome and draws its power from the camera system, reports the company. ...

Robot Matilda on a military mission. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... Used by police forces, the military and bomb disposal teams for remote investigation of suspect devices, Matilda is a specialist robot powered by IndigoVision's VideoBridge 6000 technology. Recently it has been helping the military in...

Sense and track. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... Built into its AutoDome cameras, AutoTrack is a new motion tracking capability introduced by Bosch. Not only does AutoTrack sense movement but it also follows it automatically, leaving guards free to tackle other tasks. When AutoTrack...

European DVR debut. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... The first hard disc DVR to be introduced to the European market by JVC has arrived in the shape of the model VR-601E. Engineered primarily for surveillance systems, the VR-601E is able to record high quality MJPEG images in single channel...

Towering achievement. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... Having featured new technological developments within its range of poles and towers, Altron has enjoyed its most successful IFSEC ever. "In total, we received twice the number of inquiries from IFSEC in comparison with last year's...

All-in-one recording transmitter. (Products & Services).
July 1, 2003... TeleEye Group has enhanced its TeleEye III+ Network CCTV product line with the introduction of the VX system. It is described as an all-in-one video recording transmitter with dual composite video outputs and a removable hard drive. ...

Number plate capture--guide to business opportunities.
July 1, 2003... A valuable step-by-step guide to number plate capture is now available from Derwent, designed to help installers and system users profit from this new technology. The guide, newly published, is essential reading for anyone involved in ANPR...

High demand for Infra-Red savings at IFSEC.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Installer and specifier demand for more reliable, better value Infra-Red lighting solutions was very much in evidence at the recents IFSEC security show at the NEC. The latest advances in Infra-Red attracted strong interest on Derwent's...

CCTV in a spin? Domes nd IR illumination: how to improve low light performance of the Fully Functional Dome Camera System.
July 1, 2003... Security systems relying on speed-domes during hours of darkness may be at risk from fatal design weaknesses which mean that incidents are missed and alarm conditions are not triggered. Due to the way that speed-domes are being installed...

Legal protection guaranteed by 100% reliable CCTV. (Case study: rollercoaster ride for CCTV).
July 1, 2003... CTV is being increasingly used to protect organisations against fraudulent claims for personal injury, wrongful arrest and misconduct by employees. The owners of one theme park have installed Derwent Infra-Red equipment around the entire course...

Free bulbs offer extended as users demand better Infra Red. (Case study: rollercoaster ride for CCTV).
July 1, 2003... Security buyers are now recognising that old, energy-hungry lamps consume typically 60% more electricity than up-to-date models. Derwent has been running a campaign to drive this message home, with the offer of a free replacement bulb to...

ANPR--promises and pitfalls.
July 1, 2003... Automatic Numberplate Capture and Recognition is a fast growing sector with many opportunities for firms already involved with CCTV. This makes it doubly important to avoid the common installation pitfalls--in this article Shaun Cutler of...