CCTV Today articles from May 2003

CCTV Today archives from May 2003

Police predict more than 200,000 arrests a year from ANPR trials. (News).
May 1, 2003... ROAD SURVEILLANCE cameras equipped with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology, could help police make more than 200,000 extra arrests a year with significant reductions in car crime, says a report from the Association of Chief...

Secure living for high-rise residents. (News).
May 1, 2003... A 1.7-MILLION [pounds sterling] contract to install a concierge surveillance system covering 16 high rise blocks in Bradford, has been awarded to Southern Electric Contracting (SEC). The competitive tender contract, awarded to SEC by...

ConnectorCo. (People).(Chris Hobbs founds coaxial connector company)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... ConnectorCo is a newly-formed company specialising in coaxial connectors. The company is headed by Chris Hobbs, who has more than 10 years' experience in the coaxial connector Industry.

Reflex Systems. (People).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Reflex Systems has appointed Nic Green to the position of UK sales manager. Nic's role will be to grow the sales operation of both Reflex and the company's maintenance arm, Multi-Tech Maintenance Services.

Abacus Integrated Systems. (People).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Abacus Integrated Systems has appointed two new national sales managers--Jon Gillingham and Dennis Fitzpatrick. Jon joins as the systems sales manager, while Dennis becomes the company's national accounts manager.

Custom Technology Solutions. (People).(Andy Perry to market CCTV in Midlands)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Andy Perry has been appointed as sales manager of Custom Technology Solutions. His key role is to grow the CCTV, access control and intruder business primarily in the Midlands area.

Baxall. (People).
May 1, 2003... Baxall has recruited David as its new sales and marketing director. David joins from Securicor, while he has also worked for IBM and Motorola.

Bosch Systems. (People).(Joe McCann new CEO)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The newly Integrated Bosch Systems operation is headed up by Joe McCann, previously MD of Bosch Detection Systems in the UK. He is responsible for Integrating the former Detection Systems and Philips CSI operations into a single combined...

VCS AG. (People).(Video Communication Systems appoints Tim Williams)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... VCS AG, the German-based producer of network video solutions, has appointed Tim Williams to manage Its UK sales and marketing operation. Tim joins from IndigoVision.

Quality Training Alliance. (People).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Quality Training Alliance's training team has been strengthened by the appointment of Chris Hobson.

VCL. (People).(Chris Brown, Andy Alexander, Wendy Potts, Tony Curran, and Guy Willott appointed to positions)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Several promotions and appointments have recently taken place at VCL. Chris Brown came on board in November 2002 as a digital specifier and networked products specialist. Andy Alexander and Wendy Potts have been promoted to product specifier...

Video recorders with chips. (News).
May 1, 2003... FAST-FOOD chain McDonalds is being supplied with digital video recorders from Dallmeier, to replace analogue systems in its UK restaurants. The units are to be installed by Initial Electronic Security and have been supplied through Norbain...

Fitting the face to the crime. (News).
May 1, 2003... NEW SOFTWARE which enables the identification of suspects within seconds, is being piloted by Grampian Police. European IT services provider, Steria, will integrate ID-2000 face recognition technology--developed by Imagis Inc.--into...

Overseas enterprise reaps honour for Dedicated Micros. (News).
May 1, 2003... DEDICATED MICROS has won an award in the International Trade section of the annual Queen's Awards for Enterprise. Over the past three years, the company's overseas earnings have increased by 173 per cent, representing nearly 70 per cent of...

Surveillance advice for small retailers. (News).
May 1, 2003... A FIVE-POINT plan to reduce retail robbery--including the approved use of CCTV surveillance--has been unveiled by Greater Manchester Police. Raid-control consists of five key crime reduction principles: staff trained in raid awareness;...

Andy Davey, Cirrus Communications Systems' operations director, ran this year's London Marathon. (News).
May 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Andy Davey, Cirrus Communications Systems' operations director, ran this year's London Marathon and raised 2500 [pounds sterling] for the specialist cardiac unit at Poole Hospital. He ran with his...

And the score so far is ... Early findings from the nationwide evaluation of CCTV, being conducted by the Scarman Centre on behalf of the Home Office, have been published. They have been issued in the form of a guidance document on lessons that can be drawn from the research so far. (News Analysis).
May 1, 2003... THE PROJECT--the most far-reaching evaluation of CCTV in the UK--began in October 2001 and is due to be completed at the end of 2004. It is studying the implementation of 17 CCTV schemes--mainly in residential areas and town centres--funded...

Cowboy crackdown. (BSIA).
May 1, 2003... INDUSTRY CLEAN-UP Adam Wiseberg chairman of the BSIA CCTV section, says the newly formed Security Industry Authority is a body with 'teeth'. So let's make sure our CCTV house is in order to avoid any added burden of regulations--something...

Times are a changin'. (User Group).
May 1, 2003... LEVEL PLAYING FIELD Peter Fry director of the CCTV User Group With the birth of the Security Industry Authority, regulation of parts of the security industry is a welcome start but the training and licensing needs of CCTV operators are...

Blank screens on the horizon: for some time now the remote video monitoring sector has been billed as one to watch--an area with significant potential for manufacturers, installers and remote monitoring service providers. Ian Drury takes the temperature of the remote video sector and asks--has its time finally arrived? (Remote Monitoring)(Cover Story).
May 1, 2003... A few years down the line, the signs of early promise for the remote video monitoring industry have yet to be realised--at least in terms of solid results. The market is still waiting for a noticeable expansion in the numbers of systems being...

Fast response prevents crime at the Rushes. (Remote Monitoring).
May 1, 2003... A 24 camera system monitoring the construction of a 30m [pounds sterling] development has already prevented incidents and led to arrests, it's reported. The Rushes, a brand new 30m [pounds sterling] town centre and retail leisure, has a...

Installer goes for monitoring. (Remote Monitoring).
May 1, 2003... Oldham based installer P&R Security recently embraced remote video monitoring by setting up its own monitoring centre, so providing and an end-to-end service to its customers, according to a report in SSAIB News. The company specialises in...

Remote monitoring's 'have-a-go hero'. (Remote Monitoring).
May 1, 2003... Intruders bit off more than they could chew when they tried to steal from a business executive's house in Cheshire. But this was no ordinary businessman--the house belonged to none other than Mr Remote Monitoring himself, Adam Wiseberg,...

Trade takes a long look at Farsight's centre. (Remote Monitoring).
May 1, 2003... In order to spread further the message of remote monitoring, receiving centre Farsight held its first open day for the trade. Installers form the south east and Midlands were given a hands-on opportunity to experience the company's...

Prescription for surveillance. (Remote Monitoring).
May 1, 2003... Liverpool based installation company Seceuro is using Camwatch Monitoring for all its remote monitoring requirements. One of the first Seceuro designed installations to use Camwatch's services is at AAH Pharmaceuticals, said to be Europe's...

Fastsource, a Yorkshire-based haulage business, needed to protect both its vehicles and large amounts of diesel fuel stored on-site. (RM Update).
May 1, 2003... * Fastsource, a Yorkshire-based haulage business, needed to protect both its vehicles and large amounts of diesel fuel stored on-site. Having previously employed two night watchmen from 6pm to 6am to cover the site, the firm reviewed this...

TeleEye Europe, a remote monitoring systems specialist and UK Business Watch, a central monitoring station, are in partnership to provide visual alarm verification and remote video surveillance solutions. (RM Update).
May 1, 2003... * TeleEye Europe, a remote monitoring systems specialist and UK Business Watch, a central monitoring station, are in partnership to provide visual alarm verification and remote video surveillance solutions. TeleEye's network systems can be used...

Over one weekend last month, four youths were detected using jemmies to force roller shutters protection a new computer suite at a school in the north of England. (RM Update).
May 1, 2003... * Over one weekend last month, four youths were detected using jemmies to force taller shutters protecting a new computer suite at a school in the north of England. The remote system, monitored by Visual Verification, picked up the attempted...

A person was seen acting suspiciously at an industrial gas producer's site in Suffolk, protected by a system monitored by Remguard. (RM Update).
May 1, 2003... * A person was seen acting suspiciously at an industrial gas producer's site in Suffolk, protected by a system monitored by Remguard. The police and keyholder were Informed and when police arrived three people were arrested attempting to steal...

New centre initiated. (Remote Monitoring).
May 1, 2003... A new, multi-purpose monitoring centre has been opened in Burnley by Initial Monitoring. The site--officially opened by chief constable Richard Childs, chairman of the Association of Chief Police Officers--combines conventional alarm...

Data threat or opportunity? Data protection and human rights legislation should not simply be seen as providing obligations for end users. As Ian Fowler explains, the provisions--which need not be too onerous if approached sensibly--also provide designers and installers with opportunities as well as responsibilities. (Data Protection).
May 1, 2003... Underpinning the Data Protection Act 1998 are what are called the eight data protection principles. In summary, the principles require that personal data (which means, broadly, data relating to a living individual) shall be: * 1. Fairly...

Brave new world? (Single channel DVRs).
May 1, 2003... For many, Digital Video Recorders (DVRs) represent the first step into the brave new world of digital surveillance. In the CCTV industry, we have seen an explosion in the number and type of these products, which makes selecting the right one...

Express delivery: we round off our DVR product testing section with a look at digital recording systems in action. Faced with a growing need for damage prevention, a German distribution and logistics company went digital to track shipments going through its site. (Digital Recording).
May 1, 2003... Based in Neuwied, Spedition Gras is a national and international carrier providing distribution, warehousing and overnight express delivery services. Faced with mounting demands from insurers and customers for effective damage and loss...

Secure foothold: in the second of our digital recording case studies, we profile a pioneering sports centre in west London. Here, digital recorders lie at the heart of a system which has made an impact on security and safety and has contributed to better management. (Digital Recording).
May 1, 2003... Driving along London's urban flyover in North Kensington, the Westway Sports Centre stands out as a small oasis among the garages and yards that cover much of the land beneath. It is this contradiction that underlines the success story of the...

Get yourself connected: visitors to this year's IFSEC exhibition and conference can expect free training on video over IP and advice on standards, as Andrew Sansom discover. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... The emergence of video over IP is making a huge impact on the CCTV sector. Reflecting this trend, IFSEC 2003, from 19-21 May at the NEC in Birmingham, will be embarking on a new interactive Networks Knowledge Zone, designed to educate at all...

Robbery and the digital deterrent: rising crime figures in the UK have been a topic of debate for some time--last year, there were over 1200 robberies in London alone. Digital recording of images could play an important role in helping the police tackle these types of crime. IFSEC 2003 conference speakers Alan Townsend and Alastair McLeod explore some of the operational and evidential issues involved. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... The cost to the Metropolitan Police Flying Squad of just an initial investigation at a robbery crime scene is around 2000 [pounds sterling]-3000 [pounds sterling] each time, to say nothing of the costs of a full investigation. If robbery can be...

New surveillance products displayed under one name. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand J150 Among a whole host of security and surveillance products from Bosch Security Systems will be the Save Sens motion detector. The module simply plugs into existing CCTV systems to provide configurable areas and directions of...

Talking together over the network. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand C110 Complus Teltronic will be launching an improved interface to help organisations link up intercom systems from multiple sites. The interface is a plug-in card that fits into the Commend intercom's central control unit and...

Processing 'revolution'. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand M90 Innovative technology which is claimed to change the way cameras process images, resulting in firm quality pictures, is being highlighted by Baxall. According to the company, Digital Pixel System (DPS) has an analogue to...

Control room centrepiece. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand T118 In an effort to provide the optimum control room environment, Synectics has developed its SynergyPro CCTV system control software. The system is said to simplify the operation of and interface with video and computer...

Giving the public reassurance on the Underground. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand C129 Designed initially for use within the London Underground tube network, a new Help Point system will be launched on the IBBISS stand. IBBISS is a joint venture between two communications manufacturers, Interalia and Baldwin...

Kollector's edition. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand R100 Vicon will launch the ViconNet digital video platform for powerful and flexible remote control of digital video and audio over LANs and WANs. Incorporated into the company's Kollector Elite DVR range, or as a separate...

Universal transmitter. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand N116 Designed for use with any static, PTZ or dome camera,the NV-211T-M is described as a universal UTP transmitter from NVT. With its compact design, the transmitter features a 9 inch male BNC flying-lead, allowing a quick-fit...

Sophisticated software. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand H100 Digital recording and transmission systems with sophisticated software functionality take pride of place on the Dallmeier electronic stand. The company's S1-edition DVRs, the DLS 6 S1 and DLS 24 S1, are said to offer high...

Tracking and detection system. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand R79 Industrie Technik IPS GmbH will be showcasing its new high-end TeleGuard EvoX video motion detector, complete with such features as 3D image analysis and automatic target tracking. The detector offers tracking detection...

Digital recording system's new purchasing power. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand S84 Text-searchable Electronic Point Of Sale (EPOS) integration is possible with the latest OCTAR DVR from Visimetrics (UK) Ltd. The EPOS integration function allows the data from up to 16 tills or POS systems to be recorded in...

Forensic detection system. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand P51 Combining a DNA marking process with a high-resolution, image-capture unit, Spyral is a new forensic intelligence system from Crime Solutions. Advanced microwave detection protects against tampering and senses the correct...

Flexible network DVR options. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand T96 Described as a networked video recording solution for professional applications, VCS will present VIDOS-NVR. The system records high quality, full-motion video from VCS video servers onto industry-standard PC disk arrays....

Compact consoles. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand M78 Control room furniture specialist Winsted will be launching a space saving, ergonomically designed console. The latest addition to the company's range is a new line of Slimline Prestige consoles. Designed for use with LCD...

Road runner Ethernet switch. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand T110 Providing IP-communication for many roadside applications, the XSNet 1600 QMC is a new 5-port fast Ethernet switch from NKF Electronics. Featuring four 10/100Base-T ports and one optical port, the switch is said to operate...

'Superfast' lens. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand No R90 A new 'superfast' variant of the x20 zoom Pentax lens--as specified by Transport for London (TFL)--will be on show, alongside a special 25mm UV lens. Applications include forgery detection of banknotes, credit cards and...

Control at your fingertips. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand P90 Available from Videotec, the new keyboard DCT features the control of different matrices and multiplexer, as well as control of standard P&T and direct interface with common high speed domes. A graphic, back-lit, display with...

Automatic anti-terrorism detection system. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand B91 Detection company, Scanna MSC, has announced a worldwide marketing partnership with WTI, a specialist in CCTV digital recording and smart software systems. By overlaying the Scanna Anti Terrorism Detection System (ATDS) on...

Keeping it real. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand Q100 Visitors to Sanyo's stand will have the opportunity to see a demonstration of the latest technology in 'real life' situations. The company will be creating, in one section of its stand, a retail environment where visitors...

Educating on integration. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand L110 Security system integration equipment will be displayed on the Norbain SD stand. "We have identified system integration as an extremely significant growth point for the industry in the next few years," said Paul Wong, the...

New products across the board. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand N110 The UK debut of its 1/3-inch CCD twisted pair camera will be one of the highlights on the JVC stand this year. The TK-C720ETP comes with built-in UTP transmission and a monitor output for local camera and lens adjustment....

Triple vision. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand J91 Video management solutions from TEB will be demonstrating its new Vision range, providing users with a simple and user-friendly solution to security management. Three versions are available--Plan Vision, Net Vision, and Super...

'Intelligent' monitoring and counting systems. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand G100 Bell Group is using IFSEC for the European launch of version 3 of GMS--the monitoring and management software suite for its Pacom integrated security technology, which includes access control, CCTV and managed response. A...

Complete portfolio of digital recorders. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand M126 Videor Technical's complete series of eneo digital recorders for one, four, nine and 16 channel recording offers ML-JPEG compression, as well as numerous additional features. For instance, duplex operation or RAS...

Standalone ovation. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand Q47 Video surveillance equipment manufacturer, Ovation Systems, will be launching its small, standalone Stable-Eyes unit. Described as an advanced image stabilisation system, Stable-Eyes is the result of a partnership between Ovation...

Three months' on-board recording. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... The latest model in Dedicated Micros' high-end BX2 digital multiplex recorder range offers a 1Tb (terabyte) internal storage capacity on its four internal hard-drives--providing more than three months on-board recording without the need for...

Compact transmitter provides wireless power. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand G146 Wireless equipment manuafacturer VTQ Videotronik is exhibiting the 5.8GHz Micro PLL transmitter. It measures just 18x18x13mm and has a transmission power of 25mW (for export there is an optional 200mW), 16 selectable...

Added features. (Exhibition & Conference Preview).
May 1, 2003... Stand A92 Software development for LookC's core product, the Pro ix, will move up a gear with the launch of version 3.0. While changes to screen displays and navigation are said to make significant improvements to user friendliness, the...

Hubs of activity: so you think that once you've seen one control room you've seen them all? Not so. If control rooms are to be an effective epicenter for CCTV schemes, they must keep pace with the rapid technological developments being made. Here we look at three projects in depth. (Control Rooms).
May 1, 2003... As an IT provider of systems such as LAN/WAN switching, networked telephony, web enhancement and Cable/DSL gateways, 3Com is acutely aware that its computer-related business could be a target for intruders. For this reason, as well as the open...

Training--it's simply a matter of choice: when it comes to training in our industry, confusion still reigns about what is available and from whom. Mike Tennent helps de-mystify the issues by shining a torch into the darkest recesses of training for control room staff. (Training).
May 1, 2003... I recently attended a meeting in London with a wide range of people from across the security industry, including members of the CCTV User Group, end users, training providers, industry awarding bodies and contract guard suppliers. I left that...

A Bridgetown too far? Why should a holiday paradise like Barbados be concerned with public area CCTV? David White of Thames Valley Police HQ explains how he came to swap the dreaming spires of Oxford for a spot of sun, sea and surveillance in the Caribbean. (Barbados).
May 1, 2003... Although I didn't believe it at the time, my varied police and CCTV career was about to get even more exciting following a visit in 2001 to Oxford by a group from the BTI--the Barbados Tourism Investment organisation. They had come to explore...

No need to imagine. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Liverpool's John Lennon Airport has just upgraded to digital recording, using the PC Multiplexer digital recording system from CCTV Software. The new system provides over 45 days of recordings of the airport's 112 cameras onto hard disk,...

Say big cheese to the camera. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Designed to withstand physical attack and said to be tamper-resistant, CCTV cameras have been installed at the Huge Cheese Company in London by Kent & Sussex Security. The V27 ArmorPlate cameras, from Silent Witness, are sited at several...

Maintaining store's safe way. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Property support company OCS has won a three year contract to maintain CCTV and related security systems for supermarket group Safeway. The contract relates to some 555 sites which include superstores, filling stations and distribution...

Interstate highway patrol. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Videolarm's Q-View cameras are said to play an integral part in the Illinois Department of Transportation's programme to secure all of the state's interstate rest areas. Q-View cameras and emergency call boxes, which provide push button...

Protecting the community. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... The problem of mindless vandalism and local youths using a nearby playhouse as a drinking den, has persuaded Glen Parva Parish Council to specify a CCTV system for a community hall in Leicester. Installed by Focus Security Systems, the main...

Help points do the rounds in Glasgow. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Aiming to increase public safety and reduce the fear of crime, Complus Teltronic's round Help Points have been trialled in Glasgow in a joint venture between Strathclyde police, Streetwatch Glasgow and the city council. According to the...

Security with iron girders. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Soft drinks manufacturer AG Barr--famous for the Scottish national (soft) drink, Irn Bru--is using integrated site protection systems installed and maintained by Scotshield. The company is responsible for CCTV, intruder alarms, fire...

Square in the eye at Wellington. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... CCTV cameras from Baxall have been installed in a new retail development in Stockton on Tees. The 180,000 sq. ft Wellington Square development has been fitted with an extensive CCTV system, incorporating 22 CDX9714 cameras. These have been...

Lightening never strikes twice! (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Following a lightening strike which destroyed its previous surveillance system, Wolfson College Cambridge has completed a major upgrade of its campus security system. Two 16-way DS multiplexers control a mixture of 20 fixed colour and mono...

Benelux supermarket surveillance goes digital. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Digital recording systems have recently been installed in six supermarkets in Belgium and Luxemburg. The Cora sites use Vicon's Kollector recorders which have a 60Gb hard disk capacity, with the option of additional drives being fitted....

Image collector of public recordings. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... The Public Record Office in Kew, which houses collections of many public documents, now records images using a Vicon digital recorder. The specification included the integration of a number of existing systems with the Kollector digital...

Seeing ahead of the game. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... According to supplier Andromica Video Systems, Leo Leisure's new casino is the first in any UK casino to use digital recording for all of the games. Instead of the more common 'hard disk' option, Leo Leisure decided to install an optical...

Peak views of the city of hills. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Sheffield has been supplied with camera poles and help points from Altron Communications, as part of a 3.35 million [pounds sterling] surveillance scheme. The official launch of Sheffield's system in February marked the completion of the...

Digital distribution. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Warehousing and distribution company TNT Logistics has upgraded its security arrangements to digital recording at depots across the North West of England. Digital Sprite multiplexers from Dedicated Micros have replaced traditional...

Securing high-tech logistics. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Logistics and distribution company Lupprians Computer Express has used cameras from VCL to help safeguard valuable electronic equipment stored at its warehouses. Orbiter Gold domes and internal 8 inch Microsphere domes--installed by JLG...

Edinburgh salutes new system. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Scotshield Fire and Security have recently installed a city-wide CCTV monitoring system in Edinburgh. As part of the installer's electronic protection systems, around 40 cameras and associated equipment from JVC are in place in the...

Mobile patrol. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... A new mobile unit has been built for South Yorkshire Police by Reflex systems. The van is to monitor crime hot-spots in the region. The vehicle can deploy two ptz cameras on a 6 metre telescopic mast. It was funded with a government grant...

Medical monitoring. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Scottish Communication Systems (SC$) has completed the installation of an extensive security system at the University of Dundee's laboratory block, based at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School in Dundee. The company has installed a CCTV...