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IP monitoring with ACTi - example application

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New functionality in CCTV monitoring

The future of CCTV is connected with the use of installations based on IP technology which offers
easy extension of the system, including widely scattered sites, and possibility of employing big
number of cameras. Such systems are very flexible, due to easy way of expansion and
reconfiguration, further enrichment with additional functions by program measures. This all makes
the exploitation of IP systems much cheaper than that of previous kind. Currently, this technology is
the only rational solution for all bigger installations, e.g. city surveillance systems.

New era in monitoring - IP CCTV

A good example of the potential of IP CCTV technology is the worldwide structure of monitoring
implemented by Cisco Systems, which integrates into one system 296 monitored places scattered in
60 countries. So far, the whole installation uses 2661 cameras.
Looking at such an undertaking, the combined monitoring of e.g. a chain of gas stations or water
intakes in a specific region seems to be simplicity itself.
The network architecture of IP CCTV installations is identical to regular computer networks and can
be easily merged with them, any additional structural cabling will often not be needed.

IP CCTV monitoring is a dynamically growing field of technology and industry, still giving space for
new ideas and practical solutions that will follow new functional demands and economic sense.

Monitoring of warehouse and office block.

On the building lot, 100m wide and 800m long, there have been built office block and storehouse.
The investor, at the stage of construction, demanded that the whole construction site would have to
be fully monitored, and then, on completion of the works, the complex would be monitored by ca. 50
cameras. Most of them should have been placed in the warehouse, but the destination place for
monitoring center would have to be located  in the office block.

Analyzing technical conditions there have been taken into consideration instructions of the investor
concerning possibility of relocation of lookouts and computer-aided support for the limited
surveillance staff.

Hybrid solution based on utilizing analog and IP cameras.

Construction site is a relatively difficult place for monitoring, due to temporariness and provisionality
of installation, exposure to possible damages, distortions generated by the machines. Additionally,

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the task included installation of efficient data communications network, capable of transmission of
data, voice and video.
The backbone of the installation has been founded on fiber optic cable. In comparison to copper
cables it ensures very high transmission capacity without generating any interferences, low loss and
full insensitivity to electromagnetic distortions, as well as lack of stray currents and differences of
potentials among segments of a network, not to mention long life - ca. 25 years of operation.
Thanks to immense transmission capacity there is no problem with developing the system in the
future - there can be connected any new devices.

Stage I - construction

During the first days of the undertaking there was laid 250 m of fiber optic cable, linking the places of
constructed buildings. It was outdoor  20-fiber distribution cable, protected against rodents. 
While the building work was to be carried out, it was implemented temporary solution granting all
requirements of the investor. On a high mast there were put fixed analog cameras and IP Speed
Dome PTZ camera. The images from analog cameras were registered as records of construction
events that could also be viewed on the Internet, to show the progress of the undertaking. The fixed
cameras were thought-out as temporary ones, only for the time of construction. There was chosen
comparatively cheap solution - the recording performed with the use of Adacs card AD-10016B.

For the reason that security staff should have all details available for inspection, there has been
used IP Speed Dome PTZ camera of ACTi, model no. 6230. The decision was dictated by easy way
of making installation for the IP device, also taking into consideration future relocations. There were
planned several relocations of the camera, according to the progress of construction work. The best
choice in such conditions, both due to cost and flexibility, is the wireless implementation.
The camera features 27x optical and 10x digital zoom. It is based on the newest Sony SuperHAD
CCD sensor and MPEG-4 compression method, enabling operation with D1 resolution that allows
for practical use of digital zoom with good rendering of details. Enlarged images retain clarity and
precision suitable for surveillance purposes. The MPEG-4 ASP version of video data compression
that has been involved in this ACTi camera makes possible to send clear images even with
considerably narrow data stream. To record the data from the camera at the construction stage, it
has been employed ACTi Streaming Activator software pack.

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Starting up this kind of IP camera with the use of wireless link was a new challenge for the installer
and a kind of testing ground. He decided to apply two Access Points Compex WPE54AG working in
5GHz band. One of them was connected to the IP camera, and the second directly via UTP cable to
RJ-45 port of a switch. The APs work in WDS mode. Three months of work in exceptionally low
temperatures have been proving stability of the wireless system so that it has been utilized within the
final installation after completion of the business complex.

Stage II - final installation

The hybrid solution has been chosen, due to considerably lower prices of analog cameras. They will
be further utilized in the office block, and fixed in specific places, without a need of any additional
control (change of direction etc). The cameras will be connected in the traditional way to hybrid
recording card of ACTi, PCI-4100. This ACTI card allows for recording images both from analog and
IP cameras.
The rest of devices, both the controlled PTZ camera/s and the next cameras that will be mounted
after running the warehouse, will be IP kind, owing to possibility of easy extension of the system and
control facilities.

Between the backbone of the network ( fiber optic cable) and the network outlets there have been

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laid stretches of CAT5 wiring, together with the use of controlled switches with optical ports at one
side and RJ-45 ports at the other.
It has been decided that on completion of the works and running regular business, the professional
software pack "Monitoring Center" will be used, configured for this specific installation. Good
professional software can significantly reduce maintenance costs by increasing automation level of
monitoring procedures.

IP CCTV monitoring of widely scattered sites

A classic case of such monitoring is city surveillance system. Aside from territorial scattering of the
camera points, another frequent requirement is parallel supervision of the system from a number of
distant stations (e.g. police stations, municipal police stations, fire brigade etc).
IP CCTV technology eliminates problems with the multiple control posts - it is only needed
broadband access to WAN in every location. Using regular computers with appropriate software one
has full freedom of organizing next posts, without additional investment in cable infrastructure. Of
course, each of the supervision posts can utilize traditional analog monitors, or arrays of them, and
keypads with manipulators. The utilization of the existing or easy to buy cheap equipment is possible
due to employing transcoders which convert digital MPEG4 stream into its analog video equivalent,
and the control commands from the keypads - into adequate digital representation being a part of
the digital stream. 

The structure of wireless monitoring system based on ACTi cameras in Złotow, Poland.

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In traditional analog CCTV systems there are problems with

long-distance transmission. The installer couldn't run the
farthest cameras in Tarnobrzeg. The way out of a difficult
ACTi cameras in the streets of situation has been implementation of IP CCTV cameras from
Opatow. ACTi.

IP CCTV in Opatow.

Nowadays IP CCTV is the basic technology used in modern city surveillance systems. The
installations are not limited in their territorial range nor the number of cameras and control points,
whereas in traditional systems there were problems with long-distance transmission.
Since September 2006, there has been run modern city surveillance system using IP technology in
Opatow, Poland. There have been employed two high speed dome cameras CAM -6110 K1211.
They have been mounted on lamp posts dedicated for the surveillance purposes. Another camera
point of the system is stationary camera CAM-5120 K1110, directed to Warsaw Gate, the place
often devastated by vandals. Signals from the cameras are transmitted wirelessly. In the monitoring
center there is used PC with installed Streaming Activator software. The software pack enables
recording, viewing and control over PTZ cameras. The system is fully capable of further expansion.
Video Surveillance of Cities - technical, legal, and organizational aspects of CCTV monitoring.

Videoconferences supported by IP CCTV cameras

Installation for transmission live images of Installation for transmitting lectures from one
angioplastic surgery. conference room to other rooms.

CCTV devices from ACTi are provided with efficient audio/video compression mechanisms that
enable performing professional videoconferences. ACTi equipment may be used for live video
transmissions from an operating room where the patients undergo surgery. The live images can be
transmitted to several separate rooms, e.g. conference rooms in different parts of the hospital.
Thanks to employing cameras, videoservers and transcoders from ACTi, the viewers are able to
observe the operation in real time and to ask questions to the surgeon. The transmission may be
based on existing hospital computer network, so preparation of the installation is relatively simple
and inexpensive.
Such a conference took place recently in the Bonifraters' hospital in Krakow, on the occasion of the
centenary of its foundation,  being held under the patronage of the Prime Minister and the mayor of
the city. In the operating room there were employed two videoservers K2110, which transmitted

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images from cameras to three conference rooms. In each of the rooms there were installed two
transcoders K2410, providing with signals TV projectors that displayed images on wall screens.
Additionally, in one of the conference rooms, there was used videoserver K2110, to enable
transmission of interactive lectures to the rest of the rooms. 

Dipol is the importer of ACTi  professional IP and hybrid CCTV equipment and solutions, as well as
high quality cameras (HiRes, Day/Night & DPS - Digital Pixel System) and DVRs (including mobile
DVRs) of Sunell company. Dipol runs online B2B e-Store - the installers, installation firms or retailers
are given - after registration - possibility of buying the products at very special prices and have
access to special offers.

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