News
Soratek appliance now with H.264 and N+1 redundancy - December 2009 News that Soratek is now available with H.264 compression technology and built with N+1 redundancy has been welcomed by the security industry. Companies looking to install a Video Surveillance solution or to upgrade an existing system can take advantage of the new standard in compression technology H.264 which can reduce bandwidth requirements by up to 80% compared with Motion JPEG format and as much as 50% more than with the MPEG-4 Part 2 standard. And, using Soratek with H.264 (capable) cameras can significantly reduce network bandwidth requirements as well as storage space. Having the option to rely on N+1 redundancy is giving users peace of mind that, should a failure occur, their video surveillance system ensuring recording will continue even in the event of a hardware failure. If you'd like to know more about the new features in Soratek appliance contact us for details or register to attend an event or webinar. ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... STS to speak at BICSI 2009 European Conference - 1st June 2009 Andrew Walker of Structured Technology Services has been invited to join global leaders from the Information Transport System (ITS) Industry to speak at this year's BICSI European Conference taking place in Ireland later this month.
Andrew, Technical Services Director of STS will represent Soratek Systems, manufacturer of IP video surveillance solutions, and share the podium with Nick Platt-Higgins of Axis Communications. They will review existing network video compression standards and identify why existing technologies (Motion-JPEG and MPEG-4) are a barrier to widespread network video adoption. They'll also look at how H.264 will open the market to IP CCTV and be implementated using cameras, video encoders and recording hardware. This is an opportunity to present to a diverse group of decision-makers across the world. To be invited to join a program of notable speakers from throughout the IT industry is recognition of the advances Soratek Systems and STS have made in the IP video surveillance market. More information on the BICSI Conference can be found at: http://www.bicsi.org/events/conferences/european/2009/default.aspx ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Landau Forte College opts for network solution - 30th September 08 Network cameras and video encoders from Axis Communications have been installed as part of a major overhaul of security systems at Landau Forte College in Derby, following its promotion to Academy status in 2006. Structured Technology Services Ltd was invited to create a centralised and proactive IP surveillance solution to replace an inadequate and ageing CCTV system at the college. Prior to the new system being installed, the college had suffered an increase in vandalism and anti-social behaviour. Several ‘black spots’ had been identified including two car parks, specific corridors and a locker room inside the college’s buildings. The installation followed completion of an upgrade of the network infrastructure of the college by STS in October 2007. This enabled the college to look seriously at what other applications could be moved onto the IP network, and the surveillance system became an obvious choice as the existing CCTV system was already at capacity and required expansion. On the network Thirty-two Axis cameras were installed by STS: 21 Axis 216FD-V (vandal resistant) fixed dome network cameras cover previous blind spots in corridors inside the college’s buildings. Two Axis 212 PTZ network cameras monitor the locker room. In the car parks a further five Axis 225FD and four Axis 232D+ network cameras were deployed to deter vandalism. Six of the original analogue CCTV cameras transmit images through single-channel Axis 241 vVideo encoders to make them IP-compatible. Images from all 38 cameras are now stored and managed by Soratek Systems’ video management system, which provides three Terabytes of storage capacity. This system currently holds seven days of images collected on motion detection. STS designed the solution so that power can be transmitted to all Axis network cameras through the Ethernet network itself, using the CAT 6 network cabling which was installed as part of the upgrade of the college’s infrastructure. PoE advantages Power over Ethernet proved a significant advantage for the college, cutting installation costs per camera by as much as £40. PoE also eliminated the inherent security hazard of having a fuse box close to the camera, which offers an obvious route to disabling specific electrical devices. The additional advantage is that the IP surveillance system is protected in cases of power outages as it can be powered by uninterruptible power supply units (UPSs). Marc Charles, IT manager at Landau Forte College said: “We now have an IP surveillance system which is much more comprehensive, robust and scalable than the proprietary CCTV system that we had before. The use of an open, Linux-based system appeals because it reduces ongoing maintenance costs considerably and enables us to easily integrate new applications into the system as our security requirements change.” Richard Shelley, account manager at STS, said: “Axis network cameras were our first choice for this install because of the quality of image they produce and the fact that they have models for all situations – inside and out, confined and open. We know that the Axis system has contributed to a marked reduction in anti-social behaviour and vandalism at the college.” | |