German retailer DM Drugstores, decided to upgrade their CCTV for each of their stores across the country.
Christian Berkigt, Chief Development Officer at VeViTec-GmbH (the developer of this solution), said: “Obviously quality is a huge issue for any German corporation. In this regard, we felt confident that Hikvision would fully meet the demands of both DM Drugstores and VeViTec-GmbH. But, what equally impressed us was Hikvision’s technical support – it really made this solution come together.”
But, this solution was not a one step process that is often customary in large CCTV solutions. Instead of the traditional melding of pre-existing analogue and newly purchased IP components into a hybrid, VeViTec-GmbH chose a different route. VeViTec-GmbH initially used two Hikvision PCI compression cards, the DS-4008HCI and the DS-4016HCI. Both cards feature similar technology, such as H.264 (MPEG-4/Part 10) real-time video compression and up-to real-time 4CIF recording, with the main difference being the number of channels each can connect to (eight and 16, respectively). These compression cards were meant as only a stop-gap.
Before January 2012, DM Drugstores were using an exclusively analogue system. The compression cards allowed the older analogue cameras to function to the top of their ability. “These are really good cards, providing great quality, and they allowed us to get the best possible video quality on PC monitors in the store locations,” said Berkigt. However, January 2012, brought a turning point for DM Drugstores. Instead of moving into the analogue-IP hybrid, DM made a total switch to IP. This shift entailed discarding all pre-existing analogue.
For DM Drugstores, every centimeter of their store must elicit quality. This goes for mundane aspects such store maintenance, the type of CCTV security the store uses, and the products DM offers its customers. DM Drugstores wanted to place large HD monitors over the cash tills for their customers. Not only does this provide a touch of class, it also provides a visible deterrent for any would-be thief.
However, DM Drugstores had an unusual request: they wanted a specially designed HDMI output on the adjacent IP camera so as to provide the ability to directly plug this camera into the HD monitor and eliminate cabling back to the server – saving installation costs, and a cleanness not often associated with bulky CCTV installations. Berkigt worked with Hikvision to design an indoor custom Hikvision Megapixel Vandal Proof Network Dome Camera to place within all of DM Drugstores’ retail stores across Germany. Some 2,500 of these custom models, the DS-2CD753F-EZ, were built to feature a variety of features tailor-made for this application.
To begin with, the DS-2CD753-EZ’s vandal-proof housing. As Berkigt said: “Just by touching it, you can tell it’s a quality component.” The custom-made HDMI output allows the DS-2CD753-EZ to be placed directly under, and connected to the HD monitor. A special lens was specifically developed to provide automatic focus, theby saving DM technicians time and effort. “Both the HDMI output and special lens are critical aspects in Germany. We don’t want to waste time, efficiency, and effort. Another representation of this is the appearance, which is a perfect white color, and DM wants everything perfect – something we at VeViTec-GmbH always strive towards. This camera has the technology to provide it all,” Berkigt said.
Outdoors are DS-2CD752MF-IFB 2.0 Megapixel Vandal Proof Network domes featuring infrared LED. Unlike the previous Hikvision IP camera, this unit is a standard catalogue model. One unit of this camera is placed outdoors near the back exit used by employees before leaving the store after their shift. Similar to the HD monitor, an HD monitor is placed indoors near the backdoor for employees to initially check before exiting into the dark evening, hence the importance of the DS-2CD752MF-IFB’s infrared. In essence, this camera is a security precaution for employees. A high-resolution video preview of 1600×1200 pixels provides the details to ensure that any potential threat is identified before an employee might encounter it outdoors. A custom bracket was designed allowing the DS-2CD752MF-IFB weather protection against harsh winter.
From custom to catalogue, and from colour to quality, Hikvision teamed with VeViTec-GmbH to provide CCTV for Germany’s DM Drugstores. Where each customer-viewed HD monitor now has two or three IP cameras directly connected via HDMI outputs, each store has a Hikvision infrared IP camera.
