In Birmingham, Newman University called in a local installer, Unison Integrated Technology, after a power-surge disabled more than 30 cameras in the uni’s ageing video system. Newman, which has almost 3,000 students and staff, wanted video coverage that was more robust and easier to use.
Facilities manager Lewis Palin said: “We contract out our security services, so it’s important for newly arrived officers to be able to use all of the system’s key features with minimal training.”
Unison proposed fitting IDIS products as already in use at nearby schools, colleges and commercial sites. Total cost of ownership was also a factor, as Newman needed more than 150 new internal and external cameras. Palin wanted to integrate the campus’s cameras and infrastructure with the new kit. It also meant minimal maintenance charges, no licence fees and the option to adapt or scale the system as the campus grew or requirements changed.
Unison delivered an IDIS DirectIP solution with more than 160 cameras, including five 2MP Lightmaster IR PTZ (infra-red pan and tilt) models offering 36x zoom and images in all lighting thanks to their 350 metre IR, true wide dynamic range and digital image stabilisation. Also installed were 55 full-HD IR vandal-resistant dome cameras to secure entrances and internal areas, and 40 IR bullet cameras to give high-definition coverage of key external areas (as pictured).
All the new cameras include IDIS Smart Failover, which means protection against video data loss, eliminating the risk of gaps in recordings in the event of power failure or network instability. The four 64-channel network video recorders come with failover and RAID 1, 5 and 10 support, plus a further three 32-channel recorders with IDIS Intelligent Codec to deliver storage efficiency.
Security officers can now monitor live internal and external areas, and search and retrieve recorded footage to find events of interest. Palin added: “Unison got the entire job done in three weeks – with swift stock delivery from IDIS – working around us to deliver our new system exactly as promised. We will definitely stick with IDIS technology as we expand our estate.”
