A Birmingham girls’ secondary school has updated its surveillance video. The school’s old CCTV was proving difficult to use, with poor quality recordings that were hard to search through. A priority for the upgrade was not just price – although budgets remain tight for many schools – but service and performance, says the school.
Rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, Swanshurst School has more than 1800 pupils aged 11 to 19. Video monitoring is key to efficient use of resources at the school, says Swanshurst’s Strategic Business Manager, Annette Tyler. She says: “Because we have such a busy site, the ability of our senior team to see who is entering or leaving, and to remotely monitor corridors and lobby areas, is crucial to fostering a safe and welcoming learning environment.
“To avoid a potentially costly mistake, we researched what other schools had done and looked for personal recommendations. Then we selected Unison Integrated Technology only after comparing our three shortlisted quotes and satisfying ourselves that the IDIS system would do what we wanted.”
Fitted were nearly 110 cameras. IDIS’s DC-D4213WRX vandal resistant full-HD IR domes cover most of the school’s internal areas; more than 70 of those models were installed. They capture images in all lighting, the makers say, handling rapid variations in brightness and shade thanks to their true wide dynamic range (WDR), and infra-red (IR) giving a 30 metres range at night. Some 27 IDIS DC-E3212WRX vandal resistant bullet cameras were installed to cover entrances and external areas, also deliver IR night vision, with low light enhancer. Allowing the installers to work more quickly, these cameras use Power over Ethernet (PoE) to eliminate the need for extra cabling, while the hierarchical connection between the cameras at the NVRs further guarantees the most efficient method of cabling. Four IDIS NVRs (32-channel DR-6332PS-S network video recorders) achieve 370Mbps throughput to ensure no latency on live footage and image capture in full HD.
IDIS dual codec means that all footage can be recorded in high-definition H.265 but still viewed on older H.264 smartphones, tablets and monitors, so there’s no need to upgrade until the user is ready. Built-in PoE switches save further on hardware and installation costs.
In the event of network instability or failure at the school, IDIS Smart Failover means the cameras’ SD card begins recording and automatically transfers the data to the NVR after recovery, eliminating the risk of gaps in footage.
Authorised senior staff and Swanshurst receptionists can use the IDIS Center video monitoring software (VMS) to live-monitor internal and external areas, and search recorded footage to find events of interest. This is already proving to be a useful deterrent, adds Annette Tyler.
She says: “The solution installed by Matt Rodden and his team at Unison Integrated Technology far exceeded our expectations. The project was delivered efficiently, and the system is so easy to use. Our pupils, parents and staff all appreciate the added protection that the new cameras give.”
The manufacturer adds that there’s no additional fees for the IDIS Center VMS, plus options to adapt the system thanks to the forward and backward combability of IDIS tech.
James Min, Managing Director, IDIS Europe adds: “Together with our integration partners, IDIS works very hard to ensure a low total cost of ownership (TCO). This is why we are confident in offering the industry’s longest warranty against faults, the IDIS Ultimate Warranty, and in giving customers like Swanshurst School the best protection for years to come.”
Visit www.idisglobal.com.
