Zandar Technologies has played an integral part in improving the monitoring facilities at another UK council control room. Funded by a £3 million refurbishment grant, Sedgemoor District Council in Somerset has upgraded their existing CRT monitor system to incorporate a more flexible display system which includes real-time viewing of high resolution CCTV images using the FusionPro 3RU MultiViewer from Zandar Technologies. The installation was completed in a refurbished Council building and has been successfully running since June 2005.
The Council refurbishment required the fitting of a completely new CCTV control room as well as the consolidation of all departmental offices into the one building. Zandar equipment was chosen because the security system got to a saturation point with space and the Council needed a system that would be more flexible. Because the previous system was a stack of CRT monitors, it was not possible to display cameras in different sizes and picture configurations and there was no option to switch image views using a fixed background and display.
The FusionPro 3RU MultiViewer utilises fourteen video inputs and is designed to accurately render multiple video and computer graphics sources to high resolution displays. The unit supports resolutions of up to SXGA (1,280 x 1,024) with pristine image quality achieved through a combination of 10-bit RGB outputs, an advanced video processing engine and dynamic phase adjustment for accurate pixel mapping.
The FusionPro 3RU was especially chosen as it is capable of supporting the addition of new security cameras as the monitoring requirements of Sedgemoor Council grow. “A key feature of Zandar MultiViewers is flexibility”, comments Deirdre Smith, CEO at Zandar Technologies plc. “Fourteen video inputs are used in this installation, however the system can be easily expanded to 26 inputs meaning further virtual monitors can be added within minutes .”
The images produced from the Zandar FusionPro 3RU MultiViewer are viewed using a JVC SXGA resolution DLA-SX21E projector and 84-inch JVC CinePro rear projection screens. Critical images are brought up on JVC 21-inch CRT monitors installed at the side of the larger screens.
The display system monitors over 80 CCTV cameras situated in car parks, public areas, street areas, schools, colleges and shopping centres and pubs. The main security threats to Council areas include shop lifting, theft, burglary and disorderly behavior. The population of the Sedgemoor area is 103,500 and there are approximately 43,450 households. The main centres of population are Bridgewater, Burnham on Sea & Highbridge and Cheddar.
”Although the Council cannot release the exact figures, there has been a significant increase in the detection of crime since the installation, making the area a safer place for residents and visitors alike,” comments Barry Donbavand, Control Room Manager at Sedgemoor District Council. The MultiViewer system met all of our requirements and we found that Zandar was the best value for money. Since the system has been running, the Zandar equipment has been working smoothly requiring minimal maintenance. The comments from operators have been very positive and they are now only doing 1/2 to 2/3 of switching of images as was previously needed.“
Roger Daymond, Partner at Advanced Vision Systems who designed and installed the project adds, “The MultiViewer system has been so successful that we now have received another order for two further cards with an extra four inputs. The next phase of the installation will include the utilization of town centre map data as well as the storage of criminal images and images of known offenders for easy identification by the operators.”
The image of the Sedgemoor District Council control room is courtesy of Thinking Space Systems, who designed the control room layout. The Company also designed, manufactured and installed the ergonomic control room furniture, operator’s desk, display and monitor wall construction.
About JVC
JVC Professional Europe Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Victor Company of Japan Limited and is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of video and data-related products.
About Zandar Technologies plc
Zandar Technologies is a leader in the development of high quality multi-source display processors that match the specific needs of any display, monitoring and surveillance environment. The company combines innovation and experience to provide a wide range of expansive, flexible and resilient MultiViewer solutions for many applications including the FusionPro+, Predator, DX and MX series. Zandar’s international customer base includes many of the world’s leading companies in the Broadcast, Security and professional Audio Visual markets. The company’s dedicated sales and engineering team, professional resellers and responsive technical support specialists underline a commitment to quality, continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.