20 Sep 2007

Network cameras from Axis Communications, the global leader in network video, have been installed in The Rose Bowl, home to the Hampshire County Cricket Club and the venue for the first day of the recent England versus India one-day series.  

AXIS 214 PTZ (Pan Tilt Zoom) Network Cameras have been installed by iCode Systems Limited as part of a comprehensive upgrade of the stadium's surveillance system over the last year.  The upgrade, which was installed by Taylor Made Computer Solutions, an iCode business partner included the networking of 16 existing CCTV cameras using four AXIS 241Q (Quad) Video Servers to convert analogue into digital signals for recording and management by iCode's own i-Catcher Console 3 software solution which sits on the stadium's data network infrastructure.

Surveillance cameras are now required by the International Cricket Council, at all venues hosting cricket internationals, to monitor the doorways into home and away team dressing rooms as part of a number of measures to prevent corruption at this level of the game.  The police are also increasingly requesting more sophisticated and higher quality surveillance for crowd control at major events such as rock concerts, which the stadium also hosts.

Axis cameras also cover the main seating area as well as key entrances and catering areas and can be easily relocated to suit the requirements for specific events.   

Huw Edwards, technical director, iCode Systems, explains the value of the system to the police, "The police have used these cameras to provide them with very close up images of individuals committing an offence including securing three arrests following a pitch invasion during one cricket international game held at the Rose Bowl just one month after the new system went live.

"For some larger events such as the recent ‘The Who' concert the system is more likely to be used by the police for predicting and preventing crowd crushing for example...  Axis cameras can be easily redeployed to meet these specific needs."

iCode's i-Catcher Console 3 provides a complete scalable surveillance management system, with motion detection, alerting, together with provision of a remote web interface, simultaneous recording and playback and flexible display options.  Some of the more advanced features that it offers include loiter detection and people counting.

Another advantage of transferring the surveillance system onto the network was that Rose Bowl's management are now able to view the stadium remotely via the Internet and even from their Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) whilst outside the ground.

Edwards summarises, "We now recommend Axis network cameras with all systems we install where new cameras are required because they offer superior performance, great reliability and are easy to integrate into surveillance management solutions because of their open architecture."

Steve Gorski, managing director, Axis Communications (UK), commented, "The Rose Bowl is one of hundreds of organisations that are now realising the benefits of going digital and deploying Axis network cameras to improve surveillance results."