Sony IP network solution deployed at Bristol Cathedral to enhance security monitoring

Historically an Abbey, which has since been redesigned and reconstructed, Bristol Cathedral was established in 1140. Along with being a fully functional house of worship, it also serves as a popular tourist attraction, with a total of 25 staff members. Over recent years, a growing area of concern for the Cathedral was the increasing occurrence of theft and vandalism. It needed a video security solution that could enable them to monitor the grounds of the building in its entirety, both preventing further instances and providing sufficient evidence to support the crimes that did occur. The Cathedral also required a visual solution to counteract limited viewing issues in the main procession area.

Bristol Cathedral had previously operated a 10 year old analogue CCTV system, linked to a single 7” monitor, which proved to be limited in effectively managing and controlling criminal incidents on the premises. As a result, the Cathedral regularly suffered from vandalism and theft of lead from the roof, where subsequent costs ran into the thousands. Without a high quality video security solution, Bristol Cathedral also struggled to get a sufficient sight of visitors as they entered the building, which inhibited their ability to monitor for suspicious individuals entering the premises.

Also, due to the floor plan of the main worship area, a portion of the congregation was subjected to a limited view of the main altar area, where processions took place.

Bristol Cathedral required a bespoke and high quality IP security solution that could achieve two main functions. The venue needed security monitoring for all core areas of the Cathedral, both internally and externally, allowing staff to record sharp, clear recordings to be used as appropriate for reference or evidence. In addition, there was a requirement for the cameras to send images to LCD TVs located at areas of limited viewing, allowing Cathedral staff to mobilise the camera to follow live services taking place.

They consulted with expert I.T. integrators Ten Ten Systems, based in Cheshire, to install ten Sony SNC IP CCTV cameras to be located both inside and outside the Cathedral, configured in a Network Video Recorder (NVR). Three Sony SNC RH124IP cameras were also installed and connected to ten 50” LCD screens to allow the Cathedral staff to use the cameras in a full 360 degree rotational area with a 30x optical zoom combined with full HD capabilities, producing an optimum level of image quality.

In addition to sharp, HD quality images, the IP solution delivered multiple streams together with both FTP file transmission and wireless transmission. Commenting on the future-proof surveillance solution, Steve Birks of Ten Ten Systems, said: “We worked closely with Bristol Cathedral and Sony to provide a very unique installation which would increase the security of the Cathedral, as well as enhancing the audience’s view of proceedings. We chose IP as a solution for Bristol Cathedral due to the requirement for High Definition images and flexible system access. It gave us the ability to choose compression options and allowed us to fit the system to the specific needs of the Cathedral.”

Ten Ten Systems knew that Sony could offer the cost effective and easily integrated solution that the Cathedral required. Sony’s heritage in the video security space, combined with the robustness and quality of its solutions, was a key reason for choosing the manufacturer. “With its unparalleled high quality IP surveillance vision and solid back-up support, working with Sony was a really easy decision for us”, added Steve Birks.