CASE STUDY - Department of Transport and Main Roads in Toowoomba

Keeping costs down while offering motorists the latest intelligent transport solution was a key objective of the joint project.

Helping to make the roads safe for motorists was a powerful incentive in the introduction of a Wireless Networking Solution and the Motorola One Point Wireless Suite by the Department of Transport and Main Roads and Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) in Toowoomba.

What’s more, because traffic management systems rely on the network, it has to be up and running as close as possible to 100 per cent of the time, and there has been no outage since commissioning.

With Toowoomba, the gateway to central and outback Queensland, it is vital to keep all road users moving. Not only that, with a population over 100,000 and around 100 traffic intersections using 30 traffic monitoring cameras, the town has plenty of traffic management challenges.

Mr David Playford, traffic systems coordinator, Department of Transport and Main Roads in Toowoomba, is extremely pleased with the Motorola solution comprising Mesh, point to point and point to multi point technology, which connects to the STREAMS Traffic Management System in the Toowoomba area.

“It’s the biggest wireless infrastructure of its kind in South East Asia. It’s been brilliant in that we have saved a lot of money. In addition, it gives us enormous flexibility and we can self manage the whole network from a single point manager system, also provided by Motorola. We’re not reliant on others.”

The Department of Transport and Main Roads and Toowoomba Regional Council in Toowoomba own their own infrastructure, consequently, because there are no leased lines the cost savings are substantial.

“We’ve estimated cost savings at around $1600 per annum per intersection and $4000 per annum for camera sites. The math is simple, and especially meaningful, if you multiply that by 10 to 20 years,” said David.

It remains the case that traffic management is an essential service in the twenty first century. With car numbers increasing every year it becomes a challenge to keep the traffic flowing smoothly and also to offer the latest opportunities for quick response to organisations like emergency services.

One of the other aspects that has been really pleasing is the fact that it’s a fully mobile network. The seamless mobility means that no matter where relevant personnel are in the network, they can connect to the traffic management systems.

David said that he can sit at home, in the car or office and look for issues.

“For example, if we need to get the traffic lights to flash for emergency services co-ordination and provide free flowing traffic, it’s instant management. All without the cost of maintaining a continuous high bandwidth connection by alternate means.”

One of the other advantages is, as Toowoomba grows to maybe double the size, their communications backbone infrastructure can cope.

“We don’t have to upgrade to another system. We can keep adding devices for quite a long time. It’s a turnkey system which we don’t have to touch other than just buying an upgrade license.

“The response vehicles of the department can be monitored and tracked so that management can identify where any vehicle is at any time and because we have enabled communications and video, it’s possible to see the incident. We can react immediately, be connected and monitor the situation,” said David.

Variable Message Signs which operate to warn motorists of interruptions to traffic flow can be instantly programmed and monitored to ensure up to date information is being provided to all road users.

In the past it was a disparate system. Now it’s combined into one solution capable of managing any part of the portfolio.

“We liked the idea of dealing with Motorola as a proven supplier and we’ve found that their gear is extremely robust in noisy environments.”

David recalls old aircraft with Motorola radio equipment in them.

“Motorola have been in this business for a long time, and that’s comforting.

“We did initial trials over three years in Bundaberg, Cairns and Mt Isa but on a smaller scale, then in November 2009 it went 100 percent live. Bundaberg was used as ‘Proof of Concept’ site for Emergency Vehicle Progression. This system conditions traffic signals to turn green for approaching emergency vehicles, and it works. It’s all been presenting as a very stable and dependable wireless communications platform,” he said.

David was fulsome in his praise of the high value level of support provided by Motorola and the good relationship that has been strengthened due to hard work by the Motorola team. 

Almost RM60million spent on CCTV cameras

New Straits Times, 18th June 2010

PETALING JAYA: The Housing and Local Government Ministry has allocated almost RM60 million to install and manage 496 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in 25 local authority areas nationwide to reduce crime, Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung said today.

He said the allocation was for a five-year period and all the CCTV cameras were expected to be installed by the end of August this year.

The locations of the CCTV cameras were selected based on information given by the police, he told reporters at his office here after chairing a meeting on his ministry's plans.

"Reducing crime is one of the National Key Results Areas (NKRAs) and the ministry has been given the responsibility of installing the CCTV cameras in the local authority hotspots nationwide," he said.

"If we can reduce crime in this way, then we will apply to the government to install more CCTV cameras next year," he added.

In the Klang Valley, 24 CCTV cameras each have been installed in Shah Alam, Ampang Jaya, Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya and Selayang, and 16 each in Klang and Kajang.

New CCTVs in PJ by year-end

The Malay Mail, 27th April 2010

KUALA LUMPUR: Ninety-six closedcircuit television cameras (CCTV) will be installed in Petaling Jaya by end of this year to curb crime especially involving school students.

Petaling Jaya deputy mayor Puasa Md Taib said so far 22 CCTVs have been installed and used in certain spots in the district.

"From the amount, another 24 units will be provided by the Federal  government and 50 units will be supplied by the State government with the allocation of RM100,000 for maintaining the devices," said Puasa during the launch of "Crime Free Youth" campaign at PJ Civic Hall.

"Based on police data, we found the school students in this city are involved in petty theft and vehicle theft and Selangor has the most cases of juvenile crimes in Malaysia. So with the installation of the CCTV, they will think twice before committing crime."

CRIME BUSTERS: Puasa (second from right) and

PJ district police chief ACP Arjunaidi Mohamad

launching the campaign

Billboard advertising - From April 2010 onwards

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We, DNA ASIA ICT SDN BHD, in order to enhance consumer brand awareness, cultivate customer loyalty and ensure continuing sales success for our value reseller, dealer as well as  system integrator.

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Lens Technology | Focal Length | How to Choose a Right CCTV Lens

Lens

The generation of a high quality image is decided by many factors including light source of the environment, lens,sensor, compression engine, etc. However, for camera itself, a lens is the most fundamental component that firstly decides if the output of the quality is good or not. In the security industry, because the use of camera differs, especially fixed type with C/CS mount, system installers themselves have to select and purchase a lens fitting their specific needs.

Focal Length

Focal length is the distance between the sensor and secondary principal point of the lens.

Figure 2.2 shows image distortion caused by a shorter focal length and the telephoto effect resulting from a longer focal length.

Lenses include the following types:


• Fixed lens: the focal length cannot be changed.

• Vari-focal lens: the focal length (field of view) can be manually adjusted;. The most common vari-focal

lens is 3.5 - 8 mm.

• Zoom lens: a kind of vari-focal lens with motorized mechanism to adjust its focal length. Generally, AF

(Auto Focus) algorithm is used to focus automatically.
 

Insecurity cams? About half in New York City don’t work !

NEW YORK — About half the 4,313 security cameras installed along New York City’s subways aren’t seeing a thing — a blind spot in the crime and terrorism safety net for the nation’s largest city.




“A lot of those cameras don’t work, and maybe someday we’re going to get very badly hurt because of it,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said today.



While cameras are out of commission in the subway, the cash-strapped Metropolitan Transportation Authority has also been forced to cut the number of weekend police patrols on major bridges and tunnels.



The problem of missing video came to light after two men were stabbed to death on the subway — and there was no camera installed in the station to catch an image of the killer. Darnell Morel and Ricardo Williams, both 24, were killed in a fight that started around 5 a.m. Sunday at the Christopher Street station, about four miles from the World Trade Center site.



The New York Police Department says it doesn’t depend on the surveillance cameras set up by the MTA — instead, officers patrol the subways and set up random bag searches in stations around the city.



Overall, crime is down in the subways, even as ridership increases. In 1990, there were about 50 crimes a day reported in the subway, and now there are about five, according to police. About 5 million people ride the subway every day, around a million fewer than in the ’90s.



The NYPD is installing thousands of



cameras around the city and is using private surveillance installed in major buildings as part of a massive security initiative. In addition, 500 specialized cameras are in place — an image from one of those cameras led officers to a suspect wanted in the brutal assault of a woman in a bar a few weeks ago.



“As cameras proliferate, as we build more of them, they become more instrumental in solving crimes. they also act as a deterrent,” said Paul Browne, a Police Department spokesman.



But the MTA, which just last week approved $93 million in service cuts, is in charge of the cameras within the subway system. of the 4,313 cameras, 2,270 are working and 2,043 aren’t.



Some are under construction and the agency is working to bring them online — an additional 900 should be up by June, the agency says. some just plain don’t work because of heat, water or electrical problems. And about 1,000 are held up by litigation.



A division of Lockheed Martin hired to install the systems sued the MTA last year, blaming the agency for delays preventing them from meeting construction deadlines. the MTA countersued, saying that Lockheed Martin had provided faulty products. A Lockheed Martin spokesman would not comment today.



Meanwhile, about 600 agents stationed in the subways have been laid off as a result of the budget.



A working, comprehensive surveillance system for the city’s many bridges and automobile tunnels is monitored 24 hours a day. But some of the officers who regularly patrol the bridges — and who could respond to a threat within minutes — have been taken off weekend shifts at the Queens Midtown Tunnel and the Verazzano Narrows Bridge, which connects Brooklyn and Staten Island.



Greg Lombardi, vice president of the Bridge & Tunnel Officers Benevolent Association, said the cuts will make it more difficult to catch any miscreants.



“The Verazzano is a 2 1/2-mile long bridge. the monitoring system is on Staten Island. If an alarm goes off, or someone sees something, dispatching someone over to Brooklyn could mean the guy gets away,” he said.



The MTA said that the plan has been evolving since the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, and that additional funding will be made available to add more cameras in priority areas.



“The safety and security of our customers is the MTA’s top priority,” Kevin Ortiz, a spokesman for the MTA, said in a statement. “In a post-9/11 world we have worked together to harden our infrastructure, secure sensitive areas and prioritize locations for surveillance cameras.”



The mayor said today that he was concerned about security, and that the city government had a plan in place that would’ve given enough money to the agency to improve security, as well as quality — but that Albany didn’t agree.



“I think it’s fair to say the MTA does not have enough money to provide the level of security that people want and that we should have,” he said. “If we didn’t learn the need for security in the subway system time and time in the past, yesterday or the day before should have taught us again.”



Police increased their presence in the New York subway after the suicide attacks Monday in Moscow’s subway in the time before rush hour began. Police closely monitor crimes in other cities and adapt their own strategy as needed. After the 2005 bombing in London that killed more than 50 people, bag searches were instituted in the New York subway.



London, one of the most closely watched cities on Earth, is home to an estimated 500,000 cameras, including 10,000 operated by law enforcement agencies.



Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has made it no secret that he would like more cameras in public spaces, including the subway system, bridges and tunnels and on city streets.



Mayor Bloomberg said he’s not afraid to ride but cited a recent suicide bomb plot by a militant linked to al-Qaida as a reason New Yorkers must remain vigilant. Afghan immigrant Najibullah Zazi pleaded guilty in February to plotting to carry out a suicide bombing in the subways.



“The whole plan there was to build some bombs and blow up the subway,” he said. “So, make no mistake about it, we have to work very hard to keep this subway system safe.”



Associated Press writer Sara Kugler contributed to this report.

Frequently Asked Questions| CCTV | Presented by CCTVStore2u.com

CCTV | Frequently Asked Questions | Presented by
CCTVStore2u.com

What is a Security DVR?

DVR stands for Digital Video Recorder. A Security DVR is capable of
taking the video from digital or analog cameras and recording it
into a digital format on a hard drive. It can record high quality
video, maintenance free, for weeks or even months. An ideal
replacement for time lapse VCRs.

What is a video capture card?

A video capture card or DVR card is a graphic card inside the
Security DVR system which captures the signal from the cameras and
stores the video on the hard drive.

How many hours of video can the Security DVR
store?

The length of archive depends on number of cameras, frames per
second (FPS) and amount of available hard disk space. Our
preconfigured systems usually provide several weeks of archive on
motion detect mode.

How does motion detection work? Through the
camera or software?

Motion detection works through the software in the DVR system by
recording video when pixels in the image change. Most Security DVRs
offer a sensitivity scale so the user can set the sensitivity of the
motion detection.

Can I view live and recorded video locally?

Yes.

Can I view live and recorded video remotely?

Yes, most of our Security DVR systems are Internet enabled. You can
view live and recorded video from anywhere through the Internet.

What kind of broadband do I need? How much
bandwidth?

Basic DSL or cable will suffice in most cases.

Can several users view one site at once?

Most Internet-enabled Security DVR systems allow multiple users to
view the same site simultaneously. However, as more people look at
the same cameras/DVR at the same time, the bandwidth will be shared
between them.

Can I record audio?

Yes, if the Security DVR system comes with an audio option you can
record audio. Most analog cameras do not come with built in audio,
so you will probably need a separate audio kit.

Can I listen to live and recorded audio remotely?

Yes, some of our Security DVR systems have that option. With an
optional audio module, you can listen to live and recorded audio
from anywhere through the Internet.

How many cameras do I need?

This will depend on the size and layout of the area you wish to
survey. On average, we recommend one camera per 1000 Sq. Ft.

Can I use my existing cameras?

Yes, you can use your existing CCTV cameras. Simply plug them into
the back of the Security DVR which replaces the VCR.

What camera lens size is the best for my application?

GUARDTECH CCTV carries a large selection of security camera lenses, but the lens you will need depends on where you plan to use it. Review our Lens Selection Chart to determine the type of lens that
is best suited to your needs.

What is an Auto-Iris Lens?

An auto iris lens provides consistent video signal in areas where light levels vary.

What is Lux?

Illumniation is measured in units called Lux.

Can I zoom in with a camera?

Yes, but you need a special camera called a Pan-Tilt-Zoom or PTZ camera.Browse our selection of PTZ cameras and find the one that is right for you.

What type of Operating System (OS) does the Security DVR use?

Most PC-based Security DVR Systems use Windows XP Professional, and Standalone Security DVRs are Linux based.

What kind of cable should I use?

Siamese cable, which is an RG59 coaxial cable and a pair of 18 gauge
wire for in the same jacket to make installation easy. Check out our
cables page
and find the length you need.

What happens if there is power outage?

Most Security DVRs will come back on as soon as power is restored.
However, we suggest an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) which
provides a short period of backup power and also serves as a surge
protection device.

Can the Security DVR report an alarm?

Yes, some Security DVRs have that option.

For any doubts, Please contact us now