State Prison Locks up Vitek for Its Digital Video Recording

The New York State Department of Corrections placed its confidence in the Vitek SAGA XL Series digital video recorders.

A high-profile New York State Prison recently chose the ultra-stable embedded Linux workhouse based on myriad features including real-time 480 pps recording, which are not available on any other stand-alone DVR on the market, according to manufacturer Vitek Industrial Video Products Inc., Valencia, Calif.

Extensive storage capability (up to 33 terabytes), high resolution (720 x 480) and versatile incident retrieval options (built-in DVD-RW and two USB 2.0 ports) made the XL series the hands-down winner in head-to-head competition among the industry’s leading DVR manufacturers.

With the use of digital video recording, the state prison will be able to monitor and limit hostile activity among prisoners as well as archive incidents for later review in court hearings and also manage day-to-day operations within the facility.

For more information, contact Vitek at (888) VITEK-70 or visit www.vitekcctv.com.

Customer’s Eyes Opened by Louroe Audio System

Louroe Electronics ASK-4 Kit #501 is designed especially for sleep clinics, where it can be connected with a  DVR.

Louroe Electronics is a U.S. manufacturer and a leader in the field of audio monitoring technology.  The company addresses numerous systems for law enforcement departments, hospital diagnostic centers (sleep disorder labs, heart catheter labs, speech therapy) convenience stores, day care centers, etc. Other systems include sound-activated alarming systems and pushbutton panic systems for parking structures and prisons.

The company’s latest success is marketing the ASK-4 Kit #501 to sleep disorder labs. The system delivers crisp, clear audio, allowing a technician to closely monitor a patient. The technician can listen to the patient hands-free and needs only to press a switch to talk to the patient.

The ASK-4  Kit #501 is a single audio monitoring system with two-way listen and talkback. Speaker/microphone in patient’s room contains an electret condenser, low-impedance microphone and a speaker, all within one housing. Audio base station (receiver) produces live audio with a 3-inch, built-in speaker and has input/output to a DVR/VCR for recording and playback.  Talkback from audio base station to patient’s room is actuated by pressing a switch and speaking into the built-in microphone.  Patient can listen and talk back hands-free.  This kit eliminates the need for two separate communication systems between the patient’s room and the control room.

These audio systems are designed, engineered and manufactured at Louroe’s facility in Van Nuys, Calif.
For more information, contact Louroe at (818) 994-6498 or visit www.louroe.com.

Rainbow Lenses Part of Retail ‘Watchdog’ System

Privately funded video surveillance systems are improving the safety of public areas, such as on National Ave. in Milwaukee.

Privately funded CCTV systems in public areas are increasingly gaining acceptance; neighborhood and special interest groups are pooling their funds to install cameras. Eureka, Calif.; Zurich, Switzerland; the London Borough of Enfield; and Belfast in Northern Ireland all have surveillance equipment sponsored by businesses and neighborhood watchdog groups.

A current example is occurring in South Milwaukee where a major thoroughfare, National Ave., is benefiting from day-night high-resolution cameras with lenses from manufacturer Rainbow, Irvine, Calif. The lenses are 5~55mm and 8.5~85mm varifocals, which are producing views of known trouble spots from storefronts in an area with a history of social problems.

The installation was performed by Milwaukee-based S-O-S Electronics Corp. whose CEO, Guy Andreotti, said, “The system is already showing encouraging results with crime in the area having reduced markedly in a matter of weeks.

The 5~55mm day-night varifocal lens used on this project is a DC auto-iris model with maximum relative aperture of 1:1.4. Extra-low dispersion glass reduces chromatic aberrations and improves day-night performance. The 8.5~85mm unit has a maximum relative aperture of 1:1.6 and an F1.6~F360 iris with built-in ND spot filter.

 “The Rainbow lenses have excellent functionality and the company’s wide range of varifocals allows us to provide optimum images from viewing points with differing dimensions and lighting,” Andreotti said. “Additionally, the units proved competitive in price.”

While many businesses have contributed to the financing and planning of the project, a major player has been Badger Mutual Insurance Co. Other Milwaukee neighborhood groups have expressed interest in similar programs and Alderman Bob Donovan expects security cameras to spread throughout the city in 2007.

For more information, contact Rainbow at (800) 654-5463 or visit www.rainbowcctv.com.

School District Uncovers Arson Incident Using Pelco DVR

Pelco’s DX8000 digital video recording system helped a school district pinpoint an offender in an arson case, and also curbed vandalism and boosted attendance.

Leaders at the Allen Independent School District in Allen, Texas, put a lot of thought into their video security system and chose Pelco to provide the complete solution. The security integrator was Enterprise Security Solutions of Texas (ESST).

The school district wanted a system where they could monitor video and control the cameras from any school in the district. In addition to DX8000 DVRs, the system consists of 300 Spectra Domes installed throughout the district, connected to the main security center at the high school through a Pelco CM9760 Series matrix switch.

After a recent fire broke out at Allen High School, investigators suspected that arson could be the cause. A quick search of video recorded with one of the Pelco DX8000 DVRs confirmed it.

“Since installing the system, we’ve seen the incidents of vandalism go down, while attendance rates at the high school are up,” emphasized Bob Curtis, executive director of facilities, Allen Independent School District.

For more information, contact Yvonne Schwemmer at Pelco, yschwemmer@pelco.com.