IP Video Protects Edinburgh Castle In Scotland

  • Nov 28, 2007

IP video technology is providing CCTV surveillance for Edinburgh Castle, Scotland’s number one tourist attraction and part of Edinburgh's World Heritage site. Historic Scotland operates and maintains the castle and the associated exhibitions but part of the castle continues to be occupied by the army. This dual role means the castle has to be open to more than 1 million visitors a year, but still maintain the levels of security expected on a site with military presence.

As part of a security upgrade, IndigoVision’s local partner FPG Security Solutions Ltd. has replaced existing analog CCTV cameras with an IP video system as part of a two-phase project. Phase 1 is complete with the installation of the network fiber backbone, cameras and the monitoring/recording facilities in the control room. Phase two is planned for the near future with the addition of up to 25 new cameras, subject to approval.

The IndigoVision IP video solution solved two unique problems associated with upgrading the surveillance system at the castle. Firstly, the location of the current control room will be moved in the future and secondly as the castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the laying of cables in certain areas is prohibited. The current control room uses Control Center, IndigoVision’s video and alarm management software, to monitor live video feeds from the cameras and recorded footage from the IndigoVision standalone NVR. In addition a second workstation running Control Center software will be located in the manager’s office.

The flexibility of IP vdeo means that cameras, NVRs and Control Center workstations can be located at any point on the network. It is therefore a relatively simple process to relocate the control room in the future, an exercise that would be too expensive with a traditional analog system. The second phase will install a number of cameras using wireless IP network links to overcome the need to install network cabling in sensitive areas of the castle. As IP vdeo is very scalable, the phase 2 upgrade can be easily and inexpensively achieved with minimum disruption to the cstle’s daily routine.

The cameras are a mix of internal and external fixed domes which are connected to IndigoVision 8000 transmitter/receiver modules. The 8000s convert the analog camera feed to DVD quality full-frame rate digital video for transmission over the IP network.

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