Regent University, Christian Broadcast Network Update Security With IP Technology
Regent University, a private, faith-based institution that shares a campus with the Christian Broadcasting Network in Virginia Beach, Va., is keeping better watch than ever over more than 5,500 graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, and staff with V.Networks IP-based cameras and NVRs from JVC Professional Products Company.
Now in his 24th year with the CBN/Regent University Campus Police Dept., Lt. Eddie Lawhorn recalled the earlier CCTV system on campus, which only offered coverage inside a few buildings. It included a handful of mostly black-and-white analog cameras that were connected to time-lapse VCRs. A few years ago, as the aging VCRs came to the end of life, university officials decided it was time for an upgrade.
To date, Regent has purchased 48 JVC cameras, including the VN-C625U PTZ dome with 360-degree endless rotation, 12x optical zoom lens, and Super LoLux technology for nighttime surveillance. Of the 45 cameras that have been installed, most are used to monitor building interiors, but eight monitor exterior sites, including parking lots, loading docks, dormitories, and the plaza adjacent to the library. Lawhorn said the remaining three cameras will be installed and tasked with exterior surveillance later this year.
Lawhorn is very pleased with the JVC cameras, and said their low-light capabilities are a big improvement over the university’s old analog cameras.
“The clarity and capabilities of the JVC cameras are so much better,” he said.
Regent also has three JVC VR-N1600Us NVRs, which are in a master/slave configuration that allows dispatchers to log into one unit but access all 45 cameras on the system. While the police department’s dispatch center is monitored live 24/7/365, footage from the JVC cameras are recorded as well.
According to Lawhorn, no annual camera license renewal requirement, as well as the VR-N1600U’s pre-installed Milestone XProtect Enterprise software for advanced display and search capabilities, were important selling points.
“It’s a great product with great support and no recurring fees,” he said. “And the overall recording technology is great -- no more tape worries. It’s like night and day.”
JVC V.Networks equipment is in use for CBN as well. In fact, Lawhorn said the Virginia Beach campus will soon begin monitoring the network’s Washington, D.C., news office and its Nashville, Tenn., facility. The expanded surveillance effort will include four additional VR-N1600U NVRs and approximately 12 new cameras, including several VN-X235U Megapixel mini-dome units.
The department, which handles its own equipment purchasing, installation, and maintenance, has migrated to its current JVC setup over the past several years.
The latest addition, the VR-N1600U NVRs, were installed last summer (replacing older NVR models). The IP-based CCTV system is connected through a dedicated VLAN (virtual local area network) that brings all camera feeds back to the dispatch center via Cat-5 cable. In addition, Regent can integrate its JVC cameras into the C3 application from Lextech Labs, which will allows officers to view live and recorded footage on an iPad or iPhone.