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DM takes up University challenge

Cambridge University's Wolfson College recently completed a major upgrade of its campus security system.

Dubbed 'the most cosmopolitan college in Cambridge', Wolfson was the first college to be established for both men and women. It has over 700 students, most of whom are post-graduate students with a focus on research and scholarship.

Following a freak accident last summer when lightening struck at the heart of the previous surveillance system, the college was looking at more cost-effective alternatives to the digital set-up they had had previously.

Jason Powell of security installers Lifesaver (Cambridge) takes up the story: "We selected a number of alternative digital multiplexer options to suit the college needs and left them with the Porter's Lodge for a week for them to try out the various different operating systems. DM's Digital Sprite (DS) emerged as the choice due to its ease-of-use. It is also very robust and offers functions such as activity search and telemetry at a very affordable price point."

Designed to have the look and feel of a traditional CCTV system, Digital Sprite combines digital multiplexing, digital recording, multiple-user network viewing and inbuilt dome control in a single easy-to-use and install package.

Powell continues: "As well as being very user-friendly for the porters to view live and recorded images, the system takes the hassle out of installation with automatic set-up and familiar multiplexer and VCR control keys."

At Wolfson College, two 16-way DS multiplexers control a mixture of 20 fixed colour and mono cameras located over key entry/exit points in public areas, including halls of residence, lecture rooms, video rooms and the Lee Computer room, where students have 24 hour access to IT facilities via a college smartcard.

High quality digital images are monitored and recorded round the clock in the Porter's Lodge and are saved for 31 days onto the DS integral 320 GB hard drive.

One ergonomically-designed keyboard controls both monitors and two CD writers have been added to the system to allow images to be transferred onto the college's PC system via CD and printed off as evidence for prosecutions. The college is currently looking to expand the system to cover other communal areas.

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