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Mall makes the transition to IP

Somerset Mall in the Western Cape has made the transition to IP CCTV surveillance. Working with local systems-integrator, SSC Infrasek, Somerset Mall has installed 130 Hikvision network cameras to protect the safety of visitors and stores alike throughout the complex, the third-largest shopping centre in the province.

First opened in 1993, Somerset Mall is on the N2 Freeway that connects Cape Town to Port Elizabeth and Durban. It’s an ideal position to attract visitors and since its first opening the mall has seen numbers continue to climb. Two separate expansion phases have taken place and Somerset Mall now houses 204 stores extending over more than 1.3 km, all with single level access. Parking is also similarly extensive, with a total of 4500 parking bays of which approximately 700 are undercover.

Alongside the stores, the most recent expansion of Somerset Mall has also seen it expand to encompass an Adventure Arena. This is dominated by a spectacular double climbing wall with views of the Helderburg mountains, but the Adventure Arena also includes a 10-pin bowling alley, a games arcade and an 8-screen movie complex.

As a result, the successful complex now attracts an average of 200 000 visitors per week. However, the CCTV security system had not kept pace with the growing numbers of visitors and shoppers and the mall’s management realised that enhancing the level of security was vital. They turned to systems-integrator SSC Infrasek for a solution.

New IP system

According to Mario Groenewald, technical manager at SSC Infrasek, “When we looked at the entirety of the security challenges facing the mall, we quickly realised that simply supplementing the existing analogue system was not going to work. The expansion of the shopping precinct to 1.3 km of storefronts together with the new arena and extensive car parks had stretched the old system almost to its limits.

“Increasing levels of surveillance in the pedestrian areas and in the car parks was a priority and we were also conscious that the mall is very innovative and successful in attracting visitors to its unique blend of attractions. Therefore, further expansion of the site is quite likely and any proposed CCTV system would have to be capable of coping with this expansion.

“Having been tasked with implementing a comprehensive CCTV system to maintain security throughout the whole complex, we decided that the only realistic solution was to replace the whole of the existing analogue system with an IP CCTV system, based upon 130 Hikvision network cameras supplied through their local distributor, Sensor Limited.”

According to Groenewald, the choice of Hikvision technology was based on a number of factors. “The wide range of cameras and options available to us meant that we could select the right camera for the job without compromising the design objectives. We had also used Hikvision products in other projects and found them to be robust and reliable, delivering very high quality images while remaining cost-effective. Finally, Hikvision has successfully delivered many similar projects around the world and offered us great support all the way from system design through to implementation.”

Maximum protection inside

For the inside of the mall, SSC Infrasek chose the DS-2CD7153-E network mini dome camera, which offers many features that make it ideal for the surveillance of an area like Somerset Mall, where image quality and a robust build quality are key priorities.

Inside the vandal proof IP66 rated housing, the camera is based around a large 1/3-inch progressive scan CMOS image sensor, offering 2-megapixel HD resolution (1600 x 1200 pixels), dual real-time video streams of up to 720p, and offers a choice of H.264, MPEG4 and MJPEG video compression. The DS-2CD7153-E model is fitted with a bright 4 mm F1.8 lens, although 2.8, 6 and 8 mm versions are also available, and offers a wide 68-degree viewing angle. The unit also offers 3-axis adjustment at installation and Hikvision’s ePTZ capability for increased viewing control and versatility. The result is a camera that delivers outstanding images while withstanding the rigours of a very public placement.

Versatility is also offered in placement of the camera courtesy of the PoE feature. Meanwhile, the inclusion of day/night automatic switching and multiple alarm triggers, including motion detection, tampering alarm, network disconnect, and IP address conflict, give installers and users maximum flexibility.

A total of 100 DS-2CD7153-E models were installed throughout the interior of the mall.

SSC Infrasek opted to install 30 Hikvision DS-2DF1-518 PTZ network high-speed dome cameras to protect the outside of the mall and the 3 800 outside parking spaces. Again, image quality was paramount, but protecting the camera from any environmental factors was considered closely.

At the heart of the DS-2DF1-518 is a 36x F1.8 zoom lens that take just 5.4 seconds to go from wide open to fully zoomed. Augmented with 16x digital zoom, this bright 3.4 - 122.4 mm lens is backed up with a ¼-inch Sony Super HAD CCD image sensor inside a tough, weatherproof IP66 housing.

This combination of 36x zoom, 3D intelligent positioning and the built-in PTZ control means that operators can maintain surveillance over very large panoramas while retaining the ability to focus effortlessly on any area of interest. The camera also integrates an IR cut filter, for seamless day and night operation down to a minimum 0.2 lux in colour and a very low 0.02 lux in black & white.

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