18 May 2009

 National Gallery of Australia's security
VIVOTEK's network cameras installed at National Gallery of Australia
Mission

National Gallery of Australia (NGA), home to numerous exquisite and valuable artworks, is a thrilling work of art with subtle exterior and delicate interior design. Initially, a CCTV system was employed to protect gallery assets, but monitoring of the gigantic gallery remained difficult and inefficient. Because the interior of the gallery is frequently changed to accommodate a variety of exhibitions, the CCTV cameras must be redeployed every now and then. Due to cabling, the redeployment is time-consuming and labour-intensive, causing great pain to NGA. Also, due to the importance of maintaining the structural integrity of the building, NGA needed a solution that can fit in with the decor so as to achieve a balance between positive visitor experience and protective security.

NGA wanted to replace the CCTV system with a flexible system that allows them to add or relocate cameras easily, and is capable of providing high image quality for investigative purposes. Better yet, the system should be able to blend into the interior design and the structure of the building. Zylotech, VIVOTEK's distributor in Australia, thus helped NGA install VIVOTEK's network cameras.

Solution

To blend in with the decor, VIVOTEK SD6122s with their dome design were selected. The SD6122s' 10x zoom capability can provide close-up images of minute objects, allowing the operator to identify visitors with easy. Wrapped inside a vandal-proof housing, the SD6122s are firmly protected from damage by burglars.

Some of the SD6122s were added a weather-proof housing for installing outside the building, in the landscaped garden and the parking lots. The housings shield the cameras from rain and dust, enabling them to operate in extreme weather conditions. The SD6122s also offer wide pan/tilt movement with continuous 720-dgree pan and 110-degree tilt, making them perfect for monitoring wide open outdoor spaces.

 VIVOTEK's network cameras at gallery
VIVOTEK SD6122s with their dome design solved the cabling problem

Achievements

The new installation solved the cabling problem of the CCTV system for NGA, significantly enhancing their system scalability. The manager can search, record or manage data in a more straightforward way and needs not worry about image quality degradation any more. The image quality is superior enough for the manager to make things out easily. Furthermore, the dome design of SD6122s perfectly matches the decor of the building, ensuring visitors best gallery experiences in maximum security.

"With this upgrade we have gone from the Stone Age to a state-of-the-art digital surveillance system and that's what this site should have given the value of what we're protecting," said O'Sullivan, manager for security at NGA.