The Challenge
London's most exclusive hotel, which has played host to stars such as Madonna and Michael Jackson, The Lanesborough has turned to Dedicated Micros to keep a tight rein on security. The Lanesborough has built its world renowned reputation on hospitality and depends on top level security to ensure guests receive the care and personal attention they have grown to expect. Director of Security Charles Smith had heard a lot about the benefits of digital CCTV technology and was looking to upgrade to a state-of-the-art system to protect the hotel's high profile guests.
The Solution
Says Charles Smith: 'After evaluating a range of different options, we found that Digital Sprite Lite far exceeded our expectations. It offers a cost-effective, easy-to-use digital solution that not only improves the overall efficiency of our security system, it also helps deliver benefits to our employees and guests that go above and beyond the traditional security remit.'
Previously, The Lanesborough used a system comprising forty cameras, three series 2 multiplexers, three series 2 keyboards, a Baxall matrix and keyboard to control the domes, three VCRs 'with three VCR maintenance contracts' a hundred videotapes for archiving and alarm sensors. Charles Smith continues: 'We were experiencing problems with this system, largely because it was not integrated' the matrix and the multiplexers were not linked. Physically there was a lot of equipment to manage and we also had 100 tapes to store and three VCRs to maintain. 'Now, we have the same number of cameras but just one keyboard which can control all the domes directly, with no need for a separate matrix.' And, because it's digital, there are no tapes to manage and no VCRs or maintenance contracts to worry about. In addition each system stores up to seven days recording, eliminating the hassle and cost associated with tape management and VCRs.
'The one-box recording system is designed to overwrite the oldest images automatically' with no need to remember to change tapes.
The system's in-built activity detection removes the need for alarm sensors. If anyone enters an unauthorised area, security staff in the control room can respond immediately.
Digital Sprite Lite also makes installation simple - less kit means less to physically install. Says Charles Smith, 'We take security very seriously which is vindicated in our extremely low level of crime. 'Part of creating a stylish and comfortable environment is to ensure that customers can enjoy themselves knowing their safety is taken care of. With visible, although non-intrusive, cameras around the building, guests can relax in the knowledge that the central control room is looking out for them.'
'Using digital technology has improved the efficiency of the whole system. It's very easy to pinpoint exactly when an event took place and retrieve the images in an instant, without wasting time reviewing tapes.' We had an incident where an item of luggage went missing and the guest was certain that it had been brought into the hotel. We had a quick look in the archived data files, tracked the images of the guest arriving and found that this particular suitcase had not come in with him. It was then a simple job to call the airport where the suitcase was found straightaway in unclaimed baggage and brought to us. 'Without the digital event logging capability, it would have been a long and arduous task to find the right screens' in fact we probably wouldn't have started looking through the old video archives at all. 'Being able to go straight to the image we needed not only saved us hours searching for a missing suitcase but also enabled us to reach exemplary standards of customer service.'
