Siberian first for Norbain’s Vista solutions

29 November 2005

Russian security installer Informatsionnye tekhnologii - the local representative of OKNO-Professional Security Systems, which distributes Norbain security systems in Russia - has undertaken the first major Vista project in the area, providing a Siberian branch of the Alpi hypermarket with effective stock and customer supervision.

The store is divided into a number of departments – Alpi House, which provides DIY goods for the house, as well as interior furnishings; Alpi Sport, a sports clothes, shoes and tourism section; and Alpi Techno, which sells audio and video equipment and household appliances.

The Alpi stores also have their own bakery, confectionery, delicatessen and meat-processing departments that ensure consumers are always able to purchase fresh, quality products.

Alpi’s Siberian headquarters is in Krasnoyarsk, though it is one of its subsidiary shops in Abakan, a commercial centre of southern Siberia south east of Novosibirsk, which has been chosen for the initial Vista security solutions contract. The Abakan store, including both the trading area and warehouse, covers some 21,500m2.

"Installing CCTV for security purposes is as common in businesses in Russia as it is in the West", says OKNO-Professional Security Systems  General Manager, Boris Aristarkhov "CCTV is used as a multi-functional system, checking on customer activities, to ensure there are enough staff on the tills if the shop is busy, to ensure stock is secured against crime and to protect staff safety."

The contract involved installing two internal and three external Vista PowerDome™ fully functional dome cameras. These are designed with the Installer and End User in mind, combining simplicity of use with extreme functionality that includes a 25:1 zoom, 24 dynamic privacy zones and 128 presets.

In addition, the domes are designed to ensure they blend with virtually any environment. They provide full 360o surveillance, controlled – as with all the cameras on the site - by a NPX/KBD/J3DE keyboard with 3-axis joystick. This enables security staff to choose which camera to view, and pan, tilt and zoom with pin point precision as required.

The project also involved installing 45 Vista VFD13M monochrome fixed dome cameras at critical locations inside the shop and warehouse – these are discreet cameras for overseeing fixed points such as tills, entrances and aisles. Video is recorded onto a Vista SOLO-80F single channel Digital Video Recorder (DVR) that is used in conjunction with  Vista Lite VCD16L (colour) and VBD16L (monochrome) multiplexers to handle the video distribution.

The Vista Solo-80F is compatible with many leading multiplexers, so is ideal for new sites or as a retrofit to replace analogue VCRs on most existing sites, instantly giving all the benefits of digital video recording. The unit provides one week’s recording at S-VHS quality in time-lapse mode, and combines the simplicity of a standard VCR but with clear advantages including simple alarm search and easy to manage archiving, including to its built-in compact flash drive.. It is ideal for clients that have decided to make the move to digital, but do not require more complex multi-channel DVR’s.

Vista equipment was chosen because it was seen as superior to Far East or so-called ‘patchwork quilt’ multi-sourced solutions. Norbain’s three-year warranty, and Russia’s traditional view of British goods as trustworthy, also played a part in the decision, says Boris Aristarkhov Installation went well, says Igor Kozlov, the Managing Director of installer Informatsionnye tekhnologii, with no problems reported.

Mr Kozlov said : "Vista is new equipment for us but we are satisfied with this first application and will be using the brand in future projects."