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Tricky situation here that I'd like any input on please.. We now have a privately run leisure centre physically attached to our school, to which the school have exclusive use during school hours, and is a local community resource outside those hours. We've just installed CCTV cameras in the whole school including 12 cameras in the leisure centre. The leisure centre want the CCTV camera images to be displayed in a grid permanently in their reception office for staff to monitor. Out of public sight. Our staff that use our system have just done training. What should we be expecting of the leisure centre employees, if it's ok to set it up like this? The leisure centre manager says that there is often a member of staff lone working in the evenings, and they need to keep an eye on activities to monitor for injuries and damage to facilities. They don't want the ability to view recorded footage and would come to the school to request that. We're just about to go live with this whole system having attempted to get everything in order. Both the school and the leisure centre had independent CCTV systems in operation previously.

Hi all, I am having a bit of trouble with our DVR, I have never used it as it has been happily running for longer than I have been here (About 10-12 years I believe)- or so I thought. I went to access the footage on there but it constantly reports "No file found"- I am not too interested in the file itself as the issue has now been resolved, but does anybody know how to check it is actually recording and where to? I have checked the manuals online, and I can't seem to find where it is. There is a manual record option but it seems that whenever I turn it on it turns itself off as soon as I exit the menu? I also tried to call their support but I cannot find hide nor hair of their creators, which I believe are LJD Digital, due to the splash screen when I reboot it and the logo in the manual. It is a Colossus 16 DVR, I don't know anything about it other than that.

Hi all, I am currently in the process of getting a few quotes for around 40 Avigilon CCTV Cameras for both external and internal areas. We are being quoted to have all 5mp cameras externally (mainly dome cameras) and 2,3 and 5mp cameras internally. The quotes are all quite high (by the time dedicated switches/cabling and NVRs have been added on) I just wanted to know if anyone on here had got Avigilon or had looked at it previously, and your thoughts on it? Or if anyone has a better suggestion of hardware/software to look at then I would definitely take this on board. Many thanks!

Hi all, I'm after some advice for our school CCTV server. Setup: Hardware: Dell R510, 8gb ram (on average 4gb used), 12TB set to raid 1 storage (so we get great write speed), two gigabit Nic's(only one is currently used to pull data from cameras) Software: Windows Server 2012, Luxriot Evo S Switches: Cisco 3750's Problem: The server and software works well and the ram, cpu doesn't seem to be straining under average load, but the video playback isn't as smooth as we'd like. The past few months I've been eliminating possible bottlenecks,which had led to my concluding its a network bandwidth issue. By my calculations, if I have 85 cameras feeding my server 4Mbps a second, I need at least 340Mbps of bandwidth. I obviously can't get that with a single gigabit connection (it seems to hit 200Mbps and not go any further, as that's a limit for gigabit connection). So my plan is to activate the other nic and have dual gigabit to help with the bandwidth load from all the cameras. The problem is, I'm not sure the best way to go about this: Should I team up the ports on the Cisco switch? Or should I have half my cameras use 10.110.100.x and the other have use 10.110.101.x? What do you guys think? Thanks for any advice you could give.

Hi, We are looking to replace our Hikvision NVR, and thought it would be useful to ask how other schools are recording and accessing CCTV. There are 30 5MP cameras, and I need an easy to use web portal for the head and pastoral staff to access and use themselves, which is very much not the case with iVMS. I'm currently considering: The Windows route, with Luxriot, Milestone or BlueIris etc Unfi protect but I don't like the online activation\portal aspect, and although it says third party cameras are supported I'm not 100% on compatibility. Replacement NVR like Cortex etc but not sure if such a system can use onvif or only works with matching manufacturer cameras. Thanks,

Right, our site manager is wanting to get another camera installed on our CCTV system, and I think it is high time we move away from the analogue system of old (with it's roughly 0.4MP resolution per camera), and move to a proper IP CCTV based system. Ok, i'm not suggesting we do this in one giant lump, as buying all the video servers, storage server and PTZ IO video server would make my boss wish to bury me. What I'm thinking is that I want to get something and show her how good it is, compared with the old system. So... What do people suggest? I know I can get a camera on buy and try, and software on free trials and the like. But what if my boss goes for it? I want to then buy the equipment to start recording things properly. What I really want to know, is what should I plan to buy, if I want a system that can take a few cameras at first, but potentially scale up to 32 cameras in the future, as we slowly but surely convert them over. Because as it stands, to support that amount of data, the system would need to scale to around 4TB of storage... Suggestions, ideas etc...? Also, it is more than likely my boss would want such a system to be a 'managed service' ie. done by a company. Our local CCTV/security company seems to dislike IPCCTV with a vengeance, so any suggestions as to a company that would do this?

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I am so confused by all the makes and models and have been Googling till my head hurts. I think I'd prefer poe for minimal cable fuss, (will have to use homeplug to connect to router), minimum 1080p, 3 cameras, sub £300. Does anyone have experience with this model: https://www.amazon.co.uk/H-View-Security-Megapixels-Surveillance-installed/dp/B01KNERMNU Or any other suggestions.

Hello, What would say is the best model to go for in general? Most of my cameras will go in corridors. Is there a vandal proofed smoked option so pupils can't see the direction of the lens? Many Thanks in advance.

Hi Everyone can you please give me your opinion on CCTV at my current school we have had the CCTV on in our office for the last 5 years however now a new deputy has started and said that we should have this removed as it is inappropriate for us have cctv that shows children continually on show, he said it should be removed under safeguarding. As far as I’m aware most schools have CCTV on display be it in the ICT support office or some other office! We have all taken it a little personal, it is like saying we do not trust you and we think you may be inappropriately watching children all day! Your opinions would be much appreciated James

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We're looking at replacing our old CCTV system with a new IP based sytem, can anybody recommend any suppliers or installation companies in the north west? We're looking at a 32 camera system using indoor and outdoor cameras with motion detection, would prefer low light/night cameras and would need a storage server for the recorded footage.

This is an interesting one, and I want to pick people's brains who have done this. My daughter has just taken on a stable yard, and I've installed networkable DVR's. There are 2 DVRs in disparate buildings. One in the main house, and one in a stable block approx 100m away, around a walled corner. Between the house and the stable block is concrete, right up to the wall, so running cable is tricky/expensive (esp for protective trunking). She has a normal home wifi network, and I want to join the 2 buildings together. I need suggestions for good kit, for an outdoor bridge system. Thanks in advance, for any help.

Hello all, I'm currently organising an education focussed event with one of our partners, MOBOTIX, who specialise in high-res IP-CCTV and IP Video Door Entry systems. It's going to be held on the 19th March from 0930-1400 at the MOBOTIX UK HQ (Stockley Park UB11 1FW). We will be looking at their portfolio of IP-CCTV camera and door station solutions, review the work they have been doing in education, and how they've been solving common CCTV pain points. Most of the sessions are being taken by technical engineers from MOBOTIX. All attendees will also have the opportunity to take the floor and discuss their security problems with our MOBOTIX and security expert speakers. Some of the technologies we will be looking at on the day include: The light-sensitive 5-megapixel camera models, which feature a tenfold increase in light sensitivity compared with older systems, eliminate motion blur even in very dark scenes and deliver low-noise images. The weatherproof MOBOTIX M15D and S15D dual thermographic camera models that sense thermal radiation to detect moving objects in absolute darkness and over long distances. The new, discreet i25 Hemispheric camera that delivers a high-resolution panorama image with no blind spots in indoor locations. The event will be free to attend, but there are limited seats. If anyone is interested in attending, please PM me and I can send the full agenda, answer any questions and reserve some seats.

Our engineering department is commissioning their own IP switched network to build a parallel network around the entire campus. This switched network will have it's own core switch, access layer switches, the whole ball of wax. 80 cameras. Total throughput expected around 320 MB We have our own network with fibre backbone access layer switches scattered around campus and a Cisco 6509 core switch that the school was hoodwinked into buying in 2007. Our 6509 has a 32 GB engine. Core is running at 3% of CPU capacity and total network throughput on the core switch is roughly 1% of the 32 GB capacity. I cannot understand why engineering doesn't use our existing network as we have massive capacity to spare and a top notch backbone to go with it. We are switching to gigabit. The engineering dept. wants to put in their own megabit CAT 5 backbone. All this just confounds me. Does your school have the CCTV integrated into your network? Thanks for any input. Bob

At BETT we had a lot of interest and questions about the Verkada vape sensors/air quality sensors so we wanted to put on a session that focuses on this area of the Verkada portfolio. You can join Net-Ctrl and Verkada on the 27th April at 14.00. We will be joined by some of the Verkada team as we look at how you can address the ongoing student vaping epidemic with Verkada’s integrated system of cameras and air quality sensors. In particular, we will address how Verkada can: Add visibility to data-based insights to more accurately detect, prevent and manage vaping. Monitor high-risk areas like bathrooms, locker rooms, and hallways without infringing on privacy. Set up configurable alert thresholds and notify administrators via SMS or email. Review historical event footage and get the insights you need to take action in real-time, as well as, log events over time to identify patterns and investigate as needed. We will finish with a Q+A. Webinar details When: Thursday - April 27th at 2.00PM Topic: Student Vaping: How to Detect and Prevent Vaping on Campus Registration link: https://verkada.zoom.us/webinar/register/3416800349780/WN_pPRAkfJpS8mhMbDKMKlsxA#/registration If you can't attend the live session but are interested in the topic - please register and I will ensure a link to the recording is sent out. All attendees will also get sent a free Verkada YETI mug and access to a free trial program so you can test out the Air Quality / Vape Sensors in your own environment. We will confirm shipping addresses after the session. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Join Net-Ctrl and Verkada on the 22nd March at 14.00 as we look at how schools can leverage technology to increase site security, detect vape, analyse air quality, and lean towards smart building management. We will be joined by Verkada’s Head of Solutions Engineering as we delve into the above with reference to the Verkada portfolio including: Hybrid-Cloud CCTV Access Control Door Intercom Vape and Environmental Sensors Visitor Management We will conclude the session with a Q+A. We estimate the main session to be around 25 minutes, plus additional time for the Q+A. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about Verkada’s portfolio and ask any questions. As a token of our appreciation, we will provide all attendees with a FREE Verkada YETI Mug, which you can either: Pick up from us at BETT (stand SF70) where we will have Verkada equipment on display, and solution experts available Provide us with a UK shipping address for it to be sent direct (please allow a few weeks You will receive an email after the session to process the above. All attendees will also get the opportunity to request free trial equipment to test Verkada in their own environment. Webinar details When: Mar 22, 2023 02:00 PM London Time Webinar Topic: Verkada for Campus Security & Smart Building Management Register for webinar: https://verkada.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CYFV6j6mR5msVluplXqjLA After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Please let me know if you have any questions about the above. W look forward to seeing you at the webinar and at BETT!

So I work for a small company as the IT guy and we have an old HP Proliant ML350 G6 and I have been trying to find a use for it since it still runs fine so I have been looking into getting some ip cameras and setting the server up with linux and installing ZoneMinder. I have a pretty decent understanding of what I will all need but I need to know if I'm missing anything. Here's what I know I'll need so far. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Here's the specs for the server: Intel Xeon E5506 @ 2.13GHz 6GB DDR3 @ 1333MHz 150GB SATA setup in Hard Raid 1 (will be upgrading the storage capacity) Server (with ubuntu server installed and ZoneMinder setup) x amount of ip cameras Gigabit Switch I'm just starting to plan this and am just looking for some insight on what other people may have done. My tech knowledge is definitely above par but I wouldn't say I'm an expert in this department. Thanks again! Ryan

I have just been made aware of a limited time offer on the Mobotix D14 IP-CCTV camera, and thought I would extend this to everyone on EduGeek For a limited time only Net-Ctrl can offer a ‘Buy 5 Get 1 Free’ offer on the Mobotix D12 series. I thought I would pass this on to see if it would be of any interest to any of you, if you would like more information please send me a PM and I will be happy to help, alternatively contact Paul Konec on 01473 281 211 or email him at [email protected]. I have put a brief breakdown of the series below: The D14 series offers: • individual choice of lenses: tele/wide-angle, day/night, 180° panorama function • integrated DVR (up to 64 GB) stores up to 520,000 HiRes images (6 days with 1 fps) • simple installation with only one network cable (data & power/PoE) • continuous digital pan, tilt and zoom (virtual PTZ function) • highest audio quality thanks to new codec and echo elimination • optimized interfaces: MxBus and MiniUSB for e.g. UMTS and GPS • robust, maintenance-free, IP65 weatherproof, from -30 to +60 °C (-22 to +140 °F) Now available as well is the newest member of the D14 series - the D14D-DNight-Fix with a special lens bridge and pre-installed lenses. To accompany this offer, for a limited time only, Milestone Systems is offering a unique opportunity to purchase a new or update an expired Product Maintenance Agreement (PMA). Traditionally, you cannot purchase a new PMA after the 30-day initial XProtect® purchase period or for a system with an expired PMA. Therefore, this limited-time PMA Amnesty promotion allows: • The renewal of expired PMA with no penalties or back dating • The addition of PMA to any software license code (SLC) originally purchased without a PMA

I have been given the task of installing a bird box camera thing that one of our teachers has purchased. It is a bird box with a night vision camera that fits inside. It comes with 20m of cable and therefore needs to be within 20 metres of the projector they wish it to be connected to. I was going to just connect it up to a TV in the hall, but they want it on the projector. The hall is nearly 20 meters to the projector, so I guess I could get extention cables similar to the cables for CCTV cameras they sell in Maplin. Im thinking that the best place would be near some trees or something, but the nearest trees are at the other side of the carpark, so my only other idea is to suspend a metal cable between the building and the trees at high level, and fasten the camera cable to the metal cable, as digging a trench is not an option. Has anyone else got one of these systems and any ideas on where to place it. I am no expert on birds, so am not sure where to place the box for them to want to go in it, and i dont really want to go to all the effort of installing the thing if the birds are just going to turn their noses up at it. Any ideas would be appreciated.