Located in the heart of Muscat, the capital of oil-rich Oman, reside the showrooms of Suhail Bahwan Automobiles. Offering car manufactures such as BMW, Infinity, and Nissan, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles is the biggest automobile dealer in Oman. And appropriately, it also boasts some of the largest showrooms for these models.
With such impressive, and lucrative, facilities, it is no surprise Suhail Bahwan Automobiles placed a great deal of emphasis on securing the safety of not only its cars, but the many employees and customers that surround them.
A Hikvision Platform
Anoop Nair, sales manager at Technosolutions, the integrator on this car showroom project, designed a robust solution featuring 8 separate Hikvision products and featuring no less than 100 individual Hikvision cameras. When asked why so many Hikvision products, Mr. Nair responded, "with the quality and versatility that Hikvision products offer, and the competitive price they are set at; they are simply the best choice on the market for a solution of this nature."
For this solution, the client's goal was to monitor all showroom locations deemed critical. Locations, such as entrances, exits, financial transaction counters, customer service counters, and a variety of other employee work areas were to be observed with a high-resolution CCTV system.
Satisfying this goal would lead Mr. Nair to employ 6 separate Hikvision camera models, as well as Hikvision’s video management software to manage the overall solution. This software provided an optimal platform based on both practical and performance-based aspects. "With this many Hikvision products, we really wanted a Hikvision platform to tie it all into. Hikvision software has grown by leaps and bounds, and was a big plus for this project."
To further simplify and gain added efficiency, Hikvision's DS-1000KI Network Keyboard was chosen to operate this CCTV solution. The DS-1000KI's joystick makes PTZ control of camera functions and management of up-to 99 networked DVR units a simple effort.
6 Camera Models
While Hikvision software and keyboards allowed the means to control this solution, a great deal of effort was placed into selecting cameras. Since a location such as an automobile dealership presents a wide variety of optical challenges, Mr. Nair utilized a wide variety of Hikvision model types to meet this challenge.
For internal areas like reception and financial transaction counters, Mr. Nair chose the DS-2CD753F-EI 2.0 Megapixel Vandal Proof Network Dome Camera. He noted that Oman’s automobile showrooms have experienced instances of camera vandalism in these areas. Obviously, in sensitive locations where money is involved, the client preferred vandal proofing, and Mr. Nair was happy to oblige.
Many of these showrooms had preexisting hardware and logistical infrastructure. An example of this was PoE enabled network switches. Mr. Nair utilized the DS-2CD753F-EI's PoE, thereby limiting cables to a maximum of 50 meters from all DS-2CD753F-EI units. Obviously, this benefited the aesthetic element, but more importantly, it eliminated expensive fiber optical cabling to a central location – thus, greatly saving on installation costs.
Monitoring the employee hallways is the DS-2CD793PF-EI 4CIF Network Dome Camera. Since these showrooms are closed at night, lighting in the back areas – including hallways – is turned off. The DS-2CD793PF-EI’s super low light capability and a day/night auto switch served to overcome this obstacle.
At the main entrance, the DS-2CD7253F-EIZ 2 MP IP66 Day & Night Waterproof Vandal Proof Network Dome Camera provides coverage. Owing to the nature of the location, a less-obtrusive dome was chosen over a more visible box-type camera. An IP66 rating protects this camera from the highly-oscillating Oman weather conditions; while an 30 meter IR range allows the ability to not only view the entrance, but the parking area as well. In this case, a customer can literally be seen from the point of entering the parking lot – and well before they arrive at the front door.
Hikvision's DS-2CD8253F-EI 2 MP IP66 Network IR Bullet Camera provides coverage for a variety of areas, such as internal access control locations, outdoor parking lots, and vehicle entry/exit areas that do not possess access control. Utilizing a 30 meter IR range, the DS-2CD8253F-EI is positioned in such a way as to actually see license plate numbers. Additionally, preset motion searches allow security the ability to zoom onto objects in total darkness.
Rounding out this solution is an internal and external aspect. The DS-2DF1-534 Indoor Network PTZ High Speed Dome Camera, placed on the interior of the 4-meter high showroom ceilings, exploits an up-to 23x optical zoom to "provide coverage of each and every nook of showroom and see people and objects that normal bullet / dome cameras cannot," explained Mr. Nair.
While outside, placed on top of the buildings, is the DS-2DF1-718 Outdoor Network IR PTZ Speed Dome Camera. Similarly, a 36x optical zoom provides the ability to zoom onto any object or person at a large distance; and an IR range of 80 meters allows it to do so in total darkness.
In the end, integrator ingenuity and Hikvision technical prowess provided a successful recipe towards Suhail Bahwan Automobiles' goal of providing security protection over all critical aspects of their showroom environment.
