Megapixel Cameras Watch Luxury Cars Around the Clock at Orlando Infiniti

Customer

When Infiniti, the luxury division of Japanese automaker Nissan Motors, began selling vehicles in North America in 1989, Orlando Infiniti was one of the first dealerships to open its doors. Since the beginning, Orlando Infiniti has consistently ranked among the top Infiniti dealers in the country, in both sales volume and overall customer satisfaction. In 2009, Orlando Infiniti opened a new, state-of-the-art facility right next to the Mall at Millenia. The property is the first of its kind in Florida and part of Infiniti’s Retail Environment Design Initiative (IREDI) to establish a unique, new look inside and outside its dealerships. Owner Peter Wilson largely attributes the dealership’s continuing success to the Orlando Infiniti credo: “We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen.”

Challenge

Not all the visitors to Orlando Infiniti after hours are “ladies and gentlemen”. Over the years, the dealership has had its expensive luxury vehicles stolen from the lot at night, and there have also been thefts of accessories, including wheels and tires. Orlando Infiniti was looking for a way to thwart these after-hours thefts. Specifically, they needed 24-hour surveillance of the premises and after-hours video monitoring to detect intrusion. During the day, the dealership wanted to be able to use the video surveillance system for internal management purposes to keep track of staff, customers and vehicles throughout the dealership’s spacious location.

Megapixel Solution

Orlando Infiniti turned to United Security Alliance, Inc., a nationwide integrator of video surveillance and access control systems founded in 1985. United Security Alliance recommended Arecont Vision megapixel IP network video cameras for the installation, and Orlando Infiniti relied completely on the integrator’s professional recommendation, according to Terry Ottinger, President, United Security Alliance, Inc. Given that United Security Alliance provides 24/7 service, maintenance, and support to Orlando Infiniti, the proven stability and reliability of Arecont Vision cameras were a deciding factor in their selection.

United Security Alliance installed sixteen Arecont Vision Model AV2155DN 2 megapixel all-in-one MegaDome® cameras outside the dealership and fifteen Model AV1355 1.3 megapixel all-in-one domes on the inside. Arecont Vision megapixel IP cameras were chosen because fewer cameras could be used to provide optimal coverage with higher resolution for superior picture quality and better results in conjunction with after-hours video monitoring and forensics. United Security Alliance’s service and installation technicians are trained and certified by Arecont Vision.

The Arecont Vision megapixel IP cameras were integrated with GeViScope servers and storage as the video management system (VMS). The GeViScope VMS is a product of Geutebruck, a German digital video supplier. Video analytics operate as part of the GeViScope software to detect activity when anyone enters the dealership grounds after hours.

Arecont Vision’s model AV2155DN is an H.264 IP MegaDome® integrated camera, lens and IP66-rated dome providing 1600x1200-pixel images at 24 frames per second and 0.1 lux light sensitivity at F1.4. Features of the all-in-one integrated camera, lens and housing include a 1/2” CMOS sensor and Arecont Vision’s MegaVideo® image processing at 80 billion operations per second. The cameras employ H.264 (MPEG 4, Part 10) compression to minimize bandwidth and storage requirements while maintaining real-time image resolution. Capabilities include motion detection, image cropping, region-of-interest viewing and the ability to zoom into an image after it is archived (forensic zooming). Light sensitivity of 0.1 lux at F1.4 enables low-light viewing and recording, and the day/night version of the camera used at Orlando Infiniti has a motorized infrared (IR) cut filter for greater sensitivity in nighttime conditions.

The Arecont Vision Model AV1355 is a 1.3 megapixel H.264 MegaDome® IP camera providing 1280x1024-pixel images at 32 frames per second. It has other features similar to Model AV2155. Terry Ottinger stated that Arecont Vision’s responsiveness related to the Orlando Infiniti installation has been “outstanding”. Arecont Vision collaborates with various network video recorder (NVR) suppliers such as Geutebruck to ensure smooth integration of systems using Arecont Vision megapixel IP cameras. Arecont Vision also works with technology partners for tighter integration with complementary products, including servers, storage and other systems, which makes the integrator’s job even easier.

Megapixel Benefits

HD-quality images from the Arecont Vision megapixel cameras with server-based video analytics now enable Orlando Infiniti to detect and prevent intrusion and theft on its premises after hours. The system provides superior images in both daytime and evening lighting environments. The cameras combine superior image quality, smaller image files and improved video streaming using H.264 compression.

The video system is monitored locally by the dealership for internal management purposes. Cameras inside and outside the facility provide video images with extreme clarity throughout the course of the day. In addition to greater image clarity, the megapixel cameras are able to cover more square footage with fewer cameras versus conventional standard-resolution IP cameras, lowering the total cost of ownership of the system. The megapixel IP cameras allow management to zoom in on specific areas of a live or archived video to see important details such as a license plate number.

After hours, the system and its high-quality Arecont Vision megapixel IP video images are monitored remotely by United Security Alliance’s Central Station. Any individuals entering the premises are detected and trigger a video analytics alarm, allowing central station operators to clearly see intruders on the lot after hours and to respond quickly to prevent theft and losses.

“On a number of occasions, the central station has detected individuals on the premises in the middle of the night and been able to speak to them through an interactive audio system to let them know the premises are under surveillance, the facility is closed and they should leave the facility immediately,” said Peter Wilson, Owner, Orlando Infiniti. “This has obviously prevented potential criminal activity and saved the facility an unknown sum of money that could have resulted from losses and damage to vehicles on the property.”

In fact, the system has performed flawlessly to date. Based on the sticker prices on the windows of the luxury vehicles, it’s safe to say the prevented losses would total many thousands of dollars.

About Arecont Vision

Arecont Vision is the leading manufacturer of high-performance megapixel IP cameras and associated software. Arecont Vision products are made in the USA and feature low-cost massively parallel image processing architectures MegaVideo® and SurroundVideo® that represent a drastic departure from traditional analog and network camera designs. All-in-one products such as MegaDome® and MegaView™ provide installer-friendly solutions. Compact JPEG and H.264 series of cameras address cost-sensitive applications. These innovative technologies enable Arecont Vision to deliver multi-megapixel digital video at IP VGA camera price points.