Background

Pioneering social sciences university in a historic city centre location

The Social Science University of Ankara (ASBU) was established in 2013 to pioneer research into social sciences and humanities. Around 5,500 students are now enrolled annually, and the university is expanding its mission to contribute to international research literature.

ASBU’s facilities include buildings with high historical, cultural, and aesthetic value, which are located the oldest districts of Ankara. ASBU says the city centre location gives its researchers and students the opportunity to integrate into society’s ‘natural laboratory’ – yet the area is open to the public, which brings an increased challenge of ensuring safety and security.

Challenges

350-camera system, with multiple brands, is hard to manage

ASBU’s city centre location, with its busy night-time economy, brings with it an increased risk of incidents, including crime and anti-social behaviour.

Video surveillance plays a crucial role ensuring the safety of students, and the security of ASBU facilities, with a 350-camera system, monitored 24/7 from a dedicated control room. However, the system had been expanded several times, and comprised a mix of cameras from six different manufacturers. The VMS struggled to control these multiple brands, pictures would often freeze, and the system had an excessive video data storage burden.

Solution

IDIS ISS Expert VMS makes cameras easy to operate, with flexible viewing options

In an on-site proof-of-concept demonstration, IDIS Solution Suite (ISS) Expert quickly registered all the mix of cameras and devices, including third-party DVRs, two Dell recorders, various analogue HD cameras, and a 3x3 meter video wall. This seamless integration allowed streamlined control, which was not possible with the old VMS, with improved ease of-use and full functionality for all the cameras, regardless of the brand. It was agreed that ASBU security controllers would test the IDIS VMS for a month, however after the first week its advantages were clear, and they stopped using their old system completely.

ISS Expert makes it easy for ASBU security staff to control the system from their workstations as well as the video wall, with browser features allowing the university’s fire system to display on the same screen. IDIS MapVue is also being added, with a schematic showing the locations of the cameras, to improve domain awareness and make navigational playback faster and easier.

In the next phase of the project, two renovated accommodation buildings will also be monitored, with IDIS cameras including 12MP Fisheyes, mini-PTZs, and domes being installed. These are ideal for the historic setting, where the ceiling heights are up to 9 meters and where full coverage with HD image capture is needed, with minimal structural modifications.

To save bandwidth and reduce the storage burden, cameras in corridors, the basement, and other key areas have been set to record only when motion is detected, using a combination of IDIS Motion Adaptive Transmission (MAP), and ONVIF motion detection.

Results and Benefits

Failing system transformed into powerful seamless solution

ISS Expert has turned ASBU’s cluttered and failing system into a powerful, integrated surveillance solution that is easy to use, adapt, and upgrade, with the assurance of an extended lifespan backed by industry-best warranties.

Whenever the third-party cameras become defective, they will be swapped for IDIS cameras, which offer the advantages of plug-and-play connection, and HD image capture in all lighting conditions. ASBU’s security team can now easily comply with the regular requests from law-enforcement agencies for video evidence.

Bookmarked event recording makes it easy for ASBU operators to skip from scene to scene when reviewing recordings. And in the next project phase, IDIS Deep Learning Analytics (IDLA) tools will be added for even faster, automated footage review. The IDIS solution also makes it easy and affordable to expand the system, for example with IDIS 300D NVRs that will allow more cameras to be added and increase storage capacity to ensure longer retention periods without increasing storage costs thanks to IDIS Intelligent Codec.

"IDIS ISS Expert solved all the problems we had with our complex and ageing system, with an easy upgrade that extends the life and performance of all our cameras."

Zafer Buldu
Manager of Hardware & Technical Services,
ASBU