Eyes on the PRIZES
by James J. Hodl
May 11, 2011
On any given day,
casinos may play host to hundreds of customers; thousands in some of the larger
resort complexes. But with this welcome traffic can come a collection of
undesirables ranging from cheats and advantage players to pickpockets and
grifters, who can not only ruin the fun for good customers but cost casinos to
lose millions of dollars in revenues.
Screening out these bad elements can be a daunting task.
Fortunately casinos now have at their disposal an ever improving arsenal of
security and surveillance equipment that can not only spot undesirables as they
enter, but also record evidence needed to convict and put them out of
circulation.
During the past decade, security equipment
has gone from analog to digital, which provides sharper images to better
identify miscreants so they can be intercepted before they can do harm. And the
addition of digital video recorders enables not only the storage of more images
over longer periods, but also enable personnel to quickly find the images that
either catch criminals in the act or detect cheating on the gaming
floor.
The most commonly used products in casino security are high
resolution pan-tilt-zoom cameras, monitors and CCTV keyboards. Analog cameras
are digitized and recorded on RAID 5 disk arrays. Digitizing is done either by
digital video recorders (DVRs) or by encoders. Casinos have also recently
started to look at the adoption of high definition cameras for certain
applications.
They also are replacing VCR-based recording technology with
digital recording, which consists of traditional DVRs and IP
recorders.
Security and surveillance suppliers are constantly tinkering with all
these products, adding technologies to make the devices more efficient, cost
effective and easier to use. Here’s a rundown of the latest technological
advancement from some of the gaming industry’s better known security equipment
companies.
FAILSAFE
Bosch Security Systems’ VIP
X1600 video encoder/iSCSI solution combines the strengths of DVRs and IP video
to eliminate the loss of images from DVR, network video recorder (NVR) or
network failure. With earlier systems, security personnel could lose images
from all cameras in the event of a system-wide power failure. But being
modular, the VIP X1600 limits loss of video to four cameras at most. And the
whole unit has a redundant power supply to help prevent failure. The iSCSI disk
array is also directly attached to the encoder, making the solution independent
from the health of the network.
To help security personnel monitor cameras more effectively, video
content analysis embedded in an IP camera or encoder (called VCA at the edge)
reduces the amount of video that is sent to personnel to monitor.
Indeed, it is possible for the system to only
transmit alarm video in which a potential security concern has occurred. With
VCA at the edge, some systems can be programmed to trigger alarms based
behavioral analysis, which can accurately identify loitering, the removal or
theft of objects from a scene, or objects left behind. Once an alarm is
triggered, the system automatically increases the frame rate and resolution of
the recording to capture the event in more detail and send the video to
storage.
Bosch Security Systems also recently introduced a complete
portfolio of HD solutions for casinos that provide more detailed images so
operators can distinguish small features in a scene, thus making them ideal for
facial recognition and similar applications.
All products in the Bosch HD portfolio feature
advanced H.264 video compression, intuitive operator software, ONVIF
conformance and a “vision-friendly” 16:9 aspect ratio, according to Gert van
Iperen, director of Bosch Security. In addition, the Bosch H.264 implementation
offers the benefits of broadcast quality video with up to 50 percent less
storage space compared to MPEG-4; with every detail in the image captured
without compromise in frame rate, thus improving object recognition, van Iperen
said.
BIGGER IS BETTER
Honeywell’s HD3MDIP fixed mini-dome camera
INSIDE AND OUT
Toshiba Surveillance Video has
combined fault tolerant engineering with multi-format support of up to 32 IP
network cameras – including megapixel models – in its new NVS network video
recorder. Capable of speeds up to 30 pictures-per-second per camera with audio,
NVS recorders are a single-box networking solution for IP video surveillance
applications demanding ultra-high resolution recording, mass storage capacity
up to 4TB, and compatibility with cameras from all major manufacturers. Dozens
of Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) control protocols are also
supported.
All models are field upgradeable, thus eliminating the need to
send units away for service. Available internal RAID 5 achieves full data
redundancy, while multiple levels of security prevent unauthorized access.
Video signal loss detection alerts administrators if a camera is no longer
functioning.
Casino security personnel can use this equipment to conduct
searches based on motion, sensor events, thumbnail previews, or graphical
timelines. Once located, targeted video can be exported as AVI video, JPEG
images or as individual frames printed out for further review later. Search,
playback and backup are performed simultaneously.
For surveillance outside a casino, Toshiba offers
the IK-7100A day/night color bullet cameras that include several features that
improve their ruggedness, imaging prowess and installation. Encased in a
weather-resistant IP66-rated metal housing, the IK-7100A resists corrosion, bad
weather and vandalism, while 16 long-range, high-intensity infrared LEDs
enhance performance of the camera in dark conditions where object detection and
subject recognition is critical. The 850nm LEDs are invisible to the human eye
yet illuminate a clear image at over 30 feet in total
darkness.
Toshiba offers two analog versions: The
IK-7100A-3.6 has a 3.6mm lens for a wider sight range, while the IK-7100A-8 has
8.0mm lens for mid-range applications.
VISUALLY APPEALING
An
upgraded version of the VisualCasino system has been introduced by Biometrica Systems Inc.
“VisualCasino 6 includes new facial
recognition software package that is many times more effective than in previous
versions,” said James M. Pepin, vice president of sales and marketing at
Biometrica. “Incorporating the best technology used in systems employed by
government and airports, this next generation solution will enable casinos to
better control who enters and plays on their premises. It is designed to be
even more user friendly than earlier systems.”
Features of this system include the automated
Live Recognition program that can be used in certain key areas (such as at
turnstiles, escalators or other places where most patrons will be facing in one
direction) to search all faces 24/7. Casino security personnel can direct
surveillance cameras to capture images of suspected people. The program will
then automatically search existing databases to see if they match any known
persons the casino would like to keep out.
“The program can quickly scan the suspected
person and see if he matches any of 4,000 or so people in the database and in a
fraction of the time a human might take, and alert surveillance personnel when
a close enough match warrants closer review,” Pepin said.
Also added to VisualCasino 6 is the Mobile
Communications Module so that surveillance can send alerts (photos and data)
about a person of interest right to a manager on the casino floor. The alert
goes through a secure connection to an iTouch, iPhone or other web-based phone,
Pepin noted.
I’VE SEEN A FACE
The iGWatch Facial
Recognition System offered by iView Systems also enables security people to flag a suspicious person seen
entering on a surveillance camera.
“Instead of flipping through mug books to
verify the match, iGWatch automatically checks the person’s face against stored
images,” said Martin Drew, president of iView. The scanning and checking
process is performed instantaneously, enabling security to intercept the
verified miscreant before he can vanish inside the casino.
The system, which seamlessly integrates with
iView’s iTrak Incident Reporting and Risk Management System, also can be used
to flag problem gamblers, or even alert employees to high rollers to provide
them instant recognition and service.
DEFINED POSSIBILITIES
Sanyo Security Products Group offers
a line of full high-definition surveillance cameras and video recording systems
for critical security monitoring.
The HD Series consists of nine HD
full-frame-rate cameras that capture crisp yet clear video images with up to 4
megapixel resolution. Images captured by these cameras provide six times the
detail as earlier cameras using standard definition or analog formats.
Applications include not only monitoring portals where the improved capture of
facial details pinpoint miscreants, but also at cash cages where cheating can
be stopped and mistakes corrected by capturing banknote serial numbers and
details on customers’ hands like jewelry or tattoos.
The line also contains three compact box cameras
(all with CS mount lenses, focus assist drive and a camera motion noise
reduction system) that are offered in two day/night versions and one color
version.
NICE AND EASY
NiceVision Roulette
EYE IN THE SKY
The Oncam IP cameras from North American Video (NAV) feature Grandeye technology that enables 360-degree
surveillance in 5-megapixel digital and 3-megapixel
analog formats with 12-bit 5- and 3-megapixel color and image processing along
with sophisticated video analytics.
Oncam cameras are designed with several unique
features, including on-board camera generation of multiple, independent
perspective-corrected virtual camera views (up to four), each of which can be
controlled manually or by using the in-camera video analytics.
“The cameras also feature support for
electronic pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) functionality throughout the entire 360-degree
field of view during live viewing or playback,” said Daniel Jackson, system specialist
at NAV.
Complete scenes can be viewed in panoramic or
multi-view screen mode. The latter is supported by the camera and may be
composited at the client end in either the NVR or on a PC running a standard
Web browser.
GETTING THE LOWDOWN
IndigoVision North America has introduced the 11000
PTZ Series of high-definition security cameras that can be used in everyday
CCTV applications that provide high image quality in very low
bandwidths.
For use in day/night applications, the HD PTZ Dome camera
incorporates a dedicated encoder chip, which guarantees full frame rate
(25/30fps) HD video under all conditions.
“Its unique use of pure digital signaling from sensor to network
results in typical bandwidths of 2Mbps to a maximum of only 6Mbps under full
PTZ,” said Oliver Vellacott, CEO of IndigoVision.
Both HD and SD cameras can operate seamlessly on
the same network. And the HD 11000 has a 10 times optical and 12 times digital
zoom, allowing operators to zoom in and identify fine detail such as license
plates and people’s faces.
ZOOMING IN
Infinova's V6221-G Series zoom camera
MARSHALL PLAN
Technology
also is advancing in equipment used in the rooms where security personnel
monitor feeds from all secreted cameras.
The MD series of rack-mounted monitors fromMarshall Electronics integrate Telecast Fiber System’s TeleCube
Fiber-Optic HD/SDI transmission input/output modules. These new fiber modules
deliver the industry’s broadest range of digital rates while maintaining
pristine signal quality that broadcasters and integrators demand. And they
provide video imaging comparable to that used in television broadcast
production.
MD series monitors offer a flexible modular solution to system
integration. They can be configured with a variety of video inputs that can be
“swapped” or interchanged in the field based on your evolving needs and
requirements. This eliminates the need to upgrade or replace equipment when a
different input or application is required.
The monitors also come in a variety of sizes and configurations,
with the new V-MD434 and V-MD503 monitors featuring a new slim design with
advanced front panel menu and feature control.
SIDEBAR: Under the dome
An array of Sanyo high definition security cameras
James J. Hodl
is a Chicago-based freelance writer covering the gaming industry. He can be contacted at +1 773 777 5710; or by e-mail at j.hodl@worldnet.att.net.
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