Arecont Vision Megapixel Cameras Make Top Grades at Lake Forest High School


Megapixel Solution

The surveillance system at Lake Forest High School now includes a total of 89 Arecont Vision cameras, including an assortment of 1.3 megapixels and 3-megapixel single sensor cameras as well as 8-megapixel panoramic cameras.

Arecont Vision cameras send digital video signals across the school’s IT infrastructure to two servers running network video recorder (NVR) software supplied by Exacq Technologies. The collaboration between Arecont Vision and Exacq Technologies ensures interoperability of Arecont Vision’s megapixel cameras with the Exacq Vision NVR platform. Video images at the school are stored on two 15-terabyte servers.

The Arecont Vision AV1300 1.3 Megapixel Camera with a 1/2” CMOS sensor provides 1280 x1024-pixel video at 32 frames-per-second. Features include image cropping, a region of interest viewing and the ability to zoom into an image after it is recorded to see details. Built with Arecont Vision’s MegaVideo® technology, the camera provides image processing at 6 billion operations per second and light sensitivity to 0.1lux at f1.4.

For situations needing higher resolution images, Lake Forest High School utilizes the Arecont Vision AV3100 3 Megapixel Camera offering 2048x1536-pixel images and light sensitivity to 0.2 lux at f1.4.

Lake Forest High School also uses the 180-degree Panoramic Arecont Vision AV8180 8 Megapixel Camera. The AV8180 can be used to view large coverage areas with extreme detail providing coverage equivalent to as many as 24 conventional cameras. The AV8180 employs four 2-megapixel sensors and provides up to 6400x1200-pixel images at 5.5 fps, or can be set for lower resolutions at higher frame speeds. The AV8180 also provides image cropping and up to four regions of interest.

Megapixel Benefits

Mark Lesmeister of Video and Sound Service, Co. along with David Owen of Ocom sales opened the customer’s eyes to the benefits of Arecont Vision megapixel cameras.

“The addition of Arecont Vision’s megapixel camera solutions allowed us to get better picture quality from cameras that cost less than competing VGA cameras,” said Brad Balonick, Information Technology Systems Coordinator at Lake Forest High School. “Since superior image quality could be purchased for less than some standard IP cameras, we opted to upgrade their system with Arecont Vision megapixel cameras and we got a great system. It has great picture quality, works easily and is reliable.”

Lake Forest High School’s megapixel camera system has resolved many security issues at the school - from theft to vandalism - and has assisted with various non-security issues. For example, megapixel video helps administrators monitor and adjust traffic patterns as parents and buses arrive and depart from the campus.

Now when administration calls for a particular video, the IT department can successfully deliver high-quality video as a result of the Arecont Vision megapixel cameras. “The picture quality is much better than any camera we have used before,” said Mr. Balonick.

A word about the system’s success at Lake Forest High School is getting around, and Mr. Owen has had three other school systems visit or speaks to Mr. Balonick this year to discuss the system. Of those inquiries, one system was sold, one is in the design phase and the other is being budgeted.

“The education market can benefit from the performance advantages and cost-efficiencies inherent with megapixel cameras,” said Wayne Ridinger, Central Regional Sales Manager, Arecont Vision. “Covering larger areas with fewer cameras contributes to ROI at a time when education budgets are stretched to the limit.”

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.