IQCCTV, a Y3K company, has supplied over 100 of its dome cameras to the Park City Grand Plaza Kensington in central London. These cameras have been installed by IT and AV specialists, Fusionet, at this 250-room boutique hotel and serviced apartment complex in Kensington

The property is in a prestigious conservation area that features museums and foreign embassies. The installation was performed while complying with architectural restrictions at this 150-year-old Georgian-style block, since the client insisted on minimal structural alterations and wanted to continue using legacy analogue cabling. The cameras specified at the hotel are from the IQCCTV range, including the popular AHD (analogue high-definition) HD1080P vandal-resistant IR dome, which provides full-HD (1920 x 1080) resolution over coax.

Smart IR and wide dynamic range

IQCCTV’s HD-over-coax dome cameras are IP66-rated, vandal-resistant and offer up to 40 metres of smart IR night vision for true day-night operation. Smart IR night vision adjusts the amount of IR light that the camera’s integrated LEDs generate by intelligently assessing variations in lighting conditions. The extreme changes in lighting intensity as doors open and close at hotel foyers, such as this Kensington venue, are balanced by wide dynamic range (WDR) in the IQCCTV domes.

Backward compatibility

Low-light performance is also outstanding, with automatic gain control and digital slow shutter technology that ensures images remain clear down to 0.0003 lux. The IQCCTV AHD varifocal range includes a model that enables backward compatibility with older units by providing dual output of AHD 1080P or 960H. This also allows connection to a legacy 960H/D1 digital video recorder, if required.

The cameras’ capacity for 500-metre transmission distances without loss of quality has met and exceeded the client’s expectations at the Park City Grand Plaza Kensington. The HD images will benefit the hotel by allowing management to closely monitor any behaviour that may be a risk to guest welfare or a general threat to the building. Visitor behaviour is tracked and high-resolution images of staff carrying out their duties can also help with training and operational efficiencies.

Jacky Chin of Fusionet said, “Working with IQCCTV we have achieved reliable high-definition CCTV over coax. We’ve given the client exceptional images without changing the fabric of the 150-year-old landmark building. We have also avoided any disruption to regular activity.”