Leading the IP way with Sony

Milestone Systems develops software for the end-to-end management of IP network video monitoring systems. All of its software products are based on open standards, and the company is committed to working with best-of-breed hardware vendors so customers get the best possible solution.

Milestone has been collaborating with Sony since the year 2001, when Sony introduced its first-ever IP-based network camera.

Today, following many years of product development and enhancements, Sony offers a strong and mature portfolio of cameras which are at the forefront of innovation. Milestone supports these cameras with its management software suite, XProtect. And in combination with Sony hardware, many customers around the world are now benefiting from the powerful surveillance and extremely clear performance it provides.

Furthermore, Milestone has even developed specific software functionality for use only with Sony cameras. XProtect allows operators to zoom in on objects simply by drawing a rectangle on the monitoring screen. This is an accurate and user-friendly way of controlling the zoom of a Sony camera, which ensures operators can respond to security incidents quickly and check details more closely when analysing recordings.

"As a network camera manufacturer who has long been at the forefront of the IP convergence trend, Sony was a top choice for Milestone since our earliest years in development. We have a dedicated team of experts ensuring support for the latest devices, and our close working relationship with Sony is very positive. As a high-end camera manufacturer, Sony fits perfectly with the Milestone mission to enable best-of-breed solutions."

Henrik Friborg, VP Strategic Alliances and co-founder of Milestone Systems

Case Study: Bristol Motor Speedway

Covering 26 square miles, the Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee is the third largest speedway in the U.S., behind only the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona. When it hosts particularly big events, around 300,000 people can descend upon the town, making it the most concentrated population anywhere in the world for such a small area.

The speedway has several camping grounds attached – with another 30 nearby to cope with the huge crowds. It is the responsibility of the Bristol Police Department to handle all security and safety issues, both within the speedway itself and these surrounding camping grounds.

Traffic problems are extremely demanding, and accidents and emergency health matters also arise. Furthermore, the sports events attract criminal activities that have to be controlled, such as theft, counterfeit ticketing, prostitution, drug dealing and so on. Plus, the police always have to be on the lookout for suspicious activity to mitigate the risk of terrorism.

Accelerating Police Protection

To help with their massive security challenge, the Bristol Police Department has installed a high-performance IP video surveillance solution incorporating Milestone XProtect software and Sony PTZ network cameras.

The Sony cameras, configured on a wireless network, offer excellent zoom capabilities. They are located on the high towers of the speedway, enabling the police to monitor all the nearby roads and camping grounds.

“The Sony camera images are so clear we can zoom in on live or recorded views over about a mile away and be able to see absolutely everything. But it’s not just the cameras themselves – it’s also the expert configuration of the Milestone software to handle the images,” said the Bristol Police Department Lieutenant.

Installed as a turnkey solution, the police were able to benefit from this new technology quickly – with only brief training required on how to zoom in on images for more detail and how to search for video evidence in the Milestone software.

The police now have an excellent overview of security on race days, and the detailed zoom-in capability allows for more effective management of situations under their responsibility. Plus, because the system is based on IP, it can easily be expanded in the future.

Milestone XProtect Software

Milestone XProtect video management software is an open platform that acts as the core of a total surveillance solution. It integrates all the elements and hardware into a cohesive, efficient system with an easy-to-use interface. It helps customers to “video enable” their organisation – thereby reducing costs, optimising processes and protecting assets.

XProtect is available in 10 languages (Arabic, Danish, Dutch, English, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Russian and Spanish), and has become a popular and proven solution for many satisfied customers the world over – providing them with powerful and reliable surveillance.

As the security industry continues its move towards IP-based solutions, Milestone Systems and Sony are leading the way – bringing customers substantial benefits in terms of efficiency, flexibility and scalability.

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