Powering high quality IP cameras to deter crime – a Colorado Springs Case Study

A good security camera surveillance system acts as a deterrent to crime. A great security camera surveillance system provides law enforcement with high resolution video and pictures that enable them to catch and prosecute the criminals that were not deterred. To do this, high quality IP cameras need to be strategically located throughout areas that require surveillance. 
 
These locations (the top of a light pole or the side of a building) will rarely be conveniently located near an AC or DC power source. In addition, they will commonly be located more than 100 meters apart - the maximum data transmission distance for copper-based Ethernet. This is when surveillance system technicians, designers and installers will reach for a PoE Media Converter or PoE Switch.
 
Mark Damon, Enterprise Architect for the City of Colorado Springs, found himself troubleshooting this exact scenario. He comments, “The existing system certainly acted as a deterrent to crime, however, the pixilation on the zoom of the analog camera was terrible. To install the latest cutting-edge surveillance system, with high resolution zoom capabilities, we needed to move to an IP based system. This meant we had to pretty much change everything.” 
 
PoE cameras were being installed at tactical locations through-out the city. They needed a solution that would provide power to the IP cameras as well as copper to fiber conversion for data transmission. And, even though all equipment would be installed inside NEMA outdoor enclosures, it still needed to be rated to operate in temperatures of -40°C to +75°C as a safeguard from the cold winters and hot summers of Colorado Springs.
 
Damon was initially interested in Perle PoE Media Converters as they would fulfill all of his requirements.  However, as he learned more about Perle products, he took one more thing into consideration…future installation of additional equipment. He comments, “The previous installation left us limited with connectivity to a single device. It was important to prepare for the future as I can see more gear like access points and additional cameras going up.”
 
Damon ultimately decided to install Perle IDS PoE Switches. They would operate in temperatures of -40°C to +75°C, provide 30 watts of power to the IP cameras, perform copper to fiber conversion for data transmission and, have three additional Ethernet ports for future expansion of additional PoE cameras, wireless access points, or other equipment. The Perle Switches are powered by an Industrial DIN Rail Power Supply.
 
Damon concludes, “The whole installation has been working great. The city arrested half a dozen people the first weekend after the new system was deployed.”