Since September 2007, the Aretina Port Operator has maintained a strategic alliance with the Bananapuerto Port Terminal, for the development and operation of port services for Containers and General Cargo.
By NVT*
Bananapuerto is a Multipurpose Terminal and Primary Zone, with an area of 120,000 m2. In addition, it has a pier 320 meters long and 40 meters wide.
Although Bananapuerto already had a security system that included a complete closed circuit television system, CCTV, its expansion and modernization was necessary.
To achieve these objectives, the Segudatos Company was hired, headed by Engineer Enrique Tinoco, who thanks to his extensive experience in the sector, offered a modern video surveillance system based on a modular architecture of the latest technology.
The challenge was not easy. The distances to be covered ranged from a few meters to approximately 1.2 km. Given the nature of the activity within the Port Terminal, a wireless or fiber optic solution was expensive and difficult to perform.
That is why Segudatos opted for a hybrid video surveillance solution, with high-resolution analog cameras, integrated into a structured cabling system of the latest technology that would allow an excellent reception of the images in the Control Center and access via LAN / WAN networks; while laying the groundwork – infrastructure – for an easy future migration to IP.
The integration of the video surveillance system -composed of about 120 fixed and mobile cameras- to the structured cabling system was achieved with the use of PVD technology developed and offered by Network Video Technologies – NVT.
This solution allows to consolidate in a single UTP cable -Cat5 or higher- all the signals that analog cameras need to operate: Video transmission, power and reception of the control signal (usually known as Power, Video and Data or PVD).
When working with large distances between the cameras and the Control Center, it is necessary to have intermediate consolidation nodes, where PVD concentrators are located. It is these hubs that allow each and every camera to be interconnected using a single UTP cable and RJ45 connectors for better system reliability and durability.
From the intermediate PVD hubs, one UTP cable is sent for every four cameras to the Control Center, allowing great cable savings throughout the system. Finally, the UTP cables that reach the control center are connected to video receivers – passive or active, depending on the distances to the cameras – which, in turn, deliver the video signals in BNC connectors for easy connection to the storage and control equipment.
Diagram of the PVD System with NVT Intermediate Integrators In the particular case of the Port Terminal, five nodes were designed, whose distances to the control center range between 175 and 875 meters. The location of these nodes was strategic, to guarantee distances to the cameras of maximum 250 meters, so that there was no degradation in the signals to and from the cameras.
As for equipment, each fixed camera carries a PVD transceiver model NV-216A-PV, which receives the video signal from the camera and in turn gives it 24VAC for power; mobile cameras use the NV-218A-PVD transceiver that additionally delivers the control signal.
In the collection nodes, NV-16PS10-PVD intermediate concentrators are used and in the control center there are NV-1613S receivers for the cameras located less than 225 meters, NV-1642 for intermediate distances up to 460 meters and NV-1672 for distances greater than 460 meters.
As an example, in the case of the node located at 875 meters, for each intermediate hub of 16 ports, only four UTP cables were sent to the control center, allowing a saving of 12 sections of 875 meters, equivalent to 10.5 km less cable. This cable saving is associated with a lighter infrastructure and savings in labor and construction execution time.
This huge cost savings is just one of the benefits of NVT's PVD solutions. Thanks to its excellent performance, the images obtained in the control center are of excellent quality, all the video ports -of the entire system- are protected against voltage transients, the after-sales maintenance is practically reduced to preventive work, there is a lifetime warranty with anticipated replacements for all NVT equipment, without exception and, very importantly, the nodes are ready to allow an easy and quick future migration to an IP system.
In short, NVT's PVD technology enabled the expansion and modernization of an entire video surveillance system, allowing great savings in materials, labor and execution time, while offering excellent image quality and performance of the entire system. Likewise, the useful life of the entire investment is significantly extended.
* If you would like more information about this article, contact Jaime Trujillo, Business Development Manager for Central America and the Andean Region of the company Network Video Technologies – NVT, in the email [email protected]
