Dallmeier, developer and manufacturer of CCTV systems, recognized for its advanced solutions in casino surveillance, developed together with the company Barona Gaming Commission, the first real-time CCTV/IP system with digital matrix in the USA. by Dallmeier
The Barona Gaming Commission, an independent regulatory body that also controls casino surveillance at the Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino, searched for more than two years for the best system available. Finally, the Dallmeier Casino team was responsible for the production of a bespoke surveillance solution. The result is North America's first fully digital matrix system with 24/7 real-time recording.
"We used to use analog surveillance systems, but we decided to implement a more innovative technology," says Raymond Welch, director of surveillance at the Barona Gaming Commission. "It was simply too expensive to change and archive the tapes. In addition, the search for relevant images was too laborious and time-consuming. Even though analog systems are simple to operate, the reliability, simplicity and functionality of Dallmeier's digital system is much better."
Barona, the technological pioneer
Since the award-winning device opened its doors in 2003, the Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino has been known in the gaming industry for constantly developing new technologies and being the first to implement them. Barona developed, for example, the first Platform-wide Ticket-in/Ticket-out technology that can be found in every casino in the country. Barona's latest innovation was a patented fingerprint technology that is used by customers of the exclusive private gambling halls. Recently, in December 2005, Barona became the first casino in America to offer server-based gambling. Barona and IGT jointly develop games on the Barona site for an IGT server-based platform. This can fundamentally change the way casinos offer new games, themes and services (CRM) to their customers.
The Barona tribe and casino management are affected by state-of-the-art technology; there the choice of the system offered by Dallmeier was very logical.
"Dallmeier develops and manufactures products for the future," says Raymond Welch. "Barona's surveillance system will become an example for many other casinos in North America."
Welch adds: "One of the main reasons for the decision in favour of Dallmeier was that they understood our idea: to achieve a bespoke solution using the best technology available. With the implementation of the new system, Barona raised the level of technology even more, not only for indigenous casinos but for the entire sector."
System design and operation
During a visit to the site, Dallmeier's casino team had a first idea of the particularities, and finally designed a surveillance system tailored to the needs of the Barona Gaming Commission. The result is North America's first fully digital matrix, with real-time surveillance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More than 1100 MPEG DIS-2/M encoders record redundantly with a recording capacity of more than 330TB.
The DIS-2/M is a modular recording and transmission system built as a 19" rack of plug-in units. Based on the flexibility of assembly, it is the ideal solution for the surveillance of critical spaces in the casino in which a high quality of recording and transmission in real time in a compact way (broadcast quality) is essential.
The system is composed of modules that work based on the Linux security operating system. In each module it is possible to connect a video signal and an audio signal. There the video input is conceived as FBAS input and S-Video input. Each channel has four input and four output contacts for control and connection tasks. In addition, an RS232/RS485 port is available on each module for the control of PTZ cameras.
The modular structure of the system and the hotplug functionality of the individual modules (which are also available to the power supplies of the aircraft holder), ensure maximum availability of the integral system. Another advantage is the saving of 50% of space in it rooms which, naturally, has very positive effects in relation to costs.
The DIS-2/M records directly to the built-in memory and thus ensures maximum availability of the recorded data, even in the event of network problems or failures. This memory concept also minimises network demands (e.g. bandwidth). It should be noted that at the same time of the recording, it is possible to transmit live the signals of the camera as well as to play unlimited recorded sequences.
On the other hand, Casino Barona has begun to replace existing cameras with Dallmeier's CasinoCams® with Cam_inPIX® technology, with the innovative sensor concept of Cam_inPIX technology, based on the modern "Digital Pixel System® (DPS)" (Pixim platform). the point of the recording; in this way, even situations that show a wide range of contrasts can be recorded and documented with an image quality that was impossible to achieve until now. Thanks to specially developed software, CasinoCams® produce the best images under specific casino circumstances. Gambling preset, for example, is particularly suitable for video surveillance of roulette tables. Only with such a clear colour reproduction is it possible to reconstruct confusing situations as the reflections of the bright tiles are suppressed. The Poker Table preset is ideal for the clear identification of the cards on the different colours of the table covers (green, blue, black, brown, etc). Thanks to the high contrast reproduction and faithful colours, the printing of the cards can be perfectly identified, for example, and casinoCams® also have the Wheel (roulette) and Slot Machin (slot machine) presets.
The high quality of the Dallmeier cameras convinced those responsible for the Barona tribe and planning for other camera installations is already underway.
For the control of the system, workstations and walls with several monitors have been arranged. The system can be operated and controlled by keyboard, Jog-Shuttle and graphical user interfaces that have been specially adapted to the particularities of casino Barona.
Tested in detail
"To ensure optimum reliability and functionality, the system was thoroughly tested before commissioning," says Konrad Hechtbauer, Head of Dallmeier's Projects and Applications Team. "The complete system was built in all its parts at the Dallmeier plant in Regensburg, so that during the reception at the factory not only a part but the complete system could be examined and taken, including the total infrastructure and the network environment. Thanks to the great flexibility of the management software, already in the course of the reception in the factory and before the start-up, other adaptations to the particularities of the Barona Casino could be considered".
To ensure that the transition to the digital solution went smoothly and without causing damage to the service that was underway, the new system worked for a while in parallel with the previous system. A portion of the security personnel worked with the new system and were instructed so that, even from a personal point of view, no faults arose. Only then was the old system completely disconnected. This ensures that the customer receives a solution that fits their requirements optimally.
With the complete CCTV system in place since September 2006 at casino Barona, managers are already planning an extension of the video security system with Dallmeier.
The leaders of the Barona tribe are very impressed. Raymond Welch, Director of Surveillance, says: "The most important point in deciding in favour of Dallmeier was that for the first time they correctly understood our idea. Dallmeier has not simply tried to sell us its own products but developed an individual solution that exactly met our demands."
