CANTERBURY, Kent, England — A new, purpose-built visitor center at Canterbury Cathedral is being protected by an IDIS end-to-end video solution as part of a $34 million renovation project at the UNESCO Heritage site.

The new welcome center for visitors is an integral piece to the seven-year program to preserve and safeguard the 15-centuries-old masterpiece of English Gothic architecture — the mother church of the worldwide Anglican communion.

The center — with retail facilities, a viewing gallery and community studio exhibition space — is protected with a video solution which combines discrete monitoring with high-performance image capture.

Systems integrator Hall & Kay Security Engineering was tasked with delivering a solution that would be affordable, easy-to-use, and allow for comprehensive real time monitoring, while ensuring reliable recording without data loss. And because this was part of a much wider project, the video technology also had to be fast and easy to install — essential for avoiding project overruns in this complex, multidisciplinary construction environment, and preventing any delays to the new welcome center’s opening.

Based on previous experience, Hall & Kay recommended IDIS end-to-end technology, incorporating cameras, recorders, VMS and essential peripherals. The Korean-manufactured IDIS tech also gives Canterbury assurance of manufacturing origin and high-level cybersecurity protection, with its multilayered encryptions and proprietary protocols to safeguard sensitive video data.

To give high-definition video coverage of the welcome center’s entrances, retail area and exhibition spaces, Hall & Kay installed IDIS Full HD DC-4223WRX IR dome cameras. These vandal-resistant models come equipped with varifocal lenses, true WDR and IR LED to deliver clear images even in challenging and variable lighting conditions. They connect to three 16-channel DD-1216 NVRs to handle recording and deliver 480ips live view with no visible latency.

Easy plug-and-play allowed for seamless and rapid connectivity and mutual two-factor authentication of devices streamlined cybersecurity measures, a feature of IDIS DirectIP solutions.

The license-free IDIS Center VMS gives the cathedral constable and his security team complete visual awareness and easy control tools for efficient management, plus the ability to configure specific user permissions to give senior staff and system administrators timely access to video footage.

The IDIS cameras, NVRs and VMS discretely blend with the center’s architecture without detracting from the visitor experience, while providing effective real-time monitoring.

“The solution is now protecting property, enhancing safety for visitors and staff, and providing a complete record of events at one of the UK’s busiest and most important heritage sites,” says David Stokes, divisional director, Hall & Kay Security Engineering.

He continues, “The IDIS end-to-end solution allowed us to present this important customer with a compelling business case, with no up-front or ongoing licensing fees, extended warranties and a low total cost of ownership. The solution is also highly flexible and scalable, thanks to long-term hardware support and forward- and backward-compatibility, which future-proofs the cathedra’s investment.”

“The choice of IDIS video for this most sensitive of sites is testament to the reliability, quality and cybersecurity of our Korean-made tech,” adds Jamie Barnfield, senior sales director, IDIS Europe. “This is just one of many projects we are working on with Hall & Kay in-line with the IDIS philosophy of building sustainable strategic partnerships with integrators and end user customers.”

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