“CCTV is becoming increasingly commonplace in nurseries”

Honeycomb provides a range of CCTV systems covering
both internal and external security.

The benefits of a Honeycomb system include:

• Helping with staff training and maintaining standards of care
  
• Resolving misunderstanding
  
• Deterring vandalism and burglary during out-of-hours
  
• Aiding the police in case something does happen
  
• Showing parents how children behave at nursery
  or school
  
• Recording special moments, such as a child's
  first steps.

CCTV can improve the attractiveness of your school or nursery
to parents and staff, resulting in lower staff recruitment costs
and help deliver better standards of childcare.

Honeycomb CCTV is the only system designed specifically for day nurseries and schools. Its advantages over traditional CCTV systems include the ability to clearly recognise children's faces, ease-of-use, and integration with third-party management software. This means greater benefit from the system and pressures on staff time are reduced.

Cameras

Honeycomb cameras can be mounted either inside or
outside the nursery. In either case dome cameras are used.
Inside, these have the advantages of being less intrusive,
so everybody soon forgets they are there. Outside, vandal
and weather resistant cameras are available for even the
most demanding locations. All the cameras operate in low
light conditions and, for external use, ultra-low light, dual
mode cameras can be fitted, which automatically switch to
black and white when it gets darker. These deliver the best
quality pictures even at night, especially when combined
with automatic lights. Infra-red and other types of specialist
cameras are also available.

If putting cameras in classrooms or playrooms, fitting
cameras with three gimbals is recommended. This
gives extra flexibility and means that the cameras are not
restricted to being mounted on the ceiling (which is usually
too high to see anything but children's heads) or in the
centre of a wall (which often causes large blind zones).
The optimum location for a camera is usually in the corner
of the room, mounted about 6 feet high.

Recording

Honeycomb CCTV systems can be set to record to a
schedule or to start recording when they sense motion
or when triggered by something else, such as the intruder
alarm.

Video files can be saved for any period specified (typically
one month) with automatic over-write of the oldest.
Important files can be saved to another storage device
such as a DVD, CD or memory stick. They can also be
transmitted over the network to other PCs.

Replay and live monitoring

Video can be watched live on the server looking at a single
camera full screen, or all the cameras multi-screen, up to 64
at once, as well as combinations in-between. For users with
the correct access rights, historical video can also be
replayed, all via an easy-to-use, intuitive Windows based
interface. Honeycomb comes with its own dedicated flat
screen 17” monitor, keyboard and mouse or pictures can
be viewed using an existing PC.

Future proofing

Honeycomb CCTV systems are internet enabled now,
meaning that a manager can monitor what's going on
remotely from another site or from home. It also means
that if, for example, a nursery wants to open up the
CCTV to parents, via the Teletoddler service, it does not
need to upgrade the server or develop its own secure
website. It has all been done already and simply needs
to be switched on.

Data Protection Act

Honeycomb also provides a Data Protection Policy and
can help you with all aspects of compliance

CCTV server specification

• Real-time multi-channel video recorder, multiplexer and
  transmission server.
• Simultaneous playback, recording, live display and
  transmission
• Alarm, pre-alarm, scheduled recording and motion
  detection
• Hardware and software watchdogs (for automatic crash
  recovery)
• 4-16 audio and video inputs per card
• Advanced MPEG-4 compression codec with average
  frame size 2.5KB
• Up to 30 frames per second recording capability
• Recording and transmission resolution up to
  720x576 pixels (DI or DVD standard also available)
• Remote application software for multi-sites. Camera
  online viewing, playback and recording available via
  LAN and the internet
• Support simultaneous local and remote
  Pan/Tilt/Zoom control
• Easy to use, MS Windows® based interface
• Proprietary file system for speedier data access
  and stability
• Expandable with capability for integration with burglar
  alarm or the control of other equipment.
• Email and SMS text capability on alarm
• Multiple user accounts for enhanced security
• Local analogue video out capability
  (e.g. for parents' room)
• Auto-updating anti-virus and security software.