Chisinau, with more than 700,000 inhabitants, is the largest city in Moldova and also the country's political, economic and cultural centre. The very first record of Chisinau dates back to the 15th century. It achieved city status in the early 19th century and became the capital when the Moldavian Soviet Socialistic Republic was established.

With the city’s long and fascinating past, there are many historical sites that attract tourists. Chisinau City Hall, located in the central part of the city, is more than 110 years old, and acts as the hub of the capital city. Built in an Italian Gothic style, Chisinau City Hall is itself one of the city’s historical and architectural monuments.

In this project, several Vivotek IP cameras were installed, including the IP7361, FD8161 and SD8362E. All are equipped with a 2-megapixel CMOS sensor and removable IR-cut filter. With superior video technology, these cameras not only deliver the superb image quality around the clock, but also optimise bandwidth usage. Exceptional image quality is especially important for the Chisinau City Hall, where accurate identification 24 hours a day is required.

Designed for outdoor surveillance, the IP7361 features several advanced features that ensure excellent monitoring performance, including an auto-iris lens, mounting bracket with cable management, tamper detection and weather-proof IP67-rated housing. The SD8362E, another outdoor camera used for this project, is designed especially for monitoring wide-open indoor or outdoor spaces or situations where high precision is required. In addition to using a weather-proof housing, the SD8362E can operate in a wide range of temperatures between -40°C and 55°C, ensuring normal operation even under extreme weather conditions. Since Moldova’s average temperature in January is −4°C, the SD8362E, with such strong weather-proofing features, was considered to be a most suitable choice.

Moreover, because it is equipped with WDR technology, the SD8362E provides clear images even under high-contrast or backlit lighting conditions. The FD8161, featuring superb megapixel image quality, provides wide coverage while delivering the finest details.

With other advanced features such as 802.3af PoE, an SD/SDHC card slot, and real-time MPEG-4 and MJPEG compression technology, the IP7361, FD8161 and SD8362E are three ideal cameras for enhancing security inside and outside of Chisinau City Hall.

Sharon Lee, Director of Vivotek’s Europe Business Division, stated: “It’s our great pleasure to have been chosen by Chisinau City Hall. Preservation of the historic building and surroundings should be emphasised and highly valued. A comprehensive security infrastructure with a high-quality and seamless surveillance system is pivotal to this preservation. Vivotek’s cameras, with numerous advanced features, such as video cropping for bandwidth saving, tamper detection, removable IR-cut filter, and built-in IR illuminators, are the best choices for this project.”