cglaeser

Why 30 fps? Best, Christopher

Have Arecont prices come down recently? Some of the google prices are lower than I recall in the past. Best, Christopher

+1. Some VMS apps make this very easy to do. The client VMS can connect to multiple remote VMS servers and, subject to connection rates, everything will work as though it was local. Best, Christopher

My personal preference for a home is domes. Because you can't see where they are pointing, the eye is less likely to notice them. My neighbors are unaware that I have cameras unless I point them out. Also, it's more difficult to tamper with a dome. My neighbor owns a used car lot, and the burglars used a long 2x4 to re-aim all the bullet cameras and then continue with the burglary out of site. Best, Christopher

Can we assume the four sites are on four different LANs? Best, Christopher

Agreed. Rather than put the NAS somewhere you can't see or hear it, why not put an Exacq server somewhere you can't see or hear it? You can run an Exacq client anywhere, including the LAN or remotely over the internet. The Exacq client works just the same when run on the server or on a remote system. FWIW, this is how I use Exacq. I built an Exacq server on a linux HP Z200 (but you can use something with a smaller footprint), and I run an Exacq client on a Windows system elsewhere on the LAN. Best, Christopher

Have you tried mounting a virtual drive on the NAS and see if a VMS will write to that drive? Best, Christopher

Operating systems will slow to a crawl and sometimes even freeze up if there are too many files in one directory. Fortunately, you are using an Axis camera, which is one of the few that can create new subdirectories using ftp. The file name format string is quite versatile, and you can include things like day and time in the name of the subdirectories. This way, they never get too full. Also, over time, you can delete old subdirectories if they are named by date. All that said, I would strongly recommend you avoid all of this and get a VMS application. I prefer Exacq, bu almost any of them are better than trying to fool around with ftp uploads. Best, Christopher

Forgot to mention, you can also get a demos of the Exacq client and/or server. M Miller at the Wire Guys can set you up. Best, Christopher

Exacq also works on the iPad. Due to the screen size, Exacq on the iPad is awesome. Also, if you currently own any of the supported smartphones or tablets, you can download the Exacq demo for free. You can connect to cameras they have at the Exacq office. This is one of the reasons I like Exacq. Another benefit is that eMail notification actually works. Many cameras and NVRs claim to support eMail, but many have problems with ISP ports and other issues. Best, Christopher

If you use ExacqVision as the NVR, then Exacq mobile on the iPhone will play back recorded video. The only caveat is you have to specify the time of the play back in a ten minute window. For example, you could request to see video recorded at 2:05 am for 10 minutes, and if there was something recorded between 2:05 and 2:15, it will show you what was recorded. However, you can't request a streaming playback of anything that occurred after 2:05 and see something that started recording at 2:33. I have requested the ability to see when events were recorded, and they have acknowledged this would be useful and may add this to a future release, but it was not on the development schedule the last time I talked to Exacq. I have not tested the Android, but I think it works the same. The cool thing about Exacq mobile is the connection speed. It comes up pretty fast. And, you can add multiple servers, multiple views, and multiple cameras, and zip around the different views pretty quickly, rotate, zoom in, zoom out. I don't use PTZ, but that's supported too. I tested it on the Exacq server, and you can move the cameras around, but there is a lag. You could see over here and see over there, but tracking someone who is walking is likely too tedious. Best, Christopher

Perhaps the JPEG detail and fps settings are too high, so I've reduced those settings to see if there is any improvement, but my Panasonic 502 has been choking with increasing regularity. The Exacq client indicates that the 502 data rate starts to drop well below 100 kB/s, and at that point, it no longer records motion. Sometimes the camera will clear the backlog within tens of minutes and sometimes it takes a couple hours. Any motion during that period is lost. Cycling power clears the problem until it happens again. The problem usually occurs at night, but does occur during the day, and happens two or three times every 24 hours. Is this normal? If the data settings are too high for the NVR, shouldn't the camera degrade some of the parameters (e.g. JPEG compression and/or fps) so as not to drop everything on the floor? Best, Christopher

The problems with the 502 persisted so I contacted Panasonic technical support. They sent me firmware 1.10 and application 1.07 to install on the camera (these releases are not available for download on the Panasonic website and must be requested). I installed the new releases yesterday and thus far seems to be working better, but won't know for certain for a few more days or so. Best, Christopher

Thanks Rory, you always make me laugh. Best, Christopher

I'll take that bet. I just finished soldering the wiring harness for an Inovonics RS232 Receiver to mate it with a PC and now I'm installing the SDK in Visual Studio 2010 so I can develop a custom interface. But it's good to know that if I have any questions on how to debug C# I can always come here and get help. Best, Christopher

I know exactly where you are coming from. Last week I gave two hour presentation/Q&A for the homeowners association. I prepared a two-page outline that covered a range of security topics including home security vulnerabilities and suggestions on what to do about them. And, while I probably know more about security cameras than anyone who will come to their house, I'm not an alarm/camera installer. Many of them come to me for advice on what to ask their installer, and that is certainly a big help. As for my own security system, it's way too high tech for the typical installer. I know there are installers that know a great deal about alarms and cameras and all the glue that holds it together, and some are on this forum, but that is the exception rather than the rule. Plus, I do enjoy designing and building things myself. Best, Christopher

The Exacq viewer for the iPhone is excellent. People are always impressed when they see it. I'm impressed with the connection speed. When an outdoor motion sensor is faulted, I can pull out my iPhone and monitor the camera in seconds. Due to the size, the iPad viewer is even more stunning. Avigilon has plans to release an iPhone app this quarter. Looking forward to a comparison with Exacq. On the connection speed front, Exacq is going to be tough to beat. In contrast, the Honeywell Ademco Total Connect iPhone app is a pig pig pig. It takes almost a minute to connect, and it's nothing but a remote keypad. What on earth is it doing all that time? Oink, oink. Best, Christopher

You want to do analytics on 500+ IP cameras and your preference is to do it at the central station? Why? Best, Christopher

Yes, either that panel, or if you don't have a need for wired zones, Honeywell Ademco LYNX. Best, Christopher

Just received a product communication from HP that says the 6gb drives are not supported on most (all?) of their current workstations and may not function properly, including Z200/Z400/Z600/Z800 to name a few. In theory, these drives are backward compatible. I'm guessing this is just a CMA and the drives probably do work fine. I put a Seagate 2TB 6gb drive in my Z200 and it's been working fine. Anyone else have information on 6gb compatibility issues? Best, Christopher

So, if you get the VCM, can mount as a VBM but not using the extra base? Best, Christopher

The exacq client software is indeed nice. You can connect a client to multiple servers, local and/or remote. exacq on the iPhone is excellent. Connections are surprisingly quick and video response is good, even over 3G. The demo lets you connect to servers at Exacq and view a wide range of cameras. I'm guessing the andriod implementation is similar to the iPhone. My exacq rep is Michael Miller at The Wire Guys. Exceptional service and very knowledgeable. Best, Christopher

I feel your pain. Regarding speed, even that is often half ass. If they mention the aperture, it's generally only on the wide end. What's the point of building a varifocal lens if it's only going to be used on the wide end. C'mon. Tell us how the lens will perform at the long end, you know, just in case someone out there actually plans to use it at something other than wide angle. Best, Christopher

Excellent. I'll send you photos of the proposed site when I get a chance. There is a long entrance that goes straight towards the clubhouse before making a left or right at the T. The entrance and exit has two wide lanes separated by an island, making the total width about six lanes. The cars turn left or right about 100 feet from the clubhouse. With cameras under the eves pointing straight down the entrance/exit, we should be able to get plates during the day and vehicles at night no problem, but if we can get plates at night, that would be good too. Best, Christopher

Avigilon is slow to post samples of new cameras, and those samples that are posted have been relatively sparse. Installers generally have good things to say about the cameras. I find it particularly interesting that Avigilon was added to the list of cameras to consider for low light (in a recent thread on this forum). Would love to see low light from both the new H.264 cameras and the 5 mp. I've been talking to a home owners association that wants to install a new camera system. Avigilon might be the way to go with that project. Best, Christopher