Tailbone215

Try getting the LEDS on the edges of the LCD glass as this will act like fiber optics and distribute the light evenly. I am confident you will be please with the results.

The stuff will definitely do the job really well. I have seen some high quality multi-zone irrigation cables used on golf courses that will withstand just about anything you can throw at it. It isn't cheap, but you will have to determine if this is the best way to go from an economics perspective. You still have to run UTP or coax, so it might be a waste.

I think this true, but has anyone really done a genuine apples-to-apples comparison? I would think and hope that the major players are offering something value added that would make customers and installers want these products. I guess what I am asking is what separates the big boys from the inexpensive Chinese crap one sees on eBay?

This is a possibility, but I think that everyone is over-thinking this. I've modded many displays in my days using simple yellow or green LEDs and haven't run into any issues. Actually worked really well with very even illumination. I think what he is trying to do isn't complicated. He can get a few LEDs and resistor and have a go at it. If the visible LEDs show promise in even illumination, they will, he can go one step farther an try the IR LEDs and keep the IR cut filter open on his camera. There are many ways to go, just experiment.

That's easy to solve. First off I would scrap the idea of using IR on this. Secondly, the easy solution here is to take the cover off that houses the LCD display and add a few LEDs on the very edge of the glass display. This is how they illuminate them. This should solve your problem. If you want to take this a step farther, after all LED work is done, you can make a simple viewing cone like they had in the old days for the Tektronix O-Scopes. This will prevent any stray light from interfering with your cam.

Why don't you just use the remote control and monoriting software that comes with the radio? You're trying to overcomplicate the situation.

Yep, very good points. Some of these cheaper cams recommended here do perform well in certain applications.

That said, I would be more worried about getting paid the balance after you complete the job. Yes, you have to have enough padding in your proposals to cover the extremely rare deadbeat. Don't forget your "competition" might not have the overhead you do. No sense in working if you have to eat dirt cookies after paying your help.

No job is to small. You seem to be missing the point. All I'm saying is if you have to deal with temperamental customers and/or install crap it will cost you more in the long run. I would rather walk away from a $5k job if it is going to cost me well above the allotted time, labor, and stomach lining dealing with nonsense. The resources wasted dealing with an avoidable situation is much better spent on another job making money. Just my thoughts. This philosophy has kept my bread well buttered.

I must say that Soundy is giving you sound advice, especially for what monetary value you are paying for it. I'm with him, install the proper equipment the right way the first time and charge accordingly. If your potential customer starts barking about your pricing in the proposal than you know this customer isn't right for you. When you start compromising and negotiating with a potential customer you have already signed your death sentence as this will ultimately bite you in the ass. Leave the hack jobs to the low-ballers and make your money by employing disaster recover cleaning up their mess. When I get a bad feeling about a potential customer I don't fight that feeling I put my tail between my legs and run like a scalded dog.

Sorry, I haven't the slightest idea on this. Call Geovision's tech support line and see what they can come up with. Hopefully they will have an answer.

If only everything were that simple here. The contactor(s) are zoned and controlled by a Sun-Tracker timer or other computer type interface. Plus, line voltage going out to these light poles can vary. We have 120, 208, and 277v lighting. The joys of multi-tap transformers in these ballasts.

You just have to have confidence in your work. Put a pull line in there and you can come back at a later date and pull your cables. Would rather find a broken conduit with a pull string in there instead of damaged cabling or fiber. No sweating it either way. Good point here... in our case, the trench/pipe/bury part was already done when we got there for the cabling This is true if you are subbing this portion of the work out.

I think you will find most posts, especially ones for lighting have their power controlled by a contactor. This means you'll only get power when the lights are commanded on. I do realise that there are also street lighting and other applications where the lights are controlled by photocells. There's no assuming you will always have power 100% percent of the time on all poles.

You just have to have confidence in your work. Put a pull line in there and you can come back at a later date and pull your cables. Would rather find a broken conduit with a pull string in there instead of damaged cabling or fiber. No sweating it either way.

These are very good cameras, I really like them. I think what happened was someone, the previous owner, might have unplugged the com cable while doing an update via Bilinx. I'm assuming you bought this used? Here's a copy of the manual in PDF format. Pages 18-27 will tell you how to get to the menus and navigate to the "Default" settings. If you can get in try going to the Installer menu and reset. If you can't get in there you might try the Bilinx software and cable. The cable is about $100, going from memory. If this was an eBay purchase and you can't get passed this problem immediately return it for a refund. Oops, I forgot to post the link. http://resource.boschsecurity.com/documents/VDC485SeriesDom_InstallationGuide_FlexidomeXFAndDN_enUS_T3626540299.pdf

Thanks for testing this. I do stand corrected. I'm glad you have a solution to the problem and it isn't going to cost you anything. Good luck.

Of course the possability does exist that the password is stored in the NVRAM section of the motherboard as you say. I'm just saying that the embedded Linux OS is looking for a specific UIID of the HD that is used for storage. If the password info is stored on said HD and you unplug or install a other HD the machine will lock you out. Are you sure you are not being locked out? Only way to tell is to try a known working password with the HD unplugged. If it works the password info is in the MB's NVRAM, if not it is on the HD as I suggested. Did you test this? I never said that replacing the HD will "reset" the password. The HD does have a unique UUID and the hash for the password is on there. That's why I specifically recommended the OP contact Hikvision support. I pretty much doubt that. A Hikvision DVR can have a password even with no HD installed, so I don't think that it stores anything on the HD, since no HD is needed for having a password other than the deafult one. jethro36, I have to agree that if you have to spend too much time fixing this, it might be better to just trash the DVR, and buy a newer and better model. HD can be reused on another DVR.

Unless there is footage you specifically need to access, I would recommend that you simply destroy the HD and throw the DRV into the trash. If another is needed, buy another. Time is money. It is more economical to save your time and labor and get a better unit by upgrading. On a side note: I know many people buy decommissioned DVRs on the surplus market and run into the password dilemma looking for free help before they try to sell the unit. Another dead-end...

I never said that replacing the HD will "reset" the password. The HD does have a unique UUID and the hash for the password is on there. That's why I specifically recommended the OP contact Hikvision support.

The password info is stored on the HD. Your best bet is to call Hikvision tech support. They are very good and respond quickly.

Agreed! We've worked with most of the bigger companies and getting what needs to be done generally doesn't take more than 48-hours. I guess I should consider myself fortunate that I've built some pretty sound business relationships over the years...

Interesting! What the hell type of high tech traveller they put in there that the customer's maintenance contract they have with the present elevator servicing company couldn't cover? It sounds like they wanted to create a little drama to jack up your price. A good majority of customers have drawings on-site for their elevators, if not, the elevator company has them for a nominal fee. Pretty much any elevator company can provide what you need, even the rare independent ones. All of this is gravy for the elevator company.

Let me be blunt, well without sounding too blunt. You improperly installed a product without knowledge of its ability to be trouble free for your customer in the near future and you expect them to eat the costs for YOUR mistake. You intentionally or unintentionally installed the wrong cabling because it was the cheaper and easier solution than getting prior advice from individuals more experienced in this area. Like I said earlier, we get the proper outside contractors and vendors involved to make the install bulletproof prior to giving the proposal to the prospective customer. On that note, it is a very simple procedure to try to locate a pair of com wires in the traveler cable. We don't do that ourselves as it opens up another layer of liability we don't need. We give the customer the option to have their elevator company provide us the pair or we include this cost in the proposal, preferably subbing it to their elevator company. It is much cheaper for the customer to provide the pair as we charge accordingly to give them more incentive to pursue that route. Yes, we offer warranty. The bottom line, your situation is NOT warranty, it is correcting shoddy workmanship and restoring your company's good name. A happy customer is your best advertisement, use it to your advantage.

There's probably not much that could be said at this point if you are the original installer and ran the cable. The burden and expense is on you to correct the problem in accordance to local code. If you didn't run these cables you need to tell the customer to contact who did and have them correct the problem. The issue is you are now liable if you ran the cables or try to modify what someone else did. Either way, you need to work with the elevator company and eat that expense of them ringing out a pair for you. Probably no justifiable way to pass this cost to the customer as this should have been charged up front in the proposal. Obviously there are ways to get around the problem in a less than professional manor. I'll leave that up to someone else to answer.