hardwired

Sometimes, when I have a not-so-well documented device, especially one that uses client software, I connect up with the device on a local network connection, and then open a DOS window, and run "netstat -a" to show all connections and ports open, this can help you find "mystery" operating ports.

I have cameras in two production area rooms where they mix salt into solution. In one, I installed a stainless Pelco DF5 dome, with a small Ikegami WDR cube cam.. Works fine, but $$$$. In another, I have a Pelco EH3512, and a ICS101 dome in place. The powdercoat is starting to peel on them, but the cams themselves are fine, after 2.5 years or so....

I would certainly try splicing the affected section first. The signal loss you are referring to is for the Cat5 data standards, you will not get losses anywhere near that much on a baseband analog video signal when splicing Cat5, due to the much lower frequencies involved. The "correct" way to do that splice, according to Cat5 standards, would be to terminate the ends of the cable with Cat5 plugs, and then use splices as shown in the other picture here. I, personally, would use the 3M "beans" that you are referring to, and keep the twist maintained as tight as possible. Reason? Durability. The splice blocks are going to be more sensitive to mechanical strain, moisture, as well as having twice as many contact areas to degrade. There is really no reason not to try this first, before going to the effort of replacing that much cable. Do make sure to check the cable a fair distance to either side of that damage area, your problem could be from the cable digging into the edge of a conduit fitting a fair distance from the center of the pulled area.

It's hard to give a definite answer on the lighting levels that will give an image that YOU find acceptable, however the general consensus here is that there are not too many better cams, for a lot of settings... BTW, why are you using a vandal proof, weather rated dome indoors? Kind of overkill, but you probably will not be disappointed.

The 3512's hold up reasonably well, and you may want to check the price comparison for stainless stuff, last time I checked, you could replace the 3512's a few times, with labor, and still break even on cost... BTW, the washer/ wipers tend to scratch the heck out of the front window, you should probably just plan on a regular cleaning schedule.

Yeah, but you gotta admit "2X" isn't the spec you would look for either. Focal length range is the spec I look for... "2x" kinda leaves open the question 2x from where to where....

3.8 to 8mm, not sure why they have to make it hard to find, either. You can also get a fixed 2.2mm model, and a 15-50mm varifocal. You can change the lenses after, also, but you have to turn them REALLY hard to get them loose. Great camera, BTW.

Dry contact refers to the PIR output relay, right? How do you know one input won't leak to another when connected in parallel? The load on the PIR relay should be well within specs. My only concern is connecting the inputs in parallel. I was reading one schematic that used diodes to resolve potential problems with connecting inputs in parallel. Unfortunately, it's an Ademco LYNX wireless and I don't think that model is compatible with their relay panel. Best, Christopher Ademco 5800RL will work with Lynx, but you only get 2 relays, one active when armed, one active when alarming, might save you from wiring to the panel, though.. Still might want to use a relay module like the Altronix to isolate the inputs, it's hard to tell how multiple sensing inputs will respond when wired in parallel.

Try looking at it with just a monitor, not the DVR, and see if you have the same problem.

The camera has a sensor (little lens next to the main lens) which detects the overall level of WHITE light in the area. When the cam is in color mode, there is an infrared cutfilter that is moved into place between the lens and imager. This filter is necessary for a true day/ night camera operation, to eliminate the effects of infrared light on a color day image. In night mode, when the white light level drops below 4 Lux in this case, the cut filter moves out of the way, enabling infrared sensitivity to the imager, but the color rendition would be horrible at this point (lots of horrible looking aqua colors, usually), so the camera changes its output to B/W at that point. As you've seen, you can "fool" the camera into thinking there is enough light available by pointing additional white light at the sensor, it does not even need to be in the actual field of view of the lens, as long as it is hitting the sensor. A few manufacturers allow you to change that switching threshold value, but Acti is not one of them. I've thought about adding a potentiometer to the circuit to "fool" the sensor into switching at different values, but have not done it yet. Gotta go back and refresh myself on CdS sensor values.....

The DVR doesn't matter so much, as the register type does. What register type are you interfacing with? Usually you just have to tap into the TXD line and ground from the register (usually pins 3 and 5 on the male register side) and that goes to pins 2 and 5 on the inserter (RXD and ground)

You could use the Altronix piece, or maybe the Ademco 4204 (for most Ademco panels, check your model for compatibility) expander board, has four dry relay outputs, ties to the keyboard data lines, you can program each relay response from the panel programming. I would use individual outputs for each device, just to ensure isolation.

A couple indoor 502 images were posted to this forum about a month ago. Do you have any additional images? I placed an order for a 502 on Monday and I eagerly await the arrival and install. Best, Christopher Just put a few up in the sample megapixel images sticky.... I'll get more when I can.

Here's a couple of new Panasonic WV-NW502 dome pictures... Running in 3MP MJPEG mode...

If you add IR lighting, you will get better image quality, but still in B/W. The only way to get color images with that camera is to raise the white light level above its switching threshold (4 Lux). Having said that, the 7411 still may be a good choice in that environment (good resolution), if you can live with B/W images, and maybe combine it with a good CCD cam at the entrance / exit for clothing / skin color descriptions. About the best megapixel cam for color low light I've come across is the Panasonic WV-NP502, which has a CCD imager, but it's a pricey critter.

I've usually had good luck with quality 3M tape, but Panasonic does package the self-amalgamating rubber stuff with their domes, and it does work well. Probably the most important thing is to do it properly.... Tightly wound, with no gaps.

You can get upto 64 Megapixel or ven more connected to single server. This is going to get into one of those "Can you" versus "Should you" debates, isn't it? Can you put 64 or more cameras on a single server... Sure, with a /24 subnet, you could put 254 cams on a server, on a /16 subnet, you could put 65534... Is it a good idea? Uh, no.. You need to specify what resolution cams, what frame rate you want, what length of storage, and percentage of activity (if using motion activated recording), bandwidth capability of the network, if you are doing a whole lot of cams, or an extremely high frame rate, you may want to create your own network... If you are using Milestone, I'd call their tech support for their recommendations, they are pretty good. For as much as they charge for their software, I try to get as much out of them as I can....

You also need to specify the frame rate you intend to run. Milestone has an estimator on their website here.. http://milestonesys.com/support/questions_and_answers/estimator_and_calculators/server+estimator? I just tested a 3105DN (same res, just box camera), for frame size and found about 115Kb per frame, in H.264...

Also, for the omnidirectional access point, this.. http://www.streakwave.com/Itemdesc.asp?ic=BulletM5HP&eq=&Tp= with something like this http://www.streakwave.com/Itemdesc.asp?ic=5054-OA-8&eq=&Tp= for the antenna. That item, the BulletM5HP, though uses a nonstandard power over Ethernet injector, here http://www.streakwave.com/Itemdesc.asp?ic=POE-15&eq=&Tp= This combo will give far higher performance than standard "G" rate stuff... There is a slight performance loss by using the BulletM5 , rather than the RocketM5 http://www.ubnt.com/products/rocketm.php ,with a sector antenna http://www.ubnt.com/products/basestation.php , (using a MIMO 2x2 chain, rather than 1x1 with the Bullet), but the antennas are in short supply right now, I'm still waiting for a few..

Here's my vendor of choice... http://www.streakwave.com/Itemdesc.asp?ic=NSM5&eq=&Tp= Here's the manufacturer link.. http://ubnt.com/products/nsm.php The "N" rate stuff will give far higher throughput than standard "G" rate stuff, and their feature "AirMax" also raises throughput in situations where you have multiple remotes to one access point.

Pelco makes a PTZ in their Esprit line with a thermal imager (think it's FLIR's module) http://www.pelco.com/products/default.aspx?id=632

There's that too, although that still requires adding the Cat6 to the traveler. Looked like the OP was fairly OK with that... Or, if he could keep eveything twisted pair all the way through, he could use my DSL extender idea...

If the cams are good, I'd keep them, and just go with an encoder on the cab roof...

Here's a 7411 harness, there's 4 wires in one harness, 12 in the middle, and 2 on the right... might be a hairball... some standard res IP cameras I've seen just have the standard power, vid, ground between the cam module and encoder section, though..

...And if elevator tech rates and attitude are anything like they are here, that's a pretty compelling reason. I'd be a little worried about the durability of the Cat6 cable with the continuous flexing. even if you use the stranded form, it may not hold up very long...