nextan

If there are spare fiber, good idea to setup a separate LAN for the network cameras as Thomas and AVCONSULTING have suggessted. What you need is just a separate network switch solely for the cameras, and a pair of media converters to link the switches between buildings through the fiber links.

Suppose Thomas means "wouldn't" and not "would"? Bandwidth is always a concern, especially with older network camera systems which use MJPEG compression. But the latest network camera systems from ACTi use MPEG4 ASP (Advance Simple Profile), which use only 1/5 of bandwidth required for MJPEG system: CIF size 5 frames per second - 128 Kbps CIF size 15 frames per second - 256 Kbps CIF size 30 frames per second - 512 Kbps D1 size 5 frames per second - 256 Kbps D1 size 15 frames per second - 512 Kbps D1 size 30 frames oer second - 1.2 Mbps Bear in mind that a 100 based LAN has only effectively about 50 Mbps of bandwidth, my practice is to limit the nwtork video bandwidth to less than 30% of the available bandwidth, if I am to use the same LAN for network video, ie. maximum 15 Mbps total for a 100 based LAN environment.

I suppose the existing fiber is for linking up the LANs between the 3 building, in this case network camera is definitely a better solution. Axis is the most well known brand, but it is really expensive. You can consider ACTi http://www.acti.com which offers high performance MPEG4 IP video systems at much more affordable pricing. Or a grade lower than Axis and ACTi, SOHO class IP camera systens from Dlink, eg. DCS-3220, DCS-5300G (pan/tilt) and DCS-6620 (pan/tilt/zoom).

Any update from qman on the project? I am working on a project for 2 x 25-storey apartment blocks with 3 elevators each. Have confirmed that there is no spare cable in the elevator shafts. Learnt from some SIs that to implement cameras in existing elevators can be a very expensive affair, as the elevator company need to be engaged for the cabling job, and that requires engineernig effort as well as safety certification and these can be very costly. I have tried IP video systems with WIFI connectivity with some success. In an outdoor environment, there is no problem of sending IP video over few hundred meters with WIFI (Wireless-G) solution. The height of the apartment block is about 100 meters, but as some of you have mentioned, multipath effect (radio wave reflection) may affect the quality of transmission there are 2 elevator shafts in each apartment, 1 for 2 elevators side by side, the other for the 3rd elevator. Intend to carry out a trial soon, with IP based + Wireless-G solution.

Found the thread, thanks SeanMort.

Would like to start a discussion on this. Learnt from some SIs that to implement cameras in existing elevators can be a very expensive affair, as the elevator company need to be engaged for the cabling job, and that requires engineernig effort as well as safety certification and these can be very costly and usually form the main part of the cost. I am working on some solution on IP system with WIFI link to eliminate the need of cabling work. Views from all experts please.

noted the pricing rule, thanks.

haha no, but i used a lot of ACTi products, love them so much that i decided to distribute them in Singapore. infact ACTi just published a story about myproject in Singapore: http://www.acti.com/Press_RoomV2/News_Content_View.Asp?strType=News&strRECORD_ID=%7B2EF5DABF%2DBD60%2D4591%2D9E4A%2D576B27F70FC

rory ACTi has just setup an office in Seattle: http://www.acti.com/Press_RoomV2/News_Content_View.Asp?strType=News&strRECORD_ID={B0F63B64-4198-41BB-9BCB-39A067857B0

If you can live with MPEG4 compression instead of JPEG, then ACTi's stuffs are better bet. Not sure about this Bosch DVR, it only accept JPEG? I thought most DVRs take in analogue signal? ACTi has this 4 channel video server SED-2300Q, which can stream 4 x CIF channel at full 25 fps each, or 4 x D1 channel at 6 fps each, quite reasonably priced. At the other end you can consider using SED-3200 MPEG4 transcoder to convert the IP stream back to analogue video.

How about WIFI solution? A good pair of Wireless-G bridges can send 20 Mbps of IP video over 500 meters distance line-of-sight. The SED-2400 requires only 384 Kbps for D1 size 12 fps video, or 128 Kbps for CIF size 8 fps, so 20 Mbps is enough for quite a few SED-2400 (at least 20 of them).

IP video over LAN is definitely more cost effective than analog video over fiber. In the case of the thread starter, the existing fiber is probably used to extend the LAN from 1 building to the other, so there is probably no more spare fiber channel. Even if there is spare fiber, it will be more costly to use fiber modem (you need a pair) than to use IP video server. Video server like ACTi SED-2100R is much cheaper than fiber modem, and there is no additional infrastructure required, just simply connect it to the existing LAN. ACti has a wonderful pair of SED-2100R + SED-3200 MPEG4 IP video over LAN solution, as what rory has mentioned.