Sloper

I can't see my IP camera with the Android app, EZVIZ, although I see it fine on my DVR monitor at home. I can see my other 4 cameras fine. Someone help please, and tell me what I need to check?

I've had my 4-channel Avtech KD674 DVR up and running with a single camera for about a week now, without problem. However, yesterday I added a second camera, and while everything is fine during daylight hours, after dark, when the IR LEDs are on, I'm getting colour interference on the screen from one of the cameras. It comes in bursts that last a second or so and always every 8 to 10 seconds. It sees this as motion so I've had to disable motion detection for now. If I disconnect power to the other camera, then the interference stops Both cameras are on a single 2amp power supply (using a 4-way splitter), which should be more than enough, according to each camera's ratings. Could anyone suggest what might be causing this?

Well I had the phone cable removed.. no change! I got a replacement DVR box yesterday. Connected it all up and waited for dark with trepidation. I was optimistic though... My hopes were dashed. The problem remains exactly the same, so I can discount the DVR at least. In the attic, the only other wires are to the lights in the bedroom ceilings. We've tried switching power off to that lighting circuit completely, but the problem was still there. Things are a bit better now but we're not sure what we've done to make the improvement. We have just 2 cameras running at the moment, and after dark they are fine until there is movement, and then the pictures go a little haywire for a couple of seconds before settling again. If I connect a third camera, the pictures from the first two go completely haywire and remain that way until I disconnect it. I'm about resigned to only being able to use 2 cameras and not being able to have the audible motion-alarm switched on. Adam, the cables are all siamese RG59. All ready made-up. Two no-name ones purchased on eBay and advertised as shielded, and the other is by Sentient, also sheilded. One thing though... there's a PIR security light on the front of the house where the 2 cameras are. Is it possible that it could cause problems?

Ok, I changed the cable for a known good one today, and STILL have the problem! I have tried different cameras in that location and also different cables. I've tried swapping the channels around too, no change. As soon as the image turns b&w, there are bursts of colour noise. It's always one particular view that has the problem, regardless of which camera I mount there, or which cable I use, so the problem has to be with the location of the camera (under the soffit). There's an old phone-line attached to the house just a foot or so from the camera, but the cable is not in the camera's view. Got to get that cable removed.

Jeez, this is turning into a bit of a saga. The image from my new camera is now doing exactly what the previous camera's image was doing - lots of colour noise in fairly regularly spaced bursts. Last night, when I tried out the new camera, it was fine, as I mentioned in my previous post. However, I had only connected it up to a spare cable temporarily, and hung it out of the window to test it. Now, it is properly installed outside and connected to the cable I installed originally with the previous suspect camera. So, it looks like that cable is the problem! What do you reckon? Could perhaps a badly made-up cable cause this.. maybe a poor power or signal connection? There is one other possibility that occurred to us. There is an old phone line outside, fitted to the wall close to the camera. The line isn't in use now, but I think it's still 'live'. I think they carry 50 volts if I remember right. Anyway, I'll be replacing that cable with a new one tomorrow. I'll report back!

Well, the new camera arrived today. I've just connected it up and it produces a good IR image; good and steady... BUT, with three cameras connected, the image from the suspect camera has now become even worse. There are stronger bursts of colour noise then before. I've tried running all combinations of two of the three cameras and it's always the image from that one particular camera that has the problem (run on it's own, its image is fine ) So, it looks like the camera is at fault, not the DVR ( I think!)

I have already powered each camera on individual power supplies. I'm tempted to think the second camera is the problem, but then why is it ok when I disconnect the other camera? Could the DVR have some problem? It's been suggested to me that a termination circuit within my DVR is faulty and the one camera signal is causing interference on the other. I have no clue about these things. I'm going to order a third camera today ( I was going to get one eventually anyway). Hopefully, that should narrow the problem down. Thanks for the replies guys.

No further suggestions? I'm at a loss. It looks to me like the problem may be with my DVR. Would you agree?

I've tried swapping the two camera's channels, and also tried the offending camera on the two spare channels. I've also tried using the two cameras on different power supplies but the fault remains Think it's a faulty camera then? I wonder if the retailer will accept it is faulty if it's ok when I disconnect the other camera. Anyway, cheers Rory.

Hello guys. My first post here, and one I'm making in desperation. I decided to put an old PC to use as part of a dedicated cctv system. I bought just one camera (for now) and a no-name DVR card off eBay. I can see a video picture just fine with the software (SkyBest) supplied with the card, but as it's ugly, buggy and very clunky. I've tried several recommended DVR programs (Blue Iris, LuxRiot, etc) but none of them seem to recognise my camera is even connected BTW, the camera is an Eonboom weather and vandal-proof EN-DVI20-32 (29 quid on eBay) which works fine connected to the TV. I've just tried a prog called Watcher and just as with the other progs, the only video device 'available' is UScreenCapture. Does anyone know what the problem is? Any help gratefully received

Well, I guess so, but I can't run to the extra cost. Others seem to be happy enough with the Avtech so I'm sure it'll be good enough for me. I've just ordered one. No doubt it won't be long before I'm back here for further advice and answers! Thanks again everyone

The Avermedia EB will blow the AvTech away in Image quality locally and especially over the network. Both have evidence sharing limitations though. Doh! And I thought I'd come to a decision.....

Thanks for that bpzle, I appreciate it I did look at the Avermedia EB range but I can't spot any feature that the Avtech lacks. The Avtech is considerably cheaper too, and I've had a difficult enough time as it is, convincing the wife to spend this much! Found the Avtech +500gb HD for 160 pounds.

Aver recommend a P4 3.0ghz cpu if I remember right. My old PC has an Athlon XP2500+ (1.8ghz). It's got 768mb RAM and an ATi 9600XT video card. It's probably good enough, but the cpu has a huge fan on it with a variable speed. It's bloody loud, and unless on full speed, especially in the summer, the machine beeps overheating warnings all the time. Another thing, I think it was Aver that DO NOT recommend Samsung HDDs for AV purposes. I have no idea why, but guess what make my HDD is... I'm think I'm still set on a DVR box

I don't doubt that Soundy. Ok, the more I've looked into this, the more I've realised I need to spend a bit more. The old PC that I intended to fit a DVR pci card into is barely up to the specs recommended by AVermedia and the NV3000 card is around 120 quid, so it doesn't cost a great deal more to get a proper DVR box. Is the Avtech KPD674 recommended? Thanks to y'all for your advice

Yes I expect so. At SCTLtd the Geovision 600-4 is 20 quid (inc VAT) more than the NV3000 , which I'm guessing is its equivalent. One shop stated the NV3000 runs in Windows 7. If so that would be great, as I would have to run 2 PCs otherwise. Does the TV-out socket on the NV3000 allow me to run cctv video to a seperate monitor while using my PC for other stuff? I do some gaming so I'm wondering if I'd be better to run 2 PCs anyway? My main PC runs Windows 7, E6400 C2D cpu, nVidia GTX260 graphics, 2GB ram.

Rory, that Geovision is a fair bit more expensive than the Avermedia card I was looking at. I've read some favourable reviews of that so I think I'll go for the NV3000 or NV3000L. I haven't figured out the difference yet though (the L is nearly 30 quid cheaper) Does anyone know the difference? I want to order tomorrow.. Anyway thanks guys

Gotcha. Any recommendations would be good. How about an AVermedia NV3000L? Would one of these work with software of my choice? And be sure to recognise my camera? Thanks Soundy

Hi Tom, thanks for your quick and helpful reply. The camera appears to work fine, so I presume that it isn't totally crap. What do you think? Re. the card. I did wonder when I bought it, if it would be cheap Chinese rubbish. Is the card the problem then? Perhaps you could point me at some low-cost (if poss!) cards that you can guarantee will work (and perhaps even some cameras that you guarantee will work with it). This box is running XP, by the way. Thanks in advance