VGMan

I recently setup a couple of 1480 cards (in two separate machines) in exactly this fashion. Actually I took the composite video via baluns and Cat5 to a reception desk about 100 feet from the DVRs. There I ran the composite video feeds through two separate Avermedia TV2VGA boxes and thence into standard 19 inch VGA monitors. Together with the monitors I used the Geo Keyboard connected via RS485 back to the DVRs. Works great, but... The composite video feed from the 1480 cards cannot show camera IDs and labels (regardless of VGA Overlay settings on the DVRs). Also, when you press the 'Menu' button on the Geo Keyboard - the overlaid menu will only show up on the local DVR monitors - not on the composite video outputs. Fine if you don't need full control of the DVRs via the keyboard beyond switching camera views and controlling PTZs.

If you go with the 974 you will be getting one of the best auto-tracking cameras out there. I have seen first hand demos of the 974 at ISC West and the quality of the tracking was superb (significantly better than the 964). My own experience has been installing the 964 - very similar in most respects - but the tracking and onboard software is not as sophisticated. The best setup for the autotracking camera, in my opinion is to use one or more of the hardwired alarm inputs to the PTZ and link these to the an alarm output on the DVR. The DVR output can then be triggered by motion detected on one or more of the fixed cameras and cause the PTZ to swing round to the target location. This is an excellent solution for choke points that are covered by a fixed camera - and also within view of a PTZ. As far as controlling, I don't know what the capabilities are of the Intellicam DVR/Software are but as long as it supports the Panasonic protocol you will be able to control the 964/974. If not, then you won't even be able to program the Panasonics (to my knowledge, neither the 964 nor the 974 support the Pelco protocols). You may be interested in the software that I have created for programming and operating PTZ cameras called PTZ Pro - you can learn more at www.vidiguard.com. I am shortly going to release the Panasonic version which will enable you to setup/program/control a 964/974. If you can get a 974 then I think they are awesome cameras and the build quality is superb (NOTE: treat the camera as delicately as if it were a raw egg - until its safely mounted and bolted in. The panasonics don't like lateral G-Shock at all)

Theoretically the specs are good but the single weakest link for the Q-See DVRs is the remote access software which is the most unreliable and weakest I have encountered. Additionally, when it comes time to get recorded video off the internal hard drive and converted into a format (e.g. AVI) that can be used more widely you are also up the creek.

You can download the PTZ Pro 15 day Trial Version from www.vidiguard.com The current 1.16 version supports Pelco D, P and CTNCOM protocols. I am shortly going to release the next version that will also support Kalatel, Philips/Bosch and Panasonic WV-CW850 protocols. It will support different brands of cameras running different protcols and baud rates (much like Geovision and others do) - but with the advantage of considerably greater flexibility in terms of Patrols, Presets, Schedules and Sunrise/Sunset functionality. We use PTZ Pro on many of our Geovision PC-based DVR installations where the customer requires greater PTZ control than that provided by Geovision. You can also breathe new life into older PTZ Cameras by driving the camera under software control rather than relying solely upon the autonomous features of the camera firmware. PM me with any questions, comments or feature requests.

If you can control the PTZ from a Windows PC or Windows-based DVR try out PTZ Pro from www.vidiguard.com This provides time of day, day of week and sunrise/sunset scheduling of multiple PTZs PM me if you have any questions about setup and configuration.

Judge, Take a look at a software product we provide called PTZ Pro - it will at least provide you with a workaround solution. You can download a trial edition at www.vidiguard.com Install PTZ Pro server on your DVR (assuming its running Windows 2000 or XP). You can install PTZ Pro Remote on the DVR too, and you can also install it on any other PCs that you will be running the remote viewing software on. You should then be able to setup multiple presets which you can combine into Patrols (which can be time scheduled if you want). It may or may not be able to access the Autopan function - it depends on what PTZ camera you are using (Pelco D only defines the command protocol, not necessarily the functions of the camera itself). Please PM me if you want further information or help. Thanks VG Man

Rory - Could you email me the Kalatel Protocol specs (including all 51 pages of hex!) - I am very interested in adding support for the Kalatel PTZs to our PTZ Pro software. Thanks.

I checked their site, looked at their downloads page, and skimmed through the user manual for you model DVR. There is no mention of being able to access the DVR through Internet Explorer - the only way to connect to it is through their client viewer application. Unless you also provide a link to that Viewer App from your site - I think you may be up the creek without a paddle!

You should only require the .NET Framework 2.0 installation which you can get at this link from Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=0856EACB-4362-4B0D-8EDD-AAB15C5E04F5&displaylang=en PM me if you have any further trouble.

You could try PTZ Pro which is a multi-user, network enabled PTZ Control application. It supports Pelco P, Pelco D and CTNCOM protocols. You can download it at www.vidiguard.com PTZ Pro operates independently of your PC-based DVR application and you can install multiple copies of the client control program (PTZ Pro Remote) on as many PCs as you wish.

PTZ Pro is a small PC-based application that supports the PELCO P, PELCO D and CTNCOM protocols and will allow you to configure and manually control your cameras. PTZ Pro will also allow you to setup multiple patrol schedules, including different patrols according to time of day and sunrise/sunset. You can also control the cameras remotely over your network/Internet. PTZ Pro comes in two parts - the server program that resides on your PC-based DVR or other PC, and the remote program which you can install on any PC where you need remote control access. PTZ Pro is available on a 15-day trial basis which allow you to do all the configuration you want - and optionally purchase at the end of the trial period. You can download both the Server and Remote programs free of charge from WWW.VIDIGUARD.COM We have deployed PTZ Pro in many installations that use a PC-based DVR since the program provides much more advanced control features than you will find built into virtually all DVR monitoring applications.

PTZ Pro is a small PC-based application that supports the CTNCOM protocol and will allow you to set the presets on your cameras. PTZ Pro will also allow you to setup multiple patrol schedules, including different patrols according to time of day and sunrise/sunset. You can also control the cameras remotely over your network/Internet. PTZ Pro comes in two parts - the server program that resides on your PC-based DVR or other PC, and the remote program which you can install on any PC where you need remote control access. PTZ Pro is available on a 15-day trial basis which allow you to do all the configuration you want - and optionally purchase at the end of the trial period. You can download both the Server and Remote programs free of charge from WWW.VIDIGUARD.COM We have deployed PTZ Pro in many installations that use a PC-based DVR since the program provides much more advanced control features than you will find built into virtually all DVR monitoring applications.

Presuming you are using a PC-based DVR running Win2k or Win XP you could try using PTZ Pro which is a software-based controller that works thru conventional com ports and RS-232/RS-285 adapters. This comes with a 15 day trial and runs entirely separately from your DVR Software without using any significant additional resources. The software supports Pelco P and D Protocols with multiple cameras and multiple users over the internet / network. You can download PTZ Pro Server and PTZ Pro Remote from www.vidiguard.com