Numb-nuts

Oh boy, I REALLY hate those overhead air conditioning or ventilation ducts. The number of times I've hit my head on the protruding mounting bolts of ducts I lost count. Regarding the gloves, you make a valid point, I don't use gloves when I am using a table saw or a router table but the idea of the gloves is mainly not to allow handheld power tools from slipping. When I am using a skillsaw for panel cutting, I wear gloves for two reasons, one is to protect against slipping, the other is to reduce splintered fingers. If the blade is likely to go near the hand or glove, then I find another way to do the job. I've seen too many accidents and always try to learn from them. I love both the glasses with LED light and the gloves with LED light, brilliant,it's so important to see what you are doing. That little extra light can mean the difference between a smooth or a struggling job. I used to not wear my bump cap in loft areas, mainly because of the heat but now, I think I'll just have to suffer the heat, before I find a sticking out nail the hard way. Well this has been an interesting insight into your safety practices, lets all hope we have had a bit of fun and learned something too. I certainly have. Anyone going to the open day in Leeds today?

I like the sound of those composite toe caps, I did see them when I was looking for my steels toe caps but they weren't that prevalent and were far more. I didn't think that what I paid for my steels was too expensive at all considering the benefit of not losing a toe. The gloves you mention, thats the sort of thing I have seen but I won't bother with those until the winter. I only wear what are essentially gardening gloves when I am using power tools like SDS drils and skillsawa etc. (I do woodworking too). The main benefit I find from them is that they grip the tools and there is less vibration thus being less tiring. I may buy some without fingertips when the winter sets in. As for holding screws and tools, I have a pair of gab trousers (Snickers) that have the pockets on the OUTSIDE just like a toolbelt. They look a bit strange but when you have pockets full of stuff and try to climb a ladder thats when you see the benfit. As for looking cool, I really can't remember thelast time I looked cool, that was a few tears back maybe and I'm not keep to look like one off the VILLAGE PEOPLE! I wear the bump cap and have never had a time when I hit my head while wearing it. I only do that when I haven't worn one, ironic really. As for safety glasses, I started wearing them after watching the New Yankee workshop as Norm Abrahms is always saying wear your safety glasses. Think I'll pass on the beard though.

Just for the record, these baluns don't do anything special to the power and data wires, except "adapt" the RJ45 plugs out to wire tails. You can get the same thing by just splitting the wires out and using basic screw- or punch-terminal baluns on the video pairs. I'm such a sucker for consumerism and presumably there is nothing to stop us using CAT6 for better conductivity. I know that lots of people don't like using Cat5 or 6 in screw-down terminals as it can be quite brittle and can be a little 'hit and miss' if the cable is moved, my answer to this is to apply chord end ferrule crimps to the conductors before they enter the screw-down terminals. Ferrules give the connections real integrity. Cat5 & 6 were designed for punch-down connection and aren't best suited for screw-down terminals. I use ferrule ends all over the place and they just seem to lend intergrity to all screw down connections. I first noticed that many of the PTZ camera manufacturers used ferrule ends in their wiring on their stranded connectors. Some trimming of the ferrule ends is usually necessary I find to make them seat correctly.

Business cards tend to be retained whereas flyers get binned almost immediately. If you aren't installing, get your suit on and visit the upmarket homes in your area and present your business card. Someone is bound to invite you in to talk abut CCTV or Alarms. If you get one good lead per week it won't be long before your work starts to increase. See the Private message I sent you.

I haven't tried them on PTZ myself yet but there are PTZ baluns available that will run Video, power and data down a single Cat5 although J would be inclined to use Cat6 instead for longer runs. In the UK they cost around £15 per pair and I have only used them with Cat5 for static cameras that have RS485 on screen menu, with no problems. I imagine they would work just as well for PTZ speed domes, but like I said, I would use Cat6 just for the sake of integrity. My current method is siamese cable with a cat5 control cable, mainly because that is what I am told I must use by my customers. They like the fact that the camera has three spare pairs. I have also recently seen a Cat5 with a twin power attached. Intersting!

Some very good points there john, well put.

Hello why not tell everyone something about yourself and your interest in CCTV, where you are etc Meantime welcome

I echo the use of domes with CAT5 and passive baluns, ( I use pigtail baluns because of the space of inputs at the DVR. You can use the CAT5 thus, a single pair for video signal and the remaining three pairs for DC Power. I take the remaining three pairs and split one pair and add to the others for power. I would then use a boxed Power distribution unit close to the DVR. One word of advice, terminate your CAT5 ends with chord end ferrules crimped on and your 'screw-down' connections will be more reliable. Just one word of caution when using CAT5, be careful NOT to make changes of direction too tight or you can affect the integrity of your cable. CAT5 can be quite brittle. The other thing is get some advice about which baluns you require from your supplier. Bear in mind that runs over 300m - 400m may require an active balun (powered) Both CNB and Dahua are good brands by all accounts. Try to buy domes with varifocal lenses to give you some flexibility in placement. Steer clear of KITS!

As you can see, there are varying levels of security you can plan for. If you have a safe full of diamonds then the thieves will be prepared to go to extreme lengths to destroy your evidence gathering, but i doubt they'd bother to cut the telephone lines if they just want to steal your office printer. If you do buy a standalone DVR, get a steel lockbox and keep it hidden and locked. By the way, Swann are not great quality, rather look at the Dahua Appollo as suggested. I have that very model at home and it has never given me a day's trouble. I woulod suggest a minimum of 500GB hard drive, I run four cameras with a 500GB and all cameras are on Motion detection and there is plenty of capacity. If you want to record equipment moving, you can set up alarms that are normally closed and the circuit breaks when the equipment is moved or doors/windows are opened, triggering recording. It is useful to have one of your cameras on permanent MD but it does mean trawling through hours of recordings looking for events. Better to use motion detection on one camera and alarm detection on the other then at least you will know what time/date to search for events. For use Inside your office, there are a huge range of reasonable dome / mini dome cameras to choose from for reasonable prices. Don't ignore the IR assisted cameras which can be useful after office hours.

I have heard that CNB offer great value / performance for your money. In so far as I am aware regarding the motion detection systems, none of them can match in intelligence to actual monitoring. I doubt they ever will until the programmers can match human intuition. It may not be everyone's idea of efficiency, but I like to cover areas of risk with two cameras, one up close to catch detail, and one with a wider view to get the overall idea of events. This has worked well for me in the past, the downside being that it does hog DVR rescources. My policy is though better to cut cable 5ft too long than 1 inch too short. It may be an option if it's worth it to you, to have a third party monitoring centre watch your live cameras when you are away from the property. This is easy to do these days and can be surprisingly economic, thanks of course to broadband connections which we all take for granted now. Regarding cameras I have also heard great things about Bosch and Panasonic but then you will pay a premium for those brands. Good luck with your project

Yes Welcome Tonero Why not state what your interest in CCTV?

I used to clock all the supermarket and bank CCTV cameras but the novelty has worn off a bit now. I do occasionally look around for cameras depending on my mood and if I'm in a hurry. The one's that intrigue me the most are those city center traditional PTZs made from a zoom camera on a P&T head. They look so sinister when they start to move. I like to see if I can work out if they are being attended or if they have person tracking. I have waved at the and once or twice they have nodded back by tilting up and down but it depends I suppose if the operator has a sense of humour. They are absolutely HUGE and as I have never assembled / or wired one, I am intrigued how they operate. I am sure they must have seriously powerful zoom lenses like in the £100s or even £1000's way more than the actual camera and housing. Some of those PT head motors cost several hundred pounds just for the motor. The transmission equipment must also cost a small fortune, considering the distances they probably need to cover.

If we wanted to install a tower like that here in Manchester, we'd have mountains of RED - TAPE to climb before we could get permission from local government. Just don't lean on the thing during a storm. How do you make sure such a structure is plumb?

Well, if it's been a few years, the most important change you will notice is the affordability of DVR equipment over was it was few years ago, that they are almost all internet servers in their own right and the prominence of mobile phone apps to view CCTV remotely. Then there is the prominence of IP and megapixel cameras as a surveillance technology both analogue and IP existing alongside one another. The enjoyment is still there though.

Thats some workshop space you have there, come to think about it, thats some lattice tower you have there too. Very satisfying I imagine to create something useful from a load of rubbish?

1st check your RS485 connections are seated well and making contact correctly. The number of times......

WHAAAAAAAAA! As much as that? I haven't checked out the prices yet, but if you're right, then that is a real significant point.

I would be naive not to say blind, if I fail to understand that a Brand is made by another manufacturer. That is the way it works now and so what? Many brands we see these days are "re-badged" but why should that make a difference? Surely what is important, is that the customer is happy and satisfied with a backup presence to the end user and installer? Those of you that think everything you buy is made by the manufacturer who's name appears on the product are kidding yourselves, and so what does that matter? Yes it's interesting to know, but beyond that, what difference does it make? Price is relative to the market, if you are satisfied with what you have then the investment is justified.

They have a smashing range of camera equipment, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. They have a couple of cameras there that I could find uses for in covert installations, but do they work and are they reliable and cost effective, and what kind of service can you expect? If you routinely create covert surveillance, ordering a few samples could be worthwhile. Good luck

Update: Well I haven't received the item yet and it's been 9 days since I bought and paid for it, The seller claims it will leave his house tomorrow but has failed to send me a tracking number as yet, I have to say I am a bit concerned. He did claim to have suffered a minor heart attack, but if I were a scammer thats exactly what I would say to string the mug along. Well as soon as i receive the item I have plans about how I might use it. Aban has a good point, there is controversy about the Mosquito in the UK but those busy bodies that think it's banned haven't had to suffer the constant threat of criminal damage to their property and the constant noise nuisance in their homes? I plan to mount it to a pole, which will fit into a hole set in concrete in the garden, When I see the little Cherubs playing up, I'm going to whip it out and give them a 20 minute blast. After that I plan to remove it out from view. So they will hopefully never know where it comes from. Another idea I had was to mount it into a bird nesting box on the wall. Besides, I have a right to protect my property and peace and quiet, If anyone wants to complain, I will merely say that if the device breaks any laws I would be happy to remove it, but meantime I need to know under which legislation it's use is prohibited and that usually shuts them uptruth is hey just don't really know and it's not important enough to them to bother finding out. Thousands of these units have been used successfully without being challenged and even some police forces have used them if the press are to be believed. I don't know any politician that can be bothered to go to the expense of challenging this in the court of human rights in order to appease a lot of annoying youths that probably can't yet or won't bother to vote 'cos they will be too pissed on the day. I am confident I am safe. That is one reason I discounted the idea of a phone jammer early on.

I have not seen any discussion on here about megapixel cameras, the benefits (we can guess somewhat) and all about how they work and the methods of working out depth of fiels, sidtances to target or Focus, Megapixel lenses etc. If there is a seasoned professional out there that wouldn't miind talking about this technology and giving a few minor masterclasses in this I am sure we'd all appreciate it. Any takers?

Where you have trees and vegetation, IR is NOT a great idea as all you will see is the vegetation especially on a damp night. I have also found that IR in the face tends to wash out the facial features so identification becomes a matter of luck. I found this out the HARD way. PIR floodlighting or bulkhead lights is probably your best way to light up the scene at night. You should aim to mount the cameras about 10 ft above the highest point a vandal could stand to access the camera, where this is not possible, an outdoor dome camera mounted on a wall or under an eaves would be better as they are less 'holdable' and a light coat of grease on the base to make them slippery just in case someone does get access. Re the DVR that is about the correct price for that DVR. I am familiar with the Apollo as I have one myself, albeit a Zeus Mk11 and the interface is quite good. Those are my comments for what they are worth...hope it all works out well for you. Pretty little place you have there. PM'd you

You could be right about that. I am only repeating what I heard on TV, but it's academic now. The point was that as we get older, our hearing ability drops-off and "in general" people above a certain age (20) cannot hear the range of frequency this device emits. The female youths turn up first and can be seen texting the others who stsrt to turn up very soon afterwards. I had considered a cellphone jamming device but I have neighbours that no longer use a house phone and only have cellphones and it might place them in danger if they ever needed to call a doctor or emergency services. I suppose I could always cut the youths thumbs off? The effective range of the Mosquito is about up to 35m however I imagine at 35 m the effectiveness has dropped-off significantly. I imagine the subject's level of intoxication may have some effect too, but this is all speculation, there is nothing like trying the device out and getting a feel for it. There are other factors that affect it's potential, like wind speed and direction (in the open air) other ambient noises like traffic and

a bit of grease on the outside casing of the camera will give the thief a nasty slip and fall. He was probably stealing it to sell, I don't think he'll bother agin once he finds out he can't sell a wrecked CCTV camera. A dummy with another camera looking at it is a great idea. but what about a dummy with 120v ac running through it? That'd be worth seeing.

I am not interested anymore, I am going to ignore you properly now.