prinler

OK a little background on the job. TV is about 25' away from the DVR. I would normally run a nice VGA cable from point to point. Only issue here is that the house has been added onto many many times and it has a double roof. A Flat one then an A shaped one on top. Its super ideal for this install because i can walk anywhere and there is no insulation but makes running the wires really hard! There is a layer of roofing paper, plywood, insulation, drywall. So i needed to go up the wall. nI grabbed my trusty 6' ong 1" auger bit and popped it up there. I was hoping it would be in the middle so i could use a saw-zall to open it up and grab the wire. Nope. It came up into a huge stack of 3 2x4's so i cant use this hole. I know the best way to do this would be to run the VGA cable but it wont fit with out ALOT of work in a 200+ deg attic. Do these work? 25'? http://www.ebay.com/itm/VGA-Extender-VGA-over-CAT5-PC-to-TV-vga-to-TV-/250571193188?pt=US_Video_Cables_Adapters&hash=item3a5734fb64 or do i need one of these? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Video-VGA-1x1-UTP-Extender-Extension-Over-CAT5e-6-With-Audio-/190839988423?pt=US_Video_Cables_Adapters&hash=item2c6ef320c7

I installed both baluns and they work! Yay! Only issue I'm having is the ghosting of the image. When I open the menu on the dvr there is a red version of everything like a drop shadow. Not perfect but you can see it. Re did ends and same issue. Should I find better baluns now? Not sure this is gonna cut it.

Also ordered!! How about IR? So I can use the remote to! I see an hdmi with ir but that's it!

No hdmi. I just purchased the ones in the photo. Thanks for the input, I feel better about my decision.

Hey guys, this is part vent and part warning. I have been having nothing but issues with a speco DVR. Its the RS model that is wall mounted and comes with a small LCD(what the customer wanted). I am an avid Everfocus guy myself. Like i was saying, nothing but issues. Remote login issues, couldnt get it to be viewable over mobile devices, it fried my baluns.... So i get on google and start looking for help with the remote viewing over mobile devices.... I read for hours and i came across an idea someone suggested where they were able to fix the mobile issue by removing the CMOS battery from the board and putting it back in. Good idea i thought... works for PC's when the Bios is messed up... had a few people reply and even thank him because it worked for them.... I get on site yesterday and i pop that baby out... back in... boot it up and *** NO HARD DRIVE *** I stayed home from work today and called Speco. Tech support says that battery holds the sync for the HD and board only. I now have to send it back for repair. The guy also said its "planned obsolescence" when that battery dies you have to pay speco to re sync or you have to buy a new one!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?! What the heck? REALLY? Has anyone else been inside a standard DVR from other brands? Is this common practice? I have $60 DVR's that allow me to scan for HD's in the menu....

Im currious, i have always used DC and it works. I found a deal on a used AC unit but dont want to buy it if the AC signal is going to put lines on the screen or something bad. I am using cheap cat5 cable. Prinler

I purchased a Speco DVR. I was thinking it would have been great except it doesnt have a flange. I want to m ount it IN the wall with a lock on the front. Any ideas?

Hey guys! I been doing more and more CCTV installs for friends and family. Everything went well using Everfocus Ecor DVR's and Speco Intensifier cameras. What a good combo. Any way, i am having connectivity issues. I tried the gray baluns on ebay ( i have also seen people recommending them on here) and they work great. Here is my issue. I have been using the same little project boxes from home depot and when i put my connectors in my connections start to flicker and will drop completely. Some times i will do all my camera side, close them up and goto connect the DVR side and i get nothing on half or more of them. I have to wiggle and jiggle them till they work. Some times i have to come back weeks later because one moved and i lost connectivity. Is there any way to FIX this? Is there a tighter cheap balun that works better? More solid? http://www.ebay.com/itm/130549142417?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_3300wt_1163

Father -IN- Law called me today. Someone broke into his yard again. IT has no power and alot of cool expensive stuff in there. Completely fenced and razor wire topped... How,,, i dunno but we wanna find out. He wants it to be solar powered with 2 cameras. I can do the solar part no issues, i do it at work. My issue is finding the proper DVR and cameras for this situation. All of the DVR's run off of a 12V PSW that i seen. Same with most cameras. I dont see powering it an issue but finding the lowest draw is. Issues are: low power consumption - HDD take alot of power to run but how much? Would a SSD drive work for security or would it ware out to fast? is the HDD used even if i chose to only record motion? What is a good affordable DVR? Everfocus is kinda pricey Cheers~ Prinler

No trail cams. I need the real deal.

I just installed it and they go in a box. Thanks for pointing out the obvious tho.

I just happened to have a box of cat6, i see no difference at all. I have used the cheapest cat5 i could get and it all works good. NO issues

Im also looking to make it wireless. I have been out of the point to point market for a long while. whats the best option here?

As a final update i tossed the cat5 baluns for the cheap smash type baluns. I simply fold over to make a loop and insert the loop into the balun. Works flawlessly. I had my doubts but it works well. I have done 3 more installs for friends and family and and find that i can place the balun in a small outdoor junction box and it its safe from kids and covering the unsightly wires. Pull and tug and i get no fuzzy or lost connections. NOTHING feels better then doing a job and getting to the DVR, hooking up the bnc and seeing perfect picture! You look like you know what your doing. BNC are similer to the TNC connectors i install at work for RF. I am very good at doing them but the crimp tool for bnc (quality, if you call kline quality) was more expensive then the cat5 crimper i already had. Cat5? Recently in my own house i upgraded to 1 speco intensifier 3. I love the camera! My DVR is a 16CH Everfocus and basically said what the heck, lets see if i can piggy back 1 more video signal over the extra paid on the cat6 already run. Sure enough, worked perfectly. I would love to see someone who uses coax to do that! I could technically run 3 cameras if i was willing to give up my doubled up power wires. Sorry to ramble, you guys know all this already. CHEERS~ Prinler

I sold a local liquor store an Everfocus DVR. Gets here all good to go, it arrives and i bring it over to begin install. I start opening the box and he asks " Hey, does this support the cash register thingy?"..... OH crap! I didn't even think to ask him about it. He says well can i return it? ARG! To get a little personal i purchased the DVR on a promotion where i get the same version but referb. Big score for me right? Also biz has slowed up in the winter and i had to pay my guys so the money i made on the unit is gone! So i dont lose the sale, my free DVR, and my butt ($)... How can i do text overlay on the cheep? RS232 is already run. Please help he is expecting a call later tonight. In a pickle! Steve

I dont wanna spend much at all. He is very cheap. He has a POS, sharp basic register. rs-232 to his pc based system. He just wants to be able to go back and see what happened when other cashiers mess up.

So im going to switch my all-in-one-ebay-specials for a BNC-only-ebay-special. I need the correct way to connect - and + to both the power and to the camera. Solid copper cat5 to stranded pig tail Idea 1: Solder (hard for me on a 40foot ladder) Idea 2: Jelly beans - after talking to my telcom friend he says the stranded will fall out due to design. (Jelly beans are telcom 3 pole smash down crimp things, clear/red) Idea 3: Build my own pigtail out of crimpable, bild yourself, radio shack connectors. Idea 4: twist them together, tape, bubble gum, small prayer. Help me out, i know solder is king but how do i do each with out solder? Going out today Prinler

Ok, my install went ok. I half expected after the hell i put my cat5 threw not to work. I crimped my cat5 connectors and no matter how i wiggle, scrape, jiggle... It only works in the perfect position. I wrap it up and nothing works. I poke and poke till they all are on and then seal the box and pray they stay? Pshhh, I THINK NOT! Im very very very disappointed. These baluns absolutely blow chunks! I took your recommendations and picked up 6 pairs of a screw type with nothing fancy and it was effortless. No matter how i wiggle the cable there is NO loss of signal. I cant even get that with Coax! My vote is cat5 all the way!

This is getting really out of hand! There is no reason to flame anyone about this stuff. No need to get personal! I know little of the CCTV world and im here to learn about ends and cable to deal with issues I feel shouldn't be happening. I thank you guys for your insight and years of experience. Now CCTV is a very competitive market. I know personally I will quote high. If its not worth my time on any job then I refuse to do it. Some guys do sloppy fast work and I end up getting paid to come in at the end anyway. I speak from years of networking experience. It CCTV. Play nice, I know I can't make a bnc to save my life... So no one feel bad.

I use the Cat5e connectors from Homedepot. They are just like the rest of the ice cubes i have always used in my life. I have done maybe 5000+ cat5 ends. I have little failure rate. I will take all your advice and use it the best way i can. Gonna try different baluns and crimp those ends on and screw down. Can you tell me what kind of cable you use? Previously i would just goto CED and get there 1000' box for $99. I had a failure last pull last house so i opted for the more expensive indoor/outdoor tan from Homedepot 500' for $70.00. It seems thicker and more stiff. It matches most house eves and it seemed to pull easier (less stretch and self kink protection due to the thicker jacket). $70 for 500' tho.... The blue stuff on the reel from CED is so limp but it works for inside applications well. What do you use? where do you get it? How much do you pay?

I'm glad to have passionate people in my thread! So Baluns are the future but did I just go tooo cheap? Or is there a way to secure they for a permanent solution. FYI I can never get these rg connectors to work! Always wiggling them to!

Ok I'm gonna try to reply via my iPhone. Ok I completely agree with you. To do it properly I need alot. I don't need to see faces. In my case I'm going to place a large pole on the edge of the house. Mount all the cameras on the pole facing different directions. I figure a 6mm lens will do roughly 75deg of coverage. Faces are not something we need to see except on the north wall. Thats why I wanted a ptz. He has a specific place he wants to see closely. I want him to have the ability to zoom in and visually scan te fence line for dumping. I took the above advise and contacted everfocus. The team there helped me with some ideas. They also tried to talk me out of tr ptz. So im leaning twords 3?decent day night cams to cover the open areas for general coverage and the one ptz to make him happy. Oh and a fixed zoomed cam for the gate. Best I can do. Everfocus products all around looking at like 3600$ for it. Gonna make him fork out more $ Thanks for the help.

Hey guys, new to the boards! I need some help with picking out some devices. Its for my Father Inlaw so i dont wanna look like a fool. I have been doing some googling and have found alot of companies with generic looking DVR's and simple cameras that cost more then gold. What we need: 1. 8 Ch DVR (upgrade ability) 2. 2 nice PTZ cameras. 3. 2 nice night cameras 4. Would like a nice keyboard with joystick Issues im dealing with: Mojave desert, roof temps here get over 150F and the winter was around 20F Each cam will be mounted together on a pole we will install on the apex of the house. back to back. I need someone who is good at this to tell me the best reliable Standalone DVR. I would like 1TB - 2TB (can and will upgrade myself) I showed him a proposal for some CNB stuff and he liked it. When i looked online and how to actually purchase it it looks hoky poky. Korea not my favorite place to purchase things from either. Can someone tell me some really good units? I dont mind miss matching. I have like a 3$ budget. DVR, Keyboard, 2 PTZ Cams night cams are optional for alittle later down the line. Thanks guys for your expertise.

the conditions? He wants to be able to zoom in down the drive way. Its a 16 acre lot. lemme see if i can google map. Its the house with the red rocks... the fence line is something we are interested in monitoring in the north end. people are pist he put up a fence (didnt want them walking threw his yard with there dogs and stuff on there way to get beer...) So they toss stuff over like oil jugs and it leaks old batteries and stuff... then they call the county say hes dumping it. Hes in the automotive industry so you know it looks likely. $3000 yeah! He wants good stuff. I was thinking around $1000 each PTZ cam. Whats a DVR for 8 chan? less then $1000 im sure. lemme know what you suggest hes ready to buy today. Steve