Soundy

Thanks, that should do the trick!

We've got a number of these older HICAP (ComArt) DVR cards that use a pair of HD-15 VGA-type connectors with 8-input breakout cables for inputs. All the newer machines use the XECAP cards with a DVI-I type I/O connector for 16 in/2 out. When I need to swap in one of my HICAP-based loaners for a site with the newer machines, of course, it means swapping all the BNC connections as well. So I'm thinking... DVI-I female connector... chunk of multi-core cable (got a ton of it from some old 3M intercoms)... pair of male VGA connectors... a little soldering, and I've got an adapter cable so I can just drop an older loaner into a site with the newer octopus without a lot of messing around. I've already toned out both connectors so I have all the pinouts, but before I actually start soldering anything, I'm wondering... has anyone here done anything like this, or better yet, SEEN such an adapter commercially available? The other problem I'm having is actually finding a solder-lug female DVI connector... in fact, so far I haven't even been able to find a DVI extender cable that I could chop the female end from. Anyone have any ideas who might make these things?

If you can get into the on-board programming menu, you should be able do a soft reset of all the camera options. I agree with Michelangelo, if the video is steady and it's just going back and forth in a steady path, it's probably running some auto-scan program.

I'll agree with griffonsystems, and especially with RobB - for the cost of a cheap UPS, you save yourself a LOT of potential damage. Even an $80, 300VA home-office type UPS will keep you running for a few minutes and provide a substantial level of protection. It's not a lot to spend, either, if you consider your average PC-based DVR is worth around $4000-$5000. We had one site, a condo tower.... we told them repeatedly they should be on a UPS, but they didn't want to spend the money (after all, they'd already spent thousands on the system, they were tapped out!). So when new building management took over, the first thing they did was decree a monthly test of the building's backup generator... the test basically being, kill the main switch on the incoming feed and see if the generator kicks in. And the first time they did it, the surge fried the system drive in the DVR and damaged some of the video RAM, so the display was messed up. We replaced the drive, but they didn't want to pay for a new video card (is it still recording? yes? okay, that's all that matters). 30 days later they tested it again... and completed the killing of the video card, so we were back AGAIN to replace that. Amazingly, it only took those two instances to convince them to shell out a whopping $100 for a UPS, and we've never had a problem with them since. Each service call cost them twice that in labour alone, nevermind the parts (warranty? pffft!) and the downtime.

That should be fine, yes. There will be voltage drop over the length of the wire run anyway.

A third for through-the-wall, with a twist: if the cameras are going under the eaves, and you're pulling them into the attic anyway, try pushing the wires through the soffit and directly into the attic, to avoid breaking the wall envelope.

I've built and installed a number of VI systems... it's a pretty good package. Separate server applications for analog and IP cameras makes for pretty flexible licensing. The web client that works out-of-the-box is a real plus. Not as polished as the Vigil, IMHO, but still pretty solid.

What kind of cameras are they? What make/model? Define "flashing"?

That's perfect, as long as you have a way to easily route from the camera to the POS area. That's essentially what we've done at the gas stations we have TVS boxes in, except usually just with coax.

You can't. You MIGHT be able to see the problem with an oscilloscope, but that won't fix it. Here's the problem: with baluns, your signal is running through a pair of coils on either end. That effectively makes for a very, very long piece of wire. The signal ground is shared with the power ground at the camera, and the power ground then makes for a relatively short ground path. Between the two, you now have to separate paths to ground for each camera, one relatively short, one extremely long. When you tie all the cameras to the same power supply, you're giving all of them a common ground point over the short run. They also have a common ground at the DVR, with the long runs. This makes for a large number of mis-matched ground paths, which leads to all manner of induced noise in all the cameras. So again, the solution is simple: remove central power supply, replace with power bar, and use an individual transformer for each camera. That way, they all have a power ground that's isolated from the other cameras.

What I've done in a similar situation (not as long a distance, mind you) is to run the serial data over a pair in an unused network line, and placed the TVS close to the DVR - keep in mind that the serial data only actually requires a single pair, from the TX and GND pins at the paypoint, to RX and GND on the TVS. Then run the video and power using baluns over another unused pair (even in the same cable). The other thing I've done in some instances, is to put the TVS under the counter close to the paypoint computer, where I can use a short serial cable to connect them, then run video from the camera to that location, and then out to the office. The camera power can then be home-run to the DVR, or just to a point under the counter. Remember that a text-inserter doesn't care what kind of DVR you're running, if at all - it's just a separate box that overlays the text on the video and then spews that video out. It will look the same whether you're recording to DVR, time-lapse tape, or just viewing it.

Hmmm, nobody's paying attention here... the OP wasn't talking about standard CCTV baluns. Passive VGA baluns can be tricky things. Most recommend STP rather than UTP, and most support limited resolutions, especially as the runs get longer. Some have phase-adjust screw, others have a button to force an automatic re-sync once they're connected... and a tap of the LCD's own auto-adjust button may be necessary afterward to align the display. All of them should state in the documentation what resolutions and refresh rates they support over varying cable runs. I've found usually you just have to start at lowest res (800x600) and work your way up to find the best.

Well, it kinda depends where the TVS is positioned in related to the baluns. If you're using the baluns coming OUT of the TVS, then no, you don't need an extra pair, because the text is already a part of the video. If you want to run your serial text info along with the video over your twisted-pair, then yes, you'd need an extra pair on the balun... baluns designed for PTZs would work for this, as they have an extra pair normally intended for serial control signals. However, in my experience, the TVS is usually not located anywhere near the camera, so there'd be little advantage to feeding it over the same line as the camera...

Don't see why it shouldn't work, since that appears to be exactly what it's designed for. It SHOULD work with any DVR (card or standalone) that supports PTZ camera control, since all it's doing is taking the standard serial control output and feeding it over the coax. BTW, I believe "Coaxitron" is the protocol you're talking about - searching with that term may yield you better results

That's not new OR different...

Just a thought on this: if voltage drop proves to be the issue, you can try this method, but should consider putting the regulator in the case WITH the camera... then the voltage can drop up to a full 10V or so over that 100m run, but the camera will still get a solid 12V. Remember too, with an IR camera, you'll see substantially more draw once the IR LEDs turn on, and over a 100m run, that will cause even more voltage drop. Again, a higher supply voltage and a regulator right by the camera will counter this.

He wants to watch the crowds lined up at the gates of his fairground. Presumably, it's either daylight, or the area WILL be quite well-lit while people are attending.

Vigil will handle all your criteria as well - 16- and 32-channel analog systems are the norm, as well as analog/IP hybrid systems. Their software has a fully-functional 30-day demo mode and can be installed as a straight NVR (no capture hardware required). see http://www.3xlogic.com Being PC-based, storage expansion is easy though multiple internal drives, or external USB, Firewire, eSATA, and/or NAS storage solutions. One thing to be aware of with your "record to DVD" requirement: most systems now will support DVD discs as an export target; however, all of them that I'm aware of will simply export files to the disc (whether in a common format like AVI, or a proprietary format). I've not seen one that will actually author a home-playable video DVD directly out of the DVR. I suppose they exist, and it certain IS possible, but it's largely impractical due to the time required to transcode, the inferior compression provided by MPEG-2, and the fact that megapixel video would need to be seriously down-sized to meet DVD spec.

Check with any local CCTV suppliers (particularly wholesalers)... manufacturers often put on seminars. I know our local ADI/Burtek warehouse has manufacturer training sessions almost on a monthly basis - Pelco one month, National the next, etc. You could also check with some of the manufacturers and see if/when they have any sessions coming up in your area.

Actually, to get 2X "better" than 3MP, you'd have to go to 12MP... double the horizontal AND vertical resolutions.

What can i do to solve that problem? Very helpful thanks a lot! See bolded text above... They do work perfect individualy! What can i do to solve that problem? Just keep it that way... that's the only thing I've found that fixes it 100%. Again, remove the central power can, mount a power bar or two as needed, and just be done with it. I've fiddled with filters (chokes and caps), assorted different grounding strategies (PSU to DVR case, video input shields to case, shields to PSU, any or all of the above to earth ground, and completely lifting all grounds), all to no avail. Different tweaks improve some cameras and not others, but the only thing that clears up ALL of them is having a separate transformer for each one. The only other 100% solution, as noted previously, is to replace them all with 24VAC cameras and a 24VAC power supply.

Well then, what specifically IS a "license plate camera"? Make and model? Special features?

Uhh... search button in the toolbar?

You already have the voltage requirements: 240VAC to 24VAC. Find the current requirements for the camera itself and make sure you get a large enough transformer to supply it (derate by at least 50% to be safe - ie. if the camera wants 1A, use a 1.5A transformer).

And on that note, another consideration: any lens like that is going to be rather pricey on its own - probably figure another $150-$200 *on top of* the cost of the camera itself. Realistically, the only near-100% reliable way to capture plates is with a strobe. That's how border patrol does it, that's how law enforcement does it (photo-radar and red light cameras), and they're pretty much impossible to beat - Mythbusters tried at length to beat the speed cameras, and failed every time. When you're hitting the plate with a 1/30,000th-of-a-second burst of ultra-bright, tightly-focused light, shutter speed and vehicle movement becomes pretty much irrelevant - even a $100 camera should work in that instance.