sethlocks

Hello all, I have been lurking on this board for over a year, and have gleaned some very useful information. So, thank you all for all of the unknown help you have given me. I work in Chicago, for a small locksmith and security company. After years of installing access control and intercoms, I decided to add CCTV to my product offerings. I mainly install small systems, less than 16 cameras, in mixed use residential buildings. Hope to have fun talking to everyone, and to continue learning fro this group. Thanks, Seth

This is a european company with a large product offereing. I just checked pricing for a 2 unit apartment entry system, either audio only or video. It was VERY inexpensive versus Aiphone or even Pacific Electronics in the residential intercom market.

Hello, I have a Hikvision IP camera with a solid state relay output. This allows small amounts of voltage to pass though the open contact which is ruining a planned integration to an electric strike. It is enough voltage to hold a relay coil once it has been opened. I have tried resistors or diodes, but then the voltage drops too much to trigger the coil. I have made this work with various access control panels with a dry contact input. For some reason these systems are not as sensitive to small amounts of bleed. Does anyone know of a dry contact triggered relay? Currently I have this set up with an Altronix ACM4, but that is too big and total overkill for such a simple thing. Any help or comment appreciated. Thanks, Seth

So, my customer wants to install a camera in their elevator. I have provided pricing for camera, DVR, etc, but left the elevator cabling up to the customer's elevator company. Turn out that they cannot provide UTP, or STP cable in the elevator traveller, nor will they give up a spare pair. Elevator customer is offering to install, at an exorbitant cost, a new traveller cable. Choices are four stranded shielded 20 AWG pairs or four 14 AWG stranded cables. I may be able to get an RG6 installed, but it will cost about $1,000 more than the stranded wire. My issue is the high capacitance with shielded cable, or noise with non shielded cable. Passive balun, Active Balun? Any advice? I was hoping that the elevator company would be a little more helpful. Seth

Hello. Have any of you had any experience with a good quality HD-SDI encoder compatible with Milestone? I have a project with 32 analog cameras and it seems like a perfect fit to upgrade to HD-SDI. I just hate embedded DVRs and want to use Milestone as the software solution. Thanks for any input, Seth

AK is correct. I just dislike most DVR software interfaces. I would love to encode the signal for use, but it seems impossible right now. Thanks, Seth

Hello, I am researching two options for a live stream. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this? This is just a live "animal cam" for about 50-60 unique visitors each day. Option 1 - Embed MJPEG Video at D1 from my Hikvision DS-2cd2012 into a web page. Option 2 - Use a hosted service such as YouTube Live or UStream. Before I go down the research hole, I would love any pointers anyone has. Thanks, Seth

Has anyone ever done this? I have a client who has 3 PTZ cameras which just swing from side to side in the parking lot. There is no operator for the live view. In theory, couldn't a fisheye lens outdoor camera do this same function without motoring back and forth? I know that the camera would only be for a general overview, but that is what they are getting with the scanning PTZ.

Hello, I have a client who would like to run an exacq start system with 15 cameras on a virtual machine. Customer's IT department is on board, and they will provide virtual machine and have ample resources. They want to virtualize Exacq Start, not run Exacq virtual, as the IT department does not want any Linux systems to manage. Have any of you done this for a medium sized business? Any headaches you have experienced that you would like to share?

Thank you all for the responses. I agree that the software wont know it is running in a virtual box. I am going to have to meet with the client regarding the VHD and network issues brought up. Thank you for that. I can set up my own small networks, but I like to leave the advanced networking to the professionals.

I have set up integration demos on virtual machines for many of my access control customers, so the install will be pretty straightforward. Client will have a couple VMs on physical machine, but has promised to allocate adequate resources. Customers IT department is windows certified, and proud of it. I don't even want to rock that boat by trying to convince them on Linux. Main issue is the client reads the specs for the proposed server and says, "I have all of that available, can we just install software?" Exacq kinda supports virtualization, but not this configuration. I will have to ensure a nightly data dump for backup, but I cannot think of any major downsides which canot be quickly addressed.

II purchased a FD8135H to use as an edge recording device in an Exacq system. Documentation here: https://exacq.com/auto/specsheet/uploads/exacqVision%20Edge-Vivotek%20QSG.pdf The problem I have is that firmware version 0202c does not have the VDAP application available in the applications menu. Exacq Edge was tested on this camera with Edge firmware 0201a1. Is it possible to get a copy of this firmware? I have contacted Vivotek, but I was hoping to work on this over the weekend. Any help is appreciated. Thanks, Seth

I agree with buellwinkle on the Acti cameras. Great cameras at a good price. If audio came back up as a requirement, I would look at this Speco model: http://www.specotech.com/product/764/VIP2D2.html Two way audio for communication from web or smartphone app. Output could be triggered to unlock a door, with some creative relay wiring.

The new ACTi nvrs do not support their mobile apps yet, I was told by tech support. They said that the next firmware update will fix this. I hope so.

I have a 2 MP Speco O2D3 outdoor dome camera which has bands of light from outside lights ruining the image. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to solve this problem? Any help greatly appreciated. Seth

That is so simple, I feel stupid. Thanks.

I have a 2 MP Speco O2D3 outdoor dome camera which has bands of light from outside lights ruining the image. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to solve this problem? Any help greatly appreciated. Seth

For a standard USA rectangle box there is this option. http://cnbusa.com/en/html/product/product.php?inc=dra&seqx_prod=1267#p_v1

I am looking for an auto sensing LCD monitor 7-10" in size which will automatically display a video signal, then return to a black screen/standby mode when the video signal is removed. This is for a video intercom system. Thanks in advance! Seth

Hello, I am looking for mid range vandal resistant domes which have enough room for a balun in the back box. Everything for this install will be surface mount, and the customer does not like the look of an additional box next to the camera. They want to install with baluns because they may want to switch to IP or a hybrid system. There will be 2 WDR domes and 6 IR domes. I was thinking of a Clinton VandalX Series http://www.clintonelectronics.com/store/product.php?productid=602&cat=76&page=2 or a CNB http://cnbusa.com/en/html/product/product.php?seqx_prod=1263 Does anyone have experience with these models or a similar project?

In stock is not really the issue. I was hoping for some recommendations. Ganz has an NVT transmitter for it's 5000 series, but with the cost of the transmitter, heater and outdoor housing I might as well be buying ACTI!

Old post, but I do have an opinion. I have installed their commercial systems for a condo building with a very tight budget. User interface is clunky, network is slow and support is OK. There are lots of little hidden "gems," such as the inability to shut the system down. Tech support says to just unplug it. That was when I knew I was in trouble. For the money, I would rather work with Bosch or Speco Tech.

Any recommendations for a low end IP camera with SD recording. Mobotix is out of my customer's price range. Here's the skinny: Customer has two entrances to monitor. Up to 3 staff members will view the cameras via browser interface. I would like to offer motion based recording or snapshots for the entrances as well. Needs to be day/night or have IR. Any help or advice is appreciated.

Thanks for all of the replies. I am going to bid Axis, even though it is a little more than my customer wants to spend. If I can have it installed and not have to go back and tweak it again and again, I will be satisfied.

I forgot to mention that I would like to steer clear of Vivotek. The SD card interface is too clunky for my customer to easily use.