kensplace

rs232 can be 2 or more cores (tx for transmit, rx for receive, and optional hardware handshaking lines if needed) rs485 can be 2 or 4 wire depending on type. RS485 can be used over greater physical distances than rs232, so its used more for cctv due to cameras tending to be never near the head end. A well designed rs232 system for example could communicate just as well with 2 wires as with 4, as it can use software handshaking (xon/xoff) to slow down comms when one device is not ready. So its possible to do pretty much any job with either 2 or 4 wires - but only if the equipment supports it......

How do the compression fittings work, any pics of them in bits, and being fitted? Never seen one yet. Only seen crimp ones (3 peice)

Your risking the sack at best if caught, as you have been told not to use a camera... At worst, they may see if they can prosecute (not sure of privacy laws where you are, but if you have been told no cameras, then you go and install a covert one, it seems likely you would be in breach of some law...)

HP has warnings in manuals for a number of its products (portables etc) that include IR leds - warning you not to look at the led. Even if its not proven beyond a doubt to be safe/unsafe erring on the side of caution is always good. Remember the big shuttle explosion that killed all the astronauts? The o-ring manufacturers engineers said they knew it would be unsafe - BUT the management wanted provable facts. Engineers could only provide evidence, and experience, but not clear cut facts, so despite the engineers saying no to the launch, the management said yes, and the astronauts all died.

That model (AL400ULPD8) is DC only, according to the altronix website, 12 or 24v dc. One difference between using a 12v backup (or a 24v backup, or 2x12v backups) in that power supply, over a UPS is the power supply will almost certainly have a *much* longer runtine under the types of loads presented by a few normal cameras than a UPS in that price range would. A ups has to convert the DC to mains, run its own monitoring electronics, and then it would have to be reconverted back to dc later, so a lot of power ends up being wasted. A dedicated box like that wastes very little of the battery power. Mind you, long runtimes on cameras dont mean much if you cant get long runtimes on the recording device (pc or standalone dvr or whatever) which would be down to the size of the ups installed anyways... You could get at least a day if you have a handful of cams that say came to 1 amp in total current for the lot, backup wise on that psu, but to get a days backup for a pc would need one monster size ups (or a normal sized ups, with a load of extra batteries......). If you have a monster ups then you could just power the cams on it, as the small extra current wont make much difference to a huge ups.....

common intermediary format, think of it as quarter size a pal or ntsc resolution, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_resolutions

Others may be able to comment on your specific needs, but I think you may be better of getting some quotes from some pro installers, a 32 cam system in a factory is a big job, and not really the type of thing I would want to do whilst learning the basics at the same time. You will have lots of issues to cope with, not just cctv issues, but building regs/health & safety etc. Cams in areas with steam may need specialist cases, so no steam can get in - possibly even washer/wipers to clear the housing windows if the steam is bad. Cabling will probably need professionally installing, so as not to get damaged, either from moving machinery/objects/people or even from the enviroment (steam/chemicals/water). DVRS/cams will need clean power (so you need to make sure the power is clean, no spikes from large equipment in the factory), backup power - is it needed, if so UPS's need consideration. Security at night? Is it needed? If so, they either need to leave all the lights on, or install security lights (infra red maybe). Its often better if someone who has done loads of installs or consultations see's the property/positions on proposed cams, as then they can tailor the advice to the situation in hand. If you get a name of a good cam, and for some reason its not suitable due to some unforseen point that only a visit would have noticed, then it would be a expensive mistake after you bought 32 of em.... Good luck anyways!

Not easily.... Or cheaply, especially on a dome camera. Box cameras are usually easier, as you can usually just unscrew the front and unplug the ccd and replace it (if you happen to have an IDENTICAL spare front) -but even then there is no gaurantee it will work as well as the original, as the board wont have been calibrated to the ccd sensor. One possiblity if the camera has a removable lens, is dust on the ccd sensor, but that would show up as black pixels, not colours. Not familiar with your JVC, but some dome cams have the camera as a all in one unit screwed/bolted onto the pan / tilt mech inside. If you can get the replacement internal camera then you could replace that. But its probably fiddly, lots of easy to break ribbon cables and connectors, plus the cost of a brand new replacement part like that may be more than a new dome... (unless you can get one second hand that has a perfect cam, but broken pan tilt or something, and just take what you need - the cam...) If its under warranty, it may be possible to send it back (not sure what the generic warranty terms are for dead ccd pixels). I have a plettac with a couple of dead pixels, I just ignore them, as it does not really affect the image badly.

Smearing is when the light is too bright for the ccd sensor to handle it, it overloads the column of pixels and you get a bright line going down the screen - instead of what you really need to see.

If the dont move or change at all when you pant/tilt/zoom, then its not marks on the lens or housing, sounds more like the ccd has gone bad. Pixels can go on a ccd, nothing I know of can fix it, once its happened its happened.

You would need to find out what telemetry protocols your dvr supports, and see if you can get a telemetry receiver for it, the telemetry receiver is to receive the rs485 commands from the controller, and then output the voltages for the pan/tilt/zoom etc.

If that housing is the same on the inside as mine, then the camera is mounted on a plastic plate that snaps into metal guide rails. As the cam is screwed into plastic on mine, it never actually touches the metal of the housing, so grounding is not a issue (apart from cable grounds). Looks like it is the same housing, but could be a different mount inside.

Apart from the fact they tried to sue the makers of java, and tried to sue sony, over CCD image sensors - if kodak had had their way, the cctv industry would have probably been in deep trouble...

Intel is quite like microsoft in that respect then... Most corporations (large ones) seem pretty much alike in many respects.

Looks like you have the exact same camera housing I use on one of my cams, mine does not seem to suffer from shake, so Im guessing where its mounted is flexing in the wind. Is it mounted to panels that may flex? Maybe try mounting it to something very solid instead, if possible.

my 1480 worked on a sis board (ecs k7s5a) with xp 1800 processor but frames rates not as good as on the intel with 3ghz processor...

I think its not just geo that uses those chips, have it mentioned that some avermedia cards also use it, and probably a few other makes of dvr card too. So its not just geo's problem.

qoute from one geo distributer web site "GV650, 750, 800, 900, 1000 cards, if installed onto motherboards with VIA chipsets, will generate unstable clocking. These models use the "Hint" chip set for PCI bus control, and this Intel Hint chip set conflicts with VIA chip set. Therefore, please avoid using motherboards with VIA chipsets. Intel chipsets, SIS, and lots of other brand names are good. GV250 or GV600 do not have HINT chip sets, therefore, they are OK with VIA chip set mother boards. " guess the hint chip is the pci controller on the geo card.

I think there is a incompatability between via chipsets and the 'hint' chip used on certain geo cards (I believe the hint chip is the one that routes the camera inputs to the main IC). I had to get a whole new set of equipment to use my geo card, intel mobo etc, it was a pain, but it was well worth it, intel boards are nice, if a little pricey new (but very reasonable second hand....)

Use common sense is the main rule. If you feel where you are mounting them may have problems with the weight, then add support. Make sure all electrical connections are safe, and take it slow and easy, if in doubt ask... Cams are low voltage (if not, dont do it), and if they are lightweight you should be ok, but we dont know the condition of what you are mounting them on. If you are in doubt, ask a electrician, who should as well as knowing electrics, know basic safety for mounting electrical stuff. My guess is go with your gutt...

Unlikely, but did the client install the wrong power? If they are supplying far to much voltage, the cam may still operate but be pushing the voltage regulator to the limit - which produces lots of heat. I repeat my previous advice - stop using them til the problem is cured.

You should be ok as long as your always behind the lamp, and not shining it at a mirror or anything like that. Just like holding a powerful torch, it may blind you if you look at it, but it wont bother you if you point it away from you, as you would when aiming a IR lamp.

If its for home use it is worth the gamble. Usually they are fine, only had a few bad ones, but at the price I paid, I could buy lots of lenses before I even came close to the price of one new one. When it comes to zoom lenses, it gets even better - some 500 dollar + lenses for about 20 dollars, bought one lens that probably cost thousands (25 to 350 mm) for 20 pounds, about 40 dollars - works perfect... Would stay clear of ebay for business use though, no warranty....

You wont be able to get a evidential quality pic of any crimes using just one camera covering a football field sized area with normal cctv cams. You would need a specialist multi mega pixel camera, or a full time manned pan tilt zoom setup, or multiple normal cctv cams.

If its genuine then it's a good thing. When I worked at the Sage Group in the UK I know that they relied heavily on training, so did not like to fix certain problems, nor make things easy for users - they wanted then to have to pay for support/training. In fact, I was ordered to slow down fixing things, as I was embarassing them....