oldtimer

It's been a long time since I have been on the board..Plan to come back often now. I may be able to offer some help after being 69 years in the business.

Paris has thousands of cameras for traffic control, but not one of their cameras aided police in the recent shootings. The main help came from a bystander with a iphone with a camera. Again I restate the need for proffesionals to take over the CCTV field. Just hanging a camera here and there isn't going to prove anything. It takes a long time experience of trial and error. I myself didn't want the job of working with goverment bodies as they think they know the answer. A perfect example was right in Chicago. The mayor has cameras all around his home and police sitiing in front and back. His son came home the other night and his 17 year old son was robbed and mugged and not one person saw anything. Right by his home. Cameras would have helped identify the individuals but no, the cameras were pointed in the wrong direction. By the way, they got some experienced individual that re directed the camera system the next day.

As for choosing equipment, I would find a qualified distributor to work with. Put your own equipment list together and work with them. Don't always look for the cheapest. You will know what I mean in the long run. You didn't say what area you cover. Don't use wireless unless it's the only way to go. Many companies out there over rate their equipment. Make sure they give you atleast a 2 year warranty. I'm not sure we can recomend any supply company on this web site.

Samsung do it yourself kits are strictly for the amatuer. The quality does not come any way equal to the proffesional equipment. I hate to recomend any one company. If you are going to by any CCTV equipment, look at the specs. Some of these cheaper units have only a resolution of about 360 to 400 lines. You need something today of at least 620 . As for the pickup plate you should look for 1/3. The cheaper units are mainly 1/4. Make sure your lense is glass. In a very short time a plastic lens will give you problems. When you see those awful pictures on TV of actual holdups, that's mainly bad equipment. At times it can also be a bad installation where the cameras were placed wrong. Many think CCTV is simple. It takes a lot of practice and time to do the job correctly. Back lighting control is another factor to deal with. With the cheaper cameras with a fixed lense you are unable to accomplish this task. As for those do it yourself kits. They have destroyed the iundustry. To me is like a man being given a knife and being told at the hospital, operate on yourself. You know what the end result would be.

Samsung will announce or have already, announced the closing of their CCTV do it yourself division. Several other companies have found out, they can't provide quality equipment at those low retail prices. For years I have attempted to point out how at many times these systems are just a waste of money. A customer viewing them at a disdcount store, views them on rather small screens. They look good. But go to larger screens or attempt to print a picture, the quality if any had long gone. If someone is thinking of these cheap systems, think this over. Look around these discount stores, why haven't the stores installed the systems they sell. You will see they have gone to the proffesional type of equipment and relied on a qualified installer. CCTV does not involve just mounting equipment. Where and what type is the major factor including knowing the product that's being used. I guess that's it for being on the bandwagon today. But I like to speak my piece. Having been in the business for 66 years, I have seent it all.

It looks as if you are stuck with your Samsung system. They will or have annouced the are getting out of the CCTV do it yourself division. Sorry you got caught with this junk. Remember this. If you bought it , say at a discount store. Look around the store. If the systems they are selling are so great. Why haven't they installed their own systems to protect their own stores?

The main thing to always remember. Never direct cameras into any kind of light. Make sure the area covered has plenty of light and never try to overwork the camera by wanting more coverage. At times wide angle lens defeat the whole installation. It looks like you have bought a complete kit. What make do you have and an interesting item, is what is the resale price in your country compared to the USA. Didn't I catch your name is Ryan? I have a grandson with that name. You go further, remember concrete like driveways act like a mirror and reflect light up. How many cameras are you installing? Lot's of luck.

Hey it's grand kids and great grandkids 8 grands and 61/2 great. We have heavy snowing here at present Temp is 6 degrees.Sorry I didn't acxknowledge your message sooner. I had problems logging in.

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I had trouble logging in. RCA made our first camera. It had a vidicom tube for pickup. It had a face plate of about 4 to 5 inches. If you go on the dealer section, I described it in detail, several years ago. The message is still there. That's for your message. It's snowing here very heavy and it's around 6 degrees.

I haven't been on the Forum for several years. During this time I sold my business and have spent a lot of time in the hospital.To refresh some of my old friends when we posted years ago, I'm 90 this year and installed my first CCTV system in 1948. I can't believe how things have changed in the last 3 years. It's also amazing how the installing companies do not take care of their customers as we did years ago. If I run into an old customer, they all ask me to service their systems as the companies either I sold to or companies they call, do lousy work or don't follow thru. It's just good to be back.

I would say, stay within the country you opearte in. Even in the alarm business many companies have relied on overseas operatings to handle their monitoring. They experienced every kind of problem you can name. Mainly the way they speak. Some people in the USA cannot understand their way of speech.

This recorder was locked up and they ran a truck thru a wall to get to it. For the poster that mentioned maybe the previous installer might have thoughts of future destruction,. Police believe and so do I, that is who stole the unit in the first place. The customer said it never worked correctly from the start. This could be a good customer in the future and I want to get him back in service the cheapest way I can, but make sure it works. His insurance company is trying to tell him IP systems don't cost as much as he claimed. The adjuster said he could get a recorder for around $395.00 on the internet. What a great qualified man he is.

Thanks for the advice. Where I got that milstream from, I have no idea. I quess I was thinjking of several things as I typed. I do have equipment at a mall with that name.

A customer has 16 IP cameras (axis) and the recorder was stolen. His old one was mainly a server with milestone installed. What can someone suggest to do the most economical way. He has 2 IP PTZ and 14 domes with sound on some. He needs remote viewing. I hate going into a job, someone else installed. I just feel sorry for the guy.

I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW A COMPANY OR SPORTS CENTER CAN TURN A INDIVIDUAL LOOSE IN INSTALLING A SURVEILLANCE SYSYTEM THAT APPEARS TO BE RATHER COMPLICATED WHEN YOU ADMIT FROM YOUR QUESTIONS, YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WHAT SO EVER. BEFORE YOU GET DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO PROBLEMS, IF YOUR SMART, YOU WILL DROP THE PROJECT AND TELL THEM TO HIRE A QUALIFIED COMPANY TO DO THE JOB. THESE PLUG AND PLAY CCTV SYSTEMS ARE NOT THE TYPE OF EQUIPMENT YOU NEED FOR THE JOB.