rory

hi sean. in your first post you say it was to view with iphone. 80 or 81 will not do it. it will want to load active x. No entirely, some DVRs will automatically load a second stream for such devices which do not support ActiveX. But otherwise they also tend to use special software for the mobile devices.

Not sure I understand? 2.8-12mm means you can adjust it anywhere from 2.8mm to 12mm.

Just use different ports as you listed. I would skip port 80 and use 81 and 82 etc but thats entirely up to you. And yes you would then enter the port after the IP.

Sorry looks like you are out of luck with that one.

Ill check it out and get back to you on it tonight

CNB have a great client software (CMS), I would definitely use that over the web browser. http://download.cnbnewsletter.com/support/prdcont_en.php?s_seqx_numb=358&p_move_page=1&p_bord_type=302&p_srch_inpt=&p_srch_type=

Thats me in a nutshell too, maybe thats why im still broke To me I dont do it all for money though, I love to test cameras ... take them apart .. change parts .. I guess it takes me away from the computer long enough .. though I like to test between 12-5am

Things are cheap in the US, we import almost everything from there but can cost us 2-3 times to land it here, for Cameras it can be 10-40% customs duties, depends on the customs officer on charge .. if they over charge it can take a month to get it straightened out so to get the product quicker then we just pay it. A $75 camera cost me $125 landed the other day, just a mini bullet camera. Sell that for $200 here but minimum 4 per order or full system (eg other cameras and DVR), single camera sale would be more, and thats with little to NO warranty as its special order, to offer warranty and pay for shipping back and forth would be more than people could afford. The distributors warranty applies though, and the manufacturers, so the client pays shipping - most failures here would be from rain, lightning or power surges which are not warrantied anyway. I paid overnight from NY to Miami the other day and it was $150 for a few mini cameras ... they quoted me UPS International for another order, direct to the Bahamas, was $800 shipping! UPS ground to Miami was free then a freight forwarder from there to here - takes longer but much much much cheaper - cant take 7-14 days to arrive. Most times something fails, we just chuck it if its not alot of money, as it will cost more in shipping and take a month to send it back and forth. Ahh ..the joys of living in a country where we import everything Ofcourse the customs duties are our version of tax, as we have no VAT or income tax - yet. They charge 80% duty now on SUVs and Jeeps ... crazy stuff .. $20K jeep in the US costs $40K here. I dont stock anything but colleague does, he only stocks the budget cameras and DVRs though, due to the cost of stocking that much product after shipping and duty. Also we are a small country with barely 250,000 in this main capital city (21x7 island) and most of it is ghetto.

I just turned down my first budget job today for an apartment in the ghetto, and this might become a trend now - $200 or so labour is not worth getting shot for

What brand is the DVR? Do you have a link to the software? Even though there may be no browser app, the desktop software may still have an ActiveX that could be used.

So based on the similar design between that and the DFL-20s, 3 minutes only of water jets, the DFL-20s would probably hold up just as well, if anything some water may leak through the dome cover as there is no rubber ring there, but the rear is identical. 1 hour of heavy downfall and its all over. In fact we have a couple DFL-20s outside under eaves since last year and no problems. Really depends on the location and placement of the camera, thats the bottom line. But with the bullet cameras, most of them typically always work out of the box at any location, being they are completely water sealed.

Anyway like I said the front dome cover may be waterproof, but the rear is not. At least thats my experience with them down here. And for the record the wall bracket is also not waterproof, that sucker needs to be caulked right up or water leaks through the area that joins the bracket to the dome holder , even with a rubber ring which is installed between them(poor design or QC). Im not complaining though, like they say, we get what we pay for, and caulking is cheap, but bullets are easier to install and walk away.

When it rains here, they are as good as submerged, tropical downpours are heavy and hit it from every angle.

I think you're thinking of the DBM dome - the VxMs are IP66. They can claim IP66 until the cows come home, but trust me in my experience they are not, at least not the rear of it and definitely not the VBM-24VF. The VCM model holds up much better, perhaps the extra base helps hold back some potential water leaks. If the camera will be outside in direct access to heavy rain like on a pole or post, IMO best to use a waterproof bullet or box camera housing. Caulking the crap out of them helps but can be a real PITA when the camera needs to be readjusted or replaced. The water typically leaks through the rear of the camera and through the screw holes, rubber ring or not. Caulking the screws just causes condensation which then requires dry out time. If one can caulk around the base then that helps, but not always possible.

The one you have is basically what we use for budget jobs, the rock bottom of installs. Its called a Turret IR Dome. The one in the picture above this post is an regular dome style (indoor?). I find the Turrets to be better with IR as they use separate glass so it helps prevent any IR reflection (more like a bullet), compared to the regular style which normally just has a removable rubber ring around the lens just pushed up really close to the dome cover. But the Turrets typically only come in 12VDC, okay for most jobs anyway. The step up for outdoors would be over $100, its not just the TVL that makes the difference. There are many models inbetween but if you want any kind of noticeable difference, and you want the same type of camera, then it would be a True Day Night camera with a varifocal lens. Ofcourse the difference isnt great like that between a bicycle and a ninja .. but its still better. Ok so example of a step up from what you have now, same Color IR only (no IR Cut filter), CNB LJL-20S, 3.8mm fixed lens with 600TVL, wont be a huge step up OR .. CNB LFM-20VF, 3.8-9.5mm varifocal lens, TDN (ICR) IR bullet is better though if you can get away with a bullet, more IR, easier to adjust, and more waterproof. But double the price of the domes now. Or there are the True Day Night domes without Infrared such as the CNB VCM-24VF or VBM-24VF, not waterproof though, best for under eaves. Ofcourse these are just sample models from one brand, other brands have similar products.

It sees the shade as clouds come and go as motion also, so not much can do about that. Same with most DVRs. eg

Im doing budget installs now, but I HATE it. In fact I may end up just providing technical support instead for it, let them or someone else install that stuff, besides ANYONE can really install that, they get stuck when it comes to the DVR and remote video. Its not much one can do to make those type of cameras look any better, even though the ones we are using now are actually not bad (compared to others). Retail indoor jobs are simple enough and come out fine with the cheap cameras .. but even retail stores are not spending now. Homes are flooding into get quotes as violent crime increases, but homes (at least here) can be a major PITA to install even with all the best tools in the world, with split attics, dummy eaves, flat roofs and add ons, attics full of personal belongings, etc. Right now its the only work available though, besides the occasional slightly larger CNB type job. Forget pano and bosch type work, thats a thing of the past. Prices have sky rocketted and everyone including the rich are spending less. As to what type of cameras, that will depend on where you are buying from. I tested dozens of really cheap cameras last summer and ended up with a decent enough 1/3" CCD from a distributor in Miami, price is really low, so low that even after customs duties here it is still under $100 sold here retail to the client. Ofcourse they are only 420TVL but its expected for the price - if you want to go up a notch then it goes up to something like CNB or KT&C. From there it goes up to Samsung, Sanyo, then Bosch and Panasonic .. etc... then MegaPixel. Because the Panos would be around $1000 a camera here after duty etc, Im sticking to KT&C and CNB for now, mid ranged products with good enough quality, good bang for buck, something people might actually be able to afford - at least that is what im advertising, I can still get them anything they want. So it depends where you live, where you buy from, and who the majority of your clients will be, no point in advertising a $1000 camera if nobody will ever buy it. But for cheap budget cameras, just dont buy one and think they all will look like that, try a few different types. Price and specs mean little, they will all differ, though at least go with a 1/3" if you can. Most wont have any kind of IR Cut filter so expect washed out or unreal colors.

Yeah I realize what the IR correction is for, but what i meant was that the IR lenses are typically what we call Day Night lenses. Like Tamron have what they call IR lenses, which have IR Correction and adjust for focus shift between visible and infrared light. While Fujinon just calls them Day Night lenses. Question is though, does this also help the DOF focus shift? The lens manufacturers are not clear on this it seems, they speak all about IR now. BTW the information in their document is not 100% accurate, not all color cameras have IR cut filters, thats something that is added to the camera at the discretion of the manufacturer.

We would need the complete specs for that camera first. As mentioned we hardly go by TVL these days.

When you insult all the professionals and others on this forum that use that alleged "Analog s...t" by calling the products they make their living from, "s...t" .. it sure does not earn their respect for your presence on this forum, a forum which was created for that alleged "Analog s...t", and which 99% of this forum uses. Just saying ...

About $100, dead cheap and does the job

By "non-IR camera" I assume you mean that the camera's IR cut filter is fixed in place; if so, the answer to your question is yes. Of course, you'll be paying extra for the IR-correction capability of the lens that you'll be unable to use, so it's best to find a non-IR-corrected lens if you can. Although its my understanding they also adjust for focus shift which will still happen on a Varifocal camera used in a day night application even if it has a fixed IR Cut filter?

Ask for some night time shots

Id love to see what cameras that licensing law suggests for bars.

If it works, dont need 3 year warranty or tech support. Also 520TVL is old now, should be at least 550+ if only for the other new features.