survtech

What are you using for NVR software? I've seen a casino set up with IQEye cameras and Vigil DVRs, they haven't had any issues that I've ever heard of. Obviously survtech's experience isn't universal. We have a much modified Honeywell Enterprise NVR system. But that is not the point. The dropouts occurred while watching the cameras "live", not post-record. Regarding the casino using IQEye/Vigil - I'll bet they have at least 150ms of latency. And yes, some people (especially manufacturers) will tell you that users become accustomed to the latency and learn to compensate for it. From experience, I can tell you that it depends on how the PTZ is being used. If, for instance, you use one to zoom in on a table game or a slot machine, the latency is not any more than a minor annoyance. On the other hand, it is nearly impossible to follow a running suspect or a moving vehicle with anything more than 100ms latency; and difficult even at that. For instance, a vehicle traveling at 25mph will go 5.5 feet in 150ms. If the PTZ operator is trying to identify who is driving, when they aim for the driver's seat they'll actually be seeing the trunk lid. Yes, you can "lead" the object like you would shooting skeet, but that assumes the object travels in a straight horizontal or vertical line that doesn't require simultaneous pan and tilt. Angular and zigzag motion would be the most difficult to compensate for. As hybrid Analog / IP systems are deployed, would it be to difficult to keep the analog matrix in a casino environment for the 0 latency PTZ control where required and simply use the looping inputs of the matrix to convert the Analog feeds to IP via an encoder after the analog matrix switcher? Maybe a best of both worlds could be achieved. Anyhoo, as big IP megapixel cameras develop the need for traditional analog PTZ will diminish. The big issue with hybrid systems is monitoring. Retaining the analog side requires two sets of monitors: one for the digital cameras and one for the analog. Casinos typically have between 20 and 100 monitors. There is no elegant way to deploy the two simultaneously in the same monitor wall. Yes, we could utilize LCD or plasma monitors but the they have trouble displaying analog cameras with the picture quality of a good CRT monitor and most CRT monitors can not display digital. When you add in the screen aspect ratio differences, any attempt to mix the two becomes klugy. I also think it will be a long time before megapixel cameras of any type will be able to replace PTZ's. I did a back-of-the-envelope calculation of the minimum pixel requirement to replace a low end PTZ and came up with a minimum of 540 megapixels. Can you imagine the bandwidth and disk space needed to deploy such a camera?

Keep in mind these cameras were only "proof-of-concept" tests, not actual production cameras. Of course, having failed the tests, we are not in a rush to go IP. The cameras were Arecont AV1300 and AV3100. They were powered from 24VAC direct, not POE. The switch is a Cisco 4507R. Although we probably wouldn't be using IP PTZ's to start, there are some serious issues if we don't - monitoring being a prime one. Since IP cameras won't pass through our matrix switch or our CRT analog monitors, we would have to have two completely different systems there. That creates confusion with the operators having to know which cameras appear on what system. A virtual matrix is out of the question as long as we keep the Honeywell NVR since it has more than 250ms latency by itself. Besides, I have never cared for the picture quality of analog cameras on digital monitors or vice versa. That creates a quandry that nothing I know of can solve and which is getting more acute over time: as our CRT monitors wear out what do we replace them with? We had a budget in 2008 to start replacing them but the continuing progress of digital cameras means that any CRT analog monitors we buy now will likely be obsolete before they wear out or are fully depreciated. And every LCD monitor I've seen has an absolutely atrocious picture with analog cameras. So what to do? I'm waiting to see what happens in the world of CCTV that will solve these issues.

I assume anyone who sells Pelco would sell Spectra IV's. We use Northern Video Systems/SSI but there are many distributors that sell them. We are constantly barraged by "distributors" who claim to offer great prices on Pelco products.

What are you using for NVR software? I've seen a casino set up with IQEye cameras and Vigil DVRs, they haven't had any issues that I've ever heard of. Obviously survtech's experience isn't universal. We have a much modified Honeywell Enterprise NVR system. But that is not the point. The dropouts occurred while watching the cameras "live", not post-record. Regarding the casino using IQEye/Vigil - I'll bet they have at least 150ms of latency. And yes, some people (especially manufacturers) will tell you that users become accustomed to the latency and learn to compensate for it. From experience, I can tell you that it depends on how the PTZ is being used. If, for instance, you use one to zoom in on a table game or a slot machine, the latency is not any more than a minor annoyance. On the other hand, it is nearly impossible to follow a running suspect or a moving vehicle with anything more than 100ms latency; and difficult even at that. For instance, a vehicle traveling at 25mph will go 5.5 feet in 150ms. If the PTZ operator is trying to identify who is driving, when they aim for the driver's seat they'll actually be seeing the trunk lid. Yes, you can "lead" the object like you would shooting skeet, but that assumes the object travels in a straight horizontal or vertical line that doesn't require simultaneous pan and tilt. Angular and zigzag motion would be the most difficult to compensate for.

That's basically the same as the Pelco pole mount. They don't work well if the pole's diameter is too small. I've run into that before and the "sleeve" fix has worked for me.

Latency is a major problem in a casino environment where we use the PTZ's constantly. And I don't consider Arecont to be cheap equipment. Our demos of their cameras exhibited random dropouts connected through a Cisco 4507R Enterprise Switch. These can also not be tolerated in our environment.

Scorpion, You must be an old fart if you remember Lafayette Radio (or as we used to call it "Laughing Idiot Radio") . I used to shop at their Syosset, NY HQ in the 60's. In fact, I bought my first stereo system from them! And I worked for Radio Shack in the 70's - Store Manager and Repair Manager. Do you remember the "Battery of the Month Club card"? I have a funny story about them. I was managing a store in upstate New York in the early 70's and we were open during a snowstorm because my District Manager said "We are like the Post Office, Neither Rain nor Snow....". It was around noon and we had not seen one customer all day. The parking lot had at least 6 inches of snow. Anyway, all of a sudden this car comes barreling through the empty lot and stops right in front of our store. This guy gets out and comes in laughing his butt off and presents his battery card, gets a free 9 volt battery and leaves, laughing all of the while. Strange!

Yeah, but IP still has its problems: latency and packet losses/dropped connections being among the worst. At least HDcctv should be free of those. Those are major reasons why I'm watching them closely.

How do you get to the books inside the loops, climb over the top?

Be careful of a company who states: "It will Wok for you or your money back!" I think you want a camera that works, not woks! This isn't cooking! Meanwhile, any camera that can be recorded by a VCR can be recorded by a DVR. The only difference would be the connector (RCA versus BNC) and you can buy adaptors between the two real cheap.

You could try making a sleeve out of PVC pipe "split" lengthwise.

Spectra III's have been discontinued for well over a year so I doubt you'll find any new ones anywhere. What's wrong with using Spectra IV's?

RS-232 to RS-485 Converter Less than 8 bucks!

That'll teach you to listen to Radio Shack salespeople. BTW, I speak from experience - I used to manage a R.S. store. To receive Composite Video on a TV channel, you need an RF Modulator. That converts the video to a TV channel. Or just use the BNC-to_RCA adaptor and connect to a video input on your TV.

Pacific Cable: DVIISLMS DVI-I Single Link Male Solder Connector $6.00 DVIIMS DVI-I Dual Link Male Solder Connector $6.00 DVIIFS DVI-I Dual Link Female Solder Connector $6.00 DVIMS DVI-D Dual Link Male Solder Connector $6.00 DVIFS DVI-D Dual Link Female Solder Connector $6.00 http://www.pacificcable.com/DVI-Connectors.html

Filters won't help. The Surveillance Department must get together with Facilities and Operations departments to solve lighting issues. If you can't, you won't be able to protect the games.

I'm not saying that each camera works in a different dome, just that the cameras are designed to work in domes or camcorders that have external circuitry to control zoom, focus, iris and other functions. Pelco domes are a good example. The basic Spectra II dome drive could have used one of several cameras, depending on whether it was day/night, color or b/w, what the zoom ratio was and the production date. In addition the original camera can be replaced with any of a large number of camera heads although some may require different firmware. Again, see Time Lapse Supply for a list of compatible cameras, I suppose you could buy an FCB-RS kit to experiment with the cameras, keeping in mind that according to GO Electronic "(ACTUAL CONNECTORS NOT INCLUDED - JUST BARE WIRE INPUTS/OUTPUTS)." so you will have to add connectors, switches, some piece of equipment to send communication data to the camera (a laptop?) and a power supply. Also keep in mind that even if you set up your zoom, focus, iris, etc. levels, if the power fails or is turned off, you will have to go through the whole setup process again. By the way, we have replaced nearly all of the Sony FCB-EX cameras with Hitachi's in our Spectra II domes because they had a flaw in their "fuzzy logic auto-focus circuitry" (according to Pelco) that would cause the camera to go out of focus if it was aimed at a "busy" background such as the slot machines and signage in our casino. As is typical of Sony, they acknowledged the problem but refused to fix it so Pelco was stuck with it and after our warranties ran out, so were we.

If they are working, you might put them up for sale. The actual camera make and model numbers installed in PTZ's are not generally published, but you could look here (Time Lapse Supply) to see if you can cross reference them to a dome. Many PTZ dome manufacturers used Sony FCB-EX cameras, including Ademco, Bosch, Burle, Cyberdome, GE, Honeywell, Kalatel, Pelco, Philips, Sony, Ultrak and Vicon. Actually, most PTZ dome cameras were originally designed for various consumer camcorders and adapted by dome manufacturers.

Sony FCB-EX cameras are not made to be standalone. They are made for installation in a PTZ dome drive with other circuitry to interface with and apply power to the camera. Nevertheless, here is a link to a data sheet that may be of some help: http://www.servovision.com/Sony/DataSheetSony/FCB-EX980_480_48_S.pdf

You have to focus cameras that are subject to changing light conditions at night. The way lenses work is that with bright light, the focus is not at all critical. That is because the iris is closed under bright lighting. At night, the iris is open and the focus becomes more critical. The next best way to focus a camera is to place a neutral density filter in front of the lens to allow the iris to fully open during the day. The filter must completely block the lens. A cheaper option is to use a #5 or #6 welding glass. You can obtain them at many welding supply stores. Just hold the welding glass or filter against the lens while you adjust focus during the day. It works like a charm!

I would recommend against using Motorola Canopy for IP CCTV. We installed a Canopy system to send IP from a remote location to a guard shack and the signal kept dropping; causing the encoders and decoders to lock up and requiring frequent rebooting. This was with PelcoNet servers. Also, unless they changed it recently, the Canopy system is only capable of 14Mb/sec total. They also interfered with wireless communications systems. The problems became so acute that we finally disabled the system and are recording the cameras locally.

In a DC Iris Lens, the camera contains the circuitry that senses the light level and sends a DC control voltage to the lens that opens and closes the iris. In a Video Iris Lens, the lens contains the circuitry that senses the light level and the camera sends raw video and power to the lens. You can tell the difference by whether there are adjustments for gain and level on the lens or not. A DC Iris Lens has no adjustment screws (potentiometers); A Video Iris Lens has the adjustment potentiometers, usually under two rubber caps. Most modern lenses are DC iris. They are simpler to adjust - just adjust the iris control on a bright scene for proper contrast (1 volt peak-to-peak or 100IRE if using a meter) or so the picture is clear if using a monitor.

The reasons it is rare to find a regulated AC power supply is that it is quite expensive and unnecessary. AC supplies usually consist of just a transformer and fuses, with perhaps an MOV to protect against power surges. Since voltage ratings of cameras and the like are usually +/- 10% (most allow at least +/- 20%), the supply voltage would have to surge by 12-24 volts before you would exceed the camera's rating. With an AC supply, a simple surge protector would protect against power surges. Unless you are in an area that has particularly awful power, the likelihood of cameras failing due to normal power fluctuations is minimal. I've installed well over 1000 cameras and have yet to see one fail using 24VAC unless a lightning stike sent a surge down the line. DC Power supplies are another issue. The tolerances are tighter in the camera so a 20% increase to 14.4 volts may not be tolerated. Since most cameras that use 24VAC have a built-in rectifier, filter and regulator, they tolerate voltage swings on the AC better. In most 12VDC cameras, the DC voltage is used to directly power the components.

Check your grounding. I've seen weird things happen when PTZ camera power or control wires get accidentally grounded. This is especially true when they are relatively far from the controller. What type of control/monitor/switching system are you using?

You won't find a regulated 24VAC power supply but that is not important. If you want to use 12VDC, then you should use a regulated power supply. Each output can supply up to the fuse rating, although I would not recommend exceeding 50%-75% of any fuse's rating. Then add up the draw from all cameras and it should not exceed 50% to 75% of the supply's total capacity. Yes. "Electronically Regulated" should mean just that. Yes. You are better off using 24VAC where possible. You can get by with smaller power cables or run them farther. Again, you are better off using 24VAC if your cameras support that. Altronix has a number of 24VAC supplies that meet or exceed your requirements, Check out the ALTV248300 (12.5A@24VAC) or, for 16 outputs, the ALTV2416350 (14A@24VAC) or the 2416600 (25A@24VAC). If you want to meet code, use the UL Listed versions (ALTV248300UL, ALTV2416350UL and ALTV2416600UL).