survtech

I would add, stay away from the cheapo package systems sold at places like Costco and Walmart.

The current capability of the power supply doesn't matter as long as it is at least enough to power the camera. You could attach the camera to a 1000 amp power supply if you want. Just make sure you use the correct polarity.

Are you using a high quality RG-6 with 100% copper center conductor and 100% copper braided shield? Your distances will be drastically reduced if you are using CATV cable.

Here is a link to a chart at Vicon: http://www.vicon-cctv.com/docs/support/tips/CoaxialCableSelectionforCC.PDF

My question would be why can't he just rewind it in the same VCR that he watched it in? I agree with Gesualdo. Your friend's attitude exemplifies the lack of customer service in many retailers today. It's a major reason why consumers aren't loyal to stores. How can you be loyal to a store that has rude employees like your friend?

What Pelco protocol does it support? If it supports Pelco "P" protocol, you would need a receiver to interface with it, like the Pelco ERD97P21-U Receiver. See the specs here: http://www.pelco.com/products/default.aspx?id=223

For 600 cameras, use a 9760, 9770 or 9780 analog matrix switch. You can give Pelco all of the specs and they will design a system for you. The advantage of the 9780 is that it will only require two matrix bays to switch that many cameras (each can handle up to 512 inputs). Actually, you could get by without an analog matrix if you don't need to control PTZ cameras or don't care about slight latency in the control. Many enterprise DVR/NVR combos can handle the video switching, etc. without the matrix. That would save around $150k to $200k. The Honeywell Enterprise system is scalable and can accomodate a virtual matrix, as can the Dallmeier and the Synectics, among others. Figure on spending at least $1M for those DVR systems. One of the cheapest DVR systems that can handle that many channels is the Sanyo DSR-M series casino DVR's. They record every camera at 30fps and cost approximately $400-$500 per channel with the DSR-M814 quad units. That is about as cheap as you will find.

Each Coaxitron 2000 can only handle one PTZ at a time. It was made to interface directly to a single PTZ or to multiple PTZ's through a manual or sequential switch. Here is the link to a spec sheet: http://www.pelco.com/productspecs/c550.pdf The unit will only control fixed speed domes, not the newer variable speed domes because the joystick is not proportional control.

Check out the Arecont Vision AV3130. http://www.arecontvision.com/products_3130.html

That type of pan/tilt mechanism needs separate motor control circuitry. I have linked to Pelco's PT1280P below, but here is a link to all of their recent outdoor pan & tilts: http://www.pelco.com/products/default.aspx?id=44 Spec sheet for PT1280P: http://www.pelco.com/productspecs/pelco_pt1280p_pt1280sl_pan_and_tilt_spec.pdf Installer manual for PT1280P: ftp://www.pelco.com/ProductManuals/Pelco_PT1280P_Series_Pan_Tilts_manual.pdf. 1. You will need 6-7 wires for motor control of pan & tilt functions. These usually run at 24VAC, but depending on the model may be 110VAC or, rarely, 220VAC. You can use 20gauge wires but they will need to be relatively short or you will have to use heavier gauge wire. The PT may include the following cables, some models did and some didn't: 2. You will need multiple wires for lens control. These have to be stranded and very flexible or they will break from the stresses of panning/tilting. See the diagram from Computar for their 8-80mm auto-iris zoom lens here: http://www.cbcamerica.com/cctvprod/computar/zoom/zoompdf/H10Z0812AMSP-2.PDF (most zoom lenses are wired similarly). 3. You will need camera power and video wires. These also have to be stranded and very flexible, typically stranded mini-coax for the video. CAT-5 will not last very long in this application. Also keep in mind that this type of PT mechanism is usually very slow to pan and tilt - typically 3 to 6 degrees per second or less. This compares with modern PTZ domes that can pan at up to 400 degrees per second. They are also fixed speed pan and tilt. Modern domes are variable speed when hooked up to a proportional controller.

That lens is a video auto-iris. It will not work if the switch is in "DC". If it does not work with the switch in video, most likely the iris motor is bad or the iris control circuitry in the lens is fried. No. The DC level control is only for use with DC auto-iris lenses, not video auto-iris lenses. A video AI lens has circuitry inside to control the iris motor. That circuitry samples the raw video from the camera and uses the signal to control the motor that opens and closes the iris. A video auto-iris lens requires power and baseband raw video signals from the camera. A DC AI lens has no circuitry. The camera contains the sampling and control circuitry and just puts out a varying DC voltage directly to the motor that controls how far the iris is open. The following is paraphrased from http://www.rapitron.it/guidaobaiE.htm Video auto iris lenses have two potentiometers - ALC and Level. Both settings are adjusted by the manufacturer at a default value which is good for most applications and thus no further adjustment is usually needed. ALC (Automatic Light Compensation) is a photometric adjustment of the iris and can be considered similar to the backlight compensation usually found in a camera. It sets the signal reference level according to the contrast of the image and it has two ends: Peak and Average. Very bright points on the image make the iris closing and any dark object will be even darker and sometimes too dark to distinguish any detail. In this case we may adjust the ALC in order to make the iris open more than usual (setting towards the Peak position). On the contrary when it is necessary to see better the bright points the ALC will be set towards the Average position in order to make the lens closing more than usual. It should be noted that the ALC setting will be effective only with high contrast scenes. Level is a sensitivity adjustment to the video signal changes and shows two end positions: H (high) and L (low). By turning the screw towards H the image will be brighter and consequently will be darker when turning the screw towards H. Setting the Level you should take care that the image is acceptable both in daylight and in night operations. Both settings should be made always with AGC=Off. Here is a link to the specs of that lens: http://www.cbcamerica.com/cctvprod/computar/zoom/zoompdf/H10Z0812AMSP-2.PDF

You still have to make sure that the camera can provide the proper signal for a video auto-iris lens. Most modern lenses are DC auto-iris so a camera that doesn't have a separate iris connector for each type or a switch labeled "Video / DC" or something similar will most likely only handle DC auto-iris lenses. If the camera is capable of controlling video auto-iris lenses and is not doing so, there may be a problem with either the iris motor or the control circuitry. Most likely the former; they can get "stuck" in one position.

Most camera manufacturers recommend 10% as the maximum voltage drop. That means that for 12VDC, the minimum voltage at the camera should be 10.8 volts and for a 24VAC camera, the minimum should be 21.6 volts. You should include the draw for heaters, blowers and PTZ motors when figuring or measuring voltages. Also, most 24VAC power supplies don't actually provide 24 volts. Depending on the total load and transformer tap selected, they can provide as much as 29 or 30 volts. This can compensate somewhat for long cable runs.

Isn't #3 the one they are using now?

If you look at the picture of the lens you can see that it is F1.2, not F2 (1:1.2).

Did you hook up the iris connector? It is a video auto-iris lens (as opposed to a DC auto-iris lens) so the camera must have a setting for the lens type.

Also, look for glass optics. Some manufacturers of cheap lenses use plastic optics and they have more aberrations and usually don't zoom and focus as smoothly, making it harder to adjust them properly.

Great! Why not just show them the combination to the safe while you are at it? Seriously, showing the employees the camera point-of-view also shows them what the camera does not see. That's an invitation to steal since they will know where you can't see.

You may not know unless you examine the factory sticker very closely. According to Consumer reports http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/which-companies-make-the-best-cars/what-is-an-american-car/0407best_glo.htm, many so-called American cars are actually made elsewhere and of those that are assembled in the U.S., many of their parts come from overseas.

Keep in mind that this is an electrician that he's talking about, not an electronics technician. Electricians may know wiring but most don't know doodly about DC.

I had the same problem with an expensive Dallmeier casino cam. It's rated at 12VDC at (I didn't notice the small print) +/- 5%. That means 11.4-12.6 volts. It actually smoked!!! I don't know how they expect us to maintain 5% voltage tolerance in the field. But then again, I often wonder what is wrong with engineers in general. They have no concept of how things work in the real world. I questioned them and they agreed that the tolerance was that close. Stupid!!! 13.8VDC is the nominal voltage of a fully charged car battery and, at least with some manufacturers, has no relationship to the 12VDC that cameras require. Camera manufacturers could eliminate a lot of problems with a few inexpensive parts. A full wave rectifier bridge and a simple voltage regulator not only can allow the same power connector to serve both AC and DC, it can allow DC to be hooked up without regard to polarity.

I assume this is in a business building? Does the client own /lease the whole building? If so, you could probably use a notch filter to remove one or more channels and insert the video there with a RF Modulator and a combiner. Check with CATV distribution manufacturers for details. The main concern for most cablecos would be that your camera signal doesn't backfeed to their system. There are products to prevent this.

It's not just bad experiences with us; it is no experience. In the past, we have relied on integrators and contractors for the minimal fiber runs we have used. In the future, we will have to utilize fiber much more as we convert to digital. We have determined that any large expansion to our casino will have to be IP-ready. That is the direction CCTV is taking and to continue with an analog-only infrastructure would be foolish. We would like to be able to accomplish this in-house, therefore we need to get training.

InNorthernWeTrust, I, too would be interested in providing training to my techs on fiber; specifically proper termination and connection. I assume that by IFS you mean Internation Fiber Systems? I've been to their website and seen their list of "2007 Fiber Optic and Network Training Seminars". Do you know anyone who has attended their class? Do they teach proper termination, provide the required tools and certify the trainees?