scorpion

I have the same issue. Anyone have a comparison between the 8TN series verses the CPCam 505? Thanks

What kind of construction is it? Do they have attics? Do they have basements? What kind of walls are they?

I hear you loud and clear on the RCA grounds that snap off!! I have the same problem with some brands of the compression fittings for custom set ups! Nothing worse than having to recrimp a wire!

I have never done it, but someone mentioned that they had fixed some scratches in a dome that they had. I do not know what kind of dome it was. He said that he used some polish that they use on used cars to clean up the "plastic" head lamps. This is the kind where you insert the lamp from inside the engine compartment. I do not know what kind of polish it was, or it's brand name. He owned a used car lot, and maybe someone can recommend what kind it is. He buys used cars, and he used the polish to get the "yellow" out of the headlamps, and make them clear again.

I would have to go back to the shop, and yank one out, or find the paper work. To qualify our work, we install very low end residential DVRs, and Systems. For what I pay for a 250 GB hard drive it is just cheaper to replace it two years down the road, out of pocket, (or should it fail prematurely). I use what is requested out of the manufactures specs for DVR. W/D Cavier model number that is listed is what I use. I am torn between buying HD on my own, or letting the distrubutor install the hard drive. What if the hard drive fails, and damages the DVR? Now what do I do? One distributor charges through the nose for HDs! It is not even worth getting a preinstalled HD from this Texas distributor. My Miami distributor's HD price is very reasonable, and it is worth them to install the HD. Should something ever happen, then the DVR/HD is cover under warranty.

You would be much better hiring a local CCTV dealer. They can come out with various cameras, and "live" test them, and match a camera that fits your unique "environment". Cameras that say 10 meters, or 30 feet of infrared will not cut the mustard! You will not see the guy if he is standing at the back of your car, (such as going for your plate, or setting down your chair). You will need infrared that will travel farther than 10meter/30 feet. Your environment is going to dictate which camera will work for you. This is not the right formula, but I will give you some advice that should get you close for a DIY job. Measure where you want to put the camera out to the area that you want to watch. Take this distance, and double it for infrared distance. Depending on trees, or if it is an open area you may need more IR, or less. Go to a local CCTV dealer, and buy from them. Be honest with them, and let them know what you are doing. Tell them that you are going to buy it, and you are going to test it before you install it. If it does not meet the environment, then see if they will let you bring it back, and upgrade to the next level, and then test this as well before you install. To test the camera you will need an extension cord, a 13" color tv with a composite video input (yellow connector) on the front or the back. You will need a power supply for that camera, and a video cable. You can buy a 25' premade cable for this test. Plug in the power to the premade cable, and plug the video cable to your TV. If you do not know how to "activate" the composite video (yellow connector) then you will find out how in this article: http://www.cctvforum.com/cms_view_article.php?aid=41 Scroll down to here..... On some TVs to activate the composite signal it is a simple as pressing the channel down button until you get to channel 2. When you press the down button one more time this will activate the AUX, or GAME input..... Now plug in your camera, and stand on a ladder to simulate where the camera is mounted. What you see on the TV screen is what you get! Does it look good? Then you are good to go. For options where you only need 10meters/30feet you should be fine in your price range. To get out to the end of your driveway is where the boy cameras, and the men cameras get seperated real fast, and the price goes with it! I would sacrifice a vandal dome with something less so that I would have a better picture, a kind of trade off if you will. I would not want to demand a vandal proof camera, and not see what I need to see. A cheap 'bubble' cover should do as long as it is a weather resistant/proof camera. Is this what you are looking for? http://avssys.net/?s=product&sub=camera&cat=ir&p=vnd49ir Please do not call this company, and please do not embarrass me as they do not sell to end users, and they only sell to dealers. I posted this only so that you can see a color outdoor dome camera with vandal resistant, vari focal, with 50 feet of IR. If you call they will automatically know that it was me, and they will call me, and yank my chain a little. I would really hate to lose my dealer status. This should get you going! Good luck!

I use W/D Caviar

You must have a really nice set of doors! Congradulations! You really know how to ruin a crooks day don't you!!

BSOD

One of the tricks you can do with wireless cameras is to put the receiver as close to the camera as you can then run video wire from the receiver back to the DVR, (or VCR). Here are some things to be aware of with wireless cameras. The inexpensive multicam systems are set up as switchers. You will see camera 1, then it will switch to camera 2, then it will switch to cam 3,4, and then it will go back to camera 1, and so forth. Advantages: Cheap, quick, and to the point! You can use a VCR to record video with multiple cameras! Disadvantage: What is going on at the other cams when you are looking at cam 1? You cannot use a multichannel recorder such as a DVR. You can use channel 1, and let the video sequence throught the cameras, but it defeats the purpose of the other 3 channels (on a 4 channel DVR). If this passes your specs then you are good to go! If this does not pass your specs then you will want to have a receiver for each camera so that you can have all four cameras recording on each channel of a DVR. Here is what they do not tell you about cheap (very cheap) cameras: The infrared leds are supposed to provide an invisible light source so that you can see video in a dark environment. These cheap cameras will only throw the infrared about 10 feet, or so. Check your camera specs. How far do your infrared cameras travel? Remember that there is a "ramp" effect. Up close the led is very bright, and the farther you get away from the camera, the less bright this light source will be. If you are standing at 11 feet there will be no video!! You have no light on the subject! At 5 feet from the camera you should have a decent video shot. Lets face it. If someone is standing in your yard, they are for the most part going to be about 5 feet from your house. This is a good place for these cheap cameras. If you are trying to watch your cars in your driveway then you will be very dissipointed in the video!!! This is where these cameras were not designed to operate! You are using the camera outside of it specs. Want to know an "inside" trade secret?? Measure from where your camera is going to be mounted out to the area where you want this camera watch. What is this distance? OK! Now double it! This is the distance that you want your infrared to be rated at! You are not going to see cars parked out on the street with a bullet camera with a 30 foot throw! Even if the car is 30 feet from the camera! Remember the ramp effect? If the car is 30 feet from your camera then you might (depends on environmental factors) need a 60 foot IR camera, or perhaps a 100 foot IR camera! Here is where you might get pissed off! Cheap camera companies will buy what ever LEDs are on sale at the time, (market value). If you are supposed to have a wide angle lens, and they put the wrong led on the camera then it may actually travel real far in to your yard!! Hey! Wait, this is supposed to be wide angle!!! I cannot see to the far left, and the far right of the camera view! It is to dark!! You can have the opposite problem! You can have a camera that lets you see a good facial recognition at 30, or 40 feet from the camera, but they bought leds that are designed for wide angle cameras!! They infrared does not travel far from the camera, but it illuminates very far to the right, and very far to the left. Great! Now how am I supposed to catch that crook at midnight?? I am not using scientific stuff here, I am guesstimating for demonstration purposes. Where security is of the essence we installers will use a camera that cost $2000.00 a piece. With ten cameras that is a chunk of change!!! OK! A $300, or $400 camera does not sound so bad after all! Another thing to watch out for! Cheap camera might use plastic lenses! Is it possible? I doubt it, but it is something to keep in the back of your mind when shopping around. Expensive camera use specially ground lens with no imperfections. They can also place a coating over the lens to give a really "killer" video shot! These coatings can be of various chemicals to enhance UV, Glare, or bounce back glare from within side of the camera. ____________________________________________________ For those people who are reading this thread, and you have a very tight budget then do this...... Buy one good camera, and a DVR. Wait a few months, and then go, and buy somemore cameras. Build your system up over time! Now go, and find someone who needs some cameras. Sell them your cameras, and go, and get some upgraded cameras. It just like a car! I cannot afford an expensive car, I buy what I can afford. Over a period of time I have sold, and purchased cars, and over a period of time I have moved up in to a category of cars I thought I would never be able to afford! Now I cannot afford the tuneup!! When does it ever end???

My apologies! ""What about the X10 systems? Do more wireless camera systems interfere with wireless internet?"" I am sorry. I thought this was two seperate questions. I did not see a manufacture, or a model number therefore I assumed (and you know what they say about assume!), that you were referring to X10 Cameras where the video is transmitted over the powerlines. Yes they do. There are some tricks that can be done. Moving wireless routers to a place where you can use a wireless link may help from interfering with your wireless cameras. You did not mention what kind of wireless camera. You may have to get a different wireless camera with a higher power transmitter so that it is not squashed by the 802.11. What is the wattage?? 100 milliwatts? I will send you a pm to make sure I think you have what I think you have. There will be interference with you cordless phones as well. If you already have bought them you may get lucky by switching between the different channels, and you might be far enough away that you may not have interference. If you have the cameras that I think you have you may have short life time expectancy issues. Again my apologies!

http://www.palmx.org/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=167&Itemid=45

AS SOON AS YOU SAID X10, THEN i REALISED THAT YOU HAVE NOT DONE YOUR HOMEWORK. X10 works great for what it is designed for. Who is designing your system? I have used X10 cameras. They do what they are supposed to do. If you cannot run a video wire to where the camera should be mounted then there is a "trick", or a solution. Lets take a video signal, and lets change it to a different frequency, and lets inject this signal on top of a 120 Volt (USA Mains) 60 Hz power line. Have you put your tongue on a 120 volt wire lately?? NO? Why would you inject video on to it???? I am sorry to contradict myself. I would be a bible thumper, and tell you to N O T T O U S E the X10. Yes, I have used the X10 cameras. These are great for short term situations. If someone has to provide first class security right now, then I can go out, and place some "deer hunter" cameras on some trees ( do not use 35mm film, and do not use flash, use IR Flash). Set up some paintball mines with trip wires (to "paint" an individual so that they cannot say "I wasn't there!"), yank out a bulb somewhere, and poof, bang instant video!! This is a stop gap action!!!! This is to get something going now, until a P R O P E R Video Surveillance system can be installed. I can deactivate your X10 cameras in 5 seconds flat!!! This device is on my keychain! No is not a laser pointer! I can also pull your video off of your mains, and use this video against you!! Do not put your cameras where you do not want to be seen on youtube!! (I will not do this!! I am only trying to make a point! It is my job to think like a thief, and "mentally" attack your place. Are your security lights shatter proof????). Go to a restaraunt supply, and buy these plastic covers that are designed to keep shattered glass out of your FOOD! They even have these for flourescent bulbs. Now when I show up with my sling shot (yes I am quiet, and very deadly! If you have a million dollars cash under your mattress it will soon be mine, with no evidence!!). I would tell you more, but I do not want to scare you! Have you installed that film on to your windows so that it does not shatter when I throw a rock at it?? Do you have french double doors?? I love french double doors!! Inside in 2 second flat!!! (still no evidence) Shut up you in the back ground on the forum! I already bypassed an active alarm system. Do you have a dog to bark? Do not use a pet for security. You have to train them to not take hotdogs/baloney from a stranger. Pets are not trained in this manor. Do not do this with a K9 after you run. He is trained to eat arms!! Thanks for leaving your pile of newspapers in the yard so that I know that you are on vacation! ON a side note. You X10 freaks! I already penetrated your X10 system before I set foot in your house. I already know what software you are using, and I know those ever changing lights are programmed. The police chief did not like that I changed all of the bulbs in his house with red light bulbs (in, and outside) with out setting off any alarm. I had prepermission. Do not do this on your own. Some of you guys really need to cut back your bushes! Some of you guys really need to pull those bushes out, and trade them for thorny plants, (ouch)! Forget spending money on your video system. Spend good money on a battery back up system with line filtration. Invest in a lock box for your DVR, (or VCR). Buy the best cameras that you can afford. How much in valuables do you have????? Spend AT least spend 10% of this value! If it is not valuable why protect it?? If you are a contractor of some sort, and you have some very expensive tools in you trailer (yes you do, I know you do, and they go quietly in the night at the local pawnshop!), then get yourself a live tracking GPS with cellular transmission. Trimtrak comes to mind. As soon as it is stolen you can get instant info where it is at!!! Video verification will put this crooks alibi to the test! I love knocking on doors, and asking people to be kind enough to open their garage for me please! If X10 cameras work for what you have designed for them to do then congradulations you will be very happy with them. If you are saving a buck to get a video surveillance system on the cheap then think about whether you really want me in your house, or not!!!! Look behind you! I may already be there! X10guru@hotmail.com

I would be more than glad to sell you the equipment that you need. If you buy from me you are wasting your money! What you really need to do is buy local to you. Support your local dealer. When you have a problem then your local dealer will support you!! I am more expensive than some of these internetsites that can give you a real bargain. There are pros, and cons to buying at bargain basement sites, and I wish you well should you go that route. I charge more so that in 6 month when you cannot find your manual I can email you a copy, or I can talk you through your menu. If anything should happen where you need to give the police some video footage of an event (like that big dog in the neighborhood who pooped on your lawn!!), and in the heat of the moment you cannot figure it out while the police is standing there, then just give me a call. I will even give you an evening tech support line. We rotate our techs so that there is always someone on standby! Please do not ask how much we pay our techs while they are on standby, it would make your hair stand on end if you were my CPA trying to balance my budgets!! LOL! This is ok, because I pass these cost on to my customers (oops! That is why I am so expensive!). Please check out the banner ads (not the google ads) on this forum! There are some excellant companies here that would be more than to help you out! Scorpion

I am not familiar with Aventura. I am not aware of your situation. I assume that they are a vendor to dealers. You are not a dealer therefore they will violate written contracts with dealers by communicating with you. If you are a dealer all you have to do is sign up, and provide business information, and set up an account. Provide them with a credit card number, and you should be ready to go. If you are an end user they cannot support a one time sale. They need to buy in bulk, and they need to sell in bulk. If you can buy 20 DVRs a month they will be your best friend! If you are only buying one unit then they are required to sell at MSRP (manufacture suggested retail price). If they are not retailers then they do not have the infrastructure to sell to you. They will lose their contract if they sell you a unit at dealer price. If they lose their contract then how do they make money?? They may be purchasing railroad cars of equipment, and they may be selling by the "one" railroad car. Are you interested in buying "one" railroad car of DVRs?? You may want to get your catalog published in advance prior to your order. A $5.00 catalog X 100,000 units= Yeeesh!! Thats a chunk of money!! How much does a warehouse cost to store 100,000 DVR units??? How much does the RFID tracking system cost??? How much does 7, or 8 Tractor Trailers cost?? $100,000 each?? Wow! I think I have already hit my credit card max, and I have not even purchased the shelving, a conveyor system, computers, and office equipment!! I sure hope you are rich!!! Scorpion

Is it #25 yet???

Insanity! I was bored, and I knew if I threw it in everyone would come alive! Now I have an "excuse" so that I do not have to do the "honey do list".

Rory, I remember that thread very well! I learned alot out of that thread!

Someone asked me a question, and I forgot who it was so I just stuck it here hoping they would find it.

http://www.analog.com/processors/blackfin/overview/blackfinCoreBasics.html Embedded Processing, and DSP

Flex with the R30 upgrade can do D1. Live View 704x480(NTSC) 704x576(PAL), Playback 704x480, 352x240(NTSC) ; 352x288, 704x576(PAL) VGA output 704x480(NTSC) 704x576(PAL)

Microprocessor History http://downloads.techs-on-call.biz/CPU_history.pdf ________________________________________________________ IDT WinChip C6 CPU http://www.tomshardware.com/1997/10/09/the_idt_winchip_c6_cpu/

Thanks! I appreciate that!

http://www.analog.com/processors/blackfin/overview/blackfinCoreBasics.html ICrealtime Pro series DVR Rack mountable in a server room!

jisaac, I loved your post! You hit it pretty good on the head of that nail! In regards to burglar alarms I believe the key word is "video verification"! Without Video Verification burglar alarms in our area are treated at the same level as a barking dog call. Vid/Ver is responded to at the highest level.