scorpion

Thanks Rory! I use the one inch by one inch mini cameras because they are very discreet in a dark environment. It would be cool if I could find a wholesale emty dome! I missed the opportunity when Eclipse moved in to a larger warehouse a couple of weeks ago. They offered empty domes for $2.00 EA. Yes! They were gone by the time I called to get them! Rats!

I wanted to put my two cents on this thread. If you have a friend who is an automechanic you can have them install a secondary alternator, and battery system. One system for your CCTV, and the other for your auto. Those of you who have rear wheel drive can take a fan (radiator) pully, and have it put on the rear pumkin shaft. You can put a belt from this pully to an alternator, and place the battery, and voltage regulator electronics in the trunk. IE: Dragster style! I would have you isolate the voltage to the cams/DVR. You will want to isolate it with a bridge rectifier, and a large cap. If you pump bass, and your dash lights flicker then you know what I mean. Imagine what happens when you start your car, and shut it off. (The decaying energy in the alt can create a reverse polarity. It is brief, but it can damage sensitive electronics). If you say it does not matter then you are right. If you think it may be a concern, then how much does a bridge rectifier, and a large capacitor cost? OK plus labor?

You are doomed! Lets try to fix it. How far do your cables run? If it worked before, it should work again. I believe you have bad crimp on bnc connectors. You will need to buy two new ones, and replace both ends of one cable. If this solves the problem then replace all of your connectors. OR if all of your cameras are blinking in, and out then you may have a bad power socket. Use an extension cord, and plug your setup in a different socket somewhere else. Hope this helps!

I always thought I was the "black sheep" of the forum family by installing entry level products, at entry level pricing. After reading the last part of this thread I do not feel this way anymore. I hear you guys loud, and clear! I used to have everything hooked up to the DVRs on display, and everyone would ooh, and ahh, and then they would pick the cheapest set up they could get away with. I love it when customers go to the "big box warehouse" to buy their surveillance gear. I know they will be back in 6 months when they decide that they want to make it work the right way! Daryl733 I would be interested in your CMS software. It would fit in with what I am trying to do in this thread: http://www.cctvforum.com/about9202.html Thank you everyone on this thread! It has been very interesting!

InNorthernWeTrust I would be interested in a replacement for Rory's "camera", and I would be interested in a replacement for the ECL 374. http://eclipsecctv DOT com/ECL-374.html It is much better than what it is spec out. It may be an Ex View, and the lux rating is much better. All I know is that this camera rock in a dark nightclub, or a bar. I know I may not be able to stay in this wholesale price range,that I am used to, but getting a mini cam that can match the 374 would be great! It would be greatly appreciated! __________________________________________________________ I contacted Eclipse, and they have said that they will no longer carry B/W cameras. The person that I spoke to did not have more info. My first impression is that they are switching manufactures, or something to that effect, and the distribution has not be set up. This is only my opinion though. When I spoke to someone else they confirmed they will no longer carry the B/W, and the manufacture is ceasing production of the B/W. WT HECK? I cannot live without the B/W, and the 374. I can retail them at $108.00, and provide a service to my customers. I tried some other mini cams with the same specs, but they were truely not the same camera, and I would have had to retail them at $200.00. What would I have to charge for color? YIKES! How many people on this forum buy from Eclipse? Can we band together as a group, and complain?

Hey Rory! What kind of engine block do you have in the jeep that collapses your driveway? Maybe you should switch to a smallblock!

I wish the CPD576W 9 channel DVR had this feature. I am glad to see this feature on the CPD503/505/507! Thanks Daryl733 for bringing this feature up. I don't think most people are aware of this feature. "TOTAL IPS SHARE: There are two IPS settings: (Take 16ch as example) FIX: IPS per channel = RECORD IPS 16 channels GROUP: Every 4 channels will form a group. IPS per channel = RECORD IPS 4 number of channels under recording within the group. Ex.: If you set the record IPS as 120 IPS, then Channel 01 will get 30 IPS (120 / 4 / 1 = 30) Channel 05 and 06 each will get 15 IPS (120 / 4 / 2 = 15) NOTE: When users choose the image size as “CIFâ€

I have seen the camera, but I do not recognize the specs. This looks like what Eclipse would sell.

I was curious if you had a deal with the resort to use their internet. What kind of deal did they give you? Let me guess; you get the internet for free, but you had to install some cameras for resort?

16 Channel 30FPS card. (Yikes! I know!) What are the differences between the 3.5, and the 2.33 versions? Can someone PM the ballbark wholesale price of the 2.33 version? Thanks!

I love AV Tech Products. My business would not survive without them!! I am a fan of all of their DVRs. 4ch, 8/9, and 16 channel! We do mostly entry level residential installs, and light commercial, and mom, and pop. Thank you AVTECH! I only asked because I was not aware that AVTech made/sold wireless cameras. I just noticed that my SWANN distributor no longer has the micro cam III, and I noticed that Radio HUT no longer has them on their shelves as well. They sell like gang busters in our shop, and to be honest I am leary of switching to a different product. Now I need to buy an unknown wireless cam, and test it. I was burnt last year after we ordered three, or four brands, and none of them could do what I wanted them to do. I bought a 4 cam system last year from SWANN, and I did not like it because it was a switching unit, and not a multiplexed unit. I bought a 4 cam system from our "defend yourself vendor", and it would not throw a picture 30 feet!!! PPPPPPPPPht!! This is without penetrating a wall!! Line of sight meant 10 feet from the receiver!

You are going to order AVtech wireless cameras?

I saw the documentation on the coffee incident. Very interesting!

AMAZING! I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT! Ground loop through wet wooden mounts! Now I have a new trouble shooting tool to add to the mental toolbox! Thanks for the feedback! Once the wood dries out what will you do? Paint the wood with Kills primer, and some paint?

I forgot to mention that you can teach a smart remote that uses RF, and a receiver receives the RF then it converts it to IR. I would try putting the DVR in to closed space, with cabinet door so that it could not pick up the IR interference.

check. check. check. check. check. check. check. Yep! You got a problem! When you said that you have tried 4 replacement remote controls that tells me the problem is not with the remote control, and this appears to have been validated by tech support as they cannot duplicate the problem. Now I wonder if the problem is not with the DVR. Is it possible that the IR "eye" is bad? Is it possible to swap out the DVR to confirm that the DVR is not "receiving" the IR commands. No! You said that you replaced the DVR! This means that you have IR interference. Do you have a Plasma TV on the wall nearby? Do you have IR cameras on the interior? I cannot think of any device that would transmit in that freq range that would cause that kind of interference. Is there direct sunshine coming through a window? Does it happen at times, and at other times it works fine? I have only seen this kind of an issue when a DVR is high on a shelf, and it is set back away from the edge. The lip of the shelf is actually blocking the signal. If you point the remote straight up at the ceiling then the signal will "bounce" off the ceiling, and the DVR will get the signal. If you are a xantech lover you can try using an IR repeater. By placing an IR emitter directly over the IR "eye", it may receive the signal better. Do not use IR blasters as it may "burn" the IR eye, or cause premature failure. http://interlectcid.com/CatalogMain.asp?v=Main&c=INFRA-RED&b=XANTECH&id=1329 Beyond that I would call for a replacement DVR. I meant borrow another brand for testing. For those that would like to learn more about remote controls I would recommend as a starting point: http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=7071 http://www.remotecentral.com/ http://www.remotecentral.com/files/index.html http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin/files/upload.cgi?d=other I think we on the forum should start our own data base of IR codes. If a DVR handheld remote control were to die, and if there were no replacement then we could teach a smart remote to simulate the original handheld remote control! Imagine being able to hide a DVR in a secret spot, and yet be able to control it locally with an in wall keypad! Ask any home theater tech to show you how you can do this. It is very simple for the tech savy. There are devices that can translate other communications protocal to IR if you really wanted to get wild with electronics.

There is a way to test if it is a GL issue. Find a product similiar to this: http://www.vsscctv.com/ProductDetail.asp?ProductID=492 Let us know when you get it solved.

I loved the video on utube where your tractor blows up while you are riding it! LOL! I really felt for you!

I am not an expert at computer DVR cards. I only posted to tell you that you may want to edit the last sentence, becuase wiseguys like me might tell you where to go! LOL! I wish I could help you here!

Ha! Ha! Are you sure you are not in the showroom I inherited from a purchase? I have a cable that comes out of the false ceiling at the back door, it runs down the wall, and it follows the baseboard then it runs right out in to the walkway and goes all the way to the front of the shop. This is from a sat dish that goes to a 32" at the front of the shop. Did I say I have a drop ceiling? I have the same "spaghetti" wiring you have! I have network cables that are duct taped to the floor! At least it is not a trip hazard! The original camera placement did not make any sense, not from a security point of view, not from a marketing kind of view, and not even from " hey! I am an amature doing a camera install" point of view. The guy who moved in next door recently asked me about a bunch of cables that come from our unit, and that travel into his unit. He was going to cut them, but decided to ask first! It turns out that if he had cut those wires he would have killed our internet, and multiphone system! I guess at one time they had two units for a showroom, and then reduced it to one unit. The outside Pepsi machine that we control is plugged in to the other units power. They seemed to have an issue with this for some reason, and I do not know why? It is only a compressor!

Thanks! I appreciate the info!

I am familiar with X-10. I was confused. I thought that you had a coupler for powerline IP. I did not know you were talking about X-10. Power line IP is great for those troublesome installs! Are the powerline IP, and the X-10 using the same frequency as it is being "injected" on to the power line?

What phase coupler were you referring to? Do you have a link? I really hate it when a signal has to travel through a building back to a panel then out of the building to the transformer, and then back down, and in to the building, to the panel, and out to another device. No wonder their are so many issues on seperate branches!

If it was a ground loop, you could confirm it by disconecting the camera from it's mount, or by removing the camera itself. If you have preisolated the cameras then do as Survtech suggested by using an extension cord, and powering the cameras locally.

I do not have much experience with the cat5, and baluns. What you are describing sounds like a bad balun. I have seen this and only had to change out a bnc to rca adapter. I am only taking an educated guess in your case. What I really suspect is that you have a ground loop problem. Are the cameras Isolated from the building? I assume it is a metal building? When you hook up a test monitor to the camera you are bypassing the ground loop issue, or a bad balun issue.