VST_Man

dealer costs are high as compared to more options coming out everyday. ie. I can buy a 20365dn just a couple hundred bucks under internet prices. Off-Brand cams are just as good now and I can mark them up more since they spec out and perfom great.

I'd start with the PC first. Hard Code your PC and connect your cam direct to PC. Note the results. Then add a router/switch. Note results. Keep building it and take notes on results. If and when the bottleneck appears...........troubleshoot the problem. Lots of things can cause this; switch, router, cable, connectors, ect. You need to build a known working system from small parts and then add them

Acti has been trying but they seem to miss out on manufacturing a decent inexpensive camera. ie. Demo'd the E96 & E97 and the specs make you say WOW until you see the dull picture from they. And to make it worse, there is no settings available in the cams to improve it. By dull, I mean the pic is lacking color & depth. If I compared it to a Dahua 1.3mp cam Acti looks like crap. But, Acti's 360 cams are pretty good but expensive. Overall, Acti have had one issue that I really can't control. AE seems to be on auto-pilot and it never settles into one setting. ie. pic goes from dark to light in a 30 second cycle pattern, which sets off the motion recordings. This is indoor and outdoor, models ACM-4201, TCM-4201, ACM-7411....older models. Newer models seem to have been fixed but they are selling a HIGH spec camera with crappy pics now so I'm not going to demo any more Acti's since I can get Dahua off-brand for less than Acti's Demo NFR pricing and get a better cam. Cams always change no matter who manufactures & sells them. Seems like they become Great and then slip into ROI madness.

Dakota Alert has (2) receivers (3000 & 2500) that have 4 relays builtin. 2500 is long range and newer technology. Multiple sensors as mentioned above. I'm using one now to monitor the mailbox; sensor inside box, wireless to receiver, relay connected to PTZ alarm input, PTZ moves to mailbox when sensor trips AND it send us a email stating the box was just opened................mail call! I've tried the VA6 and others and they are all if'y as compared to DA. I am starting to install just one GREAT PTZ in a GREAT location and then support the PTZ presets via sensors. Only isse I have it how to extend the receivers internal antenna outside of a metal enclosure. I ordered some 433Mhz antenna's and cable and will void the warranty...............I spoke with DA and they don't have a extendable antenna for these models yet. They have it for the MURS but the model only has one relay.

ummm, why not run the conduit and then use wireless to make the cable invisible?

disconnect 1 camera from the dvr at a time until you find the loop. then you have to install a ground loop adapter that shunts the loop OR you can isolate the camera as installed by insulation the camera from the building via insulating materials and screws. Insulating is not always 100%. The adapter is. ground loops are produced when to objects have potential differences that allow current to flow, causing a rolling lined screen. One reason why I love IP cams

another angle in this market right now is Mac OS. After reading all of your posts I don't think I read anything on how well any of these handle it. I am finding more and more customers wanting it all run on a Mac or phone and you know those AppleHeads all wear rose colored glasses. What I think and see is not what they think and see and it's very hard to match a system that works for them well. ie..... ipcam viewer does a great job until it gets to the Mac. Video Insight does a great job until it gets to a Mac. Exacq is not there. Low end software does not even try, and if they do the video has to be via MJPEG to work right. There is no Browser out there that connects via H264 unless you do some fancy tweak'n. via smartphone it's bamb! Works. Via a Mac...............good luck tweak'n. Tried ipcamviewer2 for the Mac and it is limited in what it can do. ie. you can't do any command line stuff. It search for and finds it or not. Most times it's not. So, what works on both a Mac and Windows well? My clients like ipcam viewer for the smart phone because of the screen options and zoom features.

it's next to #2 " title="Applause" /> " title="Applause" /> Google is your friend! I use Blue since I don't want my video cables to stand out

it's called Capitalism and it works. Anybody can build anything they want but if nobody buys it they fail. Money and demand drive the cart. The odd part is how "assuming" the Government and large Companies are. If it says "BIGbrandedNAME" they assume it is the best available and then GOLD PLATE the contract to that brand and blow millions of dollars. The equipment they usually buy is good BUT the reality is that today you can buy unbranded for 50% or less and get the same good. Great example is the Billions spent on our Northern Border Video & Security Program. I could have done it for 100 million and still made 50 million. But the Senator with a Friend used our money to build a 1 billion dollar system that is buggy and will require millions more to fix and maintain. Unbelievable eh? And we could talk about the Oboma solar projects that cost us as much and more. Multiple sewers with our money going down the drain. Speaking of Obama Care.....I heard Hospitals are using buses to drive around town picking up "sick people" and dropping them off at the ER room. Of course they have not yet signed up so the Staff signs them up when they walk in. pay the 1st monthly payment, admit the patient, order all sorts of tests, provide them with room and board, 3 meals a day, free satellite, ect. and send the bill to Obummer Care Central....................pay up America! I think I'm going to buy a couple limo's and start selling sick people to the Hospitals Stupid Sheeple

Acti KCM-3911 & KCM7911 have correction on cam. Check into Sentry 360 cams...........bandwidth hogs but? I have the new E96 Acti 360 and the price was really low as compared to other 360 cams. But, it states it's a 10mp cam and I question that since the pic is not anything close to WOW and the overall pic in terms of color saturation is bland and unresponsive in the software. And the correction is dependant on the Acti NVR software. I'd say it would be a good cam if properly installed in GREAT lighting and smaller area. It's on the cheap side of the 360's when it comes to pic quality. The 39&7911's are pretty good. They are what they spec out to be and the price was high but they work and the pic is better than the 10mp E97. I tested a Vivotek 360 last year and the pic was ok and I returned it because I needed a good outdoor 360. Went with the Acti's. Arecont's are 4 lense solutions and not cheap. Each lense is a 5mp lense so the 20mp 360 is actually a 5mp lense every 90 degree's. Sentry 360? I'm trying to get a Demo from them now. Sent a email to the Big Guy and have not hear back. Their loss if they ignor me. But, from what I've read, the 360 cams are awesome but extremely heavy on bandwidth. ie. the 10mp requires 70mb? your solution is going to be expensive. camera manufactures have not learned anything when it comes to proprietary issues. But they will come around after the market is flooded with other brands that do onboard. Analytics are the next GREAT IP cam.

since you are in FL look at using Security Camera King equipment. They are based in FL. Equipment is rebranded Dahua.

I would NOT use a power line adapter. Never had any great reliability using them. Use Ubiquiti radio's to bridge your network where needed. I'd use the Pico's since you won't have to deal with directional, just program, install, enjoy. I'd install the Pico's on the outside of your house. Use 2.4GHz if LOS is a issue and 5GHz if it is not. You don't need the Pico HP. PoE Switch(s). Make sure you have enough amps/watts to handle the cams. Netgear is reliable and consistant. Server, Camera's & Software? If you don't have a budget, go with 100% Video Insight & Advidia IP cams. Cams come with free licenses and 3 year warranty. You could then use a i3 quad to run all with no issues at all. save money on the server and spend it on the software & cams. If you have a budget, use Security Camera Kings equipment. Decent quality for the money spent. Yes I am a Dealer for both

ok, "looks good" means it looks good physically or via the web browser?? Very confusing............. plug cam into STANDARD 48vdc PoE and use IP camera software to find it on your network. Use software to change camera network setting if needed. You can power cam via 12vdc via 2.1mm cannon plug..observe polarity If you used ANYTHING else to power the camera you may have blown it up...............duh!

staple guns work fine for cables as long as you get the proper gun & staples. I use the nylon sleeve that does not allow pinching. If you take your time and do it right you can save time............... I've seen the guns that pinch the cables and they still work but according to the install standards this method is 100% wrong! And I've seen the cables bent beyond standards, stomped on, twisted in, and shoved in, and they all still worked..........but still wrong. Practice good cable installs and you'll be happier since you can count on the reliability of the cable.

did you take the protective film off the outside on the lense?

I agree with all of the above EXCEPT and like to add the Dahua 20xPTZ 2MP IP camera. I've installed and used the above BUT they come with a premium price. The Dahua beats them hands down on the overall quality pic, both day & night. The IR does work out to 250ft. and provides a decent pic at that distance. Apples to apples...............the others are oranges and can't spec upto the Dahua. Reliability? I've had one running in Idaho weather for over 2 years now and it has with stood all. I would not deploy to a rime ice area without a Dotworkz enclosure. At the Dealer price, I could buy (2) fer one of the BIG name brands.

I've been doing cold weather for 5 years now, some extreme locations. ie. 7k mountain top - if "extreme", below 15F and freezing rime ice type conditions, use the Dotworkz enclosures. - above 15F, with 20-30F average temps; using Dahua & Acti, leaning more and more towards Dahua since the price is great and I can afford to toss'm and buy'm. Have not tossed any yet Dahua 20xPTZ is the bomb....been running one here in Idaho temps going on 2nd year with no issues. Acti's are ok but have some issues with exposures slowly changing pic britness on their own and pricey? - use motion sensing natural lighting where you can............ - NVR.......I use Video Insight as my #1 goto and then I am a dealer for Security Camera King in FL which deals in Dahua rebranded. Their equipment is pretty nice and budget friendly. - Lorex? Is a Dahua sidekick. The wiring is slightly cheap on the analog stuff so I would not go there with your cold weather unless all is inside. I recommend you build a solid infrastructure using decent routers & PoE switchs. ie. Mikrotik & Toff Switch 8-Port. If using wireless, go with Ubiquiti; been running them in extreme weather and they are cheap and bullet proof if installed properly.

make sure you are setting cam to H.264 and NOT jpeg. JPEG is a monster that eats your bandwidth.

yep, this is a pain. I'm switching all to Chrome.................seems to work on everything now, like IE used too, so I'm not going to go crazy trying to get them all working. GC is actually pretty nice now..............I like the fact that you can login at any pc via Chrome and you'll get you browser setup the same on all. The days of Legacy mode are gone? That feature is either removed or hidden. And Win8.1 still sucks! FYI...some are embedding the Licensing in the MotherBoard BIOS now which is also a pain in the arsche to turn off......if installing Win7Pro vice trying to figure out Win8. Just like our fine Goverment.......seems like more want to control what you do and how you do it. PC's are the best platform to "control" since everybody has one now.

Just a quick "warning" to all out there that plan on using Avermedia. As far as the server software running on Win7 it is fine but there is a real mess with how IE and Remote Counsel "don't work" properly. - you have to run the software as an administrator, which is not bad if it's a one time thing, but it has to be used each time - from IE the ActiveX downloads everytime you logon BECAUSE the process on the Win7 client side is not working properly. I get a language error..........I get popups with nothing but question marks in it, and this repeats EVERYTIME I log on win a Win7 or Vista laptop. - If you download and use Remote Counsel you can actually get around IE somewhat BUT if you use the Event Log you'll get the language error popup again.... - I did contact Aver and to my surprise the "snenior tech" actually did not have a Win7 or Vista machine to check my findings....duh! - I do appreciate that Aver answered the phone but I am amazed that Aver did not do any testing on the Win7 & Vista platforms.....IMHO Aver did a industry "nono". - I've been patient but Aver has not impressed me with this one. IF there is a fix or a special do this and that thing I need to do Aver should have that on record. waiting on a fix and/or any help for the forum........I'm not bashing Aver.I love the product, I am just warning all to have Aver demo it on your laptop BEFORE you commit to a client who has nothing but Win7 & Vista. You'll go crazy trying to explain it to your clients....and more crazy reloading the darn thing....

anyone have the wiring for it? Please send it and/or post it. It has a RJ-45 that plugs in and it handles the video, 24vac power, and 485. I'm playing with a used one and wanted to power it up and the wires are cut and nothing listed on the internet. thanks inadvance

what software do you recommend/use? I'd like to view device/port usage, ect.

If you are in the Tampa area and would like some video install work, contact me.

I thought about asking Exaq but I want a plug'n play if I can get it. The details on Exacq and the details are not obvious. ie. it says it works but they don't tell you how. Had a same like issue with a CAM6600 and Exacq...turns out it did work with a specific setting on the camera itself that is not list anywhere and tech support did not know it. I had to climb the pole and play dip swict madness until we got it to work. It does work now............and that secret answer is; Changed it on the PTZ from Dyna to PelD with the same baud setting.

How do you enable the PTZ funtion on this encoder? There is no setup for the PTZ protocols and/or any PTZ functions on the Home Video Page. Did I miss something on this? Acti clearly states is is a PTZ controller.