VST_Man

also, take a look at gpedit.msc, XP Pro .............group permissions, i believe you can do that and more. beware, it is not for the novice!

i have the SA2L. yes it does have a slight curve when you max (2.9) it out. low is is great.......i'm using a 15-cc35nv-1. I just adjust it until the curves disappear and then set it there. all 2.9 and vari's have that issue. as long as it does not blurr i'm ok with it.

XPPro/Home has remote connection that works ok. Slow as heck on any video transfers, but, pretty good on remote.

on the cheap. sit outside a hotel that offers wireless and surf for free while you eat a burger. on-the-go costs about $100 plus a month and in my opinion is not worth it. most places are offering "free" wireless anyway so make your plans/travel arrangements accordingly and you'll be ok.

I use coax seal from http://allelectronics.com Shrink tubing WON'T seal it. This coax seal stuff is like bubble gum, seals everything you wrap it on.

Just read a news paper article out of Wisconsin that was all about a new camera technology (SENTRI, Smart Sensor Enabled Neutral Threat and Identification) being used in large metro areas. It's basically a camera that uses 4 microphones to triangulate a (gun shot) sound and then the camera positions itself in that direction for recording AND calls 911. Chicago's murder rate has dropped to a 4 decade low. Company called Safety Dynamics.

yes it is important. my clients need a way to transfer the video "evidence" to a device that they understand, use, and able to be handed off to others to view...ie. police, insurance investigators, ect. EVERYONE has and understands DVDRW/CDRW. USB? Memory sticks? email attachments? a resturant owner copies the video file to DVD, plays it on his 9" DVD player and on his PC at home. He has no problem and all can use it. Will DVD/CD be replaced one day? I believe so, but, look at how long the VHS has been around and has become such a trusted "appliance".

2 ways to look at it/do it. walk away or tell him he needs to spend money to get the system he wants. walking away? my choice....i don't mess with lower quality products as they will become YOUR problem after YOU touch them. i run into people with money (yep, they all say they are poor) who want everything for nothing but i stick to my guns as i know i have the best product for the money and i am beating my competetors by 35% easy! Sams Club video? Walmart? sure, you'll get it for 1k but the thing is a toy. i just got a call by someone who had a Sams special, got robbed, system did not even get a a decent picture.................now he wants a "nice" system that works right. unless it is a friend, tell him to do it himself. and if it's a friend, do the labor for free with your equipment at cost to him. and ask yourself the question; do you want your name attached to his video system? if not...................walk good luck

camera's do not come with the cables, only a 3ft cable from the camera that provides video, power, and audio if noted. Some camera's come with a RCA female to BNC male so that you can connect the ready made cables if they are not BNC to BNC. Yes, i "tip" my connector using a crimp style. crimps the tip and the back shell ring. you'll need a RG-59 stripper also so that the cable is cut proper. cable, go with siamese RG-59. CCTV imports lso has a decent 12vdc power box with LED lights which makes it easy to check. i'd drill into the wood and then seal it with "stuff". since you are under the eave you won't be making a noticable hole anyway. i also use a nice RG staple gun, special type that has a nice plastic insert that works great for hiding the cable under the eves. your starting out. when i first started my mistakes where in buying "cheap" ready made cable and buying camera's that were ABSOLUTLEY the BEST, GREAT, ON SALE, ect. and i ended up with junk. i remember my first x10 and was disappointed. still have it in the box somewhere. lasted a month. drill the hole as close to the camera and then run it into the attic. maintain a 1 ft clearance of all Ac cables, lights, ect. and you'll be happy that you spent the extra 100 for the crimper tools! read on in this forum and ask.........

stucco? take it up and over if you can. i drill a 3/4" hole, pull the siamese cable, tip it, pull it back into the building, backfill with the great stuff. 3/4 hole allows for enough room to pul/push wires and the great stuff seals and is very easy to clear if you need to replace the camera. Most good camera mounts allow for the cables to be routed under the mounting plate so you won't see the hole or stuff. all of the above is in a perfect world so be prepared to think of ways to get it there. manytimes if the cables does not reach i spend a bit more on a camera that will.............one way or the other i get it where i need it. pulling the cable through vented gables is sometimes easy if you use a long tape measure. just seperate and slide the tape measure down the "vent hall" and connect the wire at one end....pull it back. attic runs are much easier if you use pullies..............and i use A/C wire plastic cable management "strips" (homedepot) that hold A/C wiring in attics organized. nice piece of gear. just nail them to the truss and run you cable.\ running multiple cables is a pain. i use a passive UTP break out box (eclipse) that allows for 4 camera's. run the 1 utp and then run the RG at both ends for the final runs. of course, power becomes a challenge so i just run 1 18 gauge pair along with the UTP, plug that into a neat little ( power distribution box (allelectronics) that has fuses in it that reset, and then I bump up the main power box's fuse from 1amp to 2 or 3, depending on the total camera power requirements. this way the main power box APC will keep the camera's up and running during power outages. passive UTP also allows for a nicer look in the building....no huge mass of wires hanging around. cable/wire thru screens/vents? don't do it. it's tacky and allows for the creature feature. there are a lot of other options and theories. Stucco? I don't because i don't want the liability of..........water gets behind it and it is your fault.

your looking at a fiber backbone if you want it to work great. Anything les is going to cause you headaches. Your project sounds like a local Gov thing so you'll need to be extremely talented in providing a acurate bid. If your running all the fiber your bid will be hard to put together but you can do it. If it were me, I'd get a quick sub involved to provide the fiber bid and then you can add in your camera bid, add it up and submit it. Make sure you look outside the box and you might be able to sell the fiber as a gov wide upgrade? Or, ask if you can bid the camera's only? Stick with your talents, you'll be happier

http://www.cctvimports.com has the 5 minium order. I'd suggest that you read this forum to get a good feel for camera's and how they are applied for each different location. Your idea that 5 camera's will work in all 5 areas is not a practice that I use outdoors as the lighting, enviorment, focal length, ect. all play a factor in determining the right camera for the right job. Wide angles give you more to look at but the facts are they become fissh eyed, unfocused, and are hard to recognize faces. Again, if your after a view and not face recognition then your ok. I'd purchase a decent varifocal and play with it before you spend more money. Try a Eclipse HIM598 ($200.00) with a cheap ready made cable to get a feel for focal lengths, IR lighting, and low light lenses. You should be able to buy the right camera based on your testing of. Flood light motion does not require IR so you can save on that location and you may want to add more flood lights to save?

Public areas are legal for video recording. Unlike audio, which can is "always" considered private, video recording of public areas is ok. If you were aiming your camera into the back yard of your neighbor then it is not legal, but, if your are capturing a view and the neighbor's yard comes into the picture your are within your rights to record. Intent is a huge factor so make sure your intent is to protect your property and not view others. Apply common sense. Can you walk out to the front yard? Street? Yes, it's public. Can you walk into your neighbors yard? Front door? Look in the window? Nope!

I just installed a Network Drive for a PC Based 16 Camera system. The install was seamless and it is working fine. Not only do you remote/hide the priceless video, I also power the unit off the 12vdc camera power supply which is backed up by a 1000KVA APC. I plan on making this my standard package install. I also plan on going to a Gigabyte LAN to ensure that when the system is max'd out that there are no bottle neck issues. Anyone out there have a good source on a Gbyte switch? Linksys has been my goto.................... I know some out there don't like the PC based systems but I'll post another concerning my expierences with to date.

using a Argyosys network drive enclosure with a 300 Maxtor. Ordered a Maxtor network drive yesterday to test. Giga....yes, the cost will be higher for gig. Can I isolate the network connection; instead of running it via the linksys switch, run it directly into the server on another network card? this may remove the bottle neck issue with other traffic on the network? Everything works great, so i'm just trying to improve. there is a slight delay in when you first access the video for review but after it sync's up it works fine. i'm not sure a seperate connection will improve that. test, test, test....

dvr has to have a baud rate.....that matches the PTZ. Your good on Pleco D and ID. Does the PTZ have a termination dip switch? If so, you need to terminate the last caboose (device) on the track (wire) ...so to speak. Turn the termination on at the PTZ. What type DVR? baud rate at DVR maybe set in stone but you can adjust the PTZ up to see if that works? I may not have the answer for that but someone else may?

just add some perdiem, all the beer i can drink, and I'll be right over...

you don't need to connect to the 12vdc unless it calls for it. Just conncect the PTZ to the 485_/+ and terminate as required. PTZ control is a one way issue, controller (DVR or PC) sends, reciever (PTZ) responds. If you have problems just ask. Baud rate may get you off course so start at 2400 and work your way up from there.

drill the hole large enough for the cable, box the connection on the outside (be careful not to bend the RG beyond 90 degrees as it degrade the cable specs). Use a weather proof box as a passthru for the cables. OR, use a weather proof tape called Coax Seal (pretty much gummy tape that seal the connection water tight) and then cover the cables with a flex split tubing to make it look clean. If wires or exposed to vandalism, metal tubing and metal box. Outside connections will make it easier to check or replace the camera, align, ect. OR, drill hole to pull back the connectors and then back fill the hole with the great stuff. I prefer the great stuff because you can punch it out with a screw driver if needed...to replace or check. Just refill. Pulling it back looks better, but makes checking, aligning the camera harder since you have to run the test cable longer....if you can? I take along a wireless laptop/router and use that for aligning if needed. Or, cell phone and a friend.

why 15 fps per camera when you could get the same "quality at 9? What type compression? The question you ask is already answered in your numbers. If you want to increase days you'll need to convince the customer to live with a lower fps. I guess it goes back to what you sold him when you sold it? MPEG4 does very well in terms of quality and storage.

if everything checks good and you still have the problem, look at a cross-over of your wiring. ie. PTZ control wire running over or near a high voltage wire.

obviously the PTZ control signal is NOT 100% on longer wire, but, that does not mean the wire is bad. You need to check more than just the wire. Termination? RS device? DVR? The DVR/RS device maybe bad, sending a weak signal? PTZ needs to be checked with another DVR to eliminate. Troubleshoot. Determine the good equipment and then work from there. Isolate to test. don't stick with the same equpiment when testing.

Try the IP9100, from China. Small (2"x3") WEB 4 camera, audio, Video server. Does a lot for a little. Cons; you need to FTP the recorded video; made in China (support?); and a few other quirks. Pros; cheap (i paid 140 delivered, and have 4 in the closet doing nothin (no time to burn it in) The IP9100 concept is great, but, the issue of FTP'n is dependant on the link so if your link goes down your video is not recorded. you can network a hard drive and then ftp to that, just have not tested that one out.no time. guess i'll make them stocking stuffers, with a few cheap camera's.

seems like we need a cmaera that has low light, mechanical color filter, and a mechanical feather duster, all in one what kind of system are you using? Is it MPEG4? I have the same problem and since I upgraded to a MPEG4 system the issue of how much hard drive space those spiders eat is no longer a problem. I'm running 14 camera's, all out door, and on motion. Yes, I get some spidy activity but I don't really care. I clean my camera's up once a week. I have a 200Gb hard drive that stores over 2 months of video with no problems. Rain, spiders, birds, dogs, cats, and even the insects of the night have been caught on motion and i'd rather have more video than missing video.

my server runs 25/31 to 27/34. i used to build my servers in the typical tower but tried the "cube" type. temps went down and it is quite compared to the tower with extra fans. i'm not over clocking.