Ronald

Sounds good! Well, not really as I find it quite dangerous up there. I still haven't found proper safety harness in case I fall off the ladder. Regards, -Ron

Hi, I have a client at a campground site that has a box camera installed in a heated enclosure, but during off-season (winter), the power is off throughout the premises, therefore the camera is not longer heated, but then again the camera is OFF as well. Can humidity and cold somehow affect or damage the camera for when it is turned on again the following spring? I usually take it off, but since it is located at 20 ft high on a bending pole, I am hoping I don't have to. Can someone confirm? Regards, -Ron

My client is located some 75 km north of Montreal. The coldest temperature I've seen there is -38 degrees Celsius, but temperatures below -25 degrees is rare nonetheless, probably occurring only a few days per winter season. Well, the camera housing is sealed for the most part, but there's a fan at the back with a vent opening below it. So, no doubt humidity could get in there. When humidity freezes, God knows what can happen. Regards, -Ro n

I'm responding to questions from the original poster of this thread, I'm not sure what you mean? Sorry, I didn't realize that I would be receiving email notifications for this topic's messages even though they are not directed to me personally. Ronald

You must be replying to the wrong person.

You are replying to the wrong person. Ronald

Pas de problème. Oops sorry, I meant to say "nolo problemo". Ron

Hello all, Last week I installed a PTZ camera on a pole with big commercial flood light at the tip. Not sure if there are other electrical wires for other things. Anyhow, the video images do display, but with ghosting waves scrolling from buttom to top (if I remember correctly) and some flickering (video turning off for a second) from time to time. Any ideas? How can I test for interference? I took a regular box camera and connected it instead using the same cables going to the PTZ, but placed the camera 5 ft lower and sitting on a roof. That camera did not produce any ghosting stripes in the images. Regards, Ronald

Never mind. I was able to pull it through. Everything is working now. Regards, Ron

I still have a problem with the RS-485 connections though. I used (it was already there) Cat5 UTP cables to run from the PTZ control keyboard to the camera, in series. The last PTZ cam is terminated via dip switches. Can't pan or tilt! I dismounted the last PTZ cama and tested it near the control keyboard, it works fine that way. Any ideas? If I were to double or triple the number of wires utilized within the Cat5 cable, would that help? I know there are high voltage (240v) power lines running nearby in a metallic pipe of its own, for a short distance of about 3m. Regards, Ronald

>^If it's a transformer-type PSU, the line and output grounds will - or SHOULD - be physically separated anyway. < Ok, I did test the small in-line power supplies. They provide more than adequate voltage (12.39v) under load. Those are not grounded to anything. Anyhow, I ended replacing those with one big 9-port 5A power supply distribution box (w/ fuses). The interference is gone! Can anyone explain how the in-line power supplies could do such a thing, especially since when I plug them to the cameras nearby (less than 2m distance) everything works fine, but when I extend the output cable to 15~25m distance then I get ghosting horizontal lines in images? Regards, Ronald

is "residencial" in spanish?

>you could also try disconecting the earth to the post and psu.< The 12VDC PSU is just a in-line adapter, can't remember if the 120v side has a three-prong plug or not, I presume it does. As for the post or pole, you mean for me to find something that is grounded to it and remove it? > i take its 24vac. most domes with heater running pull around 3to4 amp?is your psu up to the job?< The PSU is a 12vdc rated at 3.3a. It came along with the PTZ. If there is a heater, I don't know where it is. Nonetheless, the PTZ housing is rated for -35 celcius. Regards, Ron

I guess I could use grey duck tape then. Ron

Ok, thanks! I will check this out on-site. No screws go through the pole, so adding a round piece of plastics around the pole should not be too difficult. Not sure how thick it has to be though. As for the possibility of high voltage power lines interferring, what remedy would there be? Shielding the PTZ cables in metallic flexible pipe? Regards, Ronald

The power supply reads 3.35A. The distance between the PTZ and the power supply is roughly 12 meters. The power cable is 16 AWG. The distance between the DVR and the PTZ is about 50m via RG59 coax. I cannot pan and tilt the camera at this point. Reason? Possibly because the PTZ is set to UNTERMINATED via the dip switches. I have yet to power the second PTZ which is TERMINATED. I presume that's the cause, I don't know for sure as I really don't have much experience with PTZ's. Ronald

Are you saying I could simply put something (a plastic sheet, for example) between the mounting bracket and the PTZ camera? Also, is there a way that the power supply be causing this as well? The output voltage is 12.35 volts w/out the load. I'd have to test it with the load. Who knows perhaps it drops way too low under load which would explain the fact that the other [box] camera did not inhibit the bad video signal. But then again, that box camera was not mounted on the pole. Regards, Ron

>Just offhand, I'd suspect a ground loop.< No idea what a ground loop is. > Is this a metal or wooden pole? < Metal >Is the body of the PTZ attached to something grounded? < To the metal pole, but the bracket is painted though. I could try to ground it to the pole if needs be. >What happens if you unmount the PTZ from the pole?< That would be my next step. It's a lot of work to unmount it to the pole. >Electrical interference is possible, but you can eliminate this easily if the interference changes when the light is off vs. on.< The light was OFF when I tested the PTZ. Ronald

>I have had ongoing problems with mine (3.0) on a dedicated PC running XP with no other apps in use. It is a pain asking a neighbor who has a key to reboot everytime it locks up. Often just the usual Windows message states that there is an error with EzWatch.< What Windows version are you using? >EzWatchIP locks if the internet connection is lost during a storm and when it locks it locks the entire PC. Their answer was to get an internet service that stays up. Sure, such a thing exists on cable service. I have a timer that turns off the router and cable modem every day to clear them and bought a 5$ IP app to replace EzWatchIP.< I've never heard of any clients with such a problem. Could it a PC hardware problem causing it. Have you checked in Event Manager? >Half the cameras have failed but were replaced under warranty.< Only a UPS can protect cameras under storms. >Perhaps I can use the board with another vendor's app?< No Regards, Ronald

When I try to send a PM to someone in this forum, I get the following error: "Sorry, but the administrator has prevented you from sending private messages, or you have under 10 posts. Any spam attempt will fail Also, please do not use the PM system to send unsolicated advertising messages to members. If you try your account may be DISABLED. " I sure have posted more than 10 replies thus far. Or, don't those count?? Regards, Ronald

I'm new here and I still don't have a clue how this forum works and who is in charge here. And I certainly don't know who you are. Please advise ... How can one post a message (as opposed to replying) in this forum?? How can one contact the forum administrator? Regards, Ronald

But, isn't the competition in this business fierce??? Regards, Ronald

"ronald", what type of wiring hookups do you reccomend? Blue plastic connector pairs (a female and a male). The same type of connectors utilized in cars in which you squeeze in with a tool to secure the wire. You MIGHT find those in auto parts stores or better yet in large electronics stores. I don't have a link. Regards, Ronald

Hi, I don't know EzWatch, so I cannot comment on their support. There are no recalls on DVR cards, as far as I know. And yes, reinstalling the drivers fixes things most of the time. Regards, Ron

Hi, What DVR card model did you have? There was a defect in one of the IC's on the 14XX series boards. The newest boards (54xx) don't have that problem. And no GeoVision is not far superior, well perhaps it comprises some more features, but it is more difficult to use in the end, IMO. Regards, Ron