chr1z

Ok... All my cameras do decent at night except my driveway camera. It just has to far to go before the ir light is reflecting so it is very dark. Is there any sort of IR illuminator for $200 or less I could use that'd give me better images that aren't so dark? It won't let me attach a pic so here: http://www.limitlessenterprises.com/driveway_day.jpg http://www.limitlessenterprises.com/driveway_night.jpg http://www.limitlessenterprises.com/driveway_night2.jpg I posted the daytime one so you can see the distance I need to cover. The dog in the daytime pic is about 25 feet out The road in the daytime pic is 90 feet from the camera The guy in the back on the first night pic is about 45 feet from the camera. The camera is an analog 6 to 15mm varifocal lens camera with 36 ir leds Thanks in advance!!

Like rory said... have a loud siren or multiple sirens on your alarm... Once your alarm is going off, hunting down a dvr is the last of their worries...

I set AGC to off... I'll see what happens tonight when it gets dark. I turned BLC off and it made my driveway so whitewashed you couldn't see the lines so I turned it back on.

I was able to get 7 of my 8 cameras to the point I'm happy with it. My driveway cam will end up being fine, it just needs more fine tuning. It's better now than it was...but still needs some more adjusting. I'm going to stick where I am for now and upgrade cameras later one at the time. I have one more question.. I currently have a Nuvico DV3 8-channel dvr... if I want to add 8 more cameras later, am I better off buying a 16-channel dvr and putting mine on eBay or something or is it simple to just get a 2nd 8-channel? It just seems like it'd be more of a pain to review images etc from 2 vs 1 dvr. Let me know what you guys think...

Straight to a CRT monitor.

Working on that today.. I'll post back this evening or in the morning with results.

Here's what I have right now on the OSD menu of the camera that showed me in the driveway. http://www.limitlessenterprises.com/images/driveway-menu.jpg http://www.limitlessenterprises.com/images/driveway-function.jpg http://www.limitlessenterprises.com/images/driveway-adjust.jpg None of the other 7 cameras have OSD menus. They all (including the driveway camera), have a focus 'screw' on the back that I have not touched at all. This driveway camera and my front door camera have an additional screw on the back for 'zoom' Also... just to give you as much to go on as possible... here's a shot from ALL 8 cameras: http://www.limitlessenterprises.com/images/cameras/ #1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 are all the same camera with these specs: Bullet IR Day/night cam Image Sensor: 1/4 SONY CCD Image Sensor Resolution: 420 TV Lines CCD Pixel: 510 (H) x 492 (V) Sensitivity: 0.0 Lux with IR S/N Ratio: 48dB (AGC Off) Electronic Shutter Time: 1/60~1/100,000 Sec Scanning System: 525 Lines, 60 Field/sec Video Output: 1.0 Vp-p composite video at 75 ohm Gamma Correction: 0.45 Gain Control: AGC ----------------------------------------------------------- #4 is a dome camera at my front door... It's these specs: Image Sensor: 1/3 SONY CCD Sensor Resolution: 480 TV Lines CCD Pixel: 752 (H) x 582 (V) Sensitivity: 0.00 Lux with IR on S/N Ratio: 50dB (AGC Off) Electronic Shutter Time: 1/50~1/12,000 Sec Scanning System: 525 Lines 60 Field/sec Video Output: 1.0 Vp-p composite video at 75 ohm Gamma Correction: 0.45 Gain Control: AGC ------------------------------------------------- And the driveway cam... #6 is these specs: Supports PAL and NTSC TV Systems 1/3 inch CCD image sensor 700g weight 146mm x 82mm dimensions DC 12V, 550mA power rating Load Impedance - 75 Ohms 120 foot IR range BNC video connection 540 lines resolution 36 IR L.E.D infrared 6 to 15 mm vari focal lens SONY CCD with ADVANCED DSP color camera Auto Gain Control Thanks!! I just want to be able to identify someone if they break in my house (again). I don't feel like I could do that as it stands now so I'm trying to see if I need new cameras then that's what I'll do. The place I got the cameras from that I have now, will allow me to return them for another 30-45 days or so... I just need to know what to replace them with (if there's anything that'd do a better job short of ip/megapixel cameras)

Here's what 3 of the worst cameras see... what cameras would do better for each location? All 3 cameras are the same specs... Image Sensor: 1/4 SONY CCD Image Sensor Resolution: 420 TV Lines CCD Pixel: 510 (H) x 492 (V) Sensitivity: 0.0 Lux with IR S/N Ratio: 48dB (AGC Off) Electronic Shutter Time: 1/60~1/100,000 Sec Scanning System: 525 Lines, 60 Field/sec Video Output: 1.0 Vp-p composite video at 75 ohm Gamma Correction: 0.45 Gain Control: AGC Operation Temperature: -10 C ~ 50 C Storage Temperature: -20 C ~ 60 C View Angle/ Len Size: 70 Degree/ 3.6mm Power Supply: DC 12V Construction: Housing: Aluminum Front Housing: Glass Dimensions: 2.5" (W) x 5" (L) Water Resistance: IP 55 IR Distance: 60 ft.

I'll look tomorrow.. I'm pretty sure that camera does have buttons on the back so I'll play with it... The thing that bothers me is that's the best camera I got.. the rest are worse. Is that a "good" image for an analog camera or can it get way better? I can't afford ip camera (well... can't afford the nvr is the problem) But... in your opinion can a noticable better image be had with a better analog camera?

I looks the same on the dvr monitor. My pc screen IS set to 1024x768

Where would this be done on a Nuvico DV3 series dvr? I don't see anything about it in the menus.

It looks the same going straight to a CRT TV. I have not touched the focus at all.. just left it as is. I don't see any DSS or any of that on this DVR (Nuvico DV3-8000 series) The cameras all have focus/zoom settings on them but like I said I haven't changed any of it. I have 8 cameras... 6 of the same and 2 different.. they all look like crap to me. I can return them so that's not a problem but I don't know.. is that just the best you can do without megapixel or IP cameras? I don't really have to funds to go that route so I'm hoping there's another way with the dvr I already have.

Yes... it's me in the pic...purty aint I? lol j/k At the point I went outside it was just to get a pic to post here and I wasn't too happy because I had already seen one that looked just as bad... The picture straight to a tv isn't any better that I can tell. No, I'm not looking for megapixel quality really I just want it to be good enough that you can make out a face if you need to... not so blurry it looks like where a tv show blurred out a face they didn't want you to see.

The image straight from the camera is the same. The problem is... there's no way to have a face cover 25% of the screen and still cover the driveway at all. But as it stands now, there's no point covering most of the driveway if the image is so distorted. So... my question is this... are there any cameras that won't cost $1000+ that would do better?

I just got the Nuvico DV3 and so far so good.. it seems to be pretty good. I have it set to 720x480 motion recording I have a few cameras that I believe may be my problem... Their specs are here: [edit by mod - store link removed - note. OEM 6-15mm color IR bullet camera] Attached is an image I captured from that camera. You can't identify the person in my driveway with it. That's at about 25ft from the camera. Is that a bad camera or what would cause such distortion? What camera that would at least allow me to identify people that won't cost me $1000+ per camera? -Chris