Erron S.

Are you needing any video analytics such as people counting, or directional based recording? Do you want to recompress the video or leave it as raw data? Just trying to get a feel for what you need the recorder to do.

Any camera that ouputs anything higher than 704x480 is better than analog. Analog is the old way, Ip digital is the new way. We sell all of the brands you mentioned and have for years. Why do people pay for the higher end stuff? They -need- the quality. If you are just putting out a system to see when your employees come to work, you don't need to get a license plate, you know all of them and spot them in a crowd. If you are trying to secure a hotel lobby and need face shots on every person, that's a different application. You need to look at what you use the system for and ask yourself, does this system do what I need it to? If the image can't give you the image quality you need for whatever pupose you have, what good is the system? Right?

Fantastic Bob! Looks like you have it all handled.

Yes sir, you are correct, you can use pull multiple feeds from one power supply or transformer. The best 'rule of thumb' to follow is don't exceed 80% of its total current output. This is more a reliability issue than anything else. It's best not to exceed 80% because if you run it at 100% of it's designed current output, how long is it going to last? Probably not very long. It's always good to use surge protection as well as a power line conditioner. You would be surprised to see how much more consistant the cameras will function on a proper power line conditioner. Just some food for thought anyway.

Jade Mountain is the one I seem to hear a lot about.. http://www.realgoods.com/category/solar+power/solar+electric.do

That's actually a pretty common issue with dome cameras that built in IR illuminators. It even happens on some of the bullet cameras out there. To combat this a number of manufactures have gone to the flat face ball type cameras. The bullet type cameras have started to trend over to using 2 seperate pieces of glass on the front. The problem comes from light source illuminating the glass or polycarbonate essentially turning it into a fiber optic piece. This illumination will show every pit, scratch, and piece of dust that is on or embedded in the plastic. A number of older units seem to be degrading over time making the image look milky or hazy. Some manufactures have gone to glass insted of the polycarbonate to cure this, but at the cost of a more fragile outer lens. (ie, kid with a rock) I hope that helps in some way?

Wow Bob, sounds like you found some some great deals! Great questions by the way, I'll do my best to answer them. Concerning the baluns, the most important factor when selecting them is the bandwidth they will pass. Most manufactures will post the bandwidth but not the resolution they can pass. Here's the simple equation for this 1 MHz = 80 lines of resolution. So a balun that can pass 5MHz is good for a 400 lines of resolution camera. Just fine for a standard 380 line camera, but not so great for what you have, 570 lines of res. There are a number of reasons to use baluns, easy wire pulls, long wire runs, wires in close proximity to transformers and other sources of RF energy and the like. I would use CCTV coax in your 100 foot application for sure. Especially since you already have it. It sounds like you have a siamese CCTV cable, but double check to make sure it's not copper covered aluminum or raw aluminum. Let me know if I can help buddy, good luck on the install! Erron S.

Rick, didn't even see this post until now. Next time you're in town, give me a holler, I'm just north of Denver in Westminster. Erron Spalsbury

There's also Servision. They make a pretty nice mobile unit that has a pretty significant impact rating as well.

As in if it works? Connect it to a camera and a monitor. What are you asking here? Bandwith, clarity, what? Erron S.

Green and red typically points to the color oscillator failing. What kind of camera is it? Erron S.

You're certainly on the right track. Just make sure you are buying the baluns that can support the resolution of the cameras you are using. Huge important factor when selecting baluns is the bandwith. 80 lines of resolution is 1MHz. So a 5MHz balun will only go to 400 lines of res. Hope that helps. Erron S.

It sounds to me that a megapixel camera would be the way to go. Of course it have to be an IP based camera. Take a look at companies such as IQEye and Arecont. Erron S.

Well, I see a true integration as more a useable solution for POS. For instance, what if you needed to look up all the no sales done by a particular user? Or, if you wanted to see if your employee is carding everyone they need to when alcohol or tobacco is sold? The overlays can give you this information -if- you are willing to watch hours on hours of video. There is a better way. Systems made by companies such as 3xLogic can do this by giving you direct links to video based upon search parameters. (ie, cigarettes, beer, etc.) Basically any of the information that the register spits out is now a searchable field. Even features such as Boolean seaches. (greater than, less than, or equal to) Example: I want to see every time the register is opened for no reason or no sales, you can do a search for 'no-sales' in which it brings a list of videos that you can click and watch while skipping everything else in between. This is a real time saver for loss prevention personel and managers. It even works in scenarios such as a guy that left his wallet on the counter while paying for a canday bar only to come back and hour later and it is now gone. The manager can do a search based on the items he purchased, find him in the video, then initiate a smart search based on the item (wallet in this case) that was left on the counter. When his wallet is moved or that area has any pixel change, that video is brought up that can now be viewed. It's really a powerful tool. Erron S.

Hello everyone! Glad to have found my way over here. Let's see, an into I suppose... I've been in the industry for just shy of 13 years now, EE, have worked for 2 major DVR/NVR manufactures, still work for one. Just wanted to get in her and talk with fellow industry-mates. Glad to be here! Erron Spalsbury

As the market becomes more saturated with the 'intensifier type' cameras, do you guys think this technology will send IR illuminators and combo cameras on it's way? I've seen a few of these cameras, and i'm rather impressed. Very, very low light capabilites, no wash out, and stays in color. (not perfect color, but color) I see the market start to become diverse in what the dealers are specing. I'd love to know your thoughts and any other general info about this technology. Erron S.

Agreed. The 'flk' or AKA flickerless will significantly reduce the 60hz cycle you get from the fluorescent lights and if you're trying to watch a video monitor. What are you experiencing again? Erron S.

In the hunt for balun's, there is one major factor to watch out for when selecting your balun's. Check the specs for bandwith, every 1 meg equals 80 lines of resolution. I'd hate to see ya get a really nice camera setup, only to find out the balun's don't support your image quality. Erron S.

Where is the door that the employee's are exiting through? I can't tell because of the wash out on the image you posted. Judging by the massive amount of contrast WDR would certainly be in order. I would use a Pixim chipset with the highest bitrate you can get. The white/beige building is reflecting light like no other. You want as much adjustment as you can get. I'd use that camera as the wide angle, then do what you were talking about and use the MP camera with a fairly up close shot of the exit door. Erron S.