"Rolling" a Camera

[Tatou 0]

Greetings. I am currently designing a system for my employer's business and plan on doing it myself by buying online (It should be noted, however, that I am willing to pay 10 or maybe even as much as 20% more in exchange for some real remote consulting/support, so feel free to PM me if you are a vendor and interested).

 

I've done a great deal of planning and research, taken photos, drawn a relatively to scale floor plan of the facility and determined what I believe are optimal positions for my four cameras, as well as, of course, which cameras/lenses I should use in each case to get adequate images.

 

Anyway, I have a hallway that is about 30' long, 10' tall, and 4' wide, and I would like to "roll" (as in rotate about the longitudinal axis) the camera that shoots down this hall 90 degrees so it will better cover the hallway.

 

 

I would like to know:

1. Does this approach make sense and is there any reason why I should not do this?

 

2. I would like to ask if a particular standard-looking inexpensive ceiling/wall mount can achieve this because I can't tell how far it tilts. I can't link to it at this point, and I am uncomfortable with taking the obvious steps to get around a rule on my first post; however, the mount is, as mentioned, relatively standard-looking, as well as up to six inches long. Most vendors seem to carry something similar, generally for about five to thirteen bucks. If these things won't tilt that far, can someone recommend an alternative? I would like to use a particular box camera and a 3.5-8mm varifocal lens, but something else could potentially work.

 

 

Additionally, I'm a little curious about power supplies. While I believe I have at least a basic understanding of the difference between 12VDC and 24VAC I am not aware of a compelling reason to go with either one over the other in my particular situation. All of the cameras I am interested in come in both forms for the same price.

Additionally (if I go with 12 volt DC; I have yet to look into the individual 24VAC transformers), It appears that I can save a few bucks and a great deal of space by going with individual AC adapters as opposed to a single 12VDC power supply. However, as far as I know, the individual power supplies don't contain a replaceable fuse. Also, I imagine they would probably be more likely to be accidentally or unwittingly disconnected, as well as easier and less intimidating to intentionally disconnect.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this subject?

 

Once again, feel free to PM me to save me from the low-priced allure of buying from somewhere that may or may not offer decent support when I inevitably need it.

Thanks in advance.

[RickA 0]

I don't actually see the sense in "rolling" the camera to better cover the hallway? As far as power, that depends on the length of your runs, if they are all less than 100' then 12vdc, if longer then 24vac. Maybe I have been doing this for to long but the picture from the camera for the hallway is going to give you the same coverage with your choice of lens rather it is rightside up, upside down or rolled. If this is just an indoor application then I would recommend using a good vandal mini dome, with three axis gymbal for positioning.

[kensplace 0]

If the hallway is only 4 foot wide then you can cover that width easy in a normal orientation, you dont need to get the full length of the hallway really, you just need a 'choke point' ie as long as the have to pass by the cameras field of view, you get a good shot.

If you do roll the camera on its side, then you would also have to lie on your side to view the output on the monitor! (or have a monitor turned on its side...)

 

24Vac is best for longer runs (but is fine for short runs also), as 12vdv suffers from voltage drop over the longer runs.

 

If your runs are short, 12vdc compatible cameras can be used with a battery backed up power supply, as its pretty much impossible to find a battery backed up 24vac supply (as it would have to convert the battery to AC)

 

Some good quality (but certainly not all) professional box cameras can use either 24vac or 12vdc.

[scorpion 0]

If you have to watch multiple doors in the hallway then pull the camera back, and then use a higher mm lens then the vari focal that you mentioned.

 

A higher mm lens will actually compress the area in the video.

 

Forget the 4 power adapters. The added cost of finding a power strip that sits side saddle is hard enough, then on top of that you need to to have the proper spacing to allow for the transformers to sit side by side.

 

There is nothing wrong with using power adapters, but it is used only for the lowest of budget installs.

 

The advantage of adapters is that you can swap them around when trying to trouble shoot camera problems. I always carry an extra power adapter for the same purpose, or when trying to trouble shoot a power supply box.

 

You can buy inline fuses to use with the power adapters, and I would recommend that you do so.

 

 

If you are not on too tight of a budget since you are ordering on line, then buy an 8 channel power supply. This will allow you to use it for other 12 volt products, such as a one door electronic access.

 

This is great if you ever have to add on more cameras down the road.

 

Perhaps you should buy an 8 channel DVR even though you are only using a few cameras. You never know when you might need it!!!

 

 

I commend you for planning everything down to the smallest of details, but I would ask that you stand on a ladder with a camera, and a TV with a composite input before you mount them. This will give you much better design input then all of the drawing that you have assembled, and compliled.

 

Rolling the camera will not benefit you that I am aware of, but then again you may be thinking of a camera that I do not have in mind that would give you the results that you want.

 

I would not mount a camera on its side unless it was a covert install for LE (law enforcement), and the only way to hide the camera was to install it sideways so that you could get the evidence without revealing the camera.