Doing a simple camera-to-PC questions with LG LVC-CY100NM

[tlongman 0]

Hi,

Being totally unfamiliar with CCTV/security systems, I need some advice in setting up a simple surveillance camera to PC facility.

 

I recently purchased an LG LVC-CY100NM:Color camera. The camera comes with a 60' length of RJ45 (I believe -- it's 8-pin connector and apparently, shielded cable). The "Operating Instructions" that came with the camera consumed paper to have been printed, but other than that, is of very little use, at least to me.

 

I want to use the camera for surveillance for the front door/porch of my house and already have a nice mounting location selected (I'll see if it actually works out after I hook everything up!). But now I need the camera to PC cable connection and some "monitoring" softwqre.

 

I want to attach the camera in such a way that a PC program can be running and record the audio/video to hard drive whenever motion is detected. I have a fast quad-processor machine so there is plenty of computing power I believe.

 

Anyway, the first problem is: how to connect the RJ45 to the PC. According to the specifications in the wanna-be "Operating Instructions", it appears that pins 1-8 of the RJ45 go to:

speaker(hot); video out; ground; speaker(cold); audio out/alarm out; 12VDC, NC(RS-485-); and NC(RS-485+); in that order. All this leads me to presume that the RJ45 is configured for some relatively unique attachment devices. From what I understand from some reading in forums, etc., I assume that these are all analog signals on the RJ45(except power, of course), but I have no idea of what this should/could be connected to. Someplace I found a reference to Samsung's RJ11 connection, but that's the wrong connector and doesn't support color anyway.

 

What I would like is: Converter from this RJ45 and then to BNC/composite/something that can be utilized via a PC card. I would assume, perhaps incorrectly, that the PC card might come with appropriate software for motion-detection/capture, but if it doesn't, then I would like any recommendations that you might have.

 

But mostly, I'm hung at the physical signal-conversion question. I also need to allow the capture of audio and provide DC power to the camera as well. Perhaps the "audio out/Alarm out" connection might also allow me to hook up a motion sensor at the camera end (there is a separate 2-pin connector at the camera for this use) and that would go back to the PC via the RJ45 pin 5, but it's not at all clear to me how this signal would be multiplexed with the audio out (or even could be).

 

For what it's worth, the only other device that I know for sure will work with this camera is LG's LVC-CY100NM for power supply and LG's LSM-F117M for the monitor, as there are references to both these products in LG's "Operating Instructions". I have not been able to locate any "Operating Instructions" for these other devices on LG's website (or any other, for that matter).

 

Thank you in advance for any help you might offer.

 

Regards, Tom

[Limprod 0]

The camera comes with a 60' length of RJ45 (I believe -- it's 8-pin connector and apparently, shielded cable).

 

Anyway, the first problem is: how to connect the RJ45 to the PC. According to the specifications in the wanna-be "Operating Instructions", it appears that pins 1-8 of the RJ45 go to:

speaker(hot); video out; ground; speaker(cold); audio out/alarm out; 12VDC, NC(RS-485-); and NC(RS-485+); in that order.

 

As with most proprietary systems, you are lucky they revealed that much info. This camera is made to "snap" together with other proprietary components.

 

I'm willing to bet my lunch money that you could convert the video (pin 2 and 3) to composite using a video balun. A balun (balanced unbalanced) is just a transformer of sorts to allow unbalanced signals to transmit over a pair of wires; or in this case a twisted pair or ethernet cat5e. In most cases you need a pair of baluns to convert then convert back the composite signal but the camera apparently already has passive balun built in.

 

Any CCTV supply house has them. They are sold in pairs or sometimes individually. The receiver and transmitter baluns are interchangable (same thing). (prices range $3-15+ but after you see what they are made of you wouldn't want to pay more than $5).

 

A typical balun will have 2 screw terminals so all you need to do is isolate the video wire pair, and attach the balun at the end of your cable run; then plug the BNC connector to your video input.

 

You'll find other baluns that are made for RJ45 connectors. Some are made to be rewired, while others are fixed.. There are no standard pin outputs so chances are the fixed type won't work.

 

 

I also need to allow the capture of audio and provide DC power to the camera as well. Perhaps the "audio out/Alarm out" connection might also allow me to hook up a motion sensor at the camera end (there is a separate 2-pin connector at the camera for this use) and that would go back to the PC via the RJ45 pin 5, but it's not at all clear to me how this signal would be multiplexed with the audio out (or even could be).

 

The camera doubtfully uses RS485. It's also labeled N.C. (no connection) so you have at least one free pair. I would treat the microphone output as a line level source. the audio out is probably amplified. To tap those wires, just cut the pairs before the RJ45 connector or else you'll have to do some minor surgery. audio out/alarm out could be just a matter of ac signal (audio) and a dc resistance loop. does the camera have some built in motion sensing? I'm not certain but if the 2 pinned connector is keyed then it is probably for a 12VDC transformer to give the option of powering the camera thru the cat5 or local to the camera.

 

GL