Night Camera

[renz05725 0]

I've been approached by a small school district here locally to possibly upgrade their outdoor security cameras. They are using a ONSSI DVR system and the cameras i quote them need to be compatible.

 

The problem they are having is in the cameras night vision capabilities. They have had 2 other companies come in and provide them cameras. These cameras are supposed to be capable of picking up video in no light situations and adjust when light becomes available. The problem they have had both times is that the cameras they have recieved both work great in no light situations, but when a car drives up or head lights come into picture, the cameras automatically get blinded by the lights and white out.

 

They want a camera that does the night vision, but automatically adjusts to when flashes of light /head lights come into the picture.

 

What cameras should i be looking for or at? What should i need to now about the ONSSI system that will come in play? I'm coming here and asking because even though there are acouple of other sites that offer help. It seems that this site has the smarter or informative members...

[Soundy 1]

Well first thing is, you probably won't find suitable cameras in the "cheap" range - you need something with a good fast-reacting iris or AGC.

 

As far as the DVR, the camera shouldn't matter, as long as it supports the local video standard (NTSC for North America, PAL for most of Europe, etc.)

[thewireguys 3]

Do they have a NVR or DVR from Onssi? If your going IP after attending Arecont training I would recommend the 3130 or the soon to be released 3135. When that camera is setup properly it works very well in low light and with IR light.

[rory 0]

You are looking for a True Day/Night Wide Dynamic Camera.

It wont be cheap though, and you will typically need seperate IR.

 

You may be able to get away with out Wide Dynamic capability by simply using a more expensive camera, some just suck when it comes to handling light. In addition, perhaps the IRIS is adjusted to high or Super AGC is enabled, check camera settings, if there are no adjustable settings then its just a cheap camera and changing to a more expensive one, with options, might work at that location.

[crirvine 0]

This has a good chance of being an IP system you will need to know several things just to add license for the mac address of each new camera not to mention user names and passwords for the server software This will not be as easy as swapping the cameras and as far as ONSSI they want you to goto there school before they talk to you about support. We just did a 50 camera IP job with a 20 TB server running ONSSI software and we sent 2 techs to there school just to get support from them.

[rory 0]

Guys he specifically says its an ONSSI DVR system

[crirvine 0]

I might be wrong but I just went and checked again and ONSSI is IP only.

 

http://www.onssi.com/solutions.html

 

you can look at their site but IP solutions is all they offer that I see.

NETDVMS is a server solution High end

NETDVR is a server IP solution mid range

PROSITE is a server IP solution mid range

[rory 0]

True ... their site does say IP to the Core. my bad .. well his.

[thewireguys 3]

This has a good chance of being an IP system you will need to know several things just to add license for the mac address of each new camera not to mention user names and passwords for the server software This will not be as easy as swapping the cameras and as far as ONSSI they want you to goto there school before they talk to you about support. We just did a 50 camera IP job with a 20 TB server running ONSSI software and we sent 2 techs to there school just to get support from them.

 

Did you look at any other NVR software for this job and if you did why did you go with ONSSI?

[crirvine 0]

The boss looked at several and setteled on ONSSI as they had dealers that had done several jails and this was a jail and seamed to do what we needed with easy exspansion to double or triple in size in the future. Plus our axis distributor recomended it. Nice package deal 50 axis ip's and netdvms software package.

[renz05725 0]

Yes, they are using a OnSSI which i am not to familiar with. They have their own security department and are simply asking us to get them better cameras and install them.

 

They where sold on this OnSSI by the initial company that sold them the cameras that didn't do what they wanted them to do.

 

As for these cameras not being cheap. Obviously they have seen what going cheap has gotten them 2 times already and are now asking for a proper solution. I've looked at the Panasonic WV NW484S camera. Do any of you guys have experience with this camera?

 

Is it as simple as the getting a better camera with a better auto iris? Do i need to get a camera that can mask out high burst of light from a occurance to properly get a picture of what is going around that burst of light?

 

I'll look into the arecont camera mentioned. Thanks for the help guys, i really appreciate it.

I

[crirvine 0]

Knowing what IP cameras where there before and now will help both you and us I have only delt with AXIS IP cameras and ONSSI NETDVMS software and they are at a jail. I can only speak for us but we and our customer were both very happy with this setup. Others can give you more on other brands. What is the customers expectations what do they want this will have a lot to do with what needs to be put in.

Look at this post http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=16935

I think it will help you alot.

[thewireguys 3]

"These cameras are supposed to be capable of picking up video in no light situations and adjust when light becomes available"

 

There is no such camera!!!! All cameras need some form a light... visible or IR to give you good images unless you go with a thermal camera.

 

 

 

 

I would recommend the Arecont 3130 with IR illumination or the soon to be released 3135. We setup properly Arecont cameras have an amazing image. You have a IP based system installed so I see no need to install analog cameras unless absolutely have to. IP cameras have come a long way in the last 3 years. Sounds you don't have a lot of experience with IP camera systems so this isn't going to be a walk in the park for you. Are simply replacing existing cameras or adding new ones? You are going to have a hard time getting support from ONSSI without attending there training. Also if you start adding more cameras you are going to have to thing about storage, bandwidth, POE, and setting up new cameras in the software.