at 1st fix stage tomorrow - please help -

[thecount 0]

This is my first post, glad I found this site!

 

Anyway, I'm meeting with the electricians on a house we're purchased off plan and I am going to chat about putting some cabling in for future cctv hardware purchase.

As standard, they are fitting a basic 2 camera front door + back door camera (not powered) which wires into the loft distribution box (via CT100) to all the TVs of the house.

 

What 'I am' looking for:

 

a DVR machine to record pictures.

a couple of internal cameras and a couple external cameras.

Can I utilise the wiring they are putting in for the front + back door cameras?

I want to log in over the web to the house and view

 

Can you advise as to what I need to allow for cabling wise and the general spec I should be working too?

 

Could I just use CT100 for cameras etc?

 

if I "have" to use power to each camera, which sort do I need?

 

I really don't want to go overboard, just want a fairly basic system.

 

any help / guidance, much appreciated.

 

thanks in advance.......

[Soundy 1]

Umm, yes, you "have" to power each camera - for most low-end cameras, it will be 12VDC. Cameras don't run on air

 

So the electricians are installing cameras as a "standard" but not powering them?? If that's really the case, I'd look for a new electrician (hmmm, don't get me started on electricians trying to do CCTV installs....)

 

In any case, adding more cameras shouldn't be a problem, you just need to run wire from each location, to your distribution box, or to wherever you plan to put the DVR.

 

You have three common options for wiring:

1. one run of RG-59 or RG-6 coax (RG-59 is preferable; don't let the sparks use RG-58 CATV cable), plus one run of power wire of some sort (typically jacketed 18/2 stranded)

 

2. Siamese cable, which attaches the coax and power wires together with a web, allowing you (or them) to pull both simultaneously (no real benefit other than convenience)

 

3. Cat5e or Cat6 twisted-pair cable, plus video baluns at both ends - if you're planning to wire the house for network/phone/automation, this may be more efficient and cost effective, as they can just pull lots of UTP everywhere and it can then be used for any of the above (it can also be used for alarms, although most alarm guys don't like it).

 

Ummm, one question, what is a CT100? I found three different Google hits, one for a cable tester, one for a Sony home theater system, and one for a 1954-vintage RCA color TV.

[thecount 0]

Hi, thanks for your email - lots of really usely info there thanks

 

CT100 so I have been told is good quality coax "apparently" better shielded etc.

 

more research to do before tomorrow morning...

[rory 0]

Ct100 is satellite cable, it seems to be copper but I would recommend using the right cable for the job, RG59 Siamese CCTV Cable. And all cameras require power.

[Soundy 1]

You mean this stuff? http://www.megalithia.com/elect/cable/index.html

Noooooo, this is not good CCTV cable. Insufficient shielding, for starters. Will probably be a *** to attach most BNC connectors to as well. Certainly not worth the extra cost - most of the "benefits" listed in the above link sound like Monster Cable-type snake oil.

 

Unless you already have a ton of this stuff that you got for free... get the proper wire for the job.