CNB VBM-24VF

[clearsignal 0]

Hi folks, first time poster...long time reader of these forums.

 

I am interested in the CNB VBM-24VF cameras, they seem to get good reviews here. My intention is to place them outdoors, some under eaves, but some directly wall mounted (or should I pendant mount? ).

 

My confusion lies in their IP rating. I can't determine if they are appropriate to be used outdoors. Contacting the website that I am looking to purchase them from they say they are not weatherproof. Others here say they use them with out issue in the weather. CNB's website gives no rating, and as I've read in another post, the manual actually says 'do not spill liquids or rain.....'

 

I live in BC (Lower Mainland) and we get a significant (understatement) amount of rain.

 

Thanks in advance, and I look forward to your responses.

[bpzle 0]

Puzzling CNB doesn't post their IP rating...

 

The answer to the riddle is this camera is rated at IP65.

 

Same applies to any of their vandal proof series. (VCx, VBx, V1xxx, V2xxx, etc.)

[Soundy 1]

I'm in Vancouver area as well; we've used plenty of the VCM-24VF cameras, as well as earlier similar CNB domes, outdoors in direct weather (assorted Cactus Clubs, mainly) with no problems other than raindrops sitting on the dome. In all cases of direct exposure, they're mounted directly to walls, no pendants required.

[clearsignal 0]

Thanks to both of you!

 

Soundy, know anywhere local these can be purchased from?

[bpzle 0]

I bet Soundy's Wacky Crazy Discount Camera Emporium has some in stock.

 

Don't forget to ask about their patent pending ultra portable deluxe service monitor and laptop antislip device.

 

Tell em bpzle sent ya!

[Soundy 1]

We do have a local supplier (in Maple Ridge)... I'll find out his contact info and PM you.

[clearsignal 0]

Excellent, thanks Soundy. I would consider Maple Ridge a whole lot more local than "Insert Random Website Here"....if the price is right

[jxk716 0]

I just put these in at 2 outdoor locations on our building. These are very nice cameras with good weather resistant features. For example the video out BNC and power exit through the back; that hole is sealed with a thick foam like enclosure and the wire then has silicone around that. There is the option to re-route the wire inside to meet a connecting conduit connector. You can then seal the original wire hole with the threaded cap from the side of the housing.

 

I did place a thick plastic hood around the housing which provides cover for the dome. I do this for most domes since rain on the dome causes some distortion of the image. Although in a wind driven rain this will not help much. To be safe I caulked the area around the cam where the housing met the wall. About 6 hours after install we had a rain storm; I check it out the next morning and the inside was dry as a bone. The most striking difference is the view at night/low light. Check out my attached before and after pictures using a shot from our old cams and from the new CNBs. I still need to play around with the focus

[Soundy 1]

^I find applying a coating of Rain-X to the bubble helps keep the rain from "sticking"

[clearsignal 0]

Well I ordered 4 VBM-24VF, received them today and in the box are 4 VCM-24VD cameras. I am a little choked.

 

I figure I got screwed. I called 'surveillance-video.com' today and they offered to take them back and pay for shipping...problem is that I've already paid duty to bring them into Canada, so I'm out a few bucks there.

 

Question is: Are these still decent cameras? I want them outdoors, primarily for night...however I could always mount them near the motion-lights. Without the ICR will they still work with any addon IR lighting?

 

Any options/opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[jbaird 0]

I was actually about to order these cams (VBM-24VF) from that same website. Did they tell you that they made a mistake? I'm skeptical now.

[clearsignal 0]

Ya, they are aware they made a mistake. I mentioned I want to order more, but have my doubts about what I am going to get. The customer service person said I can call her direct next time to order, and she will make sure they are the correct ones going in the box.

 

Now, I have had some time to play with one of the cameras and it doesn't seem too bad at all, but without being able to compare to what I really wanted...I don't know what I'm missing.

 

She did seem sincere, and it doesn't feel like a fly-by-night operation. I'll tell ya though...it was all I could do to keep professional on the phone ... Railroader by trade...think truckdriver times 2

[tomcctv 190]

Well I ordered 4 VBM-24VF, received them today and in the box are 4 VCM-24VD cameras. I am a little choked.

 

I figure I got screwed. I called 'surveillance-video.com' today and they offered to take them back and pay for shipping...problem is that I've already paid duty to bring them into Canada, so I'm out a few bucks there.

 

Question is: Are these still decent cameras? I want them outdoors, primarily for night...however I could always mount them near the motion-lights. Without the ICR will they still work with any addon IR lighting?

 

Any options/opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

i dont think you will see any differance as the day/night cameras are very good. in most cases better than with ir if you have a little lighting around.

[thewireguys 3]

CNB also has new cameras with intelligent IR..... I would post a link but their site is down. www.cnbtec.com

[clearsignal 0]

Thanks a lot guys. I'm looking to avoid IR if I can possibly help it. I think I'm going to have to eat it on these cameras, and make damn sure they send the right ones next time. I'll just put these in areas with more light I figure?

[jbaird 0]

I'm looking to put the VBM-24VF's in both normal lighted areas as well as dimly (or close to zero) light areas. From what I have read, this camera will work nicely in both of these scenarios. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Soundy 1]

Well I ordered 4 VBM-24VF, received them today and in the box are 4 VCM-24VD cameras. I am a little choked.

 

Yeah, that's a bit annoying... the VCM is a slightly different enclosure than the VBM, lower-profile for flush mounting with a separate back-box... but with the VD you lose the day/night and the lens is a shorter zoom (4-9mm vs. 2.8-10mm for the VF).

 

I figure I got screwed. I called 'surveillance-video.com' today and they offered to take them back and pay for shipping...problem is that I've already paid duty to bring them into Canada, so I'm out a few bucks there.

 

If the customs stuff is done properly, you shouldn't have to pay the duty twice. I don't know if you'd have them shipped as "warranty replacement" or something, a good customs broker should be able to sort it out for you... or even call RevCan or CBSC (or whatever the appropriate agency is these days), spell out your situation, and ask them how to deal with the duty issue.

 

Question is: Are these still decent cameras? I want them outdoors, primarily for night...however I could always mount them near the motion-lights. Without the ICR will they still work with any addon IR lighting?

 

They're still fine cameras, you just lose the day/night function and get a shorter zoom range on the lens (at least as far as I can tell from the spec sheets). I don't know how well they'd work with external IR lighting. Worst case, get the VF models for this job and keep the VDs around for future use...

[clearsignal 0]

Thanks for the response Soundy. Been playing with them a little this evening. They do 'see' the IR, just not as pronounced as one of my other ICR camera's. Picture looks great when nicely lit. Little grainy in the dark, but I haven't fiddled much with the settings.

 

I think I'll do exactly that...I'll keep em around, too much hassle otherwise. Plenty of places for them, and a nicely placed illuminator will help the locations that really need it.

 

Soundy, any place local to get baluns? Or what kind of price and manufacturer should I be looking at. I see some for $6-$8 but somehow that seems too good to be true.

[Soundy 1]

We get them from ADI/Burtek in Burnaby, but you have to be a wholesaler/dealer with an account to shop there. Naturally I can't reveal pricing info here Others like Tri-Ed have them too.

 

A few years ago, RP Electronics was selling "egg crates" of baluns at $5 unit price (this is a retail store, BTW)... at the time, the cheapest we could get were the NVT ones for something like $35/each, so this was an amazing deal. But like they say, if it looks too good to be true... well, suffice to say, none of them worked, all of them had scrambled video. Live and learn...

[clearsignal 0]

RP Electronics...I love that place. It's like a candy store for geeks.

 

Figured as much with the cheapos. I'll keep looking, I found some Gems online for $15 ea, do you have any brand name recommendations that'll work nicely with these cnb domes?

[Soundy 1]

RP Electronics...I love that place. It's like a candy store for geeks.

 

Figured as much with the cheapos. I'll keep looking, I found some Gems online for $15 ea, do you have any brand name recommendations that'll work nicely with these cnb domes?

I love the GEMs - those and GVIs are our mainstay. The NVT and MuxLab are overpriced and I've never found any real benefit to them.

 

CNB does make versions of those domes with built-in baluns, BTW, so you can just wire the UTP straight into the camera, then you only need the balun at the DVR end.

[clearsignal 0]

CNB does make versions of those domes with built-in baluns, BTW, so you can just wire the UTP straight into the camera, then you only need the balun at the DVR end.

That's what they said online prior to my purchase of the 24VF's...er...24VD's, but alas, none came with this package. I was kind of counting on that.

[WarrenM 0]

Well, mine should be here tomorrow and I have a question. I have a Avermedia 1304 for a DVR and it does not have masking but after reading the online manual on this camera I understand I can mask with the camera menu........ is that correct? Also, from you guys that have set these up already, are there any setting I have to set that will sneak up on me that are not auto such as FLIK and Shutterspeed..etc. Yes, you could say I'm a newb at this and the online manual wasn't really all that helpful.

[clearsignal 0]

CNB does make versions of those domes with built-in baluns, BTW, so you can just wire the UTP straight into the camera, then you only need the balun at the DVR end.

Sureveillance-Video conferenced me with CNB, and they no longer provide the balun's with the cameras...citing not enough demand.

However, these cameras I received have the 2.8-10.5mm lenses - that's a plus.

[tomcctv 190]

CNB does make versions of those domes with built-in baluns, BTW, so you can just wire the UTP straight into the camera, then you only need the balun at the DVR end.

Sureveillance-Video conferenced me with CNB, and they no longer provide the balun's with the cameras...citing not enough demand.

However, these cameras I received have the 2.8-10.5mm lenses - that's a plus.

 

 

Hi clearsignal. cnb have never provided baluns with there cameras. it is built in. and you can order any cnb to have a balun at the dvr end. you have to put utp on any order. then your camera connections will be like this.

 

power / bnc / cat5.