Db9 breakout

[Lous 0]

I found an installation manual for this checkpoint ptz, I called their tech support and they said this model is over ten years old and they have no current info on it. The manual says to use a db9 to coax/4c breakout, I can't find any connectors like this. Can anyone point me in the right direction? (Otherwise I'm back to square one with just making my own break out, which is fine but I still don't know the pin out on this cam =/). The instructions don't list the pinout because it expects to use the break and a power/data server and video switcher setup.

[Soundy 1]

If I had the camera in front of me, I could probably figure out the pinouts, but not much that can be done remotely...

[Tailbone215 0]

You might want to post the exact model number of what you have. Since this is using RS485 you are only using two wires for comm this should help.

 

http://www.connecttech.com/sub/Products/cable_pinout.htm

[Soundy 1]

Tailbone, the problem is, he doesn't know the pinouts that the camera uses - they aren't RS232. See this thread: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=20917&start=0

[Lous 0]

Thanks Soundy. I think the yellow and green wires must be data since they are looped. I'm not sure why video, or power would be looped to other pins.

[Soundy 1]

There's no good reason data should be looped to other pins, either, though, so that logic doesn't really follow. If anything I'd think maybe power would be, so it could be doubled or tripled up on the cable run... but even that is a wild guess.

[Lous 0]

My thought was looped data would make sense in the traditional sense for serial cables such as handshake/data set ready, etc.. but I guess since cameras generaly only recieve data that probably wouldn't be neccisary either. doubling up for power would make sense, but the looped wire just connects one pin to a pin that already has a wire and the wires are the same gauge, so its not like its two runs going to a source. I would think these loops are either sending information back to the source, or sending information sent on these pins to the same place as the other pin. I could be way off base, its just weird.

[Soundy 1]

From your description, it doesn't sound like the pins used conform to any standard DB9 wiring, RS-232 or otherwise. I'll take a look though, maybe it's wired for RS-422... which would eliminate a few pins.

 

RS-422 uses pin 1 for TX-, 2 for TX+, 3 for RX+, and 4 for RX-. It doesn't specify on this page, but I would expect pin 5 is ground.

[Lous 0]

Ok, I took the plunge and started testing wires with 24 vac, the yellow and green looped wires are definetly power. Connecting one set put it in a diagostic mode, i.e it did a complete rotation and then centered the cam facing down. My initial test was done with a db9 to rj11 converter, I couldn't get video but I believe video is the brown and black wires. I switched over to db9 to rj45, got the same diagnostic rotation, etc.. so its definetly getting power to the motor, my question would be now do you think it'll take two pairs of cat5 for power? Since those looped wires would assume two connections one wire of the two pairs for each pin? My 24vac psu died when I was testing I'm not sure what happen I might have accidently crossed some wires, and I don't have another one to use atm unless I cut the female end of some 24vac ps from something else.

[Lous 0]

Ok, these is really driving me crazy. I managed to get a hold of a clarity concept controller. Though I havn't gotten to the point where I can get data transmitting. I know I am missing something, the db9s to coax/4c connectors they use are propriatary, but checkpoint says they no longer have info on them. This pretty much leaves me with making my own. There set up basicly is supposed to go db9 break out with bnc video going to a video switcher, then power/data going to a 5 post terminal adapter which connects to a power/data server. Then drom the pds to the clarity controller. Since I don't have the pds (and don't think I really need it) I intend to still try to wire this out directly to the controller.

 

The green/yellow wires that are looped are definetly power. I think the camera is supposed to use 24vdc, but my test have been with 24vac, this seems to get it to do a normal start up diagnostic routine. I just can't figure out if both sets of wires comming from the pin outs are suposed to be attached to a power supply or not, it kind of seems like the loops are supposed to be sending power back out somewhere but I can't figure out where or why. unles they are somehow replicating ac power to the cam by looping the power that way. Very, very weird......

[Soundy 1]

This is just a wild guess, but the looped wires could be in support of a dual-voltage setup.

 

Example (and just using random pin numbers for simplicity):

 

Say this manufacturer uses a standard breakout cable for all their cameras. They use pins 1 and 2 for 12VDC power input, and 3 and 4 for 24VAC. If the camera uses 12VDC only, then it would have connections to pins 1 and 2; if it's 24VAC only, it would have connections to pins 3 and 4. If it's a dual-voltage camera that supports either, it would then maybe have pins 1 and 3 tied together, as well as pins 2 and 4... that way it would work with either style of breakout cable.

 

Just a thought as to one potential reason for this setup...