Is it the camera or DVR

[hey_moe 0]

I have the A-BR18B4-E 8 CHANNELS SURVEILLANCE DIY BUNDLE KIT H.264 video compression and added two more of these > A-E600HL 650 TV Line HI-RES Outdoor Waterproof Color CCD Camera and two of these > Cnb-Vcm-24Vf Vandal Dome Camera . I have tried different cables and for some reason the video is no where as clear as some of the posted ones. On the CNB camera I have adjusted the focus and zoom.In the daytime I have kind of a grain picture and night time same thing. I have changed the lighting and still no glory. I have this hooked up to a HI-DEF tv but this system doesn't support HDIM. Even when view on my pooter the same problem. I feel it is the DVR because with that many camera I can't believe all of them would be the problem. How can I prove which one it is.

[hey_moe 0]

The one by the Spa was done with the High Res Camera. The other two were done with the CNB camera. To me all three aren't that clear.

[Visiocom 0]

I think you should go for HD IP cameras if you still think the one with spa is not sharp enough.

 

Bare in mind that cameras besides the resolution in TV lines. It also has lens difference. Meaning to say the focus of an object near may be clearer with smaller lens eg 2.8,3.6 or 4mm

if you go for more tele lens eg 6mm and above distance object will appear sharper, however closer details (object near to the camera) will be gone.

 

Another factor will be your playback resolution and preview resolution. is it in 4CIF? or just CIF. CIF will not give you a very good picture as compared to 4CIF. Check also the bit rate that you set for your camera. it will affect the picture resolution too.

[hey_moe 0]

This morning I woke up to the DVR beeping and 4 cameras were down...lol. The transformer was only putting out 9 volts instead of 12 volts. I emailed the company about a replacement one. In the mean time I am thinking about shopping around for something that is a tad bit more heavy duty. This is the second problem I have had so for in less than 30 days. Now I am wonder if this is something I am in store for.

[the toss 0]

The price you pay is a fairly good indicator of the quality. If you go for an entry level DVR then don't worry too much about a price difference of $40 or $50 look at the warranty. Where I am I can get a 4 chan DVR with 1 yr warranty for $200 or a 4 chan DVR with 3 yr warranty for $230. I am happy to pay the extra $30.

[kumandan 0]

hi, in that model CNB wcm-24vf. you will find osd menu, you dvr is ok. but setting should be from cam, check osd menu.and you should use coaxial RG-6 for better display

[tomcctv 190]

The one by the Spa was done with the High Res Camera. The other two were done with the CNB camera. To me all three aren't that clear.

 

 

Hi. hey_moe. it looks like your only problem is focus. all 3 cameras look like they just need some tweeking

[hey_moe 0]

Hi guys and thanks for the suggestions. I did run a coaxial to one of the CBN cameras to see if that cleared it up. It didn't help. I had a friend of mine look at the TV while I was out side trying to focus it. We used cell phones to yak at each other, I also was using my Ipad. We focused it to the best image we could get. I contacted the company and they suggested making a few adjustments on their side which I really saw no difference.Right now at night time the video isn't to bad. The day time video really sucks to me. I am looking at other DVR's. I hope that will make a difference. I feel all the cameras can't be bad so to me it only points at the DVR. On the CBN cameras I have tried different zoom and focus. The one shot on the front porch to me should be a lot clearer along with the shot of the back door and the smoker. Maybe I am expecting to much.

[tomcctv 190]

I did run a coaxial to one of the CBN cameras to see if that cleared it up.

 

 

 

have you used the lead kits that came with the system ???? also are you running the CNBs of the power supplies that came with the KIT.

[videoVIP 0]

I'd say those are pretty damn good pics for a low-budget system!

[hey_moe 0]

I brought a different PS for the CBN camera's. At the camera I have 12.19 dc volts.Also I didn't use the wire kit that came with the kit. I ordered three sets from Amazon. Like I said before I ran a coaxial cable and cked the power. All was fin

I did run a coaxial to one of the CBN cameras to see if that cleared it up.

 

 

 

have you used the lead kits that came with the system ???? also are you running the CNBs of the power supplies that came with the KIT.

[hey_moe 0]

Here is an example of one of the CBN camera in the font of the house. Look at the top of the pineapple closest to the camera. The lines are clear and crisp. Now look at the porch rails. Both sides of the rails are wavy but if you notice the post going up and down are clean. The CBN in the back yard also shows this . This is what I don't understand. As a result of this when I am standing on the front porch the picture doesn't look right. I know you guys said said I brought a cheap system but when I replaced the camera, PS and cable I figured I would be getting a clearer image.

[videoVIP 0]

I know you guys said said I brought a cheap system...

 

You did. I just installed a system for a client...4 cameras, 1 DVR and a monitor. Total was almost $8k.

 

We/I occasionally get lucky with the cheap-o systems, but CCTV is one of those things where "you get what you pay for". And, for what you paid, those pics are great.

 

Cue: Rory

[hey_moe 0]

I can understand a company spending 8 grand on a system, but I don't think the average homeowner spends 8 grand on the home owner system. I have been doing HVAC work for the last 38 years. I have been into thousands of homes and I don't recall seeing any of those 8 thousand units.So please don't insult me like that. I came in here for help, not be knocked on my a$$.

I know you guys said said I brought a cheap system...

 

You did. I just installed a system for a client...4 cameras, 1 DVR and a monitor. Total was almost $8k.

 

We/I occasionally get lucky with the cheap-o systems, but CCTV is one of those things where "you get what you pay for". And, for what you paid, those pics are great.

 

Cue: Rory

[ssmith10pn 0]

Well it appears all of the resolution is there.

 

[SEANHAWG 1]

Hi Moe,

 

A good rule of thumb to determine if this is your camera or DVR is to do this:

 

- Plug the CNB camera directly into your monitor

Ask yourself if it looks considerably better than what it looks like in your recorded snapshots. Dont get me wrong, the snapshots will never look as when you plug the camera directly into the monitor, but the degradation of the video quality should not be that significant.

 

The CNB is one of the best Analog cams on the market and it doesnt get much better image quality wise. With that being said, the pics that you are showing do seem to look slightly over compressed and that has to do with the DVR. They dont look bad by any means, but they could probably be slightly better. You did a good job in replacing most of your systems components but the DVR is probably one of the more important things that would have needed to have been replaced. In a matter of fact, that may have been the first thing I would have replaced if I were in your shoes. Now with all this being said, you probably will see a slight improvement in picture quality when switching to a better DVR, but I dont want you to think that its going to be a drastic change by any means. So I am not sure if its justification for you to go out and get a better DVR for a slight bump in quality, thats up to you to decide.

 

But what you can try is to optimize the equipment that you have right now to see if you can get an even better picture to help save you some money. Try these things:

 

#1) Delve into the CNB's picture settings to optimize the quality of the picture. Play with the sharpness to see if that helps any. Some DVR's dont like too sharp of a picture, while others do.

#2) Make sure that you have your DVR optimized for the least compressed picture. I know you already have your DVR setup for D1 judging by your images. But you can also, on most DVR's, rise or lower the quality. You will want to raise it to the highest quality. if the DVR lets you define the bit rate, that would be even better, go ahead and max out your bit rate

#3) are you 100% sure that you have your cameras focused to the maximum. Did you do the old routine where you get on the cell phone and talk to your wife or kids where they tell you "no zoom out, no too far, go back!" I am guilty of that, but I have found out, that never gets it focused the best. Bring a monitor out with you to the camera where you can fine focus it to the optimal settings.

 

Hope this info helps!

[videoVIP 0]

I don't do residential work...for this very reason. Good luck with your system.

 

I can understand a company spending 8 grand on a system, but I don't think the average homeowner spends 8 grand on the home owner system. I have been doing HVAC work for the last 38 years. I have been into thousands of homes and I don't recall seeing any of those 8 thousand units.So please don't insult me like that. I came in here for help, not be knocked on my a$$

[shockwave199 0]

What happened between this pic-

 

 

And this pic-

 

 

Something was changed for the worse in all the noodling that was done. I'd try defaulting the cameras out, because the first pic was fine. Too much user noodling can get you lost in the maze. They also look like cameras with no TDN. The colors look a bit funky.

 

Also as Sean has mentioned- check the channel settings in the dvr. What is the resolution and bitrate set at? Do you have some extreme color/brightness settings going on, or are those settings still at default? Also, have these pics been made larger than the original snap shots?

[SEANHAWG 1]

You can get a high end IP system and spend alot less than 8 grand.

[nDAlk90 0]

You can get a high end IP system and spend alot less than 8 grand.

 

How high end we talking?

24MP Cameras?

[videoVIP 0]

You can get a high end IP system and spend alot less than 8 grand.

 

Yep. High-end IP stuff is cheap...http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/734349-REG/Axis_Communications_0362_004_AXIS_Q6034_E_PTZ_Dome.html

[jtetterton 0]

You can get a high end IP system and spend alot less than 8 grand.

 

Yep. High-end IP stuff is cheap...http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/734349-REG/Axis_Communications_0362_004_AXIS_Q6034_E_PTZ_Dome.html

 

 

That's also not your TYPICAL residential install...

[SEANHAWG 1]

if you install yourself, you could get 4 really nice IP megapixel camera system for less than 8 grand. If we are talking analog, I dont see how/why anyone would spend 8 grand on a 4 cam analog system unless the coax has solid gold in it. Most people will not have a need for a PTZ on a 4 cam home install, let alone an IP PTZ. Yeah, I guess if you slapped up 4 IP PTZ's then you would be getting pretty high up there but if you are talking standard dome or IP cameras, you should easily be able to get under $8000. That Axis PTZ seems really overpriced anyways, thats not even considered megapixel and its still over $3000 retail. Thats some bull skip right there.

 

But back to the OP's original question. here is another user who installed some VCM's. You can take a look at his cameras and compare them with yours: viewtopic.php?t=29296

[videoVIP 0]

That's also not your TYPICAL residential install...

 

I don't do residential.

 

My point is...the OP can keep banging his head against the wall trying to get top-notch video from his umm...err..."affordable" system, or he can return it, spend a few more $$$ and get better video. Nonetheless, as I've said about 100 times already in this post, for the money spent, he's got pretty decent video.

[videoVIP 0]

if you install yourself, you could get 4 really nice IP megapixel camera system for less than 8 grand.

 

So enlighten us...what is your definition of "really nice IP megapixel cameras"?