Output to Tv Channels?

[goalie 0]

I was wondering if there was a modular to hook up each camera channel onto a tv channel within the house.

 

Cam1 = chan 59

cam 2 = chan 60

 

etc

 

Thanks

[CCTV_Guy 0]

Sure!

 

There must be a million modulator manufacturers in the marketplace. Several that come to mind at the moment are Channelvision ( http://www.channelvision.com/ ). OnQ Technologies ( http://www.onqhome.com/ ) & NetMedia ( http://www.netmedia.com/ ). Yet another manufacturer is Leviton ( http://www.leviton.com/ ), and they have the advantage of being available at Home Depot, i.e easily available to DIYers, at least that's true here in Seattle.

 

We favor NetMedia's MM70 single-channel modulator ( http://www.netmedia.com/cutsheets/mm70_cutsheet_led.pdf ) in an OnQ cabinet but there are many multi-channel modulators out there and they all work equally well.

 

In our typical configuration, the OnQ video engine ( http://www.onqhome.com/jahia/webdav/shared/docs/2005cat/video_engine_acc.pdf ) merges the cable/antenna/satellite channels with the modulated security cam video and sends the combined video on to one or more OnQ amplifiers which distribute the video to the outlets in the home.

 

Frequently we use ChannelVision filters ( http://www.channelvision.com/index/56 ) to take out a range of channels, enabling us to hijack one or more channels that the cable company is using. That is, channels in use by Comcast are filtered out and we assign the MM70 output to a channel within the range of those channels filtered out. Filtration, incidentally, is a recommended procedure when working with Comcast's digital TV.

 

You can read a bit more about it on the HomeToys site at one of the articles submitted by ThermoSight for publication ( http://www.hometoys.com/htinews/jun02/articles/thermosight/thermosight.htm for example).

 

It's really pretty easy and relatively inexpensive!

 

Best wishes,

 

bill

[G22 0]

I want to do something similar eventually.

 

Since I have only Satellite for TV and Cable Internet via coax... is it possible to use the Cable Internet coax w/o affecting the Cable Modem signal?

 

Also, can one just use a completely independent coax to the TV, or does an actual Cable TV signal need to be on the coax as well? I get a couple local channels but everything else is filtered on the street by the Cable Guy.

[rory 0]

If you're going to run all new cable, why not use the TVs AV input, then extend a remote to each room, or use something like the Pronto.

 

Otherwise if you want their own channel with no cable signal, yeah supposed to work.

[CCTV_Guy 0]

Hello G22.

 

I'm not certain that I understand the question that you're asking, but if you're referring to the gap between the satellite TV and the cable internet, there is a simple and inexpensive means of bridging that gap.

 

The equipment I discussed in the earlier note would work for either cable TV or satellite TV so you could follow the same procedure for distributing your security cam's video throughout the house.

 

When faced with a similar situation 12 or 18 months ago, I used a simple VCR to bridge that gap. I connected the VCR to the TV outlet, selected the channel assigned to the camera on the VCR's tuner, and fed the unmodulated channel video from the VCR output to a video server which was also connected to the home's LAN. Voila! bridge gapped.

 

This procedure avoids interference between the two cabling systems (the satellite TV distribution and the cable internet) while merging the two systems functionally.

 

On a personal level, I really like having the security cam video available at any tv outlet in the home. That way, with PiP (Picture in Picture), I can be watching my favorite TV show, bring up a second 'window' on the tv set, and watch the driveway cam to see my guest arriving (allowing me to open the garage door for her).

 

Again, I'm not entirely sure I've answered the question you were asking. If not, sorry 'bout that. I'll try again if necessary.

 

Best wishes,

 

bill

Edited September 6, 2005 by Guest

[CCTV_Guy 0]

yet another thought comes to mind (and at my age, each is precious!) ....

 

I think you've told us that you have the two cable systems installed in the house now. Had it been my home, I probably would have had the cable internet terminated at a single connection, presumably in the garage, and would have relied on a wireless LAN throughout the house.

 

Best wishes,

 

bill

[rory 0]

hye bill how many of those netmedia mods can the onQ cabinet hold, im thinking 20 cameras ... thanks

 

Also, is the netmedia better than channelvision, ive always used channelvision but im open to ideas ..

 

Rory

[CCTV_Guy 0]

Hi Rory (how's it goin' in Nassau - Damn! I really envy you, although it's beautiful here today, too).

 

 

Rory, you could stick bundles of'em in the OnQ cabinet (or virtually any other manufacturer's cabinet). The MM70 is roughly 70% the size of a pack of cigarettes. That's one reason why I like'em so much ... they take up so little space and they're very reliable. And they're inexpensive (or were when we bought a bundle of'em; don't have a recent price).

 

NetMedia better than Channelvision? Oh, I don't know. I'm sure they're both very good. They're both very good brand names. My experience has been primarily NetMedia and we've been very satisfied, and even more importantly, our clients have been pleased. No calls from my clients is great news, and that's what NetMedia offers - no complaints. I'm sure the same is true of Channelvision as well (or Leviton, or any of the others)

 

Best wishes, Hey, do you do much fishing around Nassau?

 

bill

[rory 0]

sounds good gonna do some research on them, i prefer enclosures when i can use them.

 

By the way, its hot hot hot .. summer aint letting up yet dread

got till xmas till we get some cooler weather .

[G22 0]

What bout BNC -> RCA for the modulator video inputs... do you lose much video quality in that process?

[rory 0]

The modulator has RCA inputs, you have to use a BNC-RCA adaptor.

[G22 0]

What bout the vid quality though... is it decreased?

[CCTV_Guy 0]

Not if the adaptor was built properly. The adapter is just a connection between two conductors. I suppose one might see some some slight degradation if an oscilloscope was used to measure the signal, but it's not noticeable in actual practice.

 

I have a laptop equipped with an ImperX card which I use as a monitor when working onsite. I frequently need to convert from BNC to RCA. No noticeable difference in image quality as far as I can see ('course I am an old guy, and darn near blind!)

 

Best wishes,

 

bill

[CraigVM62 0]

CCTV-Guy ... How do you usualy address the problem when customers utilize a digital cable box ??? Do you use one of the kits to route the modulated channel around the box?

 

Also for Rory, NetMedia also makes the 3 Channel / Input model which is slightly smaller that three of the single channel model and would reduce the needed power cords from power supply to modulators. I have also found another manufacturer that makes a unit the same size as the NetMedia but with a LED Display showing channel they are programmed for... alot nicer when you have a handful and want to confirm their settings.

[rory 0]

Cool ... ill check them out.

 

As for the digital cable box, is this different from the regular cable box?

 

We just supposedly got digital cable in this country, so just checking ..

With current clients with the original cable boxes just got the cable before it came in the house.

 

thanks

Rory

[CCTV_Guy 0]

Hi Craig.

 

You asked "How do you usualy address the problem when customers utilize a digital cable box ??? Do you use one of the kits to route the modulated channel around the box? "

 

Craig, it has been my experience that it is unnecessary to route the modulated channel around Comcast's digital box. Take my own home, for example, I have Comcast digital cable in several rooms and basic subscription in the others. The security cam video enters the TV distribution system for the entire house, digital and basic, in the garage where it becomes just another channel (or set of channels).

 

As mentioned in earlier posts, I filter out a range of several existing Comcast channels with a Channelvision 3205 filter, then assign the modulators within the now-empty channels. (Fortunately, there is no dearth of candidates for filtration ..... Damn! 200 channels and nuthin's on!)

 

To the TVs connected to the non-digital outlets, the CCTV video is just another channel.

 

To the TVs connected to the digital outlets, it appears that Comcast is broadcasting an image of bill's driveway (or whatever I've tuned to). The point is that the digital outlets have no idea I have hijacked the channel and they're very happy to tune to it (indeed, the TV Guide continues to think the video is its own and displays the name of the program that should be visible on that channel at that time).

 

This is an important point for the digital cable outlets ... if you hijack an existing channel and insert your own video, you simply tune the digital box to the desired channel. If you insert your video in an otherwise-empty channel, the digital box KNOWS that channel is not in use and won't tune to it!. In such a case, you hafta power down the digital box, converting the outlet to basic subscription, then tune the TV to the desired CCTV channel. Then reverse the order when returning to the regular Comcast channels. At least that has been my experience with Comcast here in the Seattle area.

 

I would also point out that Comcast apparently does not have a problem with subscribers filtering out Comcast channels and inserting their own video (so long as one does not interfere with the cable signal outside one's home, of course). Indeed, the only reason I go with channelvision filters is that occasionally Comcast doesn't have the appropriate filters. It has been my experience that if Comcast has'em, they'll supply'em to the homeowner. One need only call their support center to have a technician sent out.

 

If you're interested in seeing the installation, PM me and I'll give you the address ... you can drop by and see the installation for yourself.

 

Best wishes to all,

 

bill