Traffic surveillance system based on VideoIQ or similar cams

[sfphoenix 0]

Need to design a camera system with the following requirements:

 

1. 700 TVL or better (HD) CCTV camera with built-in DVR (solid state storage preferred, analytics optional and desirable – no specific requirements)

2. The camera must allow scheduling – We will need 3 or 4 recording schedules per day

3. Battery pack (with solar charging option?) that will allow the camera to operate for 4 days, recording 12 hours per day

 

We want to buy one set to test with. We will be doing/verifying the analytics manually by a human after the video has been recorded and transferred on to a computer. We will make use of any built-in analytics that may be available.

 

The whole contraption will need to be mounted on a 30 ft pole. The battery/solar pack must be at least 7 ft above sidewalk level.

[thewireguys 3]

What are you trying to do with the analytics? Are you trying to detect cars or do you want to count them?

[sfphoenix 0]

Ideally, we have several vehicle categories that we need to count in all 4 or 8 directions, depending on the size of the intersection. Later on, we will also need to count pedestrians and non-motor vehicles.

 

For now, my focus is to find a solar/battery pack that can power the cam with built-in DVR for at least 72 hours.

 

As for analytics, I looked into a few, VideoIQ being one of them. The built-in analytics are not adequate until now. But for the time being, we will do the analytics manually, so we just want to collect the video.

[ronp 0]

I answered the solar power part of your question in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=31565. Going with a solid state drive and a single camera will help out greatly and would probably allow this system to power everything for four sunny days rather than just one.

 

You're probably talking at least $2000 for a solar panel/battery/charger system that will continuously and reliably power a basic 4-camera DVR system. I looked up the specs on one of the forum sponsor's Economy DVRs. It runs off 12V and uses 3.3A. Add .75A for each camera plus some fudge and you're at 8A for a 4-camera system. That's roughly 100Watts. Times 24hours a day equals 2400Watt-Hours. Solar panels will maybe give you 8 hours a day of output so you need to get 2400Watts in 8 hours. That requires a 300W panel which is about $450. But, you never get 100% of the rated output so double it for $900. Add 24 hours (200Ah) worth of deep-discharge gel batteries for $500, charge controller $150, cables, mounting hardware, etc. and you're at about $2000 + labor.

 

This may look like overkill, but if you have a couple cloudy days you want enough reserve power to keep the system running and then quickly recharge to 100% once the sun returns. A couple hundred $$ system built from a low-wattage solar panel, marine battery, and trickle charger will be dead in a day.

 

Someone else can chime in on wirelessly broadcasting 4-channels of video 1000'...

 

You might be able to cut the power needs and power system cost in half if you can find stand-alone cameras that can broadcast 1000' to a DVR in your house.

[sfphoenix 0]

Ron..

 

Thank you for taking the time to fully explain and calculate the power requirements, but we are not going to have a 4 camera system or broadcast the video. If you look at my original post, we will have just one camera per location, and the camera will have a built-in DVR that stores the data locally on some kind of built-in solid state storage.

 

Thanks!

[sfphoenix 0]

Ron.. to clarify.. i realize that you quoted your reply from a different thread and that your information is not specifically in answer to my inquiry, but it definitely gives me an idea, so thanks again.

[ronp 0]

No harm. No foul. When you get a camera selected post the power requirements and we'll figure out a solution. If you only need four days and the power use is low enough you may be able to scrap the solar panel and just hoist a fully-charged big-a$$ gel cell battery up the pole. At the end of four days get some long jumper cables and recharge it for a couple hours via your car parked under the pole - or swap it out.

[joseph.chen0312 0]

You could check out ARC which lone history and who provides some solution as you desire. Most of important who has been long time testfy in the market.

[sfphoenix 0]

Hi Ron.. Thank you for the follow-up! Here is one camera I am considering:

 

http://www.videoiq.com/#!video-surveillance-cameras/cpw2

 

PDF brochure and specs:

 

http://media.wix.com/ugd//d52377_3f40403bb3ee707cb493b46ee7c187e9.pdf

 

Here is what it says under power (they have two models - the low temp model has a built-in heater i think):

 

Standard Cameras:

• PoE Class 3, 12VDC, 24VAC

• 10 watts max power, 7 watts typical

 

Low Temp Models (when below 15°F):

• 42W max power, 32W typical

• Low-temp cameras require 12VDC or 24VAC power

 

As you can see, there is huge difference in the requirements. I think we can focus on the standard model for now, but we will need a power solution for the low temp model as well.

 

I would love to be able to find a battery solution without the solar panel if possible. The battery pack will also need to be weatherproof of course, and we will need the connection from the camera to the batter pack to be waterproof somehow. This whole setup will be totally outside as you know by now.

 

Thank you do much for your input!

[sfphoenix 0]

You could check out ARC which lone history and who provides some solution as you desire. Most of important who has been long time testfy in the market.

 

Joseph..

 

Is there a specific model that you can point me to? something that would be weatherproof and would meet the power requirements?

 

For the standard camera model, it looks like it will consume about 10 W. We need it to work for 4 days straight (96 hours).

 

Is there a website that i can check out?

 

Thank you!

[ronp 0]

The specs for that camera say 10W max (probably when you first power it up) and 7W typical. Let's round up to 8W.

 

P=IE or Watts = Amps * Volts. Solving for Amps: 8Watts / 12Volts = .66 Amps.

 

So, for each hour of use you will need .66Amps. Over 24 hours you need .66 * 24 = 16Amp-Hours and over 4 days a grand total of 64Amp-Hours.

 

Now, you never want to drain a battery more than half. You can do it a couple times with a standard car battery, but more than that and you will ruin the battery. Deep cycle and gel batteries are much more forgiving. That means you need a gel or marine 12V battery of 128Amp-Hours or more.

 

There are lots of online battery sellers with these "large" batteries. Battery Mart is one. They have a 183 Ah Gel Cell Sealed Lead Acid Battery for $425. Keep in mind, you will need a special gel cell charger since these batteries require a special charging curve that's different from a car's alternator or standard wall-plug charger. Sellers of gel batteries usually sell the chargers, too.

 

Just having the battery, and no solar panel, may be the way to go...as long as you don't mind lugging it up a ladder every four days to swap it out.

[joseph.chen0312 0]

Hi,

 

You could checking it out http://www.arhungary.hu

[RandyParlee 0]

You could give these guys a try if you want something out of the box: Brian Donnelly

Axis was recommending them at the last partner summit I attended.

[thewireguys 3]

You could give these guys a try if you want something out of the box: Brian Donnelly

Axis was recommending them at the last partner summit I attended.

 

I have spoke with them about their fuel cell technology. Very cool stuff.