Convert Camera to Wireless?

[pedro 0]

First post, did search but no help.

I'm just getting started with single surveillance camera with DVR.

Using Rosewill outdoor bullet night vision camera with Vonnic DVR.

 

Would like to convert camera to wireless and can only seem to find a simple powered 2.4 GHz wireless sender/receiver that has a DNC connection.

 

I am only sending signal from my attached garage to my office, about 40 feet. I have no idea about video quality/reliability doing it this way.

 

Any input and advice would be appreciated.

[vector18 1]

if thats an analog camera and about 40 feet, than one of those 2.4ghz wireless video sender things should be just fine.

[SectorSecurity 0]

Do you have line of sight between your garage and the office? This will be a big factor in whether or not it will work reliably.

[pedro 0]

Thanks for the quick replies.

 

Vector18 - I assume it is analog. Lists as 540TVL. Here's the specs.

http://www.rosewill.com/products/2376/ProductDetail_Specifications.htm

 

SectorSecurity - Garage is attached with one stud frame wall between it and my office. I assume the 2.4GHz is same as wireless phones, which I have and they work great - at least for voice transmission.

[SectorSecurity 0]

Thanks for the quick replies.

 

Vector18 - I assume it is analog. Lists as 540TVL. Here's the specs.

http://www.rosewill.com/products/2376/ProductDetail_Specifications.htm

 

SectorSecurity - Garage is attached with one stud frame wall between it and my office. I assume the 2.4GHz is same as wireless phones, which I have and they work great - at least for voice transmission.

 

 

Phones can be on the 2.4 spectrum, however most new ones are on the 6GHz spectrum.

 

If you have a strong enough signal it should work, however video will send much more data then voice.

 

Yes your camera is analog, so it will work with an analog to wireless video converter.

[pedro 0]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

Here is the eBay link to the hardware:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-4G-BNC-wired-exchange-Wireless-Camera-Transmitter-Kit-/250808651744?pt=US_Surveillance_Digital_Video_Recorders_Cards&hash=item3a655c4fe0

 

It's the only one of it's kind I've seen. Yes it's Chinese and only $34, but I've had good results from other electronic products from China and $34 is not a lot to loose. The one item I will need is an RCA to BNC adapter from the receiver to my DVR as the receiver video output is RCA.

 

I can't understand why there aren't more options for wireless. If this option does not work are there any other devices that will give me wireless connection from camera to DVR/VGA?

[SectorSecurity 0]

There are many more options available but they are usually more expensive and usually implemented for businesses that don't mind spending several hundred dollars.

 

Usually wireless is more so done with IP cameras through the use of wireless bridges.

[daviansmith 0]

Hi, You can use IP Camera instead of your old wired camera and with the help of NVR system. I would like to suggest you to consult with professional Camera Installer for better results and various options.

[pedro 0]

daviansmith, I think (?) I have an NVR system now. The DVR connects to my router and interfaces with my network for DVR programming and video viewing on my Win7 computer. I just wanted a wireless connection from the camera to the DVR.

 

The Vonnic DVR seems to be quite sophisticated as I work my way through the user manual, however the unit is made in China and their translator did not do a great job converting to English.

 

One feature seems to be that the DVR has a motion sensor feature that detects video motion then starts to record - without the use of a separate external sensor. Not sure how that works but it's what I wanted.

[daveshoot 0]

daviansmith pastes that same reply to all posts, not to worry.

 

The problem is that your camera is putting out NTSC video, and the bandwidth is a lot for 2.4 GHz to send, greatly in excess of the requirements for a cordless phone. It is a weak signal in a saturated band and rather unreliable except in short line of sight situations.

 

Once you enter the IP world there are more wireless options, but video is best hardwired whenever possible.

 

Industrial customers can use point to point microwave links for CCTV, but they are cubic $$$.

 

You can also add Yagi directional antennas to the consumer grade 2.4 Gig transmitters to get the most out of them, if budget is tight.

 

There is a whole cult around building Yagis and waveguides from potato chip cans and coffee cans (http://newplans.net/WiFi/Directional/Types.htm) or they are commercially available, if you care to push the envelope.

[pedro 0]

Thanks daveshoot.

 

Yes, cost big factor for me as my being-upgraded security camera is a fake one. I've since been able to locate some other options here:

 

http://www.lightinthebox.com/Popular/Wifi_Video_Transmitter.html

 

But I have no working or technical knowledge about them (as you can see). I only need one camera. The 2.4GHz wireless I ordered comes with a paid return shipping warranty if I'm unhappy. The hookup is dead easy and I'll see about quality then look for what my next move would be.

 

I'd like hard wire but that presents with a lot of hookup/location problems - I don't want wires all over my home office just to hook up the DVR. I can run wire in the garage along base of walls but then will need to fish through the internal walls of the house so as not to have exposed wires. Even fishing wires through the wall inhibits location of components.

 

I'll hook up and post results.

[pedro 0]

I finally got the system up and running. The little wireless video transmitter does an acceptable job but there is a little interference on the screen, notably some minor jumping and minor moving/jumping/appearing/disappearing horizontal lines. Picture is a little fuzzy, but just a little.

 

Quality is hard to assess as I don't have anything to compare it to. Part of the quality problem is the distance I'm trying to record (I think) - about 125 feet to 150 feet. I would not be able to identify a face or person unless I already knew them. I could ID a vehicle but not the license. I wish I could upload a screen shot but don't know how its quality would be any good for some comments. Of the crime videos I've seen on TV it's about the same.

 

I will probably keep this wireless device for a while and eventually go to hard wire and see if quality improves.

 

Thanks for all the helpful comments and I'll appreciate some more input if anyone wants to give of their experience.

[Kawboy12R 0]

I've used an analog wireless converter before. Too much interference in my installation to use motion based alerts. The interference kept activating the recording constantly. This was trying to punch out the signal with under-eave antennae. Definitely wasn't ecstatic but it worked. Wired was much better but it sounds like you've got good enough reception for it to be workable.

[pedro 0]

Too much interference in my installation to use motion based alerts. The interference kept activating the recording constantly.

 

Yes, the DVR has image motion detection and you are right any interference on the screen shows up as "motion" so DVR is constant recording.

[pedro 0]

I been using this wireless now for several days and it does have more pronounced image problems - particularly when we're on a portable phone due to the cross interference. Image jumps and looses connection. As with my other post I've decided to go hard wire.

 

Unit was only $34 so not a big loss for a test.

[pedro 0]

I have discarded the wireless transmitter for coax. Used 60 feet of RG59 and with 6 feet of RG6 leader from wall plate connection - only because supplier was out of stock for RG59 6 foot leader.

 

As will be obvious the picture quality if vastly better. No jumping of image of horizontal lines. Good thing my wireless experiment was only $34 from eBay.

 

When I first hooked up the coax I did not get an image, just black screen. Continuity test of coax proved good, power good. Tried OHM test of camera power hookup and did not get anything. The night vision usually shows red but it did not work. I assumed camera went bad. Just received the new replacement and still no picture. Did a bunch of frustrating troubleshooting that did not find a problem. When I hooked up the old wireless I got picture - but nothing with coax. The only difference in the two was that the power supply pin hooked into a wireless adapter that allowed splitting the power to transmitter and to camera with a pigtail.

 

So I finally zeroed in on the center pin (+12V) of the power supply and its female mate on the camera lead. The pins look the same but are not - just a hair under sized. I figured this out by taking a small piece of aluminum foil and pushing it down the female connection to the camera pin then plugging the power supply in - VOILA I got picture. The power supply is from an old hard drive that went bad so I guess it was a propitiatory pin size.

 

Thanks for the help guys.