IP Camera local monitoring without PC connection

[Lunchbox 0]

I have a unique problem.

 

We are designing a large system that has some special requirements. The specs below are a small part of a larger system and this is only one branch of that system:

 

1. Security guards are contractors and are not authorised to use PCs on our secure network

2. IP fixed cameras are located at the Guard Shack with Hybrid DVRs in another building running on the secure network

3. Coax aux port on rear of camera is not recommended for monitoring as replacement cameras may not have them.

4. Guards need to monitor the two cameras at the Guard shack.

 

Is there a way to connect a monitor before the router without a PC? Inline CAT5 in to VGA to CAT5 out converter? We are a few months out and are still designing. I am looking for any and all options so I can run them by my IT shop.

[ssnapier 0]

I would put a PC in the head end room and use a CAT-5 VGA extender as that is the easiest way to accomplish this. As long as you don't extend keyboard or mouse controls they have no PC access. You could even set it up to do automatic reboots at 3 am every few days to minimize the weirdness that comes from running a windows box for long periods of time.

 

Since this is a hybrid DVR you could maybe use a quad-viewer or multiplexer (with the VGA extender off of the video output) to both meet this goal or accommodate adding extra cameras to that monitor in the future, but if they are on a pure IP migration path I would not bother with this option.

[Lunchbox 0]

I thought of doing this but the issue is the running of the cat5 to the guard shacks. There are two of them at about 500 feet away as a crow flies so running the line would be most likely well over 600 feet underground if we don't run into issues. The IP cameras will plug directly into a Switch mounted in each guard shack. I was hoping there was a way to do this before the switch. We may have to purchase two client PCs and put some heavy lockouts on them. Basically make them stupid machines that only run the video monitoring software. Our IT shop is still up in the air about even putting a so called "stupid" machine at the shacks.

[Samir 0]

I like the idea of using VGA extenders from the main NVR, but that also may limit what you can see since the guard shacks will see whatever is on the NVRs.

 

The DVR I've got experience using has a 'spot out' that is programmable to display certain cameras or just rotate through certain cameras. If your dvr has something like that, then you can use a VGA over IP signal extender to run just a monitor at the guard shacks. Be sure there isn't any IP subnetting or issues like that though.

 

As far as cable length, I use Netsys ethernet extenders for length and cable problems. I've actually got 10mb running over almost 30 year old non-twisted non-category anything phone wire. This should be sufficient for the cameras, and more likely you'll get 100mb since you have good cabling.

 

I can understand your IT department's wariness to putting PCs out there--nothing better to do and have a PC? Facebook! Games! Porn! You name it!

 

What I've found works well in these scenarios is old xp embedded thin clients. They're frustratingly slow for any modern computing, but do things like viewing single DVR streams well. They can be locked down like fort knox so nothing can be changed and are basically a toaster so if there's a problem, just reboot it. The configuration can't be altered by the user--not even viruses or malware. Just reboot and these are gone too. I love them, and I think your IT department would too, although I like the plain VGA monitor idea the best.

 

Good luck and share what solution they go with. It's an interesting problem and I'm sure the solution will be just as interesting.