Help diagnosing CCTV system problem

[themagicm 0]

I'm a noob at diagnosing CCTV issues. If this is the wrong sub tell me which one so I can delete this and create it in the correct section. I'm sure I'll need to post more info, so just ask and I'll get the info.

 

I'm diagnosing a CCTV system which has a Samsung SRD-870DC and 6 PTZ cameras, Nuvico CT-2M-D21 cameras connected via RG59/U 20awg CCTV +2c cables which have power also. 3 cameras work fine, 3 have a very poor picture (moves, very dark, tough to see), PTZ functions not working on those 3, and I havent checked the "good cameras" to see if PTZ works since they have a good picture. There are 4 outside one of which has a good picture. There are 2 inside which have a good picture. The 3 bad cameras, I cannot move them using the PTZ feature, they just stay at where they are currently positioned. I was told one of them USED TO move but not anymore.

 

What I did was pulled one camera that was "bad" and took it inside, plugged it in, good picture. I traced the coax from the bad camera and it goes from BNC at camera to a male coax and, then to a female-female coax connector which goes to another coax and underground which I'm assuming goes all the way to the DVR. I'd say total length from camera to DVR is about 350' max.

 

I'm a noob at this stuff but am an IT guy and very capable of fixing this with the appropriate guidance. If I were to disconnect the camera where it connects from male coax to female adapter, and then hook up a new coax line above ground, bypassing the existing cable, would that be enough diagnosis or could a power supply be bad somewhere or ?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Ninety 0]

I think you are right on the money as far as trouble shooting goes.. What do the coax connectors look like? How are the conductors? How does the dielectric look?

 

Do you know what they should look like? Do you know what a sucked out connector looks like? Are they compression? If they are crimp they should be replaced.. as well as the barrel..

 

I would suspect the underground is your culprit.. are all of the bad cameras fed underground?

 

you take any pictures of the connectors?

[aibudo 0]

If the cable that is underground is run through plastic conduit, and it's not full of water, then I'd say that the cable would probably be ok, if it once worked. But, in our area if you run "bare" cable in the "dirt", then there are underground gremlins that will actually "eat" on the cable and ruin it.