Multiple monitors - HELP!

[sparkyjim 0]

Good evening guys

 

I'm new to CCTV, so be gentle with me! A customer has asked if I would consider installing a CCTV system for him, but his requirements are rather odd and I'm not sure what the best way of achieving his requirements is. He wishes to install 1 camera over his driveway / front door, wired back to a DVR, which he then wants to be able to watch on 4 dedicated monitors around the house (2 upstairs, 2 downstairs). The DVR will have a HDMI and VGA output (I was planning to split the HDMI output via a 4-way amplified HDMI splitter). The 2 monitors upstairs are a fairly short cable run (one will be in the same room as the DVR, the other will be in one of the bedrooms backing onto this so a 10m HDMI lead will do the job). The problem comes when I look at the 2 monitors downstairs, as these are considerably longer runs and, if my research so far is correct, picture quality loss will occur over HDMI on any run greater than approximately 15 metres.

 

Is there another way of splitting and distributing the video output from the DVR to these monitors without potentially losing picture quality? I'm quite happy to consider a wireless option as long as it doesn't break the bank, but would prefer to go down the wired route. The monitors that he has chosen have 1 HDMI port and 1 VGA port on each, so these are the only video input methods available.

 

Also, he would like his outdoor camera to have a microphone; any suggestions what I should be looking out for when I choose one? The camera / DVR kit will be wired using BNC cable, I have discovered that I can wire it using a combined BNC/RCA cable, using a splitter at the camera end to share the DC power supply for the camera / microphone and then use the BNC to send the picture from the camera and the RCA cable to send the audio - is this how everyone else generally does this?

 

All advice gratefully received

[CYANiDE 0]

1) Do not run RG59/coax cable. Run Cat5/5e/6 and future proof your customer.

2) Some IP cameras support a dual output (one to NVR and another via a BNC connector) which may be an option. To get multiple on one screen may require a multiplexer though.