Camera not sending video to DVR unit...HELP!!!

[Brandon@RobySolutions 0]

I have a 12V DC camera in an outdoor housing and I am unable to see any video at the DVR unit itself. When I hook up a local LCD screen to position the Camera everything is fine and I am using the siamese cable to power the camera when using the LCD and not the local battery on the LCD unit. We have replaced the siamese cable 3 times and have recrimped the ends multiple times (the cable run is probably about 30 ft). I was hoping someone would have a suggestion as to why it works when the LCD is hooked up but will not display at the DVR unit itself. Other cameras are hooked up the the DVR and they work fine, but this one 12V DC does not. We have tried using different video channels on the DVR, different power supplies, but nothing is working. We are using an Altronix power distribution box and we have tried different outputs on that as well. If someone could just point us in the right direction to isolate the problem I would really appreciate it.

[kensplace 0]

have you tried hooking up the lcd at the dvr end of the cable to rule out the cable entirely?

[cctv_down_under 0]

Also you may want to change the actual camera, just for testing, keep in mind that te Pk to Pk signal requred for analogue recievig on a LD is actualy lower than that required by a DVR capture card.

 

So firstly hook up the LCD at he DVR end and then change the camera, lastly do you have any T Peices or anyting in te mix?

[Brandon@RobySolutions 0]

I have hooked up the LCD at the other end to test the entire cable and it doesn't show there either. I have done this after running 3 different cables.

[Brandon@RobySolutions 0]

I have tried 3 different cameras and this nothing. When I hook up the LCD at the DVR end I do not get any picture there either.

[securitymonster 0]

Seems to be a cable issue but hard to tell. I take it you don't have any cable testing equipment? What type of connectors are you using? Can you hook the cable up to the monitor output of the dvr and hook up your lcd on the camera end to see if you can see the DVR output thru the same cable?

[cctv_down_under 0]

try running seperate power to the camera, strong braid more than 12 strand, what can happen with soem cheap siamese is that when it is moulded into the outer sheath it melts into the sheath and this is fine when you coil it up for distribution, but once you straighten it on a run it snaps the power cable strands, stopping as much voltage to be there on load.

 

So run soem power on the ground or locally (small plug pack or your 12V drill from your battery if you have one (beware of the voltage), but firts I would change the camera incase it is not working properly, that must be the easiest thing to do with opther cameras that work fine

[cctv_down_under 0]

hang about, you say this one camea is 12V????

 

i am not patronising you, but you have made sure you have not wrongly wired the polarity, it is not important on 24V but it is on 12V (sorry i know this is obvious) also if it is on a sperate supply, them find out if that is the issue....is it overloaded, what voltage do you get at the otehr end under load, is it fused,...could the fuse be shorted?

[Brandon@RobySolutions 0]

I have replaced the camera 3 times and I still have the same result. I am powering the camera with an Altronix 6-15V system. It is fused on each channel. I am keeping the camera constantly powered this way. So I do believe polarity is correct and we have checked the fuses. We are reading correct voltage with our multimeter at the camera end and DVR end.

 

I will hook up the LCD locally to the camera leaving it powered by the Altronix system and receive display. but I will not receive the display on the DVR or when I hook up the LCD on the DVR end.

 

**I have not tried putting the DVR Video out on the same cable and trying to pick it up with the LCD. I am going to try that tomorrow morning to rule out cable, but unfortunately, we broke our STP cable tester and haven't gotten around to replacing it...we need to.

[mfuzzy 0]

you know your cam is good and the power is good. use your premade siamese cable(thin stranded i'm assuming) for a pull string and put in an rg59 and min 18 awg power (regular camera siamese cable). cheap premades often times have shorts in the video cable.

[cctv_down_under 0]

Well it all seems to be pointing towards cable or BNC but one thing to note is what voltage you are getting at the camera end, keep in mind that not all cameras especially those of 12V have a tolerance much above 12V unless it is an more expensive camera, i haev seen weak video signals that can not be picked up on DVR's because of Over or Under voltage by just a few volts, It really does sound like cable....run it on the floor first next time and test there and then recoil and throw through the roof, if it still fails on the floor then buy a 12V plug pack and power itr locally from an extension cord just in case!

[Brandon@RobySolutions 0]

These are all good things that I will try tomorrow morning and let you know what my results are. Thanks for the help and I will post my results as soon as possible.

[rory 0]

Did you plug the cable from the camera at the DVR side, into your LCD ..?

If you get a picture on that, then swicth the port on the DVR incase its simply not enabled for that channel, or its a bad port.

 

What DVR is this?

[Brandon@RobySolutions 0]

its a dell gx620 with a video insight vj60 card.

[Brandon@RobySolutions 0]

Did you plug the cable from the camera at the DVR side, into your LCD ..?

If you get a picture on that, then swicth the port on the DVR incase its simply not enabled for that channel, or its a bad port.

 

What DVR is this?

I've swapped working cams into that port and got a picture, so that rules out the port. Now, i'm at the point that i believe the camera isnt recieving enough power to be able to send the signal back to the dvr? I'm also having issues with a 24v AC power supply( that works fine with one camera attached. If i add another camera to the power supply i get lines and distortion in both pictures. any thoughts? i thought maybe the wall outlet wasnt supplying both of my power boxes w/ enough juice.

[rory 0]

Get a 12VDC power supply from Radio Shack or elsewhere, power the camera at the camera location .. if you havent already .. see what happens...

 

Also, did you try the LCD on the end of the cable coming from the camera ..?

[G-MEN 0]

When you repulled the cable did you use the cable from the same reel? Make a small 5 foot jumper and see if you get video from that. You could have a bad reel, I had a bad reel of 1000ft mini coax before.