anchorjoe 0 Posted December 17, 2007 Hi everyone.. I have a client that I recently installed a system for and recently I was called and informed that the PTZ camera I installed had a solid white display with no picture. I stopped by the site to check the system out and to my surprise the camera's were all working normally. Has anyone ever had any problems with PTZ camera's acting intermittently? The camera is a Sony CD51W. I am also wondering if the problem is related to outside temperature. I live in Southern Idaho and in the last few weeks the overnight temps have been in the 20's. It is very bizarre since I have another client with the same camera's and there have been zero complaints. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.. Thanks... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scorpion 0 Posted December 17, 2007 How high is the camera, and how high was the last snow drift? Sorry. I know that was of no help! LOL! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VST_Man 1 Posted December 17, 2007 hay, I'm moving back to Idaho this Spring...... I have property in Sand Point, 40 acres...........5 miles from Schwitzer!!! I use Schwitzer as my internet relay to the house we have there now, 3 camers....1 PTZ that freezes up every now and then. only way to beat it is too heat it!!! the ptz I have installed is a CHEAP maceOmatic that I tested many moons ago. from day one it has been "ok" but in the winter it becomes frozen.even with the heater in it. budget cam...........I know. I do the video recording here in SC via remote............works great. white out............yep, and then some. but the sun cleans it up everyday! if I had to do it all over again, I'd go with a better PTZ and heater combo........maybe a 10X mini combo..................... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anchorjoe 0 Posted December 17, 2007 Scorpion- Camera is ~10-12ft high. No snow drifts...yet. Southern Idaho (Boise area) really doesn't get that much snow through the winter. Although there is a big storm working its way in now that could produce a few inches in the valley... Good to know that my hunch was somewhat on target. I am also wondering if there is condensation building on the lens that make it appear to be white out on the monitor, and once the outside temp warms a little it clears up.. I need to check the video logs to see what it looks like... Thanks for the feedback.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Safe Tech USA 0 Posted December 20, 2007 CD51W sounds like an oem camera (sold through cop-usa or a few other us distributers)with a sony ccd and maybe a sony zoom. most of those cams have a crappy housing in no way comparable to the actual sony product. condensation happens alot on these cams... my suggestion would be us a higher model with a better casing... I believe the cd55 series would be more applicable and sturdier. -Devin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anchorjoe 0 Posted December 20, 2007 Thanks for the feed-back. I was actual at the clients site yesterday doing system maintanence and I happen to go in and review the video logs for the PTZ. It appears that between 9:30AM and 11AM the image gets brighter to the point of almost total whiteout. Then around 11:15AM the image begins to come back. The camera is pointing in the same spot during this time each day. So, my thought at this point is there isn't a problem with the camera related to temperature; rather, there is a reflection coming from some where that is hitting the camera and it can't adjust enough to compensate. I have adjusted to camera settings down a bit to hopeful make it less sensitive to reflections, and see what that does for the camera... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeromephone 6 Posted December 22, 2007 You could check out the current draw when the heaters kick on it may be drawing down your power supply if it is not big enough. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites