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Need to fix / Upgrade Tempest 8000 / Alligent / PTZ cameras

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I just purchased a home that has 4 PTZ cameras (Philips auto-domes on each corner of the home), 3 fixed cameras (or what appear to be fixed, I haven't been able to locate them on the property), and a back end on a Tempest 8000 which is somehow involved with an Allegient switchers, some data converters and something from IFS (international Fiber systems which appears to now be out of business).

 

Much like all the other stuff done to this home and needs updating (exterior lighting, driveway security gate, AV systems, even hvac), it's not run of the mill so the local folks aren't aware of how it works, the guys who installed it are out of business for 10+ years, and since I live in the boonies people with the appropriate experience to trouble shoot it are so far away they are unwilling to come in and assess the system and quote me on repairs, so I'm on my own (again).

 

I'm a security system newbie but I have extensive IT (10 years software dev) and home rehab experience (top to bottom rental properties/flips), I'm sure I can figure this out if I know where to start.

 

The integrated graphics card in the Tempest is fried so I can't tell if the rest of the system is operational or not, and I'm nervous about turning the computer off to install a backup card as I have no passwords and I'm not familiar with the software that runs on it.

 

I have a high end QNAP NAS which has 4 camera licensees on it, I'd like to leverage that if possible, but that's farther down the road.

 

I've had my normal security monitoring guy come in to take a look at it, and he's a nice guy but it's way beyond him. He wants me to buy all-new PTZ cameras @ $600 a pop, and wants to run the cables externally (ugly) or use IP cameras with fixed viewing angles, vs reuse what is already there.

 

Appreciate any thoughts on first steps and where to go from here.

 

Thanks!!!!

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A driveway security gate?? Must of really be paranoid other than having too much $$.

 

Dump what is there and start fresh. BTW, cables are not "ugly" if they are run correctly. Beside you will never have reception problems that way.

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IFS are still supported by Interlogix (UTC), Philips and Allegiant are now Bosch (although the kit is discontinued) and the manual for Tempest is still on-line (Tempest web site is dead).

 

I would guess that if there is no fibre on site, the IFS kit is being used as a protocol converter from serial data to Allegiant Bilinx Data.

 

In the end I would suggest that you have a whole lot of old unsupportable kit with an existing copper cabling infrastructure.

 

I would junk all of the kit and either install new analogue or TVI CCTV kit using the existing cabling or use Ethernet over coax devices and implement an IP solution.

 

Ilkie

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IFS are still supported by Interlogix (UTC), Philips and Allegiant are now Bosch (although the kit is discontinued) and the manual for Tempest is still on-line (Tempest web site is dead).

 

I would guess that if there is no fibre on site, the IFS kit is being used as a protocol converter from serial data to Allegiant Bilinx Data.

 

In the end I would suggest that you have a whole lot of old unsupportable kit with an existing copper cabling infrastructure.

 

I would junk all of the kit and either install new analogue or TVI CCTV kit using the existing cabling or use Ethernet over coax devices and implement an IP solution.

 

Ilkie

 

 

Thanks for the input. I assume the ethernet over coax devices will be something I can plug into the coax wires terminating from the cameras, it covers to ethernet, and then I can plug it into my network and pick it up on my NAS or other software? You have any products in particular you like in that space?

 

Also, I would assume that the coax to the PTZ cameras transmit both control as well as the video signal, so I don't lose the ability to turn them / zoom etc... ?

 

Thanks!

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