POE Distance and Alarm Output

Hello,

I am in the process of putting together a solution for my mother-in-law that is simple and does a couple of things. I am looking at the core of the system being something like a Q-see 808 system that you can get at Costco (I just picked one up and so far, so good). Two particular questions I would greatly appreciate input on.

1) Many camera systems come with 100ft ethernet cables and run POE. Ethernet in general has a 300ft limitation. Does anyone know how far you can successfully run POE of of a Q-See type NVR? If I can use a 200ft cable or snap 2-100ft cables together, part 1 of my plan will work.

2) The Q-see system has alarm in and out ports. Mother-in-law does not have an alarm system. However, I'd like to use the alarm out interface to do something like sound a siren or turn on some flood lights. At this point I am planning on setting tamper and masking alarms which seem to be more robust and reliable than motion. Does anyone have examples/ideas for a "simple" alarm triggered by the alarm out that is not necessarily an alarm system?

Thank you for your input and suggestions. Mother-in-Law has had some significant vandalism lately and is loosing sleep over worry. I'm wanting to come up with some ideas that may give her some piece of mind and give us a chance at catching the dirtballs.

David

I am not familiar with the QSee product line, some of these manufactures call their items "poe" but are just a fancy analog type system with power through an cat5 cable. I see this with low end consumer stuff

However if it is a real POE system with real IP Ethernet Cameras then yes the runs can go up to 300ft, however, I would recommend using a high quality solid copper cable (not CCA, aka Copper clad aluminum) CCA is junk anyways and should avoid in a POE install. - Are you sure you need a 200ft run? That is a long run in a residence.

As for the Alarm, those inputs are for triggering the system to record from outside sensors like motion or break away sensors, not intended to be used as an alarm system. You should use a professional alarm system for that purpose.

Dunno about question 2. As for ethernet cabling over 300 feet, you can use a switch, hub or repeater. Or for a more advanced and more expensive solution, use fiber. Wireless is an alternative but probably not in this case.

Also, if you use cat 6 cables, you'll have less power drop than cat 5 due to thicker wires.

This is the real issue with POE. If your cams have low current draw (most don't draw the 803.2af maximum), you can go further with no issues until you run into the 300' ethernet limitation.

The 808 does have 16 alarm inputs as well as 3 normally open outputs so theoretically, I guess you can rig something up for notification but really those inputs are typically meant for recording activation as already mentioned.

You really should look into a proper burg system of some type for alarm system use.

Thanks for input to date. As far as I can tell the Q-See is a true POE ip system. I think step 1 will be to use a female-female Ethernet connector to connect 2-100 ft cables to see if the cameras still auto connect. I have the cable, so that won't be too bad.

With the particular idea for the set up, a number of the cameras will be in a separate building on the road. This building has no power. The vandalism happens along the road side of the building.

Relatively near the road bldg is a pump shed that has power (hence the need for the 200ft run(s)). I'm planning on running the Ethernet underground in conduit.

The primary purpose of the cameras is to hopefully collect evidence. The idea of a low tech "alarm" would be to hopefully scare folks off if they mess with the cameras (set tamper and camera covered triggers). While I completely agree that a true alarm system is the better way to go, I'm trying to reduce costs and keep things simple.

So either I find an inexpensive alarm that will accept external inputs that will sound a siren and turn on some lights (any suggestions?) or I rig a simple trigger mechanism yo sound a siren and some lights.

Any suggestions on alarm options?

Thank you again,

David

With the 200ft run, I would run a solid cable with no splices or combiners, you are just asking for trouble with that setup. Also make sure you call before you dig

I would use Hikvision Turret cameras (assuming this is just a normal building) and just place them in the eaves (or even on the wall) they are not as obvious as bullets, which are easy to distinguish as cameras.

On this cable are you placing one camera? Or many? If you are doing many but don't have power in the building, you are going to need to run many "home runs" back to where ever the NVR or POE switch is located. You would be better off bulk cat5e (or cat6) and run the circuits that way.

As for scaring people away with flashing lights or sirens, that might annoy neighbors and you *might* end up with a citation. Plus motion detection on cameras is very sensitive, bugs/spiders/tree branches/ animals could trip it as well

Was planning on testing with cable and cameras I've got just to verify they'll make the 200 ft run. If that works, actual install will be one 200ft cable (cat 6). I will be doing multiple runs for multiple cameras in 1 or 1.25 in conduit.

The place is a rural farm, so noisy and annoying is the point. No neighbors.

Will only use tamper and masking alerts on cameras, not motion. I only want the alarm to go off if someone is messing with the cameras (covering or clipping wires). Otherwise, I just want to record the feeds. That's the main reason why I'm not starting with an alarm.