cglaeser

You just couldn't resist, could you? LOL! Yeah, if you want to see a real smack down, drive up to a job with an aluminum ladder. Best, Christopher

Has the customer already selected the camera model, or are you free to select any analog camera? Some models do include anti-shake processing. Best, Christopher

You have used CAT5 for years to wire smoke detectors? Are you a licensed installer? Best, Christopher

Fair enough. Good suggestion. Best, Christopher

Post that suggestion on alt.security.alarms so we can all watch the fur fly. Here's a simple question that illustrates where the rubber hits the road. Would you use your fingernails to strip CAT5 cable to connect smoke detectors to the master alarm panel? Best, Christopher

Yes. Pelco is an excellent choice. Check their website for product details. Also, regarding the lens, do you really need zoom? If I wanted to view something at a mile, I'd probably get a long fixed lens. If I needed to see objects close too, I'd at least consider using two cameras, one with a long fixed lens, and one with a more common zoom lens. A Pelco pan/tilt mount can easily hold two cameras. If you opt for a $10,000 zoom lens, be sure that the f stop at the long end is sufficient. Best, Christopher

There's your answer. Yes, the camera will see 40 meters. When the sun is out. Yes, but only if the sensor is IR sensitive. Cheap cameras on ebay? Anything is possible. Best, Christopher

How much did you pay for the camera? Do you have a make and model? Best, Christopher

FWIW, CAT5 is relatively robust when using RJ45 connectors, but 24AWG is relatively fragile when stripped. A tiny nick can result in a break, which is why many alarm installers will only use 22AWG. So, CAT5 will work, but if it were my project, I would use 18AWG (or Siamese) now and pull CAT5 later. FWIW. You did not mention the size of the building or the length of the runs, but assuming modest runs, I would opt for one supply (with fuses). Best, Christopher

Did this issue get resolved for everyone who reported the problem? ghostrider2142? Best, Christopher

+1 Same goes for other vendors, both IP and CCTV. It should be falling-off-a-log easy to make demos available on the net. Best, Christopher

What about hybrid DVRs like the Avermedia EH series? http://www.avermedia-usa.com/surveillance/productdetail.aspx?id=64 Best, Christopher

That was my answer too, but that's wrong. When I learned the correct answer, I thought to myself, you've got to be kidding me, but later realized it was an extremely important lesson, and I never made that mistake again on any of my college exams. My wife is a personal trainer at a sports club, and the staff use a skin caliper to measure body fat. They take measurements at various locations, enter the numbers into their calculator using a formula, and then declare, you have 17.73% body fat. Wrong answer! Best, Christopher

It was thirty years ago, but I still remember the first question I missed in college. It was a Chemistry 101 exam. Here's the question. - A bottle and a cork cost $1.05. The bottle costs $1.00 more than the cork. What is the cost of the cork? Regarding the LT300, I don't know the details of the UI, but perhaps it was easier to add two junk digits than it was to add more ranges. Speaking of educational, tonight I used my $4,500 light meter to take some low lux readings. It is a Canon Mark II, a dual use device that can also be used as a camera. Using ISO 3200 at f/2.8 it took 4 seconds to properly expose the area. That should be equivalent to EV -4. Using the equation lux = 2.5 * 2 ** EV, assuming I don't make any errors, we get 0.2 lux. Plus or minus. Best, Christopher

I'm curious, what is your decision process for selecting an H.264 bit rate for an IP camera? What range of values do you typically use? Say, for example, half a dozen 1.3MP IP cameras connected to a GB switch and NVR. Best, Christopher

What is the comparable shutter speed for a given sens-up value? Do you multiply by 1/60? For example, is Sens-up 4x equal to 1/15 seconds? Best, Christopher

Here's the confusing thing about the Extech meters. The LT300, for example, has four digits of precision and plus/minus 5% error. So, if the range is 40 lux, the error margin is plus or minus 2 lux. Suppose the reading is 38.12 lux. What does 38.12 lux plus or minus 2 lux mean? Isn't that really just somewhere in the range of 36 to 40 lux? Best, Christopher

OK, that would explain the difficulty in locating it. It looks a little less industrial and a little more professional building look. I like the cleaner design compared to the outdoor Pelcos. Best, Christopher

A quarter moon on a clear night is 0.01 lux, so it should be relatively easy to test the meter. Here are some other values from wiki. 0.0001 lux - overcast starlight 0.002 lux - moonless clear sky starlight 0.01 lux - quarter moon on clear night 0.27 lux - full moon on clear night 1.0 lux - full moon overhead at tropical latitues Best, Christopher

Thanks! Best, Christopher

I saw that, but does it really measure to four significant digits? Specifically, can it really measure down to 0.01 lux? Best, Christopher

What is the lowest reliable lux measurement any of these meters can measure? I have a Minolta IV that I've had for twenty years. I think it can measure -1 EV at ISO 100, which is 1.25 lux. Best, Christopher

No, but it has a better chance of an ID in that isle. Look, we all agree there a trade-offs. Detection, recognition, low-light performance, bandwidth, storage, cost, etc, etc, etc, we all agree there is no one solution for all applications. Best, Christopher

Agreed. Assuming, of course, the same low light performance, which is a challenge for the higher res smaller pixel sensors, but I agree, I'd rather have 3x pixels @ 1/3 fps. 10 fps is just fine for many security applications. Best, Christopher

Several months ago my security camera detected a burglary in progress. I called the police and they arrested three suspects. I gave the photos to the police, but when the prosecutor saw the photos, he decided not to proceed with the case due to the extreme barrel distortion. OK, I'm kidding about that last part. Minimizing barrel distortion in a digicam is a design objective. In security cameras at wide angle, no one cares. Best, Christopher