DKtucson

Hey Folks,

So here's the story.. A guy needs his installed system looked at.Owns a bar and the tenants went belly up and took the DVR's/monitoring stations out. Transformers on the wall pumping out 24VAC to box cameras at various points. LED on cam is a go..but no signal. There are 16 coax wires in one office and 16 in another

There has to be a multiplexer or at the very least an area where there are Coax splitters to send the images to both offices from the cameras.

The cams are samsung SDC-311NA . Got the manual--tried various dipswitch settings and cabled right to the DVR bypassing the house wiring and we get what I would call "blue oatmeal" --so we do get signal but no real video output..maker's date on the cams is 2003 and I fiddled with manual iris open/close. The cams are NTSC as is the capture card in the PC used

If I hook up my camera to the same cable we made then it works fine

If I use his house cabling and a known good power supply my camera does NOT work

My best guess is that there has to be a juncture/splitter somewhere and it's just a matter of finding where... And his cameras seem to be toast...Am I right or am I high...?

I think I know the issue. The Kodicom cards and their clones might have different crosspoint video chips. The original poster mentioned that his chip was CD22M3494MQ . Mine is a MT8816AP.

I looked at the screen caps you posted and I too set my driver to the the number 82 profile-generic w/4 inputs.

Like Rory I was able to get 1 input to work in an instance.

I think if the crosspoint chip differs then so do your results. But thank you for posting those screen caps. Your card might have yet a different chip that works well with BTwincap

The only difference is that when I profiled I did not choose PAL and spain..I used NTSC and USA

Ummm--using what profile? what tweaked settings..? As the other person posted on the thread the issue is the crosspoint switch which has stymied ever other user I have ever seen trying to make it work

excellent--how did you get it to work? The more details the better. I know I'm not the only user that has gone blue in the face trying every profile in the BTwincap driver.

I have installed Diginet and tried btspy--no go. Other companies are making clones of the card and a way to get them to be able to use generic drivers and software would be great.

Tullio,

I think maybe you might have remote web access confused with FTP.

In all the DVR's I've used the FTP upload is just STILL IMAGES--I think this is why you are seeing so many files. It may be saving a series of stills along with the video clip--I have seen some systems that do this.

For remote playback of motion to a client make sure all streaming ports are opened and forwarded on the DVR server. This ports may vary depending on the maker.

To save to FTP you must have a server running FTP services--open port 21 on that machine. You will need to create a user account and password for the dvr to trigger as well as a designated upload folder.

In the ftp upload area settings of the DVR you input the address of the FTP server, the folder assigned to it and the username and password. When motion is triggered it starts the ftp upload which is normally STILL IMAGES--to be realistic you cannot upload and save multiple or even single streams of video as the fie is being created while it's being sent. Imagine if you had an 8 or 16 channel system all trying to save at once via ftp--it would crash.

I'm hosting my clients FTP saves while she is on vacation--it's all setup and working and it's strictly uploading stills

I feel your pain and have searched hi & low for a generic WDM windows driver --all the generic BT848/878 drivers fail. I popped mine in a Linux Zoneminder and it works.

Edit modules.conf as follows:

modprobe bttv gbuffers=16 card=133,132,133,133

or

edit your modprobe.conf to include

options bttv gbuffers=16 card=133,132,133,133

requires a 2.6.12 kernel but fully supported in a 2.6.13

I tried and failed on the 2.6.12 but succeeded on the 2.6.13

When using all 16 channels plug the additional BNC's onto the headers bearing in mind the first 4 are on the card. but the order of the channels is 1,2,3,4,9,8,5,4,13,12,11,10,15,14,7,6

Two Cards in a single box ****

Two 4400r cards - labeled as se-120 (4 8778 chips/card)

It is setup with :

/dev/video0 channel 0

/dev/video1 channel 1

/dev/video2 channel 2

/dev/video3 channel 3

/dev/video4 channel 0

/dev/video5 channel 1

/dev/video6 channel 2

/dev/video7 channel 3

1.modprobe.conf

alias char-major-81 bttv

options bttv gbuffers=32 card=0x85,0x84,0x85,0x85,0x85,0x84,0x85,0x85 tuner=4

If color cameras show black and white

Adding chroma_agc=1 to your modprobe line might fix it.

Eg.

options bttv gbuffers=16 card=133,132,133,133 chroma_agc=1

With either a DVR appliance or a PC /software based system do the following:

Make sure the system has Email notification at the least.

I'm hoping you have a cellphone with a major carrier?

If so format your TO: send email notify in the software to your 10 digit phone number @ your carrier.com

This will send a text message to your LOUDLY RINGING phone on your nightstand

Alltel

[10-digit phone number]@message.alltel.com

Example: 1234567890@message.alltel.com

AT&T (formerly Cingular)

[10-digit phone number]@txt.att.net

[10-digit phone number]@mms.att.net (MMS)

[10-digit phone number]@cingularme.com

Example: 1234567890@txt.att.net

Nextel (now Sprint Nextel)

[10-digit telephone number]@messaging.nextel.com

Example: 1234567890@messaging.nextel.com

Sprint PCS (now Sprint Nextel)

[10-digit phone number]@messaging.sprintpcs.com

[10-digit phone number]@pm.sprint.com (MMS)

Example: 1234567890@messaging.sprintpcs.com

T-Mobile

[10-digit phone number]@tmomail.net

Example: 1234567890@tmomail.net

US Cellular

[10-digit phone number]email.uscc.net (SMS)

[10-digit phone number]@mms.uscc.net (MMS)

Example: 1234567890@email.uscc.net

Verizon

[10-digit phone number]@vtext.com

[10-digit phone number]@vzwpix.com (MMS)

Example: 1234567890@vtext.com

Virgin Mobile USA

[10-digit phone number]@vmobl.com

Example: 1234567890@vmobl.com

The camera is poered from a central 12v 5amp distribution box. These wavy lines seem to come & go. I had them on another cam with shorter cabling run but redid all the bnc connectors with crimp as opposed to twist-on connectors for a more positive termination--this alleviated the "orange peel" lines in that camera.

This cam's cabling---like I stated, is in conduit but within a short distance from 110VAC that is also in a seperate emt conduit run and it is the longest run of cable in an 8 cam system

UPDATE****

see attached pic--gone again with IR on---not that IR makes any difference as I've had daytime output with no humm either.

I think my last post failed--if this duplicates my apologies...

On one cam I'm getting here & there wavvy distortion lines or "noise". They'll be there for a day or so then be gone for days and then return.

Dome camera mounted under eaves of garage on a double gang box. Cabling is RG59 siamese..all copper , no aluminum. Crimp connector to BNC on cam.

Cabling to cam is about 150ft and is run in EMT conduit. There is no other voltage lines within THAT conduit but there is a parallel source of 110VAC in a nearby conduit run that supplies voltage to some motion security lights.

If anyone could look at these sample stills and tell me if it would benefit from a ground loop isolator I would be appreciative of the input

Hi BP--thanks for the reply

Here is the customer's situation:

She takes lengthy vacations and came back home last year to a $3000 water bill. No signs of leaks/running toilets etc. She's not going to be home per se to view on a regular basis. We want it to record only on event detection as she has 8 cams going to a TB drive.--lots of storage but not a bottomless pit.

In order for it to be sensitive enough at night we're risking more false records during the day--that's for sure.

And I'm with you on "you get what you paid for" philosophy.

Try Bluecherry dot net . They carry Provideo cards that they bundle with Zoneminder.

I like zoneminder too but not to hand over to a client to maintain & use...but that's just me..

Hi soundy,

Thanks for the reply. I did some experimenting and the old "is it hardware or is it software?" scenario. I installed another vendor software WebcamXP and set it up--it detects motion flawlessly or a helluva lot better than the original software.

The drawback is that while it has good features in column A--it's missing one in Column B.

The original software had the feature where you could do the following:

1. Install a DVR at your business

2. Install a DVR at your home

3. Install at a 3rd location and bring up the other 2 systems as net connect and have redundant recording seperate from the original DVR's

The problem with FTP upload with everyone's software is that all they upload is a sequence of stills

Here is a still from the Pool scene at night--bird caught flying across--circled in red

OK guys.. here's the situation:

Residential install--backyard scene. Dome cam mounted under eaves of porch with 3.6mm lens getting a end to end shot of a kidney shaped pool.

Internal IR in the dome is disconnected and we are using a IR floodlight that pumps pretty good over the 60ft distance--photo attached.

The motion detection at the far side of the pool isn't 100% reliable.

But the again what motion detection is..? anyways here is what we've been running into and what we've experimanted with:

1. It seems that if we set thershold too low for detection it just goes off from minute fluctuations of light

2. Bump it up one more increment from 6 (false alarm zone) to 7 gives about 75-80% reliable motion pickup depending on area

3. Put a flashlight in the hand of the test prowler--LED or mini-mag and bingo they register every time. This is Tucson Az we are talking about..NOBODY is going to be walking out in the darkness of night in the desert without a flashlight

4.If they come into the foreground where they take up a larger area --bingo--they register

We tested an additional emitter off to the left of the scene shining accross and that also helped in the area of the slide/far wall.

Here is my philosophy and any input is appreciated---One should not depend on software to adequately do the job of correct hardware.

The client wanted a wide view of the pool area--OK

The client didin't want to spend a fortune on cameras--the budget was sub-$2000 for 8 cams , cabling and a dvr. Needless to say that does not pay for WDR or starlight cams--

So, the wide angle view of the pool makes for a very small target in the far distance--we simply have to supply more light to the area so that a dinky distant person registers.

The client is expecting perfection 100% of the time--but as with any sensing system there are trade offs for sensitivity/reliability.

To draw an anology my car might get pelted with a large bird dropping--no alarm. So This bothers me as someone *could* egg my car and I wouldn't be alerted. So I adjust the sensitivity up and toss an egg at the car---woop woop woop. Kewl, I can sleep better at night....um except for the fact that a passing Harley, VW Bug or Bass Kicker is setting off my alarm and waking me up

Keep in mind that as a rule of thumb, take any stated IR range and adjust down by about 50%---I have yet to run into any manuafacturer that has been upfront & honest in regards to their IR specs.

The reason your cam looked washed out in the car--like it was getting too much light is that the IR built into the cam was reflecting back through the window and it was blinding itself..

If it's a bullet style cam with removeable cover I would unscrew the cap and unplug the wire feeding the IR emitter board. If it's a solid case camera with IR leds protruding from holes in the case I would use a low tech solution and cover with black electrical tape--then deploy a external IR emitter.

Here's a thought to save some $$--providing that the IR emitter on your camera is removeable....

Disassemble camera and remove the IR board

Drill small hole through the shell of the camera

Get a length of thin 2 lead wire and pass it through the hole in the case--wire it up to the exiting emitter power & ground

Take your now removed emitter and make a plastic box or other suitable weather resistant material--like those tubs that they sell sandwich meat in the stores--cut up one of those and use glue/tape so it's small in size. hook up the wire from the camera to the emitter

Run the emitter in it's plastic box OUTSIDE the car--this will remedy the glare and give you IR illumination without spending a lot more $$

the cameras you mention in your specs *should" work to view from your home at that distance if they are low light/starlight WDR cams. It's hard to tell well in advance if a given length telephoto is going to deliver the scene desired without seeing the environment first. For example, what if someone parked a U-Haul van between point A and point B? would that screw everything up? Ouch.

The one cam with the 9-22mm verifocal might be better for your distance but the field of view will be small.

Most CCTV sales sites have a "Free lens Guide" --a table that spells out the given length of the lens and what angle of view you'll have--some post sample pictures as well.

With a 12mm lens at 100ft of distance your viewing area will be 38ft x28ft

A 22MM lens will be approximately 20ft x 14ft

Looking at the sample photo you are close to getting the scene--an IR booster is all that is needed

here is another sample shot of a night scene boosted with an additional IR emitter

I stumbled upon it some time back--jeez....the network tab or some damn little obscure field...

What I advise people who are worried that a hacker can access their system and use their own cams to "case" their place is that besides the normal firewalls and such the hacker will need to know:

1. Their DDNS host name

2. What port they use--the above advice of NOT using port 80 is right on--as a matter of fact some ISP's won't let you serve on port 80 anyways. If they are uber paranoid they can periodically change the port and forward a new one

3. They will also have to break what should be a strong password into the dvr system

The problem you are going to have with most any IR cam is reflected glare from the window glass. Your situation kinda screams for a B&W starlight or .05 lux to 005 lux cam at the least.

What you MIGHT be able to do is this:

Defeat the IR emitters on the cam--untwist the outer cap-piece and unplug the power lead going to the IR board.

Get a seperate little IR emitter--they look very much like the cam you have pictured as far as the case goes but only have an emitter board in them. I have seen them on Ebay for $16 shipped from Hong Kong. Here is a sample still of the output attached to the post.

Put the emitter outside your Dad's car--maybe magnetically mounted to the undercarraige or on the bumper---or shining out of a different window (if the car is a 4-door) and direct it to the scene you are watching. This will eliminate the glare-back to the camera.

Other than that you can google "Car DVR" and there are items on amazon ranging from $125 to $249 for a better quality WDR (wide dynamic range) camera that is car mounted.

The software has sensitvity adjustment and most have the ability to omit areas of constant motion.

For example , on my livingroom cam I have de-selected the area occupied by the ceiling fan and bird cage--as any motion from them could trigger a false positive. I then upped the sensitivity settings so that only a larger moving object could trigger--a moth will not be a culprit caught on record

Hi Rory and thanks for the response. What I did was leave the original questionable camera mounted in place so it is still "the camera"--it is wired into a central 5amp power distribution box- I took another camera and supplied it with power only from a seperate plug in ac adapter and am using the 2nd cameras IR emitters as a "booster" to see if additional IR is the issue--like was it a failure of the IR circuit on the mounted cam.

(I would have used a "puck" IR emitter but am awaiting a shipment so using a 2nd cam as a IR emitter was my alternative at the moment).

I think I will swap the camera out entirely--attached is a jpg of the scene--notice the magenta hue--this was not apparent in earlier views--also, we now have 60 IR leds illuminating a 15sq ft room. The 2nd "emitter" is sitting on the shelf of the desk on the left edge of the jpg and is pointed at the cardboard boxes stacked on the opposing wall..the partially opened door is acting as a foreground reflector but it should still be better than that

not that I can discern--it's a cheapie

Hecho en China generic camera with the following specs:

1/4-inch Sharp CCD image sensor

PAL/NTSC Video system

NTSC Resolution: 512 x 492 resolution / PAL Resolution: 512 x 582

Horizontal Definition: 420 TV Line

Video output: 75 Ohms / 1.0 Vp-p

Signal to Noise Ratio: > 48 dB

White Balance: > 0.45

Shutter speed: 1/50(1/60) - 1/100,000 sec

Automatic Backlight Compensation

Minimum illumination: 0 Lux

30 LEDs

Composite audio/video connectors

Hi folks,

In a multi-cam setup an indoor bullet cam seems to be having a premature failure

Symptoms:

With adequate room light --shades open during the day or ceiling fan lights on at night--we have normal picture.

When the IR kick in (30 leds) we had passable function for a few weeks and last night it took on a magenta/blue hue at dusk and was very dim. The client states that all IR leds are illuminating. As a test I parked another camera in there with it pugged in just to an ac adaptor to give extra illumination but still seems just as dark...Possibly an issue with the auto-iris or other circuit failure?

Dave,

You have choices--the cameras come with little plug in ac/dc adapters--you want to avoid using these in any potential wet areas exposed to the elements. That being said with only 4 cameras , with relatively short distances, when you run the "siamese cable" indoors you put on a female lead on the house side (a male end to the camera) and have the little ac/dc adapters plug into a master power tap/surge protector to power the cameras.

For a neater professional job (or more cams) ,a central power distribution box with indepeandant fused circuits might be preferred. These run about $40 or so

I take it you are in the UK..? 300 british pounds translates to about $450 USD. Any wireless cams in this price range are going to be lacking in both range and resolution.

Let's look at this budget and see what some of my favorite internet outlets could deliver:

from www geeks dot com you can get inexpensive bullet cams for about $30 USD each ($120 out of the budget)

Cabling from active-vision dot com is $59 for 500ft of RG59 siamese cable for power & video--you will need BNC connector and power ends--a few dollars extra

Stop for a moment: You are looking at a subtotal so far of $180 plus shipping--about $200

The least expensive brand name card with software bundled AND support is probably going to be the Geovision GV-250 at active-vision dot com--- $128 this would insert in your computer and save you the issue of buying a seperate DVR.

Add a TB drive available from geeks dot com for about $90 to handle the recordings and we have a total of:

120 for the cams

60 for the cabling

128 for a name brand dvr card

90 for an additional drive

________________

$398 plus shipping although I imagine UK shipping would be pricey--but this gives one an idea of an avenue to go down given your budget constraints. The remaining $50 in the budget could go to odds & ends or for the beer afterwards when it's all working.