hardwired

You could give Milestone NVR software a try, the "Go" version is free for up to 8 cameras and 5 days storage. Make sure and try to find IP cameras that are on the compatibility list (Milestone's has about the broadest compatibility list out there). $100 per camera is pretty light for analog, let alone IP. I'd budget at least $250-300 for anything decent (Acti is about as low as I use).

The Kowa varifocal's (great lenses, BTW) I've used with the 5MP box cam aren't cheap.. Not quite $1K (USD), but definitely not cheap.

Keep in mind that all HD 3-5 MP domes cameras comes without lenses have you decide what you want for lenses ? I personally would just use H.264 comes with remote zoom and focus lens look at the coverage example You are not helping encourage tourism to Canada with that picture.... I'll try to post some 2MP and 5MP Avigilon samples from a landfill I did recently, they are prettier!

I hope you tried to create as much separation between the 14/2 and conduit as possible (bury the 14/2, add some dirt, then the conduit)... The three cables should be fine in 3/4" if you don't have too many bends in it. Use pulling lube.

in the case of the brand you mentioned, hardly. Use regular lighting and save your money. I'm wondering if the lack of IR in LED lighting compared to incandescent bulbs could account for some of the difference in performance you describe (at least, while D/N cams are in Monochrome mode, or cameras without a cutfilter).

Stardot does, they have a weather station that interfaces with it,too... In Seanhawg's case, though, I'm thinking it's more of a TTL level JTAG-type port for bootloading.

What camera are you using, and is it on Milestone's compatibility list? I've had problems with Milestone using the ONVIF driver that it automatically selected, rather than using the specific driver for that camera (in my case, Hikvision). Is it the Administrator that's crashing, or the Smart Client? If you right-click on the recording server icon in the tray, and select "recording server log", what kind of messages are you seeing?

Good cable, crappy box. Be careful with the box, or it will fall apart. Did you get the shielded connector ends, as well?

I've been putting them in as a secondary DNS entry for a while now. It certainly can't hurt reliability, I think Google has a pretty good grip on fresh DNS updates.... Often, it's faster than your ISP's DNS, too. GRC has a nice DNS benchmark utility for DNS speed here http://www.grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm .

I've used them, labeled under a different name. Yes, they do work, but as SectorSecurity noted, they are 10-Base-T, and some cameras will not work at 10Mb- Arecont is one that will not work. Acti will work. I haven't tried other cams with them, but you should make sure they will work at that link speed.

That much bandwidth makes me think the cameras are running in MJPEG, not H.264.

What software and hardware are you using for the server, and are you recording and viewing on the same server? Trying to get very high framerates can put a high load on the viewing computer, several VMS manufacturers I deal with recommend Xeon workstations with higher end video cards to get the kind of framerates you are looking for. Also, settings in VMS software can affect performance greatly, one example of this is Milestone's smart client software, by default it tries to display at full resolution in split screen, with a massive performance hit, changing resolution in the client improves this greatly.

You mentioned you have a grain elevator, but no internet. You might want to contact any local wireless internet service providers near you, often they may provide you free or reduced cost internet service, in exchange for being able to place one of their AP's on your grain elevator, if it is in a good location for them.

If you are planning to expand quite a bit, and you have clear line-of-sight between points, I'd use the Nanostation M5's (the Loco's would work at those distances, too, and they're a bit cheaper), to stay out of the standard WI-FI 2.4Ghz band (and have more clear channel choices), and possibly use the RocketM5 with the AMO-5G10 omnidirectional antenna as the main receiving point. I recently used the same setup at a municipal landfill with Avigilon cameras between multiple outbuildings and poles, and it has worked quite well.

If you can get a RS232-422 adapter (fairly cheap item), you could use a PC to generate Pelco control signals, with the program 232Analyzer (you can get a limited free version here http://www.commfront.com/RS232_Examples/CCTV/Pelco_D_Pelco_P_Examples_Tutorial.HTM )

How about a social DDOS attack? Maybe give out their contact information to as many people that can flood them with bogus requests for information, hang on the line with them, and see how much of their time can be wasted?

Yep, shorting plug, Pelco part# PA05-0036-00D0. Time Lapse Supply has them.

You might want to check with Sennetech, http://www.sennetech.net/index.html, they make a big line of code converters to allow using mixed models of cameras and controllers, they list a model# SCT-1043 that shows Diamond control to Pelco Camera conversion.

I find myself thinking of Jim Carrey's version of a deliveryman in "Ace Ventura".....

Free manufacturer provided software tends to be really limited and cumbersome. For just starting out, you might want to try out Milestone "Go" version software, it's limited to 8 cameras and five days of recording, but it's free, and gives you a much better idea of what a decent VMS software can do.

You will not want to use foil shield or CCS (copper covered steel) cable for standard baseband video (CCTV). These cables are designed for cable TV type systems, the shielding at lower frequencies (like CCTV) is not adequate. You might want to consider using direct burial CAT5 cable, with baluns.

Arg, missed that, I was looking at the laptop on Wi-Fi. Yes, plug the laptop into the switch, not the router, that eliminates one potential failure point.

Is there any way to provide a hardwired connection to the recording laptop? It would be significantly more reliable that way (all of the camera traffic going through wireless is a significant load), or can you do the recording on one of the hardwired PC's, and just view with the laptop? Out of curiosity, why are you using a laptop for the recorder?

Those are only 12 port PoE, though, he would have to go to the 48 port, which would give 24 PoE ports. Also, those capacity ratings are for 64 Byte packets, which are the worst-case scenario for a switch, video packets are usually far larger, and don't load switch capability nearly as hard. I use the 8-port version of these models frequently, and I've been happy with them.

I've been building PC based systems since the Windows 98 OS, and the ones I build have native hybrid capability, and have had that capability for a number of years now. Now, I can approach my existing customers with megapixel camera options for little more than the cost of the cameras and a minor licensing charge, and they get to use their existing system, that they are already used to (and which has a very nice, user friendly GUI).