Birdman Adam

Its probably fine. As long as no wires were cut, and at least some shielding is continuous.

http://www.engadget.com/2005/11/29/how-to-stream-almost-anything-using-vlc/ Set up VLC to open up on startup, take the audio from mic-in line and broadcast it on a certain port. Then it can serve a web interface, or just do a simple stream easily on the client side.

Your homemade IR illuminators are nice! With some of these you'd think it was daytime!

Yea, its just drawing too much power, which will lower the voltage output to a point that it won't work. If its a decent wall-wart it will start(try) to limit current instead of overheating the transformer. Whats the ratings of these supplies? I'd bet only like 500mA at 12VDC? Do they get pretty hot when the IR is on? I bet they do! Central power supplies will never do this. They ought to supply like 10A at 12VDC for 8 cameras, individually fused or PTC'd outputs. They can maintain voltage much better than a tiny transformer.

Maybe this is why electricians typically don't install low-volt stuff like this? Sounds like he's got some wiring problems - there should not be any "shimmering"! What type of wire are you using for power and video, and what size of power supply are you using? How far are the runs?

500W!!? I want to see a picture of this bulb! 200W wouldn't be far off with 2 incandescent floods..

Just be sneaky... Build this: Wave Bubble Instead of using batteries, just supply it power from a wall-charger. Range is ~20' with external antennas. Schematics, Eagle, and gerbers can be had here

Interesting - the Q-see seems to have fair smart-IR. IR range seemed fairly good. With the audio, it should just be mic-level output, with a positive and ground (shield). So hook it up to mic port on your computer to listen, or RCA inputs on anything.

Yea, just cheap floodlights are great. You can get normal ones (controlled by switch), or ones with motion detectors built-in so your yard won't look like a football field! It is true, some motion's don't have great range. Obviously they take normal bulb sockets - traditionally you'd put 2 100W incandescent flood lights in each socket. You can save a lot of power with 100W equivalent CFL bulbs (they use ~23W!). If you use CFLs, look for "instant-on", without that they are dim when they first turn on.

Yea - and next time do a better job painting!!!

Welcome to the Forum! " title="Applause" /> What brands of equipment do you like to use? Cameras, DVRs, etc?

I find it odd that not all of the features are available through the web interface! That just sounds dumb.

Built in baluns? That is cool!! Yea, I can recommend CNBs as well. If your mounting at 20' though, you won't see faces, just heads and bodies. Of course this height is better for more 'overview' shots. These cameras do need SOME light, so if you are not putting up any IR, its best to set up some cheap motion-floodlights. UTP cable with baluns is easy to install, and cheaper. Overall, I'm liking your system! I don't have any PTZ recommendations (haven't used one yet).

It is most definitely a PIR motion detector.

Run the cable in conduit, preferably a metal, aluminum or steel!

Flukes are awesome. More expensive, but built very well, work very well!! I have a Fluke 115. I use it for everything. Measuring mains voltage or current. Measuring capacitance of all types of capacitors. Testing transistors and diodes. Measuring resistors. Keeping an eye on battery charging. Etc, etc. Goes on forever! Continuity is very smart, nice beep too. It has autoranging, so no need to select between .2v and 200v, for example. You can hold values, and set it to record min/max over a time period (useful for measuring power problems through night with IR!) Backlight can be easily set to stay on forever as well as keep power on forever, has a nice flap in the back to stand up on its own. They have a connection in the back to go on your belt even!

Yea, the quality is much better on D1! I'm surprised this camera has the IR so centered like that. Maybe play with sense-up (just a bit). Also turn on SSDR - manual seems to portray this as some sort of WDR. Is the IR adjustable from high to a lower setting? A good trick sometimes is to keep the old camera up just for the IR. Or remove the IR part and run that by itself so it isn't as odd.

I've found under the eaves to be fine with my home. My eaves are like 9' high, so someone with my height could spray them or try and whack them if they wanted, but it would be kinda hard. My eaves have space inside, so I screwed wood 2x4's of correct length to the rafters, eventually ending up with a very secure piece flush with the inside of the eaves. Then the camera can be very securely screwed in! I would recommend vandal-resistant domes. They look nicer on homes, don't stand out much, and can't be disabled as easily. Don't you love climbing in attics?

IP will be the future. Once it costs the same as analog...

720x240 is half D1. Bump it up to 720x480 for full, proper resolution. This is why the youtube video is all stretched out like that - its half height. I like how this cameras looks - Seans suggestion will definitely help the situation. right now you have it kinda dark to the left, while its very bright out in the yard by comparison.

Yea, I'd say the power circuit/board is dead. If you know how to build basic circuits and understand electricity, you could probably make your own replacement. First you need to know what voltages and current the camera needs (internally, at DC consumption, not the main power needs). This would probably involve a 2:1 transformer to take 24VAC to ~12VAC, a diode bridge to make chopped DC from that AC, some capacitors to smooth that out before a linear regulator. The camera probably needs basic standard voltages, like maybe 12v for motors, maybe 3.3v for circuitry, or commonly 5v. Linear regulators can take the smoothed DC to nice voltages like 5v (number LM7805), or 12v (LM7812). With another small cap on the output (say 10-100uF), you are good to go!

OSD will appear on all video outputs. Some cameras just provide a BNC -> RCA adapter. My CNB's came with an RCA plug with a 2-pin plug on the other end to go into a board in the camera. Is that like what you have? If its a BNC output, use the adapter you listed to plug into any small TV you have. WOAH - don't pay $5+shipping for it though! Should be able to find it cheaper... Check radioshack? Yea, just plug it into your TV and watch. The menu will NOT come up automatically though. I don't know where they hide the buttons on/in their bullets, but somewhere there will be a button! Press it once, and the menu should come up. Then typically it is a center clicker button, that moves up, down, left, right to navigate the menu.

So Rory, in that image is it still in color? I have never known how to change the D/N settings to change how easily it switches.

Wow, well they sound like idiots... For new domes, maybe look at Empire's Effio's. A few people here have used them and they are amazing for the price. Of course I can definitely recommend CNB's vandal-dome line as well. Oh, and look into Samsung domes too maybe. Both of these lines are at or above the quality level it looks like they offer on that site.

Which one is the Minitron? The top one? I'd put the two next to each other so we can compare better. If the top image is the CNB, I think it may be defective or something, because I haven't seen one like that before. It is real grainy.