Numb-nuts

hi Numb-nuts terminating sould not be a problem as you are just using 1 ptz. as far as fitting why not set it up on the floor first and get everything working. using coax and cat5 is not a problem just use 1 pair for your ptz data and the rest split for + and - on the power.

You are correct I am only using one PTZ on one controller (more is the pity)

Setting it up on the ground before finally fitting it is so obvious that it hadn't occurred to me (living up to my handle now) I'll do that!

Should I set the termination on the dome's settings to on or off? There is no jumper on the board, I have or can get a spare jumper pin if I need it but are you able to briefly explain how the termination works, does this mean that several controllers can be linked in series and the last one is terminated?

I bought this camera for several reasons but one of those reasons was to learn about installing these cameras. I have learned that the baud rate setting is more to do with the distance away from the controller rather than speed. Protocols, so far as I am aware one protocol is much the same as another, they can be considered as a common language between the dome and the controller, is that correct?

A useful trick I learned from a builder was when working out the height on the wall, count the number of brick courses which are (for standard bricks) 3 inches or 75mm per course. This is handy for planning purposes.

]I have just acquired a PTZ camera and will be controlling it via a 3 axis control keyboard.

I know they match up with Baud rate and both allow us of the same protocols so I know they

should work together (in theory).

While reading the manual and setup instructions for the dome, I had to open the dome to access

the dip switches to make settings. I noticed the manual was saying about terminating the RS485

at both ends and on the dome there is a 3 pin open/close jumper option. The manual is very unclear on

this and as I don't want to be climbing the ladder to reset anything, I was wondering if anyone can

explain this so I can be reasonably confident I made the right setting before I install.

Anyone explain this? In Fact anyone got any advice re practicalities of installing a PTZ dome?

Here's what I have planned for;

1. Because of the height I will be working at I have created a plywood template for the mounting holes.

2. Also because of the weight and value of the unit, I am using no 6 carriage screws into brickwork

3. The run to the DVR is about 15m so I am using RG59 and a cat5 Exterior grade cable for the power and RS485

4. I have set the Protocol to Pelco D and the baude rate to 9600 (only a short run anyway)

5. I will be making the connections in an IP66/68 junction box mounted close to or behind the dome. ( I always do this)

Would I be overreacting to run a lightening ground wire and ground rod because of the exposed position of the dome ?

Incidentally, I bought a Apollo Zeus MkII (A-Data) 500 GB HDD and internet viewing less than £170 ( A Standalone system)

It can do all the things you wanted (and there is even a downloadable remote viewer for Max OSX)

You can control the area of the screen that triggers Motion detection, and the sensitivity and motion

triggering can record any camera or combination of cameras I got it from Online Security

They also do a great range of cameras and accessories. Ebay is not always the answer but it is convenient

Also try looking at Security Tec's website for both DVRs and night vision cameras

Sorry to say this but not impressed by any of those at all.

If you want a PC Based DVR then I would recommend Henry' CCTV a bit more expensive

but the guys there are avery helpful if you get into difficulty installing or setting up.

and look at one or more of this camera 380302839501 on ebay (a real bargain} with a varifocal lens.

600TVL and a good strong wall bracket No extra housing needed

Better to have two great cameras than four lousy ones.

Here is a link to some online videos (BY CCTV42) that will help you choose the features you want from a DVR and where to place your cameras for best effect They taught me a fair bit too when I started fitting my own cameras.

I hate it when businesses lie and cheat at this stage in a relationship. It grates on you to wonder what

will happen if something really goes wrong with the product will they be willing to help you out or will

they take their own sweet time as they already have your money. Unfortunately, the best prices often come from the worst suppliers.

hi Im in middlesex, southeast UK

 

some great suggestions there...

 

when you say drill low, is low a good place? can it not be obscured or damaged this way? is high up and pointing down somehow better, it cant be reached then? also if it is at face level and they know this is a camera, they wont look directly at it, Ive noticed they may think intercom is already a camera (it isnt) and they kind of stretch their arm and face away! Ive seen this from my window...

 

what about the dark issue, they often do it after it gets dark.

 

alternatively and this is my second choice (I prefer it at the gate) is one attached to house, it may be easier to wire, can it get good enough film of gate which is approx 15 metres away, it would catch offenders from above. do they have a zoom for close up views?

 

am I allowed to post ebay links here? I will show you some of the things I mean?

Thats a great looking camera, also looks expensive eh?

Thank heavens for doorways and gateways where normal people walk through to get to your door. In my experience, people upto no good

are not like those of us with reasonable behavior and don't respect the path laid out for them, prefering to do the unreasonable thing and clim a wall or kick in a gate. from my perspective CATCHING THEM IS THE BEST DETERENT so a covert camera rather than a overt one is the way to tackle this.

Depending on the doorview camera you choose, you will need to supplement the lighting using spots rather than IR which can be expensive. Here my plan falls down as the market offerings are not particularly good for doorview cameras.

If you prefer to have the camera view the gate and can hide it sufficiently well to record before it is seen, then there are some very good low light bullet cameras. One trick I have heard is to do something to cause the offender or anyone else to look straight into the lens is by causing some attraction noise, either a beep or flashing LED to trigger once the camera registers motion on the camera. I have no idea how to do this as I have never had occasion to need this technique. Crafty though isn't it. I think an IR night vision camera placed fairly obviously combined with a warning sign would cause the subject to look for and find the camera. TOO late, becuse yo already have their image.

To work out what lens you would need to frame a pic of your offender remember that most night vision cameras have a 1/3 inch CCD and you can measure the distance to where you want the subject standing so now you are in a position to calculate the lens you will need.

Follow this link to calculate the lens you need and then go and buy either a varifocal lens or fixed lens camera with appropiate lens. For a distance of 49 feet and a width of about 4 feet ( which is wide enough to fill half the frame, using a cam with 1/3 inch CCD you need a lens of nearly 60 mm focal length now we are talking about a zoom camera. Have you seen your bank manager recently?

I was told that in the UK, under section 36 of the Data Protection act that residential users of CCTV

were exempt from having to register their scheme. I had a letter from my local authority saying that

I had to have permission to operate a CCTV scheme, even if it is for security of my own property.

A clerk at the local law center wrote them a letter asking them to advise under which legislation

I was required to get permission. They wrote back ignoring that request and stated that neighbors

had expressed civil liberty concerns. He replied to the letter stating that anyone that has such concerns

is welcome, by appointment to see a sample recording from any camera on my property if it overlooks

theirs despite not being required to by law, I would cooperate with any investigation they wish to make.

I never heard from them again. That was a few years ago.

Just what, if any, legislation affects domestic CCTV use of CCTV? Can anyone enlighten me?

The Redvision cameras look very impressive on spec but personally I wouldn't spend

that much without a 48 hour demo setup showing scans and tours or the areas involved

at hourly intervals. A good supplier would do this for you no problem, if not reconsider your supplier.

You will certainly benefit from some form of backlight compensation built in to your camera.

If you were wealthy enough or security considerations were strong enough,

I would not worry about the cost since you will recover that in peace-of-mind.

Have you looked at the Red Vision range of IR PTZ domes? I have and the potential

value of anything I have to lose is far outweighed by the cost, but if money were no object

I would certainly consider this range which for you and I would be impressive. I should warn

you that they start at around £1600.00 ( dependent on supplier) without mountings or

power supply or VAT.

Point it at a disco mirror ball!

 

Point it up in to a tree, and let the foliage bounce it back down.

 

Set it 90 degrees from the camera. In other words the illuminator is to the left of view screen, and the light shines to the right of the view screen. This will give you the "wide" angle effect.

 

Which do you prefer??

 

I prefer the disco ball!! LOL!

Then you can record someone stealing your disco ball. lol

You can use ultravnc server on windows 7 to access it on a mac using chicken of the vnc. Works great. I've use realvnc with windows xp and chicken also.

 

Basically makes that window show up on the mac, it's great. I have my system on windows and access it that way.

 

These are free programs.

Would sombody care to translate that into English for dummies? (or chickens)

dissing on your wheels or is that a deliberate typo ... LOL

sorry haven't a clue about your export file problem.

I have seen a door view intercom that takes motion detected snapshots of anyone

approaching the door. It doesn't say if it records onto a SD card but it must have some

means of exporting it's pictures. Be careful what you buy, most of the intercoms that take

snapshots, require the caller to press the bell-button.

On the other hand you could get a doorview camera and DVR provided the offenders

need to approach your door to hit the button, this will capture their images up close.

If you have to drill to install one of these, drill very low (about 4 feet up) or you will get

a great picture of their baseball cap.

Nothing puts kids off more than knowing another kid has been caught and reported to police.

Good luck whatever you do, but don't expect much change out of £100 including the recording device.

Hello everyone

I consider myself a bit ham handed but I am a have-a-go hero when it comes to

CCTV. I have at present two cameras operating through an A Data Apollo MII DVR.

I chose this model as it has a web server for remote viewing, I am just waiting for a Wi-Fi

wireless access-point to arrive so I can connect it to my router wirelessly. ( I hate running wires in the home)

I have one door peephole camera and one Eneo anti-vandal corner housing with a 600tvl

board camera which I paired to it (Monochrome)

What interests me in CCTV? Well apart from the technical side of it, I hate being a victim to

out of control youth who loiter, making trouble casing criminal damage like graffiti, kicking

my fences down, stealing my potplants, destroying my flowers and urinating in my garden,

setting fire to my rubbish bins (garbage cans to you Americans)

I am planning to get myself a PTZ dome very soon, so I can monitor a youth loitering hot-spot

in the alley next to my home

Hope to pick up a few tips here as well as make a small contribution to assist where I can.

Regards Mark