Soundy

How do you define "top"? Top sales? Top quality? Top features? Top marketing BS? Generally the cheaper you go, the more sales you'll see...

Wow, missed this one entirely... apologies to the OP. Are you still needing assistance with this?

Depends what sort of "integration" you're looking for, I suppose... I can't speak for those two systems specifically, but in general, you'd most often looking at the ability either for alarm sensors to trigger a different set of record options on the DVR (eg. kick a channel or channels to higher quality when an alarm occurs), or for certain actions caught on the DVR (like movement in a particular area) to trigger an output to the alarm system. I would expect these two systems to handle both those instances; most of the PC-based systems I've seen do.

They work real well too " title="Applause" /> Excuse me while I take some Dramamine before I watch the second demo. That's the thing, autotracking is neat and can be useful for some situations, but ultimately, it can't really tell which of several moving objects is the priority. What happens if the cam locks onto a car driving through (like in the first demo), and meantime some ninja-thief slips past to do his dirty work? A live operator will know to track the suspicious-looking person; the auto-cam will only work as good as its programming. Without some really good analytics and extensive configuration, it WILL miss things. A better idea in this sort of instance is either multiple fixed cameras to watch the areas of concern, or one or two wide-angle megapixel cams to cover a larger area but still allow you to zoom in with good detail - what's known as "virtual PTZ".

------------------------------------------------------ I really like this wording never heard from any techs in my life but both have CRT and that how u compare them hmm and u call your self tech ? I don't think so by the way I have 2 scopes at home I can sell one cheap I don't mind to help beginners Hmmm.... ya know, I've been in electronics for a good 30+ years, I've never heard of a 'scope "sometimes called a spectrum analyzer" either. Some 'scopes CAN BE USED as a spectrum analyzer, as one of their many functions... but the two are NOT the same thing. Scott's taken every opportunity here to 'whip it out' and offer himself for measurement... no need to stoop to his level, I think he's proven himself relatively deficient. He'll argue around and around forever without ever backing up his claim that VLC is of ANY use in determining a CCTV camera's TVL. In short, methinks he doth protest too much.

In addition to that, that latency will continue to drop as on-camera processing improves. It wasn't that long ago that it took eight hours for my PC to recompress a two-hour DivX movie to MPEG-2 for DVD authoring... modern machines will do it in 30 minutes or less.

A used color quad should go relatively cheaply... or for that matter, even a used 4- or 9-channel color simplex or duplex mux would suffice. Are these color or B&W cameras? If B&W, you could even go with a B&W mux for probably next to nothing.

Hey, no problem. When can I expect my kickback check?? (kidding, KIDDING!)

It might help to know if the supplier's location matters to you (do you want a local source, or is "mail-order" fine?), and if you do want local, it would help to know, local to where? We use mainly Visual Verification Systems around here, with ADI/Burtek as a backup...

Perhaps a better solution in that case then, is either an analog PTZ, or a higher-resolution, wider-angle IP cam with "virtual PTZ". The one casino I'm aware of, AFAIK, is using only stationary IP cams (mostly 1.3MP IQs), not IP PTZs.

What are you using for NVR software? I've seen a casino set up with IQEye cameras and Vigil DVRs, they haven't had any issues that I've ever heard of. Obviously survtech's experience isn't universal.

Take a look at some of IQ Invision's cameras (www.iqeye.com) - their Alliance series domes also have composite out that we've used to feed Customer Awareness monitors on some sites. The base models start at full 1.3MP (1280x1024). As far as framerates, is there any particular reason for going full 24/30? I find even 15fps is virtually indistinguishable from 30 for anything except fairly fast action - as far as surveillance purposes go, you save half the storage with practically no loss in video quality. Even 10fps will be sufficient in most cases, and still difficult for most people to notice the difference. Mmmmm, tasty space! Most NVR software will have adjustable motion-detect recording, allowing you to alter the sensitivity as well as masking motion areas. If you don't need to RECORD at 24/30fps, you save a lot more space as well. Well, I can suggest Vigil, because I'm most familar with them... I dunno if you'd consider it a "Ferrari" system (can't say for sure because I've never dealt with anything higher-end than that; we tried a Pelco DX8000 on one site but both we and the client hated the interface), but it would at least be an LT1 Corvette, or maybe a Viper It's currently the corporate standard for at two of Canada's major oil companies that we supply (at least for their BC and Alberta regions), and we're gradually migrating a large upscale restaurant chain from GeoVision (Vigil w/ RAID5 storage and a mix of analog and IP cams at all their new sites, and replacing the Geos as they die). If you go to www.camacc.com or www.3xlogic.com, you can download a 30-day, fully-functional trial version of the Vigil software to test with your cameras; just tell it you're installing as an NVR during setup (scroll all the way down when it asks what card you're using) . And no, I don't work for Camacc/3xLogic.... just really happy with their products and support.

Latency IS there, although it hasn't yet been an ISSUE on any of our sites. Never had a problem with packet loss, either (at least nothing that's caused any noticeable problems - if it's happening, it's only measurable for someone who's looking for it). I think a lot of the problems people run into with IP are, frankly, the same as any others they run into with CCTV, namey, the use of cheap equipment. People who generally diss PC-based systems, for example, have often run into too many low-end PCs that can't handle the load placed on them. Those who dismiss CCTV in general as not being any kind of useful are typically basing that on having seen the output from cheap systems. Likewise, most of the problems I've heard of with IP usually comes from overloading low-end switches, or the use of cheap or poorly-handmade cables.

Usually, they're trading off picture quality for small size. To coin an old phrase, "Small, cheap, good - pick two."

Twist-ons could be a part of your problem - they work just fine IF they're installed properly, BUT they can be tricky to get on right; getting a solid connection with them is far more sensitive to the cable being stripped back properly. Others here will be able to point you at an electronic video splitter (I've never used one, personally), or you could replace the MUX with one that has ins AND outs on each channel (often called "looping inputs"), that will let you properly chain the signal through it.

Hey Scott, I think everyone else is still waiting for you to show proof of your claims that it's possible to determine the actual TVL resolution on a CCTV camera using VLC, per the original post. Until then, I don't think anyone here will believe that you actually know what you're talking about.

I see you've been asking about this on the Ubuntu forums as well Been a long time since I actually looked into the transaction details of an FTP transfer, but I'm wondering if the server is requesting some kind of system-type identifier from the DVR, and not getting a response? Here's a thought: log in from your working client and then check the logfiles to see what entries are created for it... then do the same with the DVR and check the entries for that. Knowing at what point in the handshake the DVR kacks while the PC login is successful might help determine what's missing or incorrect. Post the log results here if you want, and I'll see if I can make sense of them (urgh, gonna hafta browse those ancient RFDs again!) I'm not at home, or I'd check how various clients work connecting to my own FTP server, and what log entries they generate...

What make and model of camera is this? Most IP cameras are also megapixel... if this one isn't, then you're looking at going to megapixel to improve your resolution, and in today's market, that means IP. Analog cameras are limited to 525 lines of resolution by NTSC video spec (more if you're in a location that uses PAL). Analog capture devices (DVR cards and the like) are generally limited to a max of 640x480 up to 720x480, depending on the exact design. Vigil and Video Insight are two PC-based DVRs that will do all this. Both also handle IP cameras. Those are questions only you can answer, as it will depend on the specific installation and its requirements. Ahh, now that's a question sure to start a holy war. CMOS or CCD? Canon or Nikon? Mac or PC? Ford or GM? Each has their benefits and drawbacks, and again, each will depend on the specific needs of the installation, but in general, either will do you just fine. Yes... see this thread: http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=16507&highlight= Yes - look up "siamese cable". Another option is to use twisted-pair cable (Cat5, Cat6, even Cat3 or two-pair station wire) along with video baluns, allowing you to send video over one pair, power over two more pairs (doubled-up to reduce losses), and a pair free for PTZ, a second video feed, or whatever you may find a use for. There are loads of wireless options for both analog and IP. WiFi megapixel IP cameras are certainly available too. What works best will, yet again, depend on the circumstances of the specific installation, balancing cost vs. distance and reliability. That's a great big "it depends". There's a PTZ control spec called "Coaxitron" that feeds the signal over the coax. However, it requires that the DVR/controller and camera both support it, or it needs separate encoder/decoder boxes at each end. If, as noted above, you use four-pair UTP cable (Cat-3/5/6) for video and power, you'll have a pair left over that you can use for serial control. But then, if you require megapixel resolution, that means IP cameras, in which case the control signal is just carried over the network along with the video.

SDI itself has been around for a long time - we had broadcast tape decks with SDI at the tech school I worked at some 10 years ago. The problem with this concept, unless the spec is extended, is that it's still limited to 1080p video; at standard 16:9 format, that gives you 1920x1080 resolution, or just a hair over 2MP. That's your MAX resolution with current HDTV spec. 2MP is pretty minimal for megapixel IP cameras, 3-5MP cameras are already common, and the theoretical limit is far beyond that... meaning "HDTV"-based CCTV cameras are obsolete before they're out the door. Yes, they can use existing coax... but so can IP cameras, with the use of HiWire adapters. The adapters themselves are a little pricey, but they ARE readily available. Add that, as new technology, SDI cameras and DVR cards will have a ways to go before their prices can benefit from the economy of scale... by the time they're ready for mainstream, at the rate IP camera technology is improving and the cost dropping, IP will have left them far in the dust.

I wouldn't think standard wireless would be sufficiently reliable for this. It's not clear, do the booths already have LAN connectivity to the central office? If not, do they have phones? Would DSL be an option in that case?

Hmmm, I already replied to this one... looks like the board has swallowed a post again. So why RAID? Well... how do you fit 20 3.5" drives into a machine, let alone connect all of them? Or are you using externals (eSATA, USB or Firewire)? Externals are going to take up a lot of desk/shelf space, nevermind the powerbars needed to plug in all their power supplies... plus power supplies for USB hubs, if applicable. Sure it could work, but it's a pretty bulky, inelegant solution. Rather then risking ANY data, RAID 5 or 6 allow you to simply swap out a failed drive (assuming they're in a hot-swap enclosure), and the system will automatically rebuild the array - no need to take anything offline, no need for downtime on any cameras. But as with the "VPN-vs-port-forwarding" thread, a lot will depend on the individual situation and the needs of the client.

Yup, your problem is definitely caused by splitting the signal. It may also be complicated by iffy BNC connections or cheap/dirty T-cons causing additional signal loss. I haven't actually seen any cameras that let you change the output level or at least, have never had the need to look for the capability), but it's something you could look into. Double-check that none of your connectors are dirty, and possibly re-terminate the coax runs.

The OP's question was, "I need to know if there is any CCTV testing device that can measure the resolution or TVL of the camera, due to some exageration from some suppliers about their cameras' resolution and picture quality. " This arises from the fact that cheaper cameras' sensors have a lower resolution than is claimed by their vendors. You claimed this information can be obtained by viewing the camera via VLC. I state unequivocally that it cannot. VLC will show you the digitizing resolution of your capture device. It won't even tell you the TVL output of the camera itself (which, BTW, is *always* 525 lines for NTSC color, per NTSC spec), let alone the physical resolution of the sensor. Whether the sensor is 520TVL or 280TVL, the camera will still output 525 lines, and the capture device will still digitize that signal at its intended resolution. Until you're prepared to PROVE otherwise, with a video rather than nonsensical rambling, the debate is over.

I don't know about AverMedia specifically, but in my experience, it will depend on the POS system to a large degree. I've run into some that don't have serial output, which precludes the standard method of capturing text data from a serial port, and most I've seen use some minor variations on ASCII formatting codes that may confuse some DVRs or TVS inserters. All the Squirrel POS systems I've dealt with do have an option to output for a "pole display", which makes a more "generic" ASCII output that's worked well with most systems I've tried it on.

Are they all the same make/model camera? Where are the T-connectors (at the DVR or the MUX)? If you run the camera through the T, but don't connect the T to device, do those cameras still work fine?