Soundy

Are these all (at least the IRs) 12VDC-powered cameras? If so, you may have a ground-loop issue. Try powering each camera off its own individual transformer (wall-wart style), or at least test it on 3-4 of the cameras simultaneously, and see if that clears up the probelm.

Scorpion's idea was good, but I still prefer C7 in CA's "privacy screen".

Not really - without knowing what sort of DVR the DISC came from, it's impossible to know what the format is of the video it contains. Without knowing what format that video is in, it's impossible to give one definitive solution. Most of my answer above still applies - does it require a proprietary player or codec, can it be loaded into any common media player with a readily-available codec, or is more hacking around going to be necessary? Without more information on the files we're dealing with here, there are numerous POSSIBLE options, but nobody can say definitely which one will work.

So your telling me a 10/100 switch can't handle 16megs of data? I'm saying it may not handle it as efficiently or effectively, especially on a constant basis, as a more expensive 10/100 switch. It may be fine with bursts of data but not so much under constant load. That's just one suggestion, anyway... there are plenty of other possible reasons that it may be having problems. Bottom line, though: there are reasons why a $300 switch costs more than a $100 switch, when most of the relevant specs are the same. It's hard to comment on that without knowing the test conditions - what resolution are they running the ACTIs at? What framerate? What compression? How much movement (scene changes)? etc. etc. All things that affect the amount of traffic. And "without a problem" is subjective - if you hadn't tried the cameras on the LinkSys, you might not know that the slow performance is "a problem" and might just accept it as normal... likewise for those "different people", they might be experiencing similar issues but don't consider it a problem. There's always that possibility.

I use BNC-to-RCA adapters all the time (and RCA-to-BNC), they make no difference to the image quality whatsoever. If you've had problems with them in the past, they were either of EXTREMELY low quality (and I mean EXTREMELY poor - I've used dollar-store adapters in a pinch with no problems), or they were dirty/corroded, or you had a really weak video signal to begin with. As for IP, I don't deal with GeoVision, but I believe they have IP support in their later versions. The catch is that you have to use cameras that are supported in the software; you'll need to check their website for a list (or someone here might pipe up with that info).

What kind of outputs DO they have?

There are times when cost is a pretty good indicator of quality and performance, moreso than just the specs... like with car stereo amps, where output power ratings can be easily fudged and at times seem almost made-up. My old system had one amp rated 2x30W that retailed at $600, and it completely blew the doors off the $150 2x65W amp, for example. In this case, you're comparing what's essentially an $80 switch (with PoE support adding about 50% to that cost), to a $300 switch, so yeah, there will be performance differences (granted, part of that $300 also gets you management features).

Part of the problem might be that you're cramming all that data through a single 100Mbit connection to the DVR. Try something that has a gigabit port or two for the DVR to run on. We've used these on several sites now with multiple megapixel cameras, and it works great: http://a-power.com/product-6481 (BTW, toni, that Netgear doesn't do PoE)

Like I said, that's exactly what "Virtual PTZ" is...

That will depend on the lens itself, and to some degree, how the backfocus is set up. Any lens should be able to focus on or past infinity, so it becomes more a question of how close you can focus.

So how do you do this with 2 computers? Easiest way, transfer a file from one to the other, see how long it takes. Not the most accurate method, but it'll give you a fair idea.

I think the issue here is your posting style can be confused with what spammers do. We all learn from each other and I would rather see what contributions you have to offer, other than spamming your products. anyway,my friend,Thanks for your remind,i will notice my action ,we think we will learn form each other in the future You have to post more than just "MSN me!" for us to learn anything from you. Learning is supposed to be a two-way street here.

No - that will depend on the card. Some WILL record at full 240fps at D1 resolution. Again, all that will depend on the card and its specific design. Don't assume - check the card's specs and documentation. If they don't cover it, ask the manufacturer. If THEY can't answer it, run away from the thing and buy one with reliable support. That will depend partly on the card and partly on the software, but in most cases, you will be able to.

Sure you could, but that that makes for a couple of pretty bulky testers. Fluke makes a range of "standalone" network analyzers and testers: http://www.flukenetworks.com/fnet/en-us/products/Industry.htm?categorycode=INET

That's exactly what they are - you'd simply connect the transformer to the input terminals (the pair of screws in the bottom-right on that picture), and then each camera to its own pair of terminals as appropriate. 1A is fine. The main purpose of the fuse is to protect your wiring - if, for example, the wires get shorted together, the fuse will blow before it either fries the transformer, or worse, starts a fire. Powering the transformer off a single power bar with surge suppression should suffice. If you're in a problem area (inconsistent power, frequent lightning storms), make sure you get a good-quality one, and not some $5 special.

Point a camera at each monitor? www.pinouts.ru for all your pinout-wiring needs The best solution in this case would be simply use DVRs (or DVR software, if applicable) with a client that allows connection to multiple servers. An excellent example of this would be Vigil DVRs, whose client can connect to and display multiple servers on the same screen, and even allows you to create "groups" of cameras from different servers to display together at a single click. It should also work with any DVR that allows web-based viewing - just open a separate browser window for each system you want to monitor, then resize them all to fit on the screen together.

We've been using CNB domes in a number of commercial installations, and found them of very good quality, but they're priced such that they could fit most homeowners' budgets.

I regularly power two cameras off a single 24VAC/40VA transformer... and I've seen up to four on a 40VA, although the transformer tends to run really hot. A 50VA should handle three cameras without even breaking a sweat. Some cameras will list their power requirements - a Panasonic WV-CP414 I have sitting here only draws 3.5W, so mathematically, I should be able to run 14 of them on a 50VA supply. I also have a National NLC-5700 that lists 3.6W on its label, and an NLC-5500 that lists 5.5W. So even at 10W per camera, your supply should handle 5 cameras without a problem. At 500mA draw, those cameras would consume 12W (24V x .5A). That's pretty hefty - are these IR or PTZ cameras?? As for HOW to connect it, you can simply parallel the cameras to the transformer terminal. Some installations may require each line be fused, which you can do using a simple inline fuse holder available at any auto-parts or electronics-supply store:

Should have no effect at all on the noise problem. Only way it would make a difference is if the runs are too long and/or the wires are too small and you're suffering excessive voltage drop. The noise in this case is most likely caused by a ground loop... if that is the case, simply eliminating the common connection will cure it.

Your link didn't work, you haven't been here long enough. You could also take a look at some of Extreme's offerings, http://www.extremecctv.com ... er, hmm, well, I guess Bosch owns them now. Dunno if they still have them, but they used to have some really great camera designs - super-heavy-duty tapered-steel housings that prevented simply tossing a rope over a wall-mounted camera and yanking it down, and a shatterproof Lexan dome held in buy a ring that threaded into the housing on top of it, and then was locked down by ultra-small setscrews requiring ultra-small, hard-to-find allen keys to get them out... suffice to say they were a chore to open even IF you had the right tools, and damn near impossible if you didn't Ah, here it is: http://products.boschsecurity.us/en/TAMS/products/bxp/SKUPFT5677115915.P1.F.01U.089.911-CATMf53af729338a4b8b433361f4a392c56f

Agreed, "vandal PROOF" is pretty subjective. It really depends on what sort of vandals you're dealing with - I've seen Lexan domes withstand direct (very solid) blows with hammers and baseball bats... but I've had instances where the shock has killed the camera inside, or scuffed the Lexan enough to seriously blur the image. I've yet to see a dome that will repel paint, so a vandal with a spray can of Tremclad is always a problem. I've put metal shields over cameras and those will significantly slow a perp down, but someone who really wants to put the time in to attack/remove/disable a camera will always find a way to do it. I watched the footage of a thief once that dismantled and removed a dome that used security screws (the allan key with the pin in the middle) - he used what looked like a pair of needle-nose pliers and it took him a good 20 minutes of solid effort to get the dome apart, but he did finish the job and took the dome with him... and this was at a gas station on a fairly busy route. Surprised nobody saw him and call the cops or anything. Unfortunately, it was at night and what light there was, was behind him, so we never got a face from it... Frankly, the best way to "vandal proof" a camera is to put it far out of reach... we have one site with three FLIR thermal cams and a Pelco Esprit PTZ on top of a 50' tower in the middle of a yard, with a 12' climb shield around the tower base... that makes the cameras pretty much impervious to anything but a bullet.

Actually, since we have a lot of fuel services customers, I find the Rain-X particularly helpful for cameras inside car washes. It doesn't completely stop the enclosures getting mucked up (especially the ones that get the soap spray), but it does help extend the time required between cleanings.

What style of domes are we talking about? How hard would they be to simply seal up? As for cleaning them... I usually just use something like Windex Wipes - I have a small pack that I carry in my maintenance kit. If they're going to be in an area where they get direct rainfall, I'll follow that up with a treatment of Rain-X. I dunno about removing stickers and paint, though... could try something like GooGone or maybe isopropyl alcohol...

Did you install a new driver for the new card? One thing I've found with ATI, they tend to be a lot happier with driver updates if you uninstall the old driver first.