Soundy

Welcome aboard!

That depends on the camera, the codec used, the scene, the amount of movement in it... some cameras let you specify a maximum or constant bandwidth... I think you'd be hard pressed to find a 1.3MP camera that exceeds 5-6Mbps; suffice to say, I don't think you could "overload" your NVR with those cameras if you tried.

Sounds like something about their speed. I'm sure the uncompressed, zero-latency video was quite impressive in a side-by-side live comparison. I don't suppose they had a similar comparison showing *playback* of recorded video?

No, you don't NEED gigabit... but an all-gigabit switch usually costs only marginally more than 10/100-only, so it's not worth getting too worked up about.

He's looking for a PTZ that will output that information as a constant data/metadata stream, rather than just on OSD. One would assume this was for use with some sort of control or analytics software - another system that controls the camera that you would want to keep apprised of its exact position.

Sometimes when we're doing an install in a retail site or something, if the staff there are cool, I'll crack a joke like, "Yeah, next we're putting the cams in the women's washrooms." Almost invariably, they respond with, "Ooooh, yeah, I wanna see that!" Like... REALLY dude?! THINK about it - you REALLY want to see that???

AND it's great that you took the time to come back and let us know - could always be useful to someone in the future.

Man, the quality is stunning, I can actually see the engineer picking his nose when he should be watching the switching signals. I sense a major environmental disaster in the offing. It's obvious we're watching a recording of a monitor displaying the train (although I can't tell if THAT is live or recorded)... I'm just not sure if the HDcctv camera is the one watching the train, or the monitor.

Soundy, can you take a snapshot of the inputs on this? Looking online and I cannot find the freakin' manual! Thanks,

Probably. Remember to pull power wire as well.

Looks kinda soft...

Can always run your CNBs on 12V and just use an individual 24VAC transformer for the PTZ There are lots of other brands besides Altronix as well - Enforcer, Pelco, etc. etc. But again, I suspect the issue (IF there is one) with your existing unit is the seller, not the brand name.

That's HDcctv, which is based on HD-SDI (Serial Digital Interface), a broadcast digital standard. It *IS NOT* analog. The cameras *ARE NOT* compatible with analog DVRs, and the HDcctv DVRs *ARE NOT* compatible with analog cameras (unless you get a hybrid DVR). In fact, the only place that brochure even mentions analog is in the specs for their hybrid units; nowhere do they claim they're doing HD with analog. In theory, yes, HDcctv can use existing coax. In reality... it has to be high quality, undamaged cable for it to work at all, and it's more reliable with RG6 than with RG59, whereas most existing analog systems use RG59.

Ahh, good ol' fleaBay. Are you sure that's the original factory transformer in that thing? I'd recommend returning it for a refund and buying one from a reputable dealer. Or, just DIY - transformer and fused breakout board, there's really not much to it.

Something doesn't sound right if you're getting 2.3V loss at 13W over a mere 100'. Even using a single pair for power, you shouldn't see more than half of that. And if your RMS readings are that far off, that would at most indicate a faulty or improper transformer in that unit... not that that's a bad model line. I've used dozens of Altronix power cans over the years, both 24VAC and 12VDC and even one or two 24VDC, never had an issue. Anyway, I wouldn't worry about the CNBs... if memory serves, those will actually accept pretty much anything from 10 to 30V, AC or DC.

There's nothing wrong with that box; those are normal readings depending on the type of multimeter you're using, and the actual input voltage. "Rated" voltage generally refers to RMS voltage of the sine wave. 24V RMS means a sine wave with about 34V peak voltage. While higher-end multimeters will give proper RMS readings, most cheaper ones rectify the voltage and then measure the DC output... except the waveform is bumpy and not steady. So, you end up with a reading somewhere between 24V and 34V, depending on how much filtering the meter puts on the signal. The input voltage will have some effect as well, since an AC power supply is not regulated, but simply consists of a step-down transformer. In the case of a 120V-to-24V supply, that would be a 5:1 step-down... but if the input voltage varies, the output will vary accordingly.

3 axis covers vertical , horizontal & rotational adjustment. Maybe the fourth axis covers the time domain so it can be used in the Tardis or the D'lorean for time travel Be sure to check for a flux capacitor. Some controllers have a "twist" knob on top that controls zoom... would that be your third, or fourth axis?

It is quite common when using a combination of baluns, central power supplies, and cameras that have a shared internal power and video ground. The solution is to avoid any one of the above three factors. I tend to just avoid cameras that have this (what I would consider a) design flaw. Dual-voltage (12VDC/24VAC) and 24VAC-only cameras avoid it because the power and video grounds are isolated by necessity of design. Keep in mind that this is just ONE type of ground loop... you can get similar symptoms by having a camera mounted to a grounded metal object (such as a metal building, light pole, etc.) when the camera's case is connected to the video ground.

Found one listing for that VDS2500 on fleaBay... $365 for the set. Also not cheap. Hence my statement:

Maybe a clip from this? dGFXGwHsD_A

There are lots of those already. Most of them go the same way as this one. Fact is, most of the "cons" on both sides are either overblown, or non-existent, but people keep repeating them. I'm not here to argue that one is ALWAYS better than the other, but it really grates on my when the same ridiculous, nonsensical, illogical myths get trotted out. He wasn't asking about his legacy wire, he was asking about cameras he was planning to add and the wire to use for those. In that case, Cat5e is cheaper, easier to work with, and provides greater future flexibility. Oh yeah, I have a couple dozen Bosch domes sitting on my "used stuff" shelf... replaced most of them with CNB VCM-24VFs because the customer was less than impressed with their performance. You want them? I don't think I'll ever find a use for them.

Right. And the answer is, it isn't always.

You mean I've been doing it wrong all these years? I don't know anyone in this business who 'scopes a camera signal except maybe as a last troubleshooting method.

If you're linking to Dropbox, make sure the file is within your Public folder. Edit: Ahh, it's showing now.

Ground loop isolators SHOULD help. Separate power adapters almost certainly WILL help. It's just a matter of which is more cost-effective and/or easier to obtain.