cctv_down_under

I doubt this will help...but the Bosch domes require termination at the end of line...but I think its more of a Pelco question..there may be dips for changing adresses or defaulting it to original address.

Are you sure there is no web based remote view...even the old Divar could be flashed to add this component and later ones come with it...however this XF version is new....can you confirm that you must use software to connect?

You can use 485, you just need a 232 to 485 converter....most newer Bosch Domes can be set to Pelco Protocol so that you could use a standard pelco controller or the DVR if you have one....you could buy a simple Biphase controller.

DSP Overlay is the ability to see almost uncompressed video for live viewing only.....only if you have that card option...basically it is more chips for better display (looks better), you can turn it on and off, but be careful how you restart the Geo...options to restart often turn it on or off depending on the type of restart you use.

You can go to the end of the 485 cable and put a multimeter on it, then try the controls from the other end, you should see a minute change in voltage for each directional movement that you choose, this will at least confirm that you are getting a signal out over the 485, you could do this from the back of the 232/485 card as well, my bets are you wither havent addressed each cam...haevn't put the inline resistor at the last camera...are running in star formation instead of in series or are using the wrong protocol.....perhaps the Bosch cam has already had the dip changed to be a Pelco.....you could use a Bilinx tool to control the device and do the setup of the PTZ on just the coax only..this would test that the cam is set to Biphase.

Hope this helps

If it is a fairly new Bosch PTZ dome then there should be an option to switch the device to pelco Protocol...the Biphase control that Bosch uses is rarely supported.....also the termination as mentioned above is very important

In XP, you right click vacant desktop space and got to properties, then the advanced buttom at bottom right...then the troubleshoot tab at the top

Direct Overlay...refers to direct draw overlay used by the DVR and also used by Logmein .....try turning down the hardware acceleration for video in windows

It also depends on what lens is used for testing a lower fstop lens will give better light to the camera...be also careful that the reading is not given at 50IRE which is half full video strength and therefore a much better result...lastly there is a massive difference between lux at scene and lux at camera...sometimes this is mentioned as well it may say scene illumination rating....ast but not least the test parameters should count...IE scene reflectance......a white room as apposed to a normal one will give more light bounce.

There is a load to consider so firstly, fstop..then ire...then scene or camera measurement, then reflectance value...these can all be adjusted to make a camera look like it has a lower value that is long before any gain or shutter settings are added.

Either Bosch or Panasonic are the best of the low light cameras without using the extra latency features.....but if you buy 1/2" you will get a much better performance

The larger the CCD though...hte better the light gathering ability..so it wont be very good in the darker areas

I ahve just completed a testing comparison betwen IP MP cameras and analogue.....but can't post up here files are too big...if you want to see a simple email with some direct comparisons just PM me with an email addy

Just about any card

Thats pure Garb

Alternatively you could rig up light to a standard PTZ camera, you then would set several hardware detection zones ..preferably PE Beams, at each point you would tell the PTZ camera that when this zone triggers spin to this preset position.

This will work, but KNOWING where the camera is pointing defeats the purpose as triggers to point the camera away would be too easy...IE make the camera detect in one place and enter via another (if quick enough)..Idealy you want to flood the whole area with light not just the area the camera is pointing at...bright lights confuse and dont let you see where the camera is pointing, they also cause you to look up.

Just be careful when chosing a DVR a lot of Active X controls and MPEG codecs can not be loaded easily onto Iphones

More qtns....wow you guys usually jump right in?

1/ Does the Geo vandal dome IP camera have Auto Iris

2/ I am trying to work out the available IP res, IE when you down load remote log you can choose a large resolution, but I am assuming that is not the entire resoltuion that a camera can have as room for a GUI is needed?

Ok, so after some research I have found the following.

Geo does support larger resolutions, however I dont know exactly what sizes...by checking the downloadable Remote Playback client, it seems it can go to 1900x1200, however that would be the entire GUI.....therefore the frame for the video may not be that large as you need to leave room on the screen for the rest of the GUI.

JVC is out as they only go to 1.3MP....Axis is out becasue it all CMOS and the lighting conditions there will be too harsh...so that leaves Arecont...funny thing is the only lenses I can find for the Arecont devices are 4mm at the widest and I think the scene I will need will need to be wider than that.

So the questions are ...

1/ What is the max resolution supported via IP for Geovision

2/ What is the list of supported IP MP cameras ONLY..that list is far too long to troll through every single one.

3/ What have people tested thus far?

4/ Do the Geo MP cams come with or without lens?

I have the extensive list of Geo supported IP cameras, however the ones Geo make only go to 1.3MP, is this a software limitation, IE is that the largest MP you can do on a Geovision and if not which products have people tried, I would prefer Aricont, JVC or Panasonic...any the largets MP that Geo will support will be great.

Thanks for the list.......one question...the Geo IP cameras are only 1.3MP is this a geo limitation or just a camera limitation, IE are their any cameras in the list that do larger than 1.3MP resolution and if so which ones are CCD and deal well with BLC issues

It should e easy enough to test with another short cable of cat5 and your existing baluns....in answer to your question it is because the capture card requires 1.1v and the analogue screen only 1v so with a cheaper camera and anything affecting the original signal...baluns...cable.....copper...distance...you may be dropping below the threshold...if it worked on copper I would guess its the baluns, termination (twists near it) or the copper in the cat 5....run a small short peice of good quality cable and find out...i would also re terminate just to be sure..keeping the twists high.

Questions:

-----------

(1) Is there a place where I can buy the package? Is it worth it or should I just put best of the breed and put togather a system?

Definately buy a package, that way you are not responsable for it

(2) Do I need to buy the PC from the CCTV sellers or just buy a regular DELL or HP laptop and slap in the DVR card in it?

You could do either but if you buy from an established company chances are they are going to offer a swap out unit which is important if using a PC based machine...besides they already know what the limitations of MOBO compatability etc will be....no dell or hp tech is going to know how to re install the DVR card, but your supplier will.

(3) Which is a good indoor dome camera?

Indoors lighting is not much of an issue....but you get what you pay for..I like the expensive so i prefer Bosch or Panasonic...but you can use anyhting...most impprtant is to look at the warranty and can the cameras firmware be upgraded...Ganz is good for cheap so is samsung

(4) Which is a good outdoor camera and housing?

Bosch is really good, as is Panasonic...they make hands down the best day night cameras

(5) What kind of calculations I need to do to make sure that I am hanging the camera high enough to cover the entire area.

do a goofle for cctv lens calculator

(6) Is there a primer that I can read to understand how to design the security or where to place the cameras?

There are always guides but this is best designed by experienced people..you wouldnt get your wedding photos done by a novice...well CCTV is the same..lighting...angle...scene type are all isuees that a trained tech knows to look for

(7) What kind of cables do I need to install? Will it be regular COAX or can I use CAT6? How will we supply power to the cameras?

You can use cat6 for CCTV but then you need baluns to convert it..this does however offer you the ability to shift to IP cameras at a later date

( Can I mount the PC on a rack along with other computer hardware in the server room?

Yes most definately, but if your going to run it as a network streaming device then you need to check what compression and bandwidth it quses...IE controlling the DVR at the rack with rg59 wont kill bandwidth or require lean compression but if its on your network then it may be more important

(9) Is the software part of the DVR package or do I need to buy software seperately?

Most times it is part of the package

(10) Is there any particular brand of cameras that are better than the others in reliability and longevity?

Hell yes...its like cars...you could buy a cheap car but it may last a lot shorter time..but that said if an expensice car is double the price but lasts twice as long it is the same amount...however car technology as with cctv will change..so perhaps it is cheaper to buy 2 x cheap cars so that the second one is alter model as apposed to a single one that will last longer... its personal preference

I am sure I will have more questions.

Thanks for your help.

Be very very carefull using pole displays...you are correct that this then make the POs system doa line by line display..but often pole displays are powered through the serial port...IE some pins have say 5v this will kill the data box...ideally this is not the way to do things as most POS systems are now a PC so they really dont support serial based output anymore, instead the use a secondary monitor for customer display..also printers are moving towards USB...capturing a data stream is not a good way to build a database at any rate...what you see on the pole display is limited info...IE just small lien print of the sale...you really want to link the POS systems dtabase to your video without data capture.....any decent POS sytem will link all terminals to one machine and create a database here....most of these dtabases are already searchable by the POS back office machine...you simply integrate the DVR's sdk playback so that interigating the database willthen link to video pop up...then no need for data boxs at all

I have to admit that extreme are good reg cams, but any high end camera can do it, its all in the settings of the camera...it is fiddly work as there is a lot to consider....white stamp, shutter speed, frame interlace delay, vertical smearing, plate reflectance...inversion etc...expensive cams and lenses can do the job, but in reality the shift between day and night time operations really requires a specialist camera as the lighting almost reverses the settings

A pc based DVr is 1.1v peak to peak and analogue or even some standalones for display only require 1v peak to peak, try testing your camera and baluns on a very short fly lead....IE move the dvr to the cam and run a small lead...be carefull with termination of baluns, becasue how you terminate the twists really matters...IE did you unravel too much twist, this results in loss of colour burst.

Step 1 - test camera into analogue service monitor..if you get colour then

Step 2 - Test with a short run and your baluns...if you get colour

Step 3 - Test with the long run and baluns...but power the camera locally...loss of voltage can drop a signal to below the peak threshold for colour..colour is the first thing you will lose...if you dont get colour

Step 4 - Ensure you are getting enough power to the camera..remember you are running on thinner wires...so more ability to loose voltage..

If you get colour on local power or shorter runs, then you know its either termination or cabling or baluns.