VST_Man

31 days of motion or continious recording? I'm running the V240, P4/3.2, 1gb, 80/200 hard drives. 80 hard drive is system and 200 is video storage. I'm capturing motion only and saving well over 60 days of video. Just a not. Unless continious is required, go with motion. The "features" with Video Insight's motion settings will prove to be a space saver. Also, make sure you buy te extra fans for the case and/or storage hard drive. ALL PC based systems require a good air flow design. Make sure you use this PC for video only. Don't let Mom and Dad surf the WEB as you will end up with junk on the server. I did not see a good firewall? You'll need that AND XP Pro. Anti Virus program? The V60 card is going to scream on the 2.4 so you do have plenty of chip. If I'd change anything here I'd back off 512 on the RAM and buy a faster chip ONLY because the PC Based systems will tax the chip. You money spent on the chip will impress Mom and Dad, and if you are going to burn CD's with the same machine you will need that extra "umph" when you re running that software along side the Video Insight program on the same machine. Your going to LOVE that Video Insight card and it's features. Any questions please fire away.

unless you pay a video installer you have a lot to learn before you buy or install anything. read some other posts that are in this forum to get a better handle on the equipment available. You need to be more specific on your needs. You can buy a cheap system for under 2k and install your self but you need to learn the "specs" you are paying for so that you don't get ripped off. If you find a system you can post the WEB site here and many will respond with the pro's and cons. I'd recommend buying a decent 8 channel DVR with 4 camera's, which will cost you 2k, and then add more camera's later. eberything you want will be in the main DVR recorder so make sure you get what you need. ie. internet data rate? 10 or 100?motion recording/playback? fps (frames per second) recording? post some DVR's and camera's you've found and many will reply. [/url]

Rory hit on a few questions and; - cost of remote viewing depends on your provider. dial-up, DSL, ect. you can budget anywhere from $20 - $50 per month. - select the DVR based on your skills and time management. if your skills are zip, get a good DVR that is very user friendly. time management....reviewing video from 8 camera's takes time and can be a nightmare if you buy cheap equipment. you may feel the expense when you buy the DVR but it will be worth your time, over time. - in house care....again, get several references, possible habe the police run a back ground check, or go with a licensed, well established provider that is required to follow federal regulations concerning health care. DO NOT allow a stranger in your home!!!!! Do everything you can to check them out and if they cannot produce the references don't hire them. - have a installer do the install; again, you'll spend it now but be happier later. You'll want both hidden and obvious camera's. Good luck.

baluns work. distances are noted in the spec of the balun (passive and active) and also noted in multiple threads in the forum. use a video spliter for multiple monitors. You can send up to 4 video signals down one Cat5 cable.

I have the same issue. it only happens during day/night transition. The low light no light cams only. seems to me that the combination of all that high tech wizardy in them have not completley figured out mother nature. Otherwise the camera's work great.

i have a PCI video insight 16 ch dvr card; 80/200 gb hard drive (operating/storage) 1 gb, 3.2ghz, dvdrw, XP Pro http://www.video-insight.com check all the features and functionality of the cards you are interested in. don't run out and buy one until you are sure it is the one for you and your netork future. you are about to have a lot of fun! ask questions here and we will help you get it done right BEFORE you install it.

red/black are power. usually 24vac. T+T- are transmit wires. camera is the receiver and the rs transmits the PTZ control signals. termination also needs to be correct. i'd wire it all up in one room (test) and after you get it working you can move it to the site camera location. what type of RS is it? my first PTZ was a learning experience for em also. CMD64 (camera admin settigs) was another issue to overcome since you need a keyboard with a stand alone and do not need one with a PC Based.

troubleshoot it. break it down into simpler smaller circuits and test it. ie. start with one camera and then add one at a time until it repeats that problem. it may give you more info on the problem. what type of RS422/485 is it? Are the camera's on seperate power supplies or all on one? is the voltage correct?

If a thief steals the "box" they will get the video/evidence. I am pushing to integrate a networked "nas" drive that stores the video to a remote location and not on the "box" itself. I want to sell this additional feature as a selling point and would like to know if any of you have had any comments or experience. I currently do this and it work fine. My only concernis tying up the network with constant video streaming/storage. A good router can manage this but that adds to the cost of. Network storage, via CAT5, is the most feasible, it works, and is cost effective. Can be located anywhere, hidden, locked up. If the system crashes or is stolen you still have you video. Then there is the Doberman and chain. Comments? Suggestions?

bury cable to the warehouse. Go with Cat5 or better. Possibly run fiber if your network needs are projected to grow and your budget can handle it. Check into the PC based systems as they are more featured and can be administered by your current network personnel. I recommend them only if you are PC smart or have PC smart employee's. Otherwise, stick with the stand alone. Wireless? Like Rory stated..................last resort. IP camera's? Video Insight can handle both IP and basic camera connections via one software program. Embedded systems do not. PTZ/Dome.........embedded system requires a keyboard. PC Based do not. I'd recommend that you have a "pro" toss you a quote. You may find that your time and money are better spent allowing a pro to do it?

PC Based systems are user friendly but have limited features when compared to PC Based sytems. PC Based systems have come a long way. I run Video Insight without any problems. Reboots only happen at my descretion, and the card itself comes with a system monitor wire that you connect to the motherboard which reboots the system if it freezes up. I don't have that connected on my system becasue I have not seen that problem with this card. If you are PC smart I'd recommend a PC Based server. They are as good as the embedded systems now. If you want to turn it on and forget it is there then buy a stand alone system. Features cost money. The customer will tell you what they want. By the way. I'm calling out the BS flag on the comment of "picture quality on the linux system doesn't compare". That's total bs. The picture quality is based on a lot of things and both the PC and embedded systems picture quality is directly "displayed" in the quality of the equipment, installation, and technology applied. From a installers perspective; we can make more money on PC systems because we can build them. I never tell a customer to go "PC" unless they want to work it like a PC. I prefer a embedded system to a customer only because the customer cannot screw it up. ALL customers think they are computer programmers and have a nack of doing things to the video server that cause it to crash and lock up. That's why we lock them out of it!

I'm using unpowered Balun's with no problems. I run video, RS, and power down the same Cat5. Doubling up on the power only needs to be done for the longer runs, which I've found to be a neat topic to discuss as some say 50 ft. and others further no problems. AC can be pushed further without any loss problems like DC so I've pushed AC out as far as 300 without any problems. DC on the other hand starts to degrade at 200 so I won't push that. The bottom line on Cat5/Balun is you need to know the cable and the Balun's specs so you can figure out the max. Some Balun manufactures say to double the power, others do not. Depends on the manufacture and cable. ISC West is having a good "class" on this subject so if your out there you may want to sit in? Also; the power supply makes a difference also. I've seen the cheap power supplies, AC & DC, subject the system to line loss and noise resulting in poor video, slightly out of focus. I carry a "Clean" power supply with me to quick connect systems to so that I can eliminate dirty power problems right off the bat. Saves me lots of time. Cat5 is more sensitive to crosstalk/noise from other sources and RG seems to have it's own unique issues like bending beyond manufactures recommended specs or else you will cause reflections in the signals. Alomst all poor video calls are bad connectors, cross talk, or bad cable, in that order. A great example is on DVR systems using RG; the "nest of BNC connectors usually are stacked on top of each other. The BNC connectors that touch each other can cause poor video. But, if you tape them up the problem disappears. Not written anywhere, but, things you learn on the road. later/

what operating system are you using? Under windows you need to go in and change the "view hidden files" under the folder view option, which will allow you to see the hidden files. BUT, you need to bevery carefule now that you are viewibf hidden files as they are normally hidden for a GOOD reason......so you don't delete them. My guess is if you don't know how to view them then you should not be deleting them. I'm not a GEO_man so I can't tell you which to delete. Most PC based systems, like mine, record video to a specific hard drive or specific space alloted on initial install of that card/software. My next guess is that the 90% that you are seeing as used hard drive space is actually saved video that is written over and therefore it seems to appear as wasted files space......which it is not. Advice, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Run defrag and leave it be. Ask via this forum what to dele or not BEFORE you do it. You'll thank me in the morning!!!

I'd recommend doing a web searcg for "broadband forum" and then follow those links to a site that you prefer. Then start reading. You may want to learn the basics of networking before you try to learn a new. This forum also has a networking section that can add to your learning travels. Good luck and happy routing (port forwarding) to ya!

and let's not add my favorite Video Insight card to the "no problem" list. I am very happy with it.

I am running a Video Insight 16 channel V240 PCI card. XP Pro, 3.2 Ghz. Works very well, advanced software and great support. Check them out at www.video-insight.com

Does the manual call out for the baud rate settings? If yes, then you need to set you software to transmit the control data via the com port you have selected. Connect the PTZ control wires to the comm port (RS485) to the com port your software is set to and adjust the baud rate to match the PTZ. Make sure your PTZ baud rate is set to match your software baud rate. Some PTZ's are only programed via a special PTZ control keyboard or via PTZ "program". If you don't have the keyboard then you must use a software program to change the settings. Baud rates, camera emulation settings (Pelco D, ect.), are changed via dip switch setting on the PTZ camera itself.

The best DVR is one that is properly installed and works for you. You need to have a knowledgable "installer" provide you a quote based on your requirements. If you have the funding you can buy the best of the best. Vegas specs, Government Security specs, or better. If you are planning on installing it....read, read, read. Then buy.

My perspective has two directions. Personally I use XP Pro and have had very few problems with it. I like the support available on the WEB and updates seem to be keeping pace with the hackers out there. Upgrades are simple. The features/capabilities that come with a PC based system are better than a embedded system. And running the DVR card (Video Insight) has been extremely stable. I only recommend a PC Based system to a PC capable person. As far as "selling" a Video System I have found that the customer rarely understands "XP Pro", "Linux", or otherwise. If you sell them a PC they want to use it like one, hence the reasons why we lock them down. A stand alone system will work better for those who want a "VCR" look and feel.

I've been running it for 6 months with np. Digital zoom; yes, you can enlarge the screen you are viewing. But, opticical is better. What are you trying to accomplish?

I've been running the Video Insight for 6 months with no problems. It's better than having the "stand alone" because of the flexible program features. And most important, Video Insight answers the phone when you have a question, day, night, and weekends! Anyone else have comments on the Video Insight DVR card?

18 g may not cut it. I'd lay out the wire and camera's in one spot before you install and turn it all on to see how it works out. You need to add up the total amps of the 4 camera's, add that to your current (no pun intended) amp draw. If you have enough power supply amps you can run one wire out to a seperate terminal/fuse block where you can split it out to the 4 camera's. Make sure you place fuses inline to protect the circuits. The power supply is fed by one (8 output or smaller) or two transformers that feed a terminal block with fuses. If you have a 6 amp box you can pull 2 amps on one feed and the remaining 4 on the others. In other words, amp add up. Fuses are a whole different subject, but, if you don't use fuses you are taking a chance I would not.

as we say in the Corps, "if you ain't ^%$#%*, you ain't happy!

Try using the TiVo on your cable/TV system. Works pretty good. Hacks usually make a "system" outperform itself and not change the intended use. Learn Lynx/DVR operating "hacks" and focus your natural talents there. You might even get paid for it one day.

cerify the camera is working. If it is working it should connect and work. If you are connecting to the TV/VCR; BNC out of camera to RCA connector in on TV/VCR needs an adapter. VCR settings; line in. TV settings; Video A/B/C/D Good luck.