DVR MAN

Be sure to snug the lock screw on the zoom while you adjust the focus. Then snug the focus screw when you get the image sharp. There is some interaction between the two that can drive you crazy.

Be prepared before buying! First assure that the supply has fully regulated outputs. Check the total current output of the supply to assure that you will have enough to go around. Some I/R cameras are hungry and you need to have the current available per output that will handle the draw. I would think that a total of eight amps total output, and at least 1.5 amps available at each output would give you room for six cameras of varying draw. I would recommend that the outputs should be fused, not auto reset devices (PIDs). The fuse is faster to respond and is better short protection. Fuses also give you the option to tailor current output to each camera. And finally, plug the supply into a surge protected UPS.

Why don't the camera manufacturers list the allowable input voltage tolerance on their spec. sheets? I would like to think that camera input voltage would allow about a +- two volt spread. It would be nice to have this info when selecting a particular camera.

There is ample current available (3.5 amps per output). My IR cams draw 1 amp each when IR is active. The camera voltage is 11.998 volts with IR on (as set at 12.2 volts at supply). I will kick it up to 12.5 volts. The regulators should clip, or raise the voltage to keep it stable. I just want a happy medium setting at the supply end so as to not over work the regulators. Thanks!

I just added an Altronics rack mount 16 output 12 Volt @ 3.5@ per output camera supply. It came set at 11.883 volts. I bumped it up to 12.2 volts (via Fluke 89 NIST). I figure that it is a safe place to start.

Thanks. I think all surveillance cameras should post their power variables in their spec. sheets. Then the installer could taylor a system with confidence knowing that all components were matched correctly.

Wow! I never heard of a law like that. You could try buying a small hard drive, and record at max definition and speed on all channels to fill it up fast. Other than that, I am at a loss!

I am looking at 60 feet at 3.8 MM. There is ample illumination to fill the whole image. I could see a mouse running across the lawn. There is no light facing the camera to cause AGC problems. I guess that is the difference between our results. This camera fits my application requirement.

My 8 pound 280 foot I/R cam just died. I replaced it with the Nuvico CB-SD3895L. I have to say that this particular camera is a killer! I do not know what happened to Rory's samples, but this thing has killer contrast, fast I/R switching, and super quality BW image in I/R mode. The 8 lb dud is on its way to SCD for a replacement or repair. It looked good at night but had hot spots. The Nuvico is set at the widest view, and the I/R is evenly dispersed. The I/R covers the whole view at 60 feet.There is one small halo in the lower right of the image that I have to figure out, but that is not a showstopper.The I/R looks like daylight!

My 8 pound 280 foot I/R cam just died. I replaced it with the 3895L. I have to say that this particular camera is a killer! I do not know what happened to Rory's samples, but this thing has killer contrast, fast I/R switching, and super quality BW image in I/R mode. The 8 lb dud is on its way to SCD for a replacement or repair. It looked good at night but had hot spots. The Nuvico is set at the widest view, and the I/R is evenly dispersed. The I/R covers the whole view at 60 feet.There is one small halo in the lower right of the image that I have to figure out, but that is not a showstopper.The I/R looks like daylight!

I saw this at the CCTV FACTORY site. Does anyone know who makes it? I figure that it probably has a generic motherboard. Is it an Avtech?

I just Lased a CCD board camera at one inch with a focused 650 NM diode. Nothing happened.

ClintF, Please review the images leading up to and during the camera failure, and post a video of the actual event. You should see something that would explain the situation.

Both scenarios. I would use caution as there are many types of imagers out there. There are also various wavelength Lasers, some of which may harm certain cameras. Never say never!

what are you mentioning about? Pls make your sentence clearer,,,, I was asking who makes the DVR-9016MP-USB DVR that CCTV factory sells. Is it an Avtech, etc that has been re branded? The machine model number (DVR-9016MP-USB) was in the post header. Sorry for the confusion.

are those quality cams or just some chinese junk ?i've got two cameras killed by kids with laser pointer, or something ... Tha cameras are not junk. We run up tp 30 MW and never had a problem.

We use cameras to align Lasers all the time and never had one fail because of the Laser. These are industrial Lasers operating over 5MW.

I just logged onto that site. I downloaded the manual and it states that two HDD can be installed (2 ea max 1,000 GB). It looks like a fairly user friendly interface.

You should run the DVR on an UPS supply to protect against voltage interruptions and surges. Your DVR software should recover if there is an interruption.

What size hard drive? What is the recording rate set at? What resolution are your cams? Go into your set up menu and set the record overwrite to re record the drive. This records over the oldest data first, sometimes in 8 Meg chunks from the earliest to the last sequentially.

I like Nitrogen. You can buy a refillable tank and ADJUSTABLE* regulator at a welding supply house, or soda vending company. Open the camera, stick the hose near the opening, and tape in place leaving a small gas escape hole. Turn on the Nitrogen so that you just feel a very small escape flow, just enough to feel on your wrist, or chin. Let it bleed through the cam for about 15-20 minutes. Remove tape and replace camera cover as fast as you can ( you can even shoot the flow at it when replacing the cam cover). This should remove all humidity from the innards. This is similar to a process that I used in Nam to clear sniper, arty, and binocular optics. If it worked there it will work on your cameras.

You should Google "stuf Teflon waterproof" and check it out. You squirt this into the connector and it waterproofs it. You could then heat shrink or tape the assembly for further protection. Stuf comes in a tube that will seal 100 connectors. Yeah it is spelled Stuf. And as mentioned above in another post, if you use silicone adhesive, be sure it is electronic grade. Electronic grade does not use acetic acid as a vessel to promote curing.

Thanks survtech, thats what I figured. I found a super circuit 500 line 21" monitor for about the same price. I read that LL Bean uses the PMC21A monitors and love them which raised the question.

I have been concidering buying one. Is 421 lines sharp enough?

I emailed the company that I purchase from about this issue. They state that some DVRs record 8MB blocks of the oldest data at a time until the whole drive is overwritten. So, the oldest 8 MB is overwritten, then the second oldest 8Mb , etc until the drive is full again.