Is this a camera issue?

[sharpie 0]

I'm still learning here but I've set up some cameras for work. I'm not too impressed with the video quality on the cameras, they're not seeing clear far at all. I've tried another type of camera and still have the same issue. So my question is , what could be the problem? How can I improve this (see attached photo) I understand that a wide lens won't be able to see far with quality but it shouldn't look like this should it

 

Camera:

700TVL 1/3 Inch Sony Exview HAD CCD II 3.6mm Lens, 36 IR LED

 

Lines:

RG59, confirmed cameras are getting the right amount of power as well, but for the sake of it. I'm using an 18 channel port distributor power supply box

The runs aren't too far either, max is 250ft, closest is 80ft no change in quality

[Kawboy12R 0]

Hard to tell on my phone but it looks like a CIF resolution image to me. Any way to change your DVR to D1?

[sharpie 0]

DVR was already at D1 with the quality option as well at "Best"

[Neutech 0]

Are you grabing that image off a Phone view or from DVR screen? As K says it looks like CIF resolution

 

What make is DVR?

 

Have you tried a varifocal camera?

[sharpie 0]

No, I'm getting that image off of the netviewer (over my LAN) which I am certain there is plenty of bandwidth for

 

DVR seems sketchy. I don't think anything called "Professional" in its title has ever been that. Here is the link I found on it.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Channel-Standalone-Installed-Security/dp/9578576579/ref=sr_1_13?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1372784543&sr=1-13&keywords=DVR+16+channel

 

Incase the URL is an issue here are the specs

DVR Specifications: Video/Audio Video System NTSC A/V Compression Format Video: H.264/ Audio 8KHz*16bit ADPCM Display Resolution D1: 704x576(PAL) 704x480(NTSC) Record Resolution D1/HD1/CIF Recording Total Frame Rate: NTSC: 120 fps@D1, 240 fps@HD1, 480 fps@CIF Recording Recording Mode Always/scheduled/motion, Alarm, Net-viewer record Pack Time 15/30/45/60min (adjustable) Playback Mode Normal play, Fast Forward, Rewind and slow play frame by frame Backup Support flash drive an Removable HDD Alarm Alarm mode Motion/sensor triggered/Video loss/HDD Full, HDD Error Network Network Function Support Mobile surveillance, Remote Live surveillance and parameter setting Network Protocol TCP/IP, DHCP, UDP, DDNS, PPPOE System Port Video Input/Output 16CH BNC Input/2CH BNC Output/1CH VGA Output or 1CH HDMI Output Audio Input/Output 16CH Input/2CH Output Alarm Input/Output 16CH Input/1CH Output; HDD Support SATA HDD (NOT INCLUDED); Ethernet One RJ-45 10M/100M/1000M USB 2.0 Port Supports USB mouse, USB flash drive backup and upgrade PTZ Control Built-in RS-485 port, supports PELCO-P & PELCO-D General Parameter Power Adapter DC 12V 5A Working Temperature 50˚F to 104˚F (10˚C to 40˚C) Working Humidity 10%~90% Power Consumption 10 ~ 15W (exclude HDD) Dimension (W x D x H) 430 x 380 x 70mm.

 

I haven't tried a Varifocal yet that was my next plan but I didn't want to throw anymore money at it until I had a good idea that's what it was.

[Securame 0]

That unit does not seem that much "professional" to me. It can only do 100fps D1, are you recording each chanel at D1 6fps?

 

If you are capturing that image from the netviewer program over lan, bandwidth might not be an issue, but maybe the DVR has dual stream. So maybe you are not seeing the best quality possible from the DVR. Can you try downloading a recording, and then comparing to the screenshot you posted? You might be watching CIF resolution, but the DVR might actually be making a D1 recording.

[sharpie 0]

Doesn't seem much different at all. Think my issue is in the DVR itself?

[shockwave199 0]

My guess is it's a really crappy dvr. But if you're using crappy cameras too, it's not helping. Looks like a camera focusing issue too. And in the end, that's a wide shot and it's analog. So yeah, that's about what you're gonna get. Even the best case scenario with that wide fov, it'll only get a bit sharper.

 

Btw- how's this second photo taken? Cause your first picture is better.

[sharpie 0]

Ouch, so cheap cameras and DVR are doing this?

Second photo is taken from downloading the time from the DVR to the computer and viewing it on a player as advised and simply hitting print screen and I just crop in the important part. The first photo was a print screen from a live feed.

[lowpro 0]

And how far away is the camera to the cars? Looks to be mounted about 20' up also?

[sharpie 0]

Good eye, the cameras are 20ft. The glass exit door its viewing is 30ft from the lens.

[shockwave199 0]

You can't do print screens as an example of what doesn't look right. You need to do a jpeg or bmp capture/export, or whatever your cctv software calls it, from the archived footage. Otherwise all we see is worse than you're asking about.

[sharpie 0]

My apologies, here is the "capture" feature from a downloaded file from the DVR

[SectorSecurity 0]

This looks to me like the DVR is trying to upscale an already poor image, causing pixelation.

 

We see D1 slapped on everything now-a-days, everyone wants D1 so suppliers have just started putting it on everything, even if its not truely supported, or supported D1 real time across all channels.

[sharpie 0]

So is this the DVR recording poorly then trying to upscale the poor recording, or the cameras giving poor video and the dvr is trying to beef it up? Whats your advice or best end result to go with? Replace DVR?

[lowpro 0]

Can you connect the camera output directly to a tv monitor? What does it look like then?

[sharpie 0]

I don't have a direct way to do this. I'd have to grab a bnc to vga adapter and run it to a computer monitor. Is that a suitable test?

Thanks for all the help to everyone btw.

[lowpro 0]

I don't have a direct way to do this. I'd have to grab a bnc to vga adapter and run it to a computer monitor. Is that a suitable test?

Thanks for all the help to everyone btw.

 

You don't have access to the dvr? Just unplug it from the back of the dvr and tie it to the monitor. Or connect directly to the back of the camera to see what you get on the tv. I guess the VGA could work but you'd need a composite to VGA converter.

[joseph.chen0312 0]

You may considering to carry out 960H (WD1) DVR which is dedicated supported 960H CCD. You can compare with 960H with D1 and you will finding out the horizonal resolution mor wider than D1.

[sharpie 0]

Okay, hooked the camera up directly to a monitor. Not much difference at all, slightly better but not enough. Bottom line I think the cameras are no good for the viewing application that is wanted as well as the DVR. I'm not heavily involved yet and its easy for me to step back and change anything.

Any recommendations? As I've said I'm new to this and stepping in the middle of someone else's work. I've done some general research in the down time of troubleshooting this issue. From what I'd like to see it sounds like I'd have to go megapixel camera, is 1mp enough for that range to see a face and license plate? Obviously I'm dropping the DVR and cameras, so should I go NVR? What would you guys do in this situation?

Again, thanks for all the help applied.

[shockwave199 0]

I don't believe you mentioned how many cameras you need for your system. That will matter, as the cost for an nvr with mp camera system will be higher.

[tomcctv 187]

I'd have to grab a bnc to vga adapter and run it to a computer monitor

 

 

 

Hi. BNC to VGA is not a good way to test cameras you are best testing cameras direct to composit into TV.

you will then see if you have bad cameras.

 

 

Obviously I'm dropping the DVR and cameras, so should I go NVR? What would you guys do in this situation?

 

 

since money has been spent and you have cameras I would go hybrid and use existing and IP