Newbie Question for cable needed.

[steve800x 0]

I am thinking of updating my CCTV system after seeing how good some of the HD ones look. The system I use now is a Falco 16 channel with 550 cameras. With a IP system only 1 cat 5 cable is needed for power and video correct. Also how far of a run can you go with cat 5 and is there any difference on what cable you use. My pole barn has 4 RG6 cables which are around 250 feet each. Can these be used anyway or would I have to run 4 cat 5 cables out there. I ran 1 spare cat 5 to the barn for the computer just incase anything happened to it. Can you split this like a hub on a computer to feed 4 cameras. Sorry but I'm new to this. Thanks for any help.

[Don Stephens 0]

You need Cat5e or Cat6; your existing Cat6 cable is fine. It can be run up to 328 feet.

 

I can't tell if the statement you made was actually a question but...Cat5e and Cat6 can be used for both video and power but only if your cameras are PoE. If they're not, power will have to be run via DC cable or over the network cable using PoE adapters.

[steve800x 0]

You need Cat5e or Cat6; your existing Cat6 cable is fine. It can be run up to 328 feet.

 

I can't tell if the statement you made was actually a question but...Cat5e and Cat6 can be used for both video and power but only if your cameras are PoE. If they're not, power will have to be run via DC cable or over the network cable using PoE adapters.

 

The 4 cameras I have in my barn use RG6 cable not cat6 cable. Its tv cable. The system I was thinking about was a Swann 16 channel from here

http://www.costco.com/Swann-16-Channel-HD-NVR-Security-System-with-3TB-HDD-and-8-3MP-HD-IP-Cameras.product.100144938.html

 

I'm not sure if its worth changing everything or just update my dvr to something newer that supports newer HD cameras as well as my older cameras and update them as needed. But for the best picture is IP not the best.

[Don Stephens 0]

Sorry, I read that wrong about your existing cable. You'd need/want to replace that if you're going to commit to IP cameras. Your other option is HD over coax (AHD, HDCVI, HDSDI, HDTVI). Most people are going to agree that IP cameras are the best route to take; occasionally someone says HDSDI. You should really only consider the HD over coax alternatives if you just can't be bothered to swap your cable out.

 

That Swann system is rebranded Hikvision, so as far as I'm concerned you're good there. I can tell you that the equipment is solid but I don't know about how fair the price is; I'm sure someone else can chime in here.

[steve800x 0]

Sorry, I read that wrong about your existing cable. You'd need/want to replace that if you're going to commit to IP cameras. Your other option is HD over coax (AHD, HDCVI, HDSDI, HDTVI). Most people are going to agree that IP cameras are the best route to take; occasionally someone says HDSDI. You should really only consider the HD over coax alternatives if you just can't be bothered to swap your cable out.

 

That Swann system is rebranded Hikvision, so as far as I'm concerned you're good there. I can tell you that the equipment is solid but I don't know about how fair the price is; I'm sure someone else can chime in here.

 

I was just reading on the swann system. Why would it be 8 poe ports and 8 non Poe ports. How would the 8 non ports get power for the cameras. That does not make sense to me why they did that.

[MaxIcon 0]

I believe they do this to keep the cost and noise down, since 16 port POE running at full power is quite a lot of watts for an NVR size appliance and would require loud fans, but that's just a guess.

 

Like you say, it doesn't make sense, though remote POE switches can be useful if a bunch of your cams are in an area away from the NVR, since you'd only need one cable from the 2nd switch to the NVR instead of 8 cables from the cams to the NVR.

 

Here are a few ways to get power to the cams plugged into non-POE ports:

 

- DC power, either at the camera or using inexpensive passive POE injector/extractors. This isn't so good for long runs due to the power loss from resistance at 12Vdc, and makes for more cluttered cabling and connections.

 

- 9 port POE switch providing power to the other 8 cams and attached to the NVR with the 9th port. Likewise, multiple switches can be used depending on the cam layouts.

 

- Passive multi-port POE injector like this: http://www.amazon.com/WS-POE-8-48v60w-passive-Ethernet-Injector-cameras/dp/B0086SQDMM

[steve800x 0]

I believe they do this to keep the cost and noise down, since 16 port POE running at full power is quite a lot of watts for an NVR size appliance and would require loud fans, but that's just a guess.

 

Like you say, it doesn't make sense, though remote POE switches can be useful if a bunch of your cams are in an area away from the NVR, since you'd only need one cable from the 2nd switch to the NVR instead of 8 cables from the cams to the NVR.

 

Here are a few ways to get power to the cams plugged into non-POE ports:

 

- DC power, either at the camera or using inexpensive passive POE injector/extractors. This isn't so good for long runs due to the power loss from resistance at 12Vdc, and makes for more cluttered cabling and connections.

 

- 9 port POE switch providing power to the other 8 cams and attached to the NVR with the 9th port. Likewise, multiple switches can be used depending on the cam layouts.

 

- Passive multi-port POE injector like this: http://www.amazon.com/WS-POE-8-48v60w-passive-Ethernet-Injector-cameras/dp/B0086SQDMM

 

Sense I've never seen a IP camera and if I went with that system, is there not only 1 plug on a IP camera. If I plugged 4 cat5e cables into a 9 port Poe switch then 1 to the nvr, how is the video for those 4 cameras work. I have 4 cameras around 250 feet away from where the nvr will go and can put the power out there if needed.

[steve800x 0]

I believe they do this to keep the cost and noise down, since 16 port POE running at full power is quite a lot of watts for an NVR size appliance and would require loud fans, but that's just a guess.

 

Like you say, it doesn't make sense, though remote POE switches can be useful if a bunch of your cams are in an area away from the NVR, since you'd only need one cable from the 2nd switch to the NVR instead of 8 cables from the cams to the NVR.

 

Here are a few ways to get power to the cams plugged into non-POE ports:

 

- DC power, either at the camera or using inexpensive passive POE injector/extractors. This isn't so good for long runs due to the power loss from resistance at 12Vdc, and makes for more cluttered cabling and connections.

 

- 9 port POE switch providing power to the other 8 cams and attached to the NVR with the 9th port. Likewise, multiple switches can be used depending on the cam layouts.

 

- Passive multi-port POE injector like this: http://www.amazon.com/WS-POE-8-48v60w-passive-Ethernet-Injector-cameras/dp/B0086SQDMM

 

If I'm starting from scratch and need 14 total cameras, what system do you guys like. So each camera needs 1 cat5e cable no longer than 300 feet. It would take some time but it can be done.

[MaxIcon 0]

With 4 cams 250 feet away, you could either run 4 x 250' cables from the cams to the NVR or main POE switch, or you could run a local 4 port switch powering those cams, then run a single cable from that switch back to the NVR. I like to have Gb uplinks, but it's not necessary for just a few cams unless there's a lot of other network traffic. Even running at 8 Mbps, 4 cams would only be 32 Mbps, so a 100Mb switch would hold up fine.

 

For starting from scratch, it depends on your budget. If you want to keep prices reasonable, it's hard to go wrong with the Hik 3MP bullets and 3MP turrets. I'd look at getting a few of each and trying them out, and that will tell you if you need more capability, as well as what kind of lenses you'll need for the coverage you want.

 

If you want to spend more, the sky's the limit.

[steve800x 0]

With 4 cams 250 feet away, you could either run 4 x 250' cables from the cams to the NVR or main POE switch, or you could run a local 4 port switch powering those cams, then run a single cable from that switch back to the NVR. I like to have Gb uplinks, but it's not necessary for just a few cams unless there's a lot of other network traffic. Even running at 8 Mbps, 4 cams would only be 32 Mbps, so a 100Mb switch would hold up fine.

 

For starting from scratch, it depends on your budget. If you want to keep prices reasonable, it's hard to go wrong with the Hik 3MP bullets and 3MP turrets. I'd look at getting a few of each and trying them out, and that will tell you if you need more capability, as well as what kind of lenses you'll need for the coverage you want.

 

If you want to spend more, the sky's the limit.

 

I have 1 spare cat5e cable ran out the barn now. That one cable could run video for 4 cameras if I used a 4 port switch? How does that work for viewing them if only one cat5e goes to the nvr from the barn. All the camera on the house would have there own cable. Do you loose anything by doing that way?

[ssnapier 0]

You can use a device like this to utilize the RG-6 in your barn, and it will go MUCH farther than 300 feet. With these in place you can use any IP camera on the market that uses 802.3af POE.

 

http://www.nvt.com/content.php?type=product&key=ec1701kit4&cid=root

 

They have individual and 2 camera kits as well, and all of their gear is lifetime warranty.

 

Here is a second company that makes equally good gear for slightly cheaper.

 

http://www.vigitron.com/95/Vi2404A_MaxiiCopper_4_port_High_Speed_Ethernet_Extenders_over_Coax.aspx

[steve800x 0]

You can use a device like this to utilize the RG-6 in your barn, and it will go MUCH farther than 300 feet. With these in place you can use any IP camera on the market that uses 802.3af POE.

 

http://www.nvt.com/content.php?type=product&key=ec1701kit4&cid=root

 

They have individual and 2 camera kits as well, and all of their gear is lifetime warranty.

 

Here is a second company that makes equally good gear for slightly cheaper.

 

http://www.vigitron.com/95/Vi2404A_MaxiiCopper_4_port_High_Speed_Ethernet_Extenders_over_Coax.aspx

 

With something like this you go cat5e from the camera into this then RG6 from barn to nvr. Now at the nvr I would need another one so RG6 then a cat5e from it to the nvr. So 2 of the same thing is needed?

[MaxIcon 0]

With 4 cams 250 feet away, you could either run 4 x 250' cables from the cams to the NVR or main POE switch, or you could run a local 4 port switch powering those cams, then run a single cable from that switch back to the NVR. I like to have Gb uplinks, but it's not necessary for just a few cams unless there's a lot of other network traffic. Even running at 8 Mbps, 4 cams would only be 32 Mbps, so a 100Mb switch would hold up fine.

 

For starting from scratch, it depends on your budget. If you want to keep prices reasonable, it's hard to go wrong with the Hik 3MP bullets and 3MP turrets. I'd look at getting a few of each and trying them out, and that will tell you if you need more capability, as well as what kind of lenses you'll need for the coverage you want.

 

If you want to spend more, the sky's the limit.

 

I have 1 spare cat5e cable ran out the barn now. That one cable could run video for 4 cameras if I used a 4 port switch? How does that work for viewing them if only one cat5e goes to the nvr from the barn. All the camera on the house would have there own cable. Do you loose anything by doing that way?

Yes, that one spare cable could handle all 4 cams and more, no problem. Think of an IP cam like any network connection, not like a camera connection; all the cams are sending their video as network packets all the time. The switch and cable don't care how many devices are talking, as long as the bandwidth is sufficient. You can have a switch full of devices connected back to your main network by only one cable.