pc cctv

SB118 · 5 Jun 2006 at 00:06

The 's-video' cameras you saw were more than likely "easy fit" kit stuff, they run a single 4 pin plug, 2 pins for the standard composite video signal, with the 12v supply on the other pins. It wouldn't have been actual s-video feed, there isn't a processor around that uses s-video inputs (unless it happens to be outputting 12v on 2 of it's pins that is)

The cameras in the above stills were using CMOS based cameras, if the OP get's a CCD based camera (similar to the one i linked to), the picture will be fine.

Buying a digital camcorder for £150+ instead of a camera & capture card for £80 isn't my idea of cheap either :confused:

Energize · 5 Jun 2006 at 00:07

Swanster said:
However, the problem with digital cameras is that they're generally much more expensive, more nickable, not designed for 24/7 operation, and probably need attention (i.e. switching on) after a power cut etc…

If there was a powercut the computer recording the cctv would also go offline anyway, you can get a good digital camera for under £100 as long as its not on the outside of the house it wont get nicked.

SB118 · 5 Jun 2006 at 00:09

Energize said:
Get a better camera.

Ground control to Major Tom. Good cameras have a BNC connection, deal with it. You don't have experience of this equipment, you've never spec'd a system, you've never fitted a system. You're giving the OP incorrect advice. Stop it.

SB118 · 5 Jun 2006 at 00:11

Energize said:
If there was a powercut the computer recording the cctv would also go offline anyway, you can get a good digital camera for under £100 as long as its not on the outside of the house it wont get nicked.

Oh dear. My (and many other) systems run from a UPS to avoid any such problems, and PCs can be set to auto restart when power is restored.

And any digital camcorder under £150 will be CMOS based producing the picture quality you were complaining about above.

Energize · 5 Jun 2006 at 00:33

SB118 said:
Ground control to Major Tom. Good cameras have a BNC connection, deal with it. You don't have experience of this equipment, you've never spec'd a system, you've never fitted a system. You're giving the OP incorrect advice. Stop it.

How can a suggestion be incorrect advice? There are many ccd 720x576 digital cameras under £150, we use a digi cam at home for cctv and it works great.

robmiller · 5 Jun 2006 at 00:41

Mr.T said:
Wow that has to the dumbest rule I have heard in a long time. What is the reason for having to display signs?

I thought that it was for innocent people more than anything. Your postman, for example, has the right to know that his image is being stored when he walks up your drive, as does anyone else.

SB118 · 5 Jun 2006 at 00:43

Energize said:
How can a suggestion be incorrect advice?

You are stating your views as if they were fact, you are stating totally random and confusing information about cable & socket types. You suggest that analogue (vhs) recording is perfectly acceptable. THAT is how you get incorrect advice.

SB118 · 5 Jun 2006 at 00:45

Energize said:
There are many ccd 720x576 digital cameras under £150, we use a digi cam at home for cctv and it works great.

What's the model number? If they are any good i'll happily suggest them to people as a stopgap sollution.

Mr.T · 5 Jun 2006 at 00:50

robmiller said:
I thought that it was for innocent people more than anything. Your postman, for example, has the right to know that his image is being stored when he walks up your drive, as does anyone else.

I agree that the person has the right to know, and probably does not wish to be put on camera. But the nature of CCTV is to only actually keep the footage it if an incident happens, so 9/10 they would not need to worry.

Also I always see tuns of CCTV cameras owned by the council etc and they never have any signs

Energize · 5 Jun 2006 at 00:51

SB118 said:
You are stating your views as if they were fact, you are stating totally random and confusing information about cable & socket types. You suggest that analogue (vhs) recording is perfectly acceptable. THAT is how you get incorrect advice.

I never said vhs recording was acceptable anywhere, the opening poster said from the start he was using his pc to record it, the facts about cables were correct not incorect. He is asking for a camera to look over his yard not a high security setup with multiple cameras you dont need to be a cctv professional to give advice about it.

SB118 said:
What's the model number? If they are any good i'll happily suggest them to people as a stopgap sollution.

At a glance.

Camcorder JVC
JVC GR-FXM41

Samsung VP-D351

Camcorder Sony
Sony CCD-TRV238

Yucell YUCELL-A770

Camcorder Samsung
Samsung VP-D361

Vivitar DVR-410

Kol · 5 Jun 2006 at 00:57

I can't help but see there is some confusion in this thread. Energise, when he thinks of Coax is thinking of the quality between when you connect a VCR to a TV. This is not the same as when using coax cable to connect a BNC camera.

Whilst the cable is essentially the same, a BNC connection, whilst using coax, will offer the best quality. Coax cable when used for a tv/vcr setup is, naturally, the worst, but when using BNC etc. coax is the only cable and component/dvi/vga as you were talking about is not relevant. Yes, in terms of tv they're superior connections, but not in this case.

The best CCTV systems all use BNC/Coax setups and I'm sure SB118 is the best man for this, it's his job after all.

Energize · 5 Jun 2006 at 01:00

I know that normal cctv cameras use coax, the problem is you are always limited to coax picture quality wheras with a digital camera you are not, and since this is a one camera setup it might be a good idea to get one.

SB118 · 5 Jun 2006 at 01:02

Energize said:
I never said vhs recording was acceptable anywhere..

Energize said:
...just connect a vcr to a tv.
.....
...a vcr is almost the same output...

??

Energize said:
... the opening poster said from the start he was using his pc to record it, the facts about cables were correct not incorect. He is asking for a camera to look over his yard not a high security setup with multiple cameras.

He's using his PC to record, so can any of your advice about using vga, dvi, hdmi, etc be corect? I'm not aware of any pci cards that capture those formats.

Kol · 5 Jun 2006 at 01:03

Energize said:
I know that normal cctv cameras use coax, the problem is you are always limited to coax picture quality wheras with a digital camera you are not, and since this is a one camera setup it might be a good idea to get one.

But that's incorrect. The cable itself will not be limiting picture quality. You're thinking in terms of quality when you have a picture displayed on your TV using coax (or aerial) as the medium carrying the signal. Someone has already suggested earlier in this thread this isn't the case, think about NTL, that carries a lot of information. It's different to when you use the cable in TVs.

In CCTV, BNC is superior.

You are clearly getting confused mate and at this time of night it's awkward to explain, but it's not the same coax!!

Energize · 5 Jun 2006 at 01:08

Mikol said:
But that's incorrect. The cable itself will not be limiting picture quality. You're thinking in terms of quality when you have a picture displayed on your TV using coax (or aerial) as the medium carrying the signal. Someone has already suggested earlier in this thread this isn't the case, think about NTL, that carries a lot of information. It's different to when you use the cable in TVs.

In CCTV, BNC is superior.

You are clearly getting confused mate and at this time of night it's awkward to explain, but it's not the same coax!!

The signal used in ntl, is a digital compressed signal, as far as im aware the signal cctv cameras output uncompressed analogue video, otherwise vhs recorders could not capture it.

SB118 said:
??

To see the difference between the cables.

Kol · 5 Jun 2006 at 01:10

Energize said:
The signal used in ntl, is a digital compressed signal, as far as im aware the signal cctv cameras output uncompressed analogue video, otherwise vhs recorders could not capture it.

again, you're getting confused. The cameras which use coax do not output to a VCR. They have a BNC connection and require a special card or video recorder. It is not outputting the same signal as what your VCR is outputting to your TV via your 'aerial' cable.

quick edit - it's not an RF signal, which is what you're thinking of ie. vcr - tv is RF, which is, of course, poor quality. In this case, it isn't.

Energize · 5 Jun 2006 at 01:16

Mikol said:
again, you're getting confused. The cameras which use coax do not output to a VCR. They have a BNC connection and require a special card or video recorder. It is not outputting the same signal as what your VCR is outputting to your TV via your 'aerial' cable.

quick edit - it's not an RF signal, which is what you're thinking of ie. vcr - tv is RF, which is, of course, poor quality. In this case, it isn't.

So they use a compressed digital signal then like I said ntl did then, you could have just said that

SB118 · 5 Jun 2006 at 01:17

Energize said:
JVC GR-FXM41 - Analogue camera. CCD though.

Samsung VP-D351 - Best price found so far £155

Sony CCD-TRV238 - Best price found so far £178 + p&p, and it's analogue

Yucell YUCELL-A770 - £120, but no optical zoom.

Samsung VP-D361 - Best price found so far £176

Vivitar DVR-410 - £133, but no optical zoom

Which one do you use at home?

SB118 · 5 Jun 2006 at 01:20

Energize said:
So they use a digital signal then like I said ntl did then, you could have just said that

Close, they use a composite signal, not an RF one. And it's better coax that what you would use to connect your tv to your video.

Kol · 5 Jun 2006 at 01:20

SB118 said:
Close, they use a composite signal, not an RF one. And it's better coax that what you would use to connect your tv to your video.

\o/