Digital Surveillance Cameras

Info
Level: Beginner
Presenter: Eli the Computer Guy
Date Created: February 24, 2012
Length of Class: 70 Minutes
Tracks
Digital Surveillance
Prerequisites
Introduction to Digital Surveillance Systems
Purpose of Class
This class demonstrates the abilities of Digital Surveillance Cameras and explains the differences between types of cameras.
Chapters
Introduction (00:00)
Analog vs. IP Cameras (03:24)
Analog Cameras Configuration (08:31)
Camera Form Factor (22:17)
Camera Feature (35:14)
Purchasing Cameras (49:04)
Final Thoughts (57:49)
Class Notes
Analog vs. IP Cameras
NVR -- Network Video Recorders are used for IP Cameras, DVR - Digital Video Recorders are used for analog cameras.
Resolution for Analog Cameras is TVL -- Television Lines, for IP Cameras resolution is based on pixels.
Analog Cameras Configuration
Analog cameras use RG59 (Siamese) Cable for connecting to the DVR. Siamese cable is a coax cable and a 12 volt power cable contained within a single sheath.
Analog cameras use BNC connectors (British Naval Connectors) You can use adapters for cameras to connect to RCA or standard coax cable connection on TV's.
Make sure to use the right power adapter for the camera.
BalUns allow you to use Cat5 Cable for analog camera wiring. This is NOT an Ethernet, or a TCP/IP connection. It simply uses Cat5 cable to transmit an analog signal.
Camera Form Factor
Bullet
Dome
Box -- Box cameras require you to buy the lens and mount additionally.
Vandal Proof Dome
PTZ -- Pant/ Tilt/ Zoom are robotic cameras
Camera Feature
Low Lux Cameras allow cameras to see in low light levels. 32,000 Lux is sunlight at Noon, 1 Lux is a Full Moon Overhead at Tropical Latitudes, .002 Lux is a Moonless Night with Airglow.
No Light cameras use Infrared Lights to be able to see in a 0 light environment.
Auto Iris Lenses automatically close or open the lens iris to restrict the amount of light that hits the camera sensor so that the camera is not overloaded with light that is too bright.
Wide Dynamic Range cameras can see in a larger number of lighting conditions
Purchasing Cameras
Make sure to buy good cameras
Resources
Lux

[collaredkeeper]

Thanks for taking the time and effort to put this together, it was a great crash course in my understanding of what our home requires! The thing that still gets me is the issues that ip cameras cause for bandwidth and the internet. Thanks again!

[CVMVOLT]

As an electrician / CCTV installer I can confirm you are very correct. You must match the needed voltage requirements of the camera and CAN use a much larger amperage power source that the camera draws. Look at multi channel CCTV power supplies and see what amperage the transformers are they utilize. Think of all the 12 volt low wattage electronics you plug into the lighter plug in your car being fed from a VERY high wattage battery

[johndoe-grmj]

Thank you Eli The Computor guy for taking the time to make your videos.

[tea]

Great stuff man, done couple jobs so far installing about 50 cameras so far and I can tell you if i watched these videos before it would have made my job much easier!!!

[CVMVOLT]

I also want to add that multi channel CCTV power supplies will have a fuse on each output going to each camera. As someone else mentioned, this will limit the amperage the end device can pull and use to damage itself should the device fail. This fuse also protects the conductors from receiving more amperage than it is rated to carry to prevent electrical fires ... just as breakers in your home service panel work.

[CVMVOLT]

Granted there is some info in these instructional videos that are not 100% correct " such as the power source amperage rating vs. camera current draw" but still these are fantastic videos and very educational. Though I have been installing analog CCTV cameras for over a decade, I am learning much about IP Camera technology from these videos ... Thank You

[thaweesurinson]

It's so nice of you providing this knowledge. Thanks a million.

[darrensmith]

You have a lot of great info but two quick correction.
1. BNC actually stand for Bayonet Neill Concelman connector, not British Navel Connector
2. A power supply amperage output can be rated higher than the draw of the camera without inflicting any damage to the camera.

[SirSilversilk]

Excellent...as all your videos normally are!! Thank you and may you live to be 250 years old!!!

[SimpleCarGuy]

@elithecomputerguy if the camera tries to pull 750mA than there is already something wrong with it and it won't function properly anyway.
I'm not saying that you should go get a 2 A supply and use it for everything. It just doesn't have to be the exact number on the camera. Some cameras have weird ratings and you wouldn't won't to spend the extra money on searching for those.
If you needed a 350mA supply, you could just use a 400mA and still be same even if the camera pulled

[rossmanngroup]

A cool way to check this is plugging the adapters into audio equipment that runs off 12vdc. You can actually hear the extra noise one PSU produces over another.

I power nine cameras w/ 72 infrared LEDs off the 6 pin graphics card connector of a PCP&P power supply. It's the PSU that is used in the computer that is our DVR. It's a turbocool, before PCP&P outsourced everything to shitty companies. Almost no measurable ripple. It has at least 15 amps on that rail and no cameras dead yet.

[Muhovc]

About the power supply: Both are correct.

The voltage written on low power adaptors (such as one for a camera) is the voltage when the adaptor is connected to the camera and allready sucking power, not stand-by voltage. (When you suck the current out, the voltage drops.). So when you put a 2A instead of a 0.5A adaptor, voltage will be higher and might be too high thus frying the camera eventually.

Example: 60W adaptor will output 12V when 0.5A will be drawn out of it, will have 14V with 0.1A

[srokalapy]

Many times installers using one big power supply for surveillance system. Lets say i have 4 cameras which draw 600mA each = 2.4 Amps total. I can use 4 separate power adapters but i don't have to. Instead I am using one power supply which is rated 12Volts and 5 amps Maximum. Nothing wrong with that, works fine.

[SimpleCarGuy]

@elithecomputerguy I understand that it is a class, but since this is internet I can watch the video again. I'm trying to learn new material in as little time as possible and not review the same thing again and again.
Again, not hating or anything like that, just thought I would express how I feel. Still like to listen to your lessons; though, I wish you made some more advance classes.

[johndoe-grmj]

The "BNC" in BNC connector stands for Bayonet Neill–Concelman. Carl Concelman was an American electrical engineer. Paul Neill was an electrical engineer who worked at Bell labs. The bayonet is from the bayonet mount which is the fastening mechanism.

[elithecomputerguy]

@elithecomputerguy The voltage has to match. If there is a regulator in the camera then you might have wiggle room
but just say voltage matching is a must. If the camera calls for 300mA 12V DC you could use a 10A 12V DC supply.
It doesn't matter, it's excess capacity. And if some supply lists power and not amps for DC:

power (W) = current (A) * voltage (V)

I actually have to worry about products getting this right for my new job.

Kevin

[mozzmann]

The BNC was developed for VHF Radio Cables and later Coaxial Ethernet cabling. A true BNC is a vibration & moisture proof sealed locking connector. The one you showed on the Video Lead is a cheap molded unit not worth a dime anywhere outside.
A quality BNC Termination has compression seals inside the cable entry where the gland nut tightens and a seal inside the locking ring that seals against the chassis socket the BNC connector joins. Most AV cabeling is RCA connectors in Red White and Yellow

[elithecomputerguy]

@elithecomputerguy
I don't have any knowledge of what fusing, if any, is in those supplies. I also
don't know what they do when you overdraw them. I suspect they work for awhile but
get hot. So if you have seen a ton of this I think the answer is something like this.

[WeAreNotAlone]

At around 12:35 in the video the question is asked, or brought forward "why" BNC connectors are used vs other connectors.

Have a common sense answer to why BNC connectors are used in CCTV, vs RCA, or Cable TV type screw on cable connectors.

BNC connectors just require a twist to "LOCK" cabling to whatever you are attaching it to.  If you say have 30 -256? cameras (Heck or less that that) that were plugged into a DVR's, multiplexer's (or whatever) it would be VERY easy for the cables to come loose while servicing the unit if you used RCA A/V connectors.
If you were using screw-on cable tv type connectors it would be secure, but a royal pain to service.

[AlexShadrin]

The BNC connectors are heavy duty military standard . I used them in many extreme environments . I agree that in house you don't need all of that but this is probably the reason that almost all manufactures uses this connector .