So what is the big difference about c-mount versus cs-mount cameras? Many people don’t realize that their are protocols to what lenses you can use on certain c-mount cameras. In the beginning modern cameras and lenses were made to format with CS mount rather than C mount. C mount lenses have a 17.52 length from the mounting position to the focal point of the lenses. On a CS mount camera you can use both cs-mount lenses and c-mount lenses, however, a C mount camera cannot do this. In fact it needs a special adapter a 5mm ring that is fitted in between the camera and the lens to achieve a focused image. The reason for this is with a cs-mount lens you cannot mount a lens close enough to the CCD chip-set to achieve a focus image. This is why CS mount cameras are preferred, they can adapt naturally. In the case of shopping, you don’t have to worry much about where you need to buy a lens from. With a cs-mount camera you can fit pretty much any lens to and plug and play.
So you have a PTZ camera and you are trying to figure out how to hook it all up. The major thing to this camera is the data connection. The pigtails coming out the back of the camera is power, video, and data. So you have three connections to worry about. Also when you are hooking up your PTZ camera you have to do everything twice! So for the camera end you need to run a connection for video by BNC connection, 18X2 power run, and a CAT5 twisted pair run. There are a few different ways you can do this. There are some cable solutions like RG59 with power and video in one jacket. This will save you a ton of time when you are installing. You can do a video balun with a RJ45 connection, you can pass video, power and data in one shot. This option is becoming very popular. However, let’s just assume that you have RG59 cable with video, data, and power in the same jacket. You will need a bnc connector to connect to the camera’s female end.
Next up is the power. Depending on the connection from the camera’s end you will need to get a female 2.1mm power adapter to connect to the camera’s male adapter, you will connect one end to the camera’s connector and the other side of the adapter you will connect the raw ends of the cable to the block or crimp connection supplied by the female pigtail power adapter. Last is the data connection. This one will require a CAT5 twisted pair connection. You basically will have to connect both raw ends. There are many solutions for doing this, you can just wrap each connection and tie it off with electrical tape, or use a special adapter to join both ends. Use whatever is easier for you and is good for long-term wear and tear. When all this is completed you are ready for the DVR side!
This part above is what you are going to need if your DVR has a serial port attached to your computer’s motherboard. We are hoping that you purchased a CPU built and designed for the use of CCTV, if not then there is a chance that your computer might not have a serial port. Although you can get a USB-to RS232 serial port adapter, the connection might not be as good of a direct connect. Also if you are looking for an interphase for a standalone security dvr, there should be RS485 connection on the back. If not then you will need to get a PTZ controller with a RS485 input. When connecting multiple PTZ cameras, you will just need to daisy chain your cameras together. You do not need multiple RS485 inputs to plug more than one. This is important, most people think you have to have multiple inputs on your DVR in order to hook them all up. We will make another post in the future to explain this, just look in our categories and you can find any or all topics regarding PTZ camera setups or anything about PTZ cameras. Now back to the picture above! This connector is the standard RS485 to RS232 adapter needed when using a PC based security DVR. After you screw down the connection, you match up your twisted pair to the correct inputs and you are done. It is that simple. But this is the interface you need in order to connect your PTZ security via RS485. If you are looking for a RS232 to RS485 connection take a look at our ptz security camera accessories section. If you need any help grasping this concept, give us a shout on our 800 line and speak to a tech today.
If you bought a PTZ camera and you realized that you need to have a RS485 connection to your PC (if you are going with a PC based DVR) and you do not have a serial port on your computer to fit that nice RS485 to RS232 adapter that you just bought to, then you need a new computer, motherboard, or this new RS485 PCI card for you PC. Pending you have an extra PCI expansion slot on your computer’s motherboard, you can connect this to the board and open up a way for your computer to send and receive data to your PTZ camera. See without the RS485 connection your security dvr cannot instruct the PTZ camera. Not too many online stores carry this part, however, we do! We will be adding a new menu to the site titled “PTZ accessories”. You can find it in our CCTV accessories menu or under the PTZ security camera’s sub menu. We have them priced for only $80.
If you are in the pre-planning stages of your CCTV setup or you are stuck on figuring out how you can run cable over 500 feet, then this blog is for you. We have been editing and updating our cctv accessories shelf in the warehouse and online. We have been vicariously organizing our video baluns section. We have sorted everything out and now we have a solution to the nightmares of not being able to run RG59 over 500 to 5000 feet!
Video balun transceivers are the answer. These transceivers are designed to offer a hybrid solution to running cable. This setup is to run terminated CAT5 cable in between both transceivers. Then the video balun transceiver re-strengthens the video signal and then you come out of the transceiver RG59 cable and run your cable to your security cameras. The solution works for incoming and outgoing signal. So you basically repeat the same process for running cable from your security cameras to your DVR.
It is a very exciting solution, because now you really can run cable out to 5000 feet for some of these more complex security camera installs. Check out our video baluns, they are many different options for different CCTV applications. We offer video balun connectors that allow you to not deal with any RG59 and the inputs are RJ45, so you can use terminated CAT5 to run cable to cameras. These video balun connectors can run cable up to 1500 feet! If you need help putting together a CAT5 video run, call our 800 number and speak with a technician today.
If you were wondering how you could record audio outside, then you should be thinking very hard? To-date there is no affordable security camera that can incorporate audio into the same shell as the lens, infrared lights, and other electronics. Not to mention that if the camera were a dome that the weather-proof dome and casing would prevent the microphone from picking up sound and recording audio. Well we have an idea of how we can solve this problem. We think that fabricating our micro-phones with an anti-water silicon coating on the spy microphone should solve the fear of water damaging the mic and other electrical parts of the wiring. We are currently in the blue-print stages, but we are looking to run some test to make sure the product can work. We are hoping that the microphones could be exposed to large amounts of rain and weathering. We will let you know the test results. Stay tuned for another update on this subject. If it works we will be the first to make them, sell them, and warranty water-proof spy microphones.
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