Archive for the ‘PTZ Security Camera Integration Tips’ Category

What are PTZ preset positions

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

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So what is a preset position for a PTZ camera? Preset positions are a speed dome camera’s memorized P/T/Z and focus functionality. This means a user/operator can set the camera to automatically look at a certain area in your CCTV application. Depending on what you are trying to do and what you want to look at, this can be very powerful. It takes a little research and effort to do a walk through and write down points of a target area that at any time needs fast monitoring of activities or environmental conditions. In certain scenes and applications this is a much needed feature and preset positions allow you to adapt the camera to see an area, with an operator handling the camera. This is great, because humans have a large amount of operator error, that may disrupts the ability for the end user to see what is going on. This is due to over panning, tilting and zooming. To set preset positions we recommend two people to configure this. One can be in the field and re-enact the environmental conditions and the other person can figure the field and settings to where the camera will zoom.


The commands you will use will need to be set using a PTZ controller board. For example to set a preset position you would enter this command:::


[PRESET] + nnn + [ENTER} as a result the LCD screen on your PTZ controller will display:: SET PRESET : nn (nn is a variable, when completed you will define the number for the degree needed)


Most PTZ security cameras have the capability of having up to 128 preset postings. That’s right! This is more than enough preset positions you can have programmed so your CCTV surveyor can monitor activity a lot better. Again the main reason for using this is to help you manage your video and adapt the camera faster than what a human operator can manually do. There are some professionals in the field that can pan, tilt, and zoom the camera with no problem, however, they are not faster than the camera! We have some manuals listed on our site, where you can download our manuals and follow along how to operate, set, and delete preset positions.


How To Daisy Chain PTZ Cameras Using RS485 Connectors

Monday, February 1st, 2010

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Just a few days ago we were talking much about how to properly make several PTZ cameras connect using a RS485 distributor. Turns out that you can still daisy chain PTZ cameras together, but we have yet to really determine how well the signal travels and if it is really that great of a way to network many PTZ cameras together. We are looking to try that real soon and we are anxious to test it and report the results.


Now on to the diagram, above you can see the illustration that the receiver has only one input for all the PTZ cameras. However there are several inputs for PTZ controllers and multiple security dvrs. This solution is cheaper than having a full or multiple RS485 receivers. This is just one of many different ways you can setup multiple PTZ cameras, except this solution is extremely cheap. We have a full section now on PTZ accessories and RS485 receivers.