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 surveillance 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.