"Big Tim" Use.the.reply.to@address wrote in message
...
On Wed, 22 Oct 2003 19:57:19 GMT, "BigWallop"
wrote:
"Big Tim" Use.the.reply.to@address wrote in message
.. .
I'm in the process of wireing the house up with coax and cat5 cable as
well as installing an alarm system.
What I'd like to do is to add some CCTV cameras, but use a PC to
capture the pictures and software to trigger any alarms.
My research so far has been informative, apart from finding out about
the capture cards that I can get for my PC.
To date I've come to the conclusion that what I want/need (to start
with) is a 4-port PCI card. Of the few I can find any details of on
the web or in the newsgroups is the Trust 814. But in previous posts
(ages ago) it seems I'm limited to only one card in a PC. I can find
this for sale (@£60 at the moment) online.
Other cards that have been mentioned such as the PICO 2000 I don't
seem to be able to find and the other systems I can find are complete
systems, such as the geovision. I'm not looking for a software
element as I'll be building a Linux based PC.
So has anyone any suggestions as to a) a make of card that would be
useful, and b) where I can get these cards.
I've already ooked at Henrys.co.uk and rfcomponents.co.uk for cameras
and stuff.
Any suggestions?
(Cross posted on uk.d-i-y and uk.tech.electronic-security)
--
Big Tim
Or even these:
http://www.iviewcameras.co.uk/Computer-CCTV.htm
First thing I spotted was " Supports up to 4 cameras (colour OR black
& white, not both)" so that looks like a negative (sorry, I only
noticed what I'd typed after I'd typed it) as I'm not sure if the
outside camera will be B&W or colour. I'm still looking into what
"lux" and IR means :-). I think I want all the cameras to be colour,
but (and this may be a dumb question) can you see the IR "lights" when
they are activated? I had planned on trying to hide the outdoor
camera, but I suppose if it's high enough up then only the window
cleaner can have it away.
The Stingray 4 Port PCI thingy looks like the type of thing, but it's
£190 before you've got a camera. Have I mentioned I have (deep
pockets, short arms) a budget?
Still looking like the Trust 814.
--
Big Tim
Lux is the light level that gives the camera a working image. One Lux is
very close to One Candle power. B&W Cameras work at much lower light
levels, so are more preferential for outdoor use. Colour Cameras are OK in
anything above 5 Lux, but B&W Cameras can give a decent image down to 1/2
(0.5) Lux. IR Lighting causes most images to glow rather white when closer
to the camera, so try not to point the IR directly at the point you want to
view, but keep it shining over the area of view. A human face, because of
the red blood vessels near the surface of the skin, are the worst culprits
of this effect.
If you are going on the route of using the PCI card with BNC connections,
then you'll be able to use any standard Closed Circuit Camera on the market.
All you'll need is either mains voltage or low voltage types. There are
cameras called line fed, which plug in to a separate power supply then back
to the PCI card and the cameras are fed down the single coaxial cable, so
these might be worth you looking at.
I could go on forever spouting about CCTv systems, because they are our
speciality at B.A.S.S, but every job is an individual and needs treated as
such. Please shop about for a while longer before making your final choice,
because, as sure as fate, you'll find something better after you've already
bought something.