I found some GE SmartHome GESECCTVBWC b&w hard wired security cameras at
closeout. These were meant to be used with an associated GE monitor that
supplied the power to the cameras.

The camera has standard RCA plugs for video and audio output, and a male
DC plug for power. There are no markings on the camera or DC plug
concerning voltage or polarity. (There are no specifications at all
provided on the packaging.)

Anyone out there know what voltage and polarity to use with these
cameras? I'm assuming it's either 4.5 or 6 volts - like most other CCD
security cameras, but you know what happens when you assume things.

I could at least check the polarity - if I could figure out how to open
the case for the camera. But after removing the two obvious screws the
case parts won't budge.

Would I likely kill the camera if I applied DC voltage just long enough
to see if I got the polarity correct?

Rick

"Rick" wrote in message ...
I found some GE SmartHome GESECCTVBWC b&w hard wired security cameras at
closeout. These were meant to be used with an associated GE monitor that
supplied the power to the cameras.

The camera has standard RCA plugs for video and audio output, and a male
DC plug for power. There are no markings on the camera or DC plug
concerning voltage or polarity. (There are no specifications at all
provided on the packaging.)

Anyone out there know what voltage and polarity to use with these
cameras? I'm assuming it's either 4.5 or 6 volts - like most other CCD
security cameras, but you know what happens when you assume things.

I could at least check the polarity - if I could figure out how to open
the case for the camera. But after removing the two obvious screws the
case parts won't budge.

Would I likely kill the camera if I applied DC voltage just long enough
to see if I got the polarity correct?

Do you have a bench (adjustable) power supply? Connect the camera to a
monitor and slowly crank up the voltage until the picture locks and looks
OK. If this happens at say 5 volts, then you can assume it is designed for
6 volts. If it happens at say 10 volts, then you can assume it is designed
for 12 volts.

The problem with Charles suggestion that attempt would fail if polarity
is in correct.

On Jan 10, 3:42 pm, Rick wrote:
I found some GE SmartHome GESECCTVBWC b&w hard wired security cameras at
closeout. These were meant to be used with an associated GE monitor that
supplied the power to the cameras.

The camera has standard RCA plugs for video and audio output, and a male
DC plug for power. There are no markings on the camera or DC plug
concerning voltage or polarity. (There are no specifications at all
provided on the packaging.)

Anyone out there know what voltage and polarity to use with these
cameras? I'm assuming it's either 4.5 or 6 volts - like most other CCD
security cameras, but you know what happens when you assume things.

I could at least check the polarity - if I could figure out how to open
the case for the camera. But after removing the two obvious screws the
case parts won't budge.

Would I likely kill the camera if I applied DC voltage just long enough
to see if I got the polarity correct?

Rick

"Rick" wrote in message ...

Would I likely kill the camera if I applied DC voltage just long enough
to see if I got the polarity correct?

IME most things survive reverse polarity. Consider the people who install
them and you'll see why.









--

On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:42:11 -0400, Rick put finger
to keyboard and composed:

I found some GE SmartHome GESECCTVBWC b&w hard wired security cameras at
closeout. These were meant to be used with an associated GE monitor that
supplied the power to the cameras.

The camera has standard RCA plugs for video and audio output, and a male
DC plug for power. There are no markings on the camera or DC plug
concerning voltage or polarity. (There are no specifications at all
provided on the packaging.)

Anyone out there know what voltage and polarity to use with these
cameras? I'm assuming it's either 4.5 or 6 volts - like most other CCD
security cameras, but you know what happens when you assume things.

I could at least check the polarity - if I could figure out how to open
the case for the camera. But after removing the two obvious screws the
case parts won't budge.

Would I likely kill the camera if I applied DC voltage just long enough
to see if I got the polarity correct?

Rick

If there is continuity between a particular terminal of the DC plug
and the ground terminal of your AV outputs, then that would probably
be your negative supply pin.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

Franc Zabkar wrote:

On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:42:11 -0400, Rick put finger
to keyboard and composed:

I found some GE SmartHome GESECCTVBWC b&w hard wired security cameras at
closeout. These were meant to be used with an associated GE monitor that
supplied the power to the cameras.

The camera has standard RCA plugs for video and audio output, and a male
DC plug for power. There are no markings on the camera or DC plug
concerning voltage or polarity. (There are no specifications at all
provided on the packaging.)

Anyone out there know what voltage and polarity to use with these
cameras? I'm assuming it's either 4.5 or 6 volts - like most other CCD
security cameras, but you know what happens when you assume things.

I could at least check the polarity - if I could figure out how to open
the case for the camera. But after removing the two obvious screws the
case parts won't budge.

Would I likely kill the camera if I applied DC voltage just long enough
to see if I got the polarity correct?

Rick

If there is continuity between a particular terminal of the DC plug
and the ground terminal of your AV outputs, then that would probably
be your negative supply pin.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

Tnaks Franc - great idea. Will check it out.

Rick

Rick wrote:
Franc Zabkar wrote:
On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:42:11 -0400, Rick put finger
to keyboard and composed:

I found some GE SmartHome GESECCTVBWC b&w hard wired security cameras at
closeout. These were meant to be used with an associated GE monitor that
supplied the power to the cameras.

The camera has standard RCA plugs for video and audio output, and a male
DC plug for power. There are no markings on the camera or DC plug
concerning voltage or polarity. (There are no specifications at all
provided on the packaging.)

Anyone out there know what voltage and polarity to use with these
cameras? I'm assuming it's either 4.5 or 6 volts - like most other CCD
security cameras, but you know what happens when you assume things.

I could at least check the polarity - if I could figure out how to open
the case for the camera. But after removing the two obvious screws the
case parts won't budge.

Would I likely kill the camera if I applied DC voltage just long enough
to see if I got the polarity correct?

Rick
If there is continuity between a particular terminal of the DC plug
and the ground terminal of your AV outputs, then that would probably
be your negative supply pin.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

Tnaks Franc - great idea. Will check it out.

Rick


Hi Rick...

Google this and you come up with many hits, some of which may be helpful...

ge security camera power supply

Take care.

Ken

Ken Weitzel wrote:

Rick wrote:
Franc Zabkar wrote:
On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 16:42:11 -0400, Rick put finger
to keyboard and composed:

I found some GE SmartHome GESECCTVBWC b&w hard wired security cameras at
closeout. These were meant to be used with an associated GE monitor that
supplied the power to the cameras.

The camera has standard RCA plugs for video and audio output, and a male
DC plug for power. There are no markings on the camera or DC plug
concerning voltage or polarity. (There are no specifications at all
provided on the packaging.)

Anyone out there know what voltage and polarity to use with these
cameras? I'm assuming it's either 4.5 or 6 volts - like most other CCD
security cameras, but you know what happens when you assume things.

I could at least check the polarity - if I could figure out how to open
the case for the camera. But after removing the two obvious screws the
case parts won't budge.

Would I likely kill the camera if I applied DC voltage just long enough
to see if I got the polarity correct?

Rick
If there is continuity between a particular terminal of the DC plug
and the ground terminal of your AV outputs, then that would probably
be your negative supply pin.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

Tnaks Franc - great idea. Will check it out.

Rick

Hi Rick...

Google this and you come up with many hits, some of which may be helpful...

ge security camera power supply

Take care.

Ken

Hi Ken

I googled my buns off before bringing it here. When I used the camera
model number I found other people looking for the same information - but
no answer. When I go more generic with the search you suggested I come
up with high end GE security camera systems that use 12VDC supplies. But
this ain't a high end camera so I'm a little wary deducing that all GE
cameras use 12V supplies. It *might*, but all the non GE CCD cameras
I've seen in catalogs use 6V or less power power supplies.

Short of someone popping up who has the monitor used with these cameras
that provides power for them it looks like I'm gonna have to figure out
how to crack the case to solve this.

Rick

I bought one of these, and spent five (scary!) minutes trying voltages
with an old PC power supply. The red plug is power, 12VDC, negative on
the outside, running about 50mA. The yellow plug is ordinary NTSC
component video. The white plug is analog audio, but of course you
should check your laws before recording audio along with video! All
three plugs' grounds are tied together directly, so do make sure your
power supply, audio, and video equipment share a ground.

The GE SmartHome Video (GESECCTVBWC) are nice little cameras, and for
the price, the picture's pretty darn good. They do nicely in the dark,
too, although their 5 infrared LEDs do spill some into the visible red,
and without a diffuser (even a piece of tape!) tend to give a sort of
"flashlight effect" to the image.


--
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