Re: Recomendations wanted for outdoor video camera (make/model) and retailer

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Mark Thomas" <mrt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message >

> Robert Green wrote:

 <stuff snipped>

> > Why do you want to control the IR function?
>
> Because an earlier poster said it attracts spiders, and you have just
> confirmed that it's not just a aesthetic problem.

I think that was me both times!  It may also be the heat that attracts the
spiders, but it seems I've had more trouble with the litte arachnids  (and
bats) since adding the IR cams.  Instead of patching into the camera's
innards to find the IR power lines, I'd just put the whole camera on a
motion detector that you could also activate manually.  That way, the
camera's not generating either heat or IR when you're not using it.

In fact, I might just do that with the driveway cam because it needs
de-webbing again and it's a nasty chore that always has the potential of
misaligning the camera.   I'm going to try saturating the surrounding bricks
with bug spray as another poster suggesting before I start cycling the
camera on and off.  I've discovered that some electronic devices don't like
being cycled frequently via the power supply.  I'd hate to blow a $150
camera from powering it on and off from the power supply too much.

> > > I guess I could just make motion turn on the front light... will that
> > > be enough illumination, even if it's on the opposite side of the door
> > > from the camera?
> >
> > Yes!  For anything with a Sony HAD or ExView chipset it's almost enough
> > light to see color.  www.Supercircuits.com sells them.  Try one and
you'll
> > be unhappy with anything else.  A porchlight is certainly enough to make
out
> > faces, even when dimmed to the equivalent of a 25W bulb.  I'm going to
see
> > if a match works later tonight if I remember to test it.  I'm pretty
sure it
> > will!
>
> Thanks for this information. I'll look into cameras with these
> chipsets.

Fair warning.  The do make other cameras with ratings .5 lux and greater
seem nightblind.

> > CCTV is as addicting as X-10.  Once you have a front door cam, you see
the
> > need for a side door cam, a garage cam, a backyard cam, a shed cam, a
> > driveway cam, a porch cam and in my case, a roof cam pointed at the
major
> > thoroughfare that runs behind my house.  It's really been helpful as a
> > traffic cam, believe it or not!
>
> Nifty. Do you ever feel the need for mic input in any of your cam
> locations?

Front and side doors are miked as part of the door intercom system.

> What do you do for modulation of so many cameras? That looks like the
> part that can really rack up the $$$.

You can buy one of the multiplexers Marc recommended or a Channel Vision 4
channel modulator (like I did) to inject the signal into the cable TV or
dish system.  I also have a ProVideo sequential switcher that handles the 8
"surround" cameras and switches between them every 5 seconds or so and put
that output on one of the modulated channels.  That way, all the cameras
like the shed cam, driveway cam, porch cam etc each get 5 seconds on screen,
so I see sort of a carousel view of the outside of the house.  Those eight
cams also include backup front door and side door cams.  I'm seriously
thinking of buying a multiplexer like the one Marc cited so I can do more
with the existing cameras.  A sequential sequencer always seems to switch
away at the wrong moment!

It turns out what I really need to do is mount a camera on my neighbors
house that looks at mine.  I might settle for a tree mounted camera at some
point because building mounted cams have serious blind spots.

--
Bobby G.