POWER SUPPLY TIPS!
(What is Class 2 rated power cable)?
A guide to the requirements of the National Electrical Code for Home Theater Installations:
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/inwallrating.htm
The above diagram is not related to the picture below. It is for demonstration purposes only!
For multiple connections add multiple fuses to the end of the above circuit.
VIDEO HOW TO BUILD A POWER SUPPLY
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Bench-Top-Power-Supply/
http://www.rason.org/Projects/powsupply/powsupply.htm
FOR MORE ON ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS GO TO:
BASIC ELECTRONICS
Rectifiers
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/electronic/rectifiers.html#c1
Bridge Rectifier Explanation
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/electronic/rectbr.html
Center Tap Full Wave Bridge Rectifier
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/electronic/rectct.html
Ripple for Resistor / Capacitor circuit
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/electronic/rectct.html#c3
Filter Circuits
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/electric/filter.html#c1
Resistors
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/electronic/rescarb.html
Simplified Oscilloscope Controls
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/electronic/scope.html#c5
Example of Oscilloscope Controls
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/electronic/scopec.html
Help! My cameras are not working!
If you can hook up a small TV that has a composite input (which is the yellow connector on the back, or on the front of the TV), to the camera directly, then this would be great! If you have video at the camera, then this tells us that you are getting power to the camera, and the camera is putting out a video signal! This means the power side of your cable is OK!
This means the problem with the wire is on the video side of your cable. If you do not have video at the camera, then the power side of your cable is bad. There may be a situation that the wire is ok, but the connectors on the end are giving you the problem. Disconnect the video cable from your camera, and your test TV, and reconnect the cable to your camera. You can try wiggling the connector on the back of the camera, and on the back of your DVR, (or your recording device), and see if your video "pops" in, and out. If your video pops in, and out then this connector is what is giving you the grief. You can wiggle it to the point that it stays on until you can get a new cable, or a connector to replace it.
If you have power problems then you will have to go back to the power supply, and check to see if the power supply is uplugged, or if it has blown a fuse, or if the wiring has disconnected from its connection point.
Is there an LED light inside of the power panel to show that the power supply is on? Is this LED lit?
Take a multimeter and read the voltage at each point. This will tell you if you have the right voltage, or it you have blown a fuse.
If the power supply appears ok, then you may have a damaged wire along the way to the camera.
User problem:
Flat panel TV screen shows some camera's displaying wavy distortion every now and then, or all of the time.
Tech support questions:
1. What kind of power supply are you using?
Can you take some of the cameras off the power to see if it clears up?
2. Is the coax copper center, and is the braid copper?
3. Do you have a loop in and loop out situation such as going through a multiplexor, and then going to a DVR, (or vise versa)?
4. Does it clear up using a tube (CRT) based tv rather than a flat panel screen?
Techsupport Answers:
Answer 1
If removing some cameras from your power supply fixes the situation then you may have a power supply problem.
Reading your data sheet for your power supply may show that you have enough of a rating on paper, but this may not be the case in the real world, or your cameras may state in the data sheet how much they use, and they may use more then the data sheet shows, or you could have both scenerios.
It may be that one (or more) cameras may have a problem. The camera is working, but it may be on an apogee where it will soon "burn out".
I would add some cameras back to the system until you have a problem.
Take the last camera connected that starts the problem, and remove it, and go on to the next camera. If it works ok as you are adding cameras then one would have to assume the power supply is ok, and that this one camera is bad.
You may get to a point where the last camera connect causes chaos, and every camera that is swapped at this point continues the chaos, then it would be assumed that the power supply is the culprit.
If every thing is working fine, and you only had to remove one camera then do not be fooled if everything is working great! AT night when it gets dark the IR LED will come on, and draw more power sending everything back in to chaos again, so make sure you are on sight at dark (or remote in to check video) to verify that everything is working correctly.
Also power supplys may work when first applying power, and as it "warms up" then the problem may reappear, so do not be fooled by a "everything is working when I plugged the power supply back in" routine. Trust, but verify as Pres Reagan says!
Give the power supply time to warm back up, and recheck your system.
Answer 2
For Video Surveillance RG 59 coax is the best wire to use. It must have a solid copper center conductor, and the shielding must be solid copper.
Coax that is used for Broadband Cable, or Satellite Dish has a steel center conductor, and it has a copper coating around the center conductor. This is great for cable, or sat, as the high freqs work around the outside of the center conductor. CCTV is low freq, and they work in the center of the center conductor. It will not work in the steel part of the coax, and therefore you need solid center conductor.
Look at the braid of your coax. Does it appear copper color like a penny? If yes then you are good. Does it look like the color of aluminum? If yes then you have aluminum braiding. This is ok for cable, or sat, but not good for CCTV.
For those of you who are saying that you are using cable, or sat coax, and everything is working fine then you are ok. This kind of coax will work in short runs without problems. This is for those who are having problems, or who have long runs where this coax will create problems with a CCTV system.
Answer 3
Where you have a system that provides video in two different areas such as a front gate, and a security office, or a nightclub that has on office for managers, and an front office for the owner, and bookkeeping, then a good way to do this is to have a DVR at one "station", and a multiplexor at the other station. The multiplexor will take all of the cameras, and input the video, and create a multiscreen with multiple cameras on one tv screen, but there is no recording device within a muliplexor. This allows low level managers to view all of the cameras, or to select a specific camera to fill the tv full screen. The front end management can also view a multiscreen, or they can choose a specific camera to view full screen. This allows both stations to view all of the cameras independently of each other, and without affecting each other.
The problem arise where you have the two stations in separate buildings. You now have a grounding point at one building, and you have a grounding point at the other building. If there is a potential of difference between the two buildings then you will have ground loop issues, and you will have wavy, or distorted video.
The cure is to buy groudloop isolators for all of your cables.
Answer 4
Some flat panel TVs will show distortion, but if you hook up an old fashion TV then the distortion goes away. It is a hit, or miss with some flats screens verses other flat screens.
Cheaper flat screens may have this problem more so then more expensive flat screens.
I do not know the true reason, but it has to do with NTSC signals are based on 60 Hz, and power is also at 60 Hz. Old fashion TVs can take abusive distortion and show a decent picture as it is more forgiving as both the TV, and the power are both at 60Hz.
Flat panels do not work at 60 Hz, and they are mismatched compared to the power at 60Hz.
Yes, you are right this should not matter, and there should not be a problem. If you have a problem it might be that you have a slow refresh rate. The faster refresh rates clear up the distortion better. Digital Signage that you see such as in airports use very expensive flat panel, and they have extremly fast refresh rates.
This is something to consider when buying a Flat Panel for your home "hometheater". Now you know why some flat panel prices are so cheap. Look at the refresh rate. Do you really want a cheap Panel for your Hometheater, or your CCTV system?
If you can hook up a small TV that has a composite input (which is the yellow connector on the back, or on the front of the TV), to the camera directly, then this would be great! If you have video at the camera, then this tells us that you are getting power to the camera, and the camera is putting out a video signal! This means the power side of your cable is OK! This means the problem with the wire is on the video side of your cable. If you do not have video then the power side of your cable is bad. There may be a situation that the wire is ok, but the connectors on the end are giving you the problem. Disconnect the cable to your camera, and your TV, and reconnect the cable to your camera. You can try wiggling the connector on the back of the camera, and on the back of your DVR, (or your recording device), and see if your video "pops" in, and out. If your video pops in, and out then this connector is what is giving you the grief. You can wiggle it to the point that it stays on until you can get a new cable to replace it.