Comments on: Video Modulation / Distribution - Phase I http://www.moral-flexibility.net/archives/2008/07/15/video-modulation-distribution-phase-i/ The ramblings of a zombocalypse ready, hoplophile Canuck. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:36:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Mugwug http://www.moral-flexibility.net/archives/2008/07/15/video-modulation-distribution-phase-i/comment-page-1/#comment-73932 Mugwug Fri, 18 Jul 2008 23:51:57 +0000 http://www.moral-flexibility.net/blog/?p=784#comment-73932 Might be outside the scope of the project. Frankly I was expecting the LEDs to form part of a power distribution board I had envisioned as part of the wiring clean-up, as part and parcel of that I figured a few fuses and some LEDs indicating power to each unit as a good idea (alternating color flashing LEDs are only slightly more expensive than generic single color LEDs, so there's the flashing LEDs.) As for the beeping, well we have eliminated the beeping. I have an old UPS of Dads that I took apart and mangled the little piezo when I replaced the battery, the UPS works fine and there's no annoying beep to wake Lisa when the power drops in the wee hours. I'll be modifying the other UPSs similarly, if I haven't figured out the power is out and they need shutting down then a recurring beep isn't going to help (although I suppose a few minutes with a multimeter and I could rig an LED to the output intended for the piezo and get a visual alarm instead...hrmmm...). Give me a little while on this, the new dwelling for the surveillance system should be kinda disco when it's done. Asthetics were a consideration for the first time, and I'm looking forward to showcasing the results. Might be outside the scope of the project. Frankly I was expecting the LEDs to form part of a power distribution board I had envisioned as part of the wiring clean-up, as part and parcel of that I figured a few fuses and some LEDs indicating power to each unit as a good idea (alternating color flashing LEDs are only slightly more expensive than generic single color LEDs, so there’s the flashing LEDs.)

As for the beeping, well we have eliminated the beeping. I have an old UPS of Dads that I took apart and mangled the little piezo when I replaced the battery, the UPS works fine and there’s no annoying beep to wake Lisa when the power drops in the wee hours. I’ll be modifying the other UPSs similarly, if I haven’t figured out the power is out and they need shutting down then a recurring beep isn’t going to help (although I suppose a few minutes with a multimeter and I could rig an LED to the output intended for the piezo and get a visual alarm instead…hrmmm…).

Give me a little while on this, the new dwelling for the surveillance system should be kinda disco when it’s done. Asthetics were a consideration for the first time, and I’m looking forward to showcasing the results.

]]> By: Pieter http://www.moral-flexibility.net/archives/2008/07/15/video-modulation-distribution-phase-i/comment-page-1/#comment-73833 Pieter Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:34:28 +0000 http://www.moral-flexibility.net/blog/?p=784#comment-73833 Yeah, "Threat Level" LEDs. An ominous voice that said things like "Perimeter breached" or "Self destruct sequence initiated" would be kind of cool. Yeah, “Threat Level” LEDs.
An ominous voice that said things like “Perimeter breached” or “Self destruct sequence initiated” would be kind of cool.

]]> By: Matti http://www.moral-flexibility.net/archives/2008/07/15/video-modulation-distribution-phase-i/comment-page-1/#comment-73830 Matti Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:45:01 +0000 http://www.moral-flexibility.net/blog/?p=784#comment-73830 Looks pretty spiffy, but yup ... needs some flashing LEDs, a couple of digital readouts and one or two analog meters ... how about 'Intruder Level' ?! LOL!! Looks pretty spiffy, but yup … needs some flashing LEDs, a couple of digital readouts and one or two analog meters … how about ‘Intruder Level’ ?! LOL!!

]]> By: Mugwug http://www.moral-flexibility.net/archives/2008/07/15/video-modulation-distribution-phase-i/comment-page-1/#comment-73790 Mugwug Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:09:12 +0000 http://www.moral-flexibility.net/blog/?p=784#comment-73790 <b>Piet:</b> high/low pass filters are available in different frequency ranges, but generally cover an 8 (eight) channel range, I purchased this one specifically because there's nothing on TV in the 71-78 channel range (except for like CSPAN or the "Insurance Adjusters Network"), I also have a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Band-stop_filter" rel="nofollow">Notch Filter</a> which will chop out channel 3-6 or so, but theres more interesting stuff down there. Channel 75 is a direct feed off the multiplexer, so it's a quad screen split with one of the quads flipping between two cameras, like so (although this is an outdated screen cap from the old windows software, and most of the cameras have been upgraded, same idea): <center><img src="http://www.moral-flexibility.net/blog/images/hss_mplexfeed_day03.gif"/></center> I can get a channel per camera, but I'd need a modulator for each feed I'm inserting into the CATV feed. I had figured that I'd add a second feed for the video output from the DVR system just so I can verify that it is running etc, but that's down the road. PTZ cameras vary in price, a basic HK pan/tilt camera with a remote (wireless) control weighs in around $100-150, pretty basic. A proper PTZ camera, housing and controller is a bargain at around $500-750, making it more expensive than my entire system up to this point. Internet? No, no internet feed just yet as Zoneminder doesn't have an built in security, although I may make a public feed available from one of the cameras (either the dogpoop or neighbor-cam) when those projects are completed. Nifty, huh? Piet: high/low pass filters are available in different frequency ranges, but generally cover an 8 (eight) channel range, I purchased this one specifically because there’s nothing on TV in the 71-78 channel range (except for like CSPAN or the “Insurance Adjusters Network”), I also have a Notch Filter which will chop out channel 3-6 or so, but theres more interesting stuff down there.

Channel 75 is a direct feed off the multiplexer, so it’s a quad screen split with one of the quads flipping between two cameras, like so (although this is an outdated screen cap from the old windows software, and most of the cameras have been upgraded, same idea):

I can get a channel per camera, but I’d need a modulator for each feed I’m inserting into the CATV feed. I had figured that I’d add a second feed for the video output from the DVR system just so I can verify that it is running etc, but that’s down the road.

PTZ cameras vary in price, a basic HK pan/tilt camera with a remote (wireless) control weighs in around $100-150, pretty basic. A proper PTZ camera, housing and controller is a bargain at around $500-750, making it more expensive than my entire system up to this point.

Internet? No, no internet feed just yet as Zoneminder doesn’t have an built in security, although I may make a public feed available from one of the cameras (either the dogpoop or neighbor-cam) when those projects are completed.

Nifty, huh?

]]> By: Pieter http://www.moral-flexibility.net/archives/2008/07/15/video-modulation-distribution-phase-i/comment-page-1/#comment-73783 Pieter Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:49:26 +0000 http://www.moral-flexibility.net/blog/?p=784#comment-73783 So with the pass filter you can pick the channels? I was just wondering what was on the channels you gave up. Or is it like, channel 3 is cable TV and 70 is cctv? Is channel 70 a multi-plexed image, or can you set it to give you a camera per channel (70=camera #1, 71=camera #2, and so on)? How much more work would it be to have one of the "Pan/Tilt/Zoom" cameras? And lastly, when is the internet stream coming on-line? So with the pass filter you can pick the channels?
I was just wondering what was on the channels you gave up.
Or is it like, channel 3 is cable TV and 70 is cctv?
Is channel 70 a multi-plexed image, or can you set it to give you
a camera per channel (70=camera #1, 71=camera #2, and so on)?
How much more work would it be to have one of the “Pan/Tilt/Zoom” cameras?
And lastly, when is the internet stream coming on-line?

]]> By: Mugwug http://www.moral-flexibility.net/archives/2008/07/15/video-modulation-distribution-phase-i/comment-page-1/#comment-73779 Mugwug Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:14:23 +0000 http://www.moral-flexibility.net/blog/?p=784#comment-73779 -GRIN- Thanks Jeff! I know most of the CCTV stuff on this website is presently being used on insomniacs that don't respond to heavy medication and I'm trying to make the subject matter a little more approachable and entertaining. I'm hoping to break it down to a bunch of bite sized articles that can be more easily digested by my six readers. Stand by for more "B T I / O O T" stuff coming up. -GRIN-

Thanks Jeff! I know most of the CCTV stuff on this website is presently being used on insomniacs that don’t respond to heavy medication and I’m trying to make the subject matter a little more approachable and entertaining.

I’m hoping to break it down to a bunch of bite sized articles that can be more easily digested by my six readers.

Stand by for more “B T I / O O T” stuff coming up.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.moral-flexibility.net/archives/2008/07/15/video-modulation-distribution-phase-i/comment-page-1/#comment-73772 Jeff Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:22:38 +0000 http://www.moral-flexibility.net/blog/?p=784#comment-73772 This has got to be your best article on the CCTV so far. That whole "brass two in/one out thing" description is excellent! :) Really though, I do enjoy reading your trying to see what's outside the house from inside the house exploits. Now if it was all as easy to understand as "b t i/o o t", I might actually know waht was going on. This has got to be your best article on the CCTV so far. That whole “brass two in/one out thing” description is excellent! :)

Really though, I do enjoy reading your trying to see what’s outside the house from inside the house exploits. Now if it was all as easy to understand as “b t i/o o t”, I might actually know waht was going on.

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