F A Q

Q What is hardwired video equipment? What are its advantages and disadvantages?
A Hardwired refers to equipment that is directly connected via cable or wire. For example, a hardwired video camera sends a signal through a cable to its destination (VCR, DVR or monitor). The advantage of a hardwired system is that you can usually rely on having a strong, clear signal at your destination given you are using a reasonable high quality cable limited to a reasonable length. The disadvantage of a hardwired system is the need to run cable between your source (camera) and your destination (i.e., VCR or monitor). This can be cumbersome as well as costly in situations where you have to run between walls, streets and buildings. It's especially difficult to do so in a covert manner.

Q What is wireless video equipment? What are its advantages and disadvantages?
A Wireless refers to equipment that transmits signal via radio frequencies. A wireless video camera will be connected via a short lead to a transmitter which then sends the signal on a radio frequency to a receiver set to thesame frequency. The advantage of a wireless system centers on its ease of setup. Long cable runs are eliminated allowing for quick, inexpensive and covert installations. The disadvantage of a wireless system is its susceptibility to interference problems. The video signal is no longer on adedicated run but rather is sharing a frequency. This can lead to signal problems and the video quality may diminish as a result.

Q What is the difference between wireless surveillance systems (A)upgraded and (B)basic?
A Upgraded systems (A) come with an industrial receiver housed in a metal enclosure. This receiver has an external antenna jack giving one the ability to change antennas if a higher gain antenna is needed. The upgraded systems (A) also include a carrying case to conveniently hold the receiver, cables and transmitter unit (depending on the system). Basic systems (B) come with a Wavecom receiver. This receiver is housed in plastic and has a fixed, non-removable antenna. A carrying case is not included.

Q What transmission distances can be expected from the available transmitters?
A Line of sight: ~1,000 feet (10mW) Indoors (through walls): ~100 feet (10mW)
~2,000 feet (55mW) ~200 feet (55mW)
~1 mile (250mW) ~300-400 feet (250mW)
In general, it is difficult to guarantee distance of transmission with wireless equipment being the number of factors that can interfere with the signal. The distances above are conservative estimates, however some media, including water, metal & human bodies can reduce transmission capabilities. Signal will also be negatively effected by other wireless devices (especially those operating on 2.4GHz frequency).

Q How can I minimize interference of wireless transmission?
A - Remove/minimize media that interfere with transmission (metal, water, etc.).
     - Decrease the distance between the transmitter and the receiver.
     - Extend the cable from the receiver output to the monitoring system so that the receiver    can be positioned closer to the transmitter.
     - Use a higher gain receiving antenna (model #ANT14DBP) to improve signal reception between 20-30%. FCC regulations restrict the altering of an FCC Part 15 transmitting antenna but the receiving antenna specifications are not restricted.
   - Use a higher power transmitter (250mW) to increase transmission distance by approximately 300% over the standard 10mW transmitter. (FCC Part 90 license is required.)

Q What types of power sources do the cameras & transmitters utilize?
A The cameras and transmitters usually run off of 12 VDC. We provide the power in one of three ways depending on the surveillance system:
1. A 12 VDC transformer is built into surveillance units that normally require power via an electrical plug (Clock Radio, Air Purifier, VCR, etc.) The transformer taps off of the incoming 110 VAC from the electrical outlet. Therefore, when the surveillance unit is plugged in and operating, the ransmitter and camera are operating as well.
2. A power adapter 12 VDC transformer is provided for use with surveillance units that do not normally run off of power from an electrical outlet andare too small to house a built-in battery (Smoke Detector, PIR and Exit Sign). The wall wartcan be plugged into an electrical outlet to power the transmitter and camera. An alternative to the wall wart is an external 12 VDC battery source. We recommend using a 12 VDC rechargeable sealed lead standard alarm battery (Yuasa or Powersonic). The external battery makes most sense for applications in a drop ceiling. The battery can be placed just above the unit it is powering.
3. A rechargeable battery is built into surveillance units that can accommodate the battery size. Items that apply come with a 5 hour battery or a 10 hour battery. A charger, with automatic float/trickle charge, is also included. The charger can be left plugged in, and the power cord hidden, if continuous operation is necessary. We supply Powersonic batteries if necessary. A 4-foot cable with a 2.1mm barrel-style plug is installed on all batteries. This plug fits into the power jack of all In*Site video systems' 9-12 VDC cameras.

Q How many wireless devices can be operated simultaneously without interference?
A Our 2.4GHz systems have 4 channel capabilities meaning up to four different video transmissions can be run simultaneously. One transmitter will be needed for each video source and a corresponding receiver will be needed for each transmitter if one wants to watch all signals simultaneously. It is recommended to limit simultaneous transmission to 2 channels when possible to avoid experiencing ghosting effects & bleeding of channels when running 4 signals at once. The ghosting effect is due to the very narrow band allocated for 2.4GHz use. The ghosting effect can be avoided when running 2 signals by spacing the channels apart ex:(Ch1 & Ch 3).

Q What is the difference between omni-directional & directional?
A These terms refer to the signal sent from the transmitter antenna. An omni-directional antenna transmits 360 degrees on the horizontal plane & between 30-40 degrees vertically. This antenna is optimal for mobile applications or operations utilizing multiple receivers because its signal is sent in multiple directions at once. However, omni antennas are usually lower gain and therefore will not transmit as far. A directional antenna transmits forward in a linear pattern with a 15-35 degree conical signal depending on the gain of the antenna. Although its signal pattern is narrow, the antenna is high gain and can achieve greater transmission distances. Directional antennas are best suited for stationary point-to-point applications.

Q Can a quad be used with a wirelss surveillance system?
A Most Quad splitters do not function properly with wireless equipment. Typically, the processor chip does not obtain enough signal strength from the video output of the receiver and, at this time, there is no way to increase the output gain of a wireless receiver.

Q Can the antenna be extended from the receiving unit?
A It is not recommend extending the antenna from the receiving unit due to the large amount of signal loss that usually occurs. 2.4 GHz is a difficult frequency to contain in a cable due to its tiny wave length. As the length of the cable between the antenna & the receiver becomes greater, and so does the signal loss becomes greater.

Q How does 1 covert battery usage requirements into hours of operation?
A In order to calculate hours of operation, the nominal capacity of the battery (in Milliamps) is divided by the total current consumption rate of the items being powered by the battery. Example: An 800mA battery (.8Amp) is being used to power a black and white board camera that consumes 150mA per hour. Divide 800mA by 150mA to yield 5.33 hours of operational power use.
FYI: Peak battery performance diminishes as it reaches the end of the estimated operational cycle. To ensure uninterrupted power performance, replace the battery 15-30 minutes prior to end of cycle.

Q What is a Vari-Focal Lens?
A A Vari-focal is a lens that is designed to meet the most challenging jobs by giving the installer the flexibility to adjust between different focal lengths using only one lens. When the situation calls for an odd focal length lens or you are not sure of the correct focal length required for the installation, using a Vari-focal lens is the perfect choice. How many times have you or your installer set-up a job just to be called back because the customer was not satisfied with the field of view of the picture? More than once, most likely. A simple adjustment to the zoom and focus on a Vari-focal lens is all that is needed to rectify the situation on the spot: a less costly and time-consuming prospect than having to order and install a different monofocal lens altogether.

Why use it?

Surveillance effects are maximized since any desired angle of view can be obtained.
There is no need to carry several different focal length lenses to an installation job.
Once installed, even if the field of view requirements change, the system can be quickly adjusted by simply changing the focal length setting of the lens.