RE: Geovision & Camera Advice Seeked

["John Nye" <john@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Darren,


'I have been advised by Henry's radio in London not to both buying 4
individual IP network cameras but to instead buy a 4 port Geovision
card and install that into the PC dedicated to recording these cameras.'

Would definitely recommend Geovision, not cheap but mine has been rock
solid over the past few months



'What I'm looking for is some advice on what Geovision card I should
get (there will never be any more than 4 cameras) and what the spec of
the host PC should be as I will need to build that. I would like to
record at the best frame rate and quality possible, but would only be
recording when there is movement detected.'

I ordered an 8 camera GV-600 card (couldn't afford a faster one),
although I was sent a 12 camera card as that was all they had in stock.
I've got 6 camera's at the moment only recording when movement - quite
happy with the results. Although you only think you want 4 I'd go for
more (just in case)- we've now got one trained on SWMBO's budgies and
I'm just about to build a nest box with one in.



'The next thing is the colour camera itself. Can I have some
recommendations please? Image quality is important and from what I can
tell from Henry's Radio the non-ip or bog standard range of colour
CCTV cameras aren't really that expensive and would probably suit but
I really don't know!'

I've bought most of my cameras from Henry's, the latest were 2 dome
cameras for front and back door
http://www.henrys.co.uk/cctv/highrescolourdomecamera.htm
- Very pleased
with them!



'I assume that the camera's require a source of power and a video
cable. What video cable is required on these as I intend to run this
on Wednesday.'

Having laid co-ax for the initial cameras I then discovered the error of
my ways. Now I just use cat5 with an RJ45 passive balun (think that's
what they are called) at each end to connect to camera and card. Cat5
then carries both power and video.


Oh and Mark's article on automated home is very useful for PC spec's
etc. Part 2 looks as if it could be interesting also if (sorry when
-:)it appears.

John