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Cctv - Switcher Vs Modulator


IWaveAtCows

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As you will realize as you read this, I am new to CCTV but am a DIY type of girl and want to set up my own system. Here is my situation:

I want to monitor the interior of a building about 300' from my house with 3 or 4 cctv cameras in one large room. I want a WIRED system. I don't need to record anything and I don't need internet hookups. I just want to be able to view the inside of the building from my house. I would like to connect the system to a tv in the house that would be used only for viewing the CCTV.

I have narrowed my choices down to 2 types of systems, but I'm not sure which would work best.

System One would connect the cameras to a switcher inside the remote building, and then run RG59 from the switcher to the house.

System Two would connect the cameras to an RF modulator inside the remote building, and then run RG6 from the modulator to the house.

QUESTION 1: With System One, providing I have the right connectors, can I connect this directly to a tv? Or is the signal that comes in from the switcher not in the correct format? Would I have to run it through a VCR first?

QUESTION 2: With System Two, I would purchase an RF modulator that has four inputs and tune each to a different channel. Would all 4 channels be available at all times - so I can just change the tv channel in the house to see the different camera angles? Or does it require you to go to the modulator and select your input (camera),and then ALSO tune your tv to the appropriate channel?

QUESTION 3: If I bought a camera with a microphone, am I correct in thinking that System One will not transmit the audio signals, but System Two would?

QUESTION 4: I saw one website that suggested using a separate (single input) RF modulator for each camera, and then using a splitter in reverse to combine modulators. So each modulator would be connected to the reverse splitter, with the coax then going from the splitter to the tv. Does this sound plausible?

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for any advice and suggestions!

:)

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If you're just looking to view on one particular TV in the house then there is no need for an RF modulator. Just connect your cameras to a quad or switcher and then run your cable back to that TV in the house.

The switcher is much cheaper than the modulator. One nice option with the modulator (vs switcher) would be that I could watch just one camera if there was something going on....rather than having to wait for the switcher to rotate back to that camera again. But I'm not sure if the modulator would even work in my case because I don't know if I have to actually go to the modulator and change channels (cameras), or if all channels/cameras are available at all times.

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A quad will let you view all 4 cameras simultaneously in 4 way split screen mode.

They do have full screen mode and channel switching but this would be done manually using the keys on the quad or via a remote control - neither option being any good when you're back at your house unfortunately.

Maybe best to just stick with 4 way split screen mode.....

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If you use a quad you can view all of the cameras simulataneously on your tv (via the yellow AV input or a scart) however you would only see them at 1/4 screen size each.

If the purpose of the system is that you can see something happening and then investigate fine, but if you wanted to see more detail you might be better running all 4 camera cables back to the house and having the switcher/quad there, so you can choose which one to view?

If you put all 4 cameras into modulators and then tried to connect this to your aerial feed it would be quite difficult to setup as there are restrictions on which channels you can use (1,5 & 9 rule!) also the attenuation would be rather high meaning in short that the picture is likely to be crappy!

If you don't want to run 4 x RG59 cables 300' you could use cat5 cable and baluns (but dont buy cheap ones)

TSS

TSS

Communication is "A question asked, and an Opinion given." I offer mine to help you with yours.

Statements I make are my personal views only at the time they are posted, if I offend you sorry, must be taken in context and do not neccesarily represent those of my employer.

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