A few camera questions

[Guest deefadog]

Do all the IR cameras light up red when activated? can you get some that don't light up? as i was planning on doing a stealth instalation outside and did not want the IR LED glowing away!

Also how can you test if the camera is CCD or CMOS? (apart from reading the instructions)

[PeterR]

Do all the IR cameras light up red when activated? can you get some that don't light up? as i was planning on doing a stealth instalation outside and did not want the IR LED glowing away!

Also how can you test if the camera is CCD or CMOS? (apart from reading the instructions)

Some manufacturers do have IR cameras with covert IR leds (this means they operate beyond a wavelength of 940nm so human eye cannot see the LED source), however the majority of them are under 940nm so human eyes will see a red glow, making them overt.

I think Henrys do a 940nm camera, but not certain, hope this helps.

[ian.cant]

Also how can you test if the camera is CCD or CMOS? (apart from reading the instructions)

To look at, there is little difference in the chips but you will be able to tell in the picture quality.

Here is the difference.

[Guest deefadog]

Thanks for the quick reply guyz!

One other question, don't flame for buying this, but i bought a night/day ( 420 lines) waterproof camera from abay - £32 delivered

As i am only using this on a TV and not a monitor i thought i'd risk the £32, and i am very pleased, works great, but i never counted on the glow of the LEDs, so this one can go out the back garden!

Anyway, i tested it in the house, just connected it up to the video in on the TV, and i noticed that when in colour it was a sharp picture, no distortions, but as soon as it switches to B&W, i get wavey lines on the picture, not very noticable but they are there.

Any idea why this is? (apart from it being a cheapy i mean)

[ian.cant]

You could try checking your PSU output voltage at both ends. Could be low illumination, if the IR is pointing at nothing within its range there will be no rflection of the IR so very little light to give a picture.

More than likely its just that the camera is **** with a cmos chip fitted?

[Guest deefadog]

I'll check the power thanks.

It is a cheap one, but it is ccd, that's why i asked the original question to see if it was actually a ccd camera!

The camera gives a good picture in the b&w mode, even i pitch black, it just that i get these inerferance swirls, i could take a digi pic of the screen to show you on detail.

[baywatch]

Has the camera got built in IR lighting, like the other poster says it could be the power supply is not powerful enough to power the camera when the IRs fire up.

What size power supply is it?

[Guest deefadog]

Hi, yes the camera has 24 built in iR's

The power supply is CNEX Adapter and is 12V 1A

[baywatch]

Power supply should be ok at that size.

Could the "swirling lines" be a reflection bleeding from the IR lights when they are activated or even (dare I suggest it) spidersweb?

Sometimes you get this with the cheaper all in one cameras.

[Guest deefadog]

I think i can rule them out, as it's straight out of the box and just tested in the living room, i guess with such close proxsimatry to the tv and other electrical equipment, could cause the inerferance.

I need to get a good length of cable and postion the caemra outside first i think, to rule them out!

Can you get the extensions of the cable i nedd from local places like maplins?

It's RCA cable (by the looks of it) and one is a female connector and the other is for the power adaptor, is there a special name for this cable or conectors?

Thanks