X10 Community Forum

📸Cameras & Camera Software => Camera General Discussion => Topic started by: tim mcalpine on October 09, 2005, 04:27:11 PM

Title: Camera Adivce
Post by: tim mcalpine on October 09, 2005, 04:27:11 PM
I'm considering purchasing 4 wired cameras
for outdoor use to monitor my front door,
driveway, patio and backyard.  I'm also in a
cold winter climate, often below zero in Dec,
Jan and Feb.  Are the X10 wired cameras a
good choice for what I will use them for?  I
plan to monitor them on a TV screen.

Many thanks for sharing any experiences you
may have.
Title: Re: Camera Adivce
Post by: Brian H on October 09, 2005, 06:43:17 PM
One thing you may want to check. The length
of wire you will need to reach the areas. I
believe they have a hard wired 60' cord.
Title: Re: Camera Adivce
Post by: frowny on October 10, 2005, 01:33:57 AM
Yes, these cameras work alright in the
cold.  But if the plastic cover which is
over the lens gets wet or snow-covered you
will not be able to see a clear image.
Either you will have to make a shield to
cover the lens or place the camera under
the eaves or something.  The cables on the
wired cameras are very thin and
unshielded.  they are susceptible to rf and
other electrical interferance.  The end of
the wire also has a phone jack connector,
which is susceptible to humidity and
oxidation.  I snipped off the connector and
hard wired my cameras through terminal
blocks near the security computers.  Then
ran RCA cables from the terminal blocks to
the DVR cards on the computers.  As I said
on other threads, I also threw away the
garbage 12volt x10 power supplies and use a
computer at-style power supply to power the
cameras.

The x10 cameras are the crappiest cameras
out there, but they are alright for general
surveillance situations where large objects
like cars need to be tracked.  For high
resolution situations, go elsewhere. These
things are very low-resolution CMOS
cameras.  There are much better cameras for
not much more money out there.
Title: Re: Camera Adivce
Post by: tim mcalpine on October 10, 2005, 10:44:18 PM
Frowny...thanks for the great adivce.  Do you have a brand
recommendation for a better resolution/quality camera?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Camera Adivce
Post by: frowny on October 14, 2005, 09:51:47 AM
I won't endorse any particular brands to
show I have no vested interests.  But
generally look for CCD (charge coupled
device) cameras, NOT COMOS (complimentary
metal oxide semiconductor).  X10 is CMOS.
The sharpness, light range and quality are
usually better with CCD cameras.  Look for
a company that has tech support and call
them BEFORE you buy.
Title: Re: Camera Adivce
Post by: rob on October 17, 2005, 06:04:15 PM
Hi, I'm looking for a surveilence wireless
night vision camera which will have at least
60 degree of viewing angle. Any suggestion...
Thanks in advance,
Rob