Source for HD Camera Cables

[Earl Weiss]

Recently upgraded cameras to 1080P (DVR as well) Used existing cables.

So far have done 46 cameras (3 Locations.) 5 or 6 cameras show Black and white in good light or have a greenish tint. Contractor says cables not HD and that is why.

What is a good inexpensive source for HD Cables? (I usually just buy what's on Amazon for the 600TVL cameras and they worked fine.)

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

Check Monoprice.com

 

[Earl Weiss]

Checked Mono Price. Did not seem to spec out "HD" But some on Amazon did so I will ask the vendor of the cameras here what he thinks.

 

[Randy]

Earl,
You need to find any other installer/contractor because he doesn’t know what he’s doing. You can’t use cheap 600TVL cabling for 1080P cameras. I buy this cable by the 500’ reel and put ends on it. http://cctvdirectbuy.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=42_112&products_id=1590 my picture quality is excellent.

 

[Earl Weiss]

It was I who did not know!

The deal I made was to use my existing wiring. Worked good on 40 of 46 cameras! He did tell me some of the quality was not good due to having coupled a couple of shorter lengths together. Apparently the coupling causes some loss. This was solved with new single piece runs. A lot of labor is involved in running the wires. I have plenty of labor around so I told him I did not need him to do it.

Is it at all difficult to put the ends on?

 

[DiamondWash]

What type of cable do you have? RG59 or RG6 or Cat 5e? we just replaced all of our cameras tonight with 1080 RG59 and a new DVR all from SuperCircuits.

 

[RAATCB]

Put new BNC ends and make sure the copper hair off the cable touches/grounds itself to the BNC connector. Make sure it does NOT touch the center conductor.

All HD-DVR/Cameras are powered buy coxial cable. This is standard camera cable. You can only use cat5 cable for IP cameras.

 

[JustClean]

You can only use cat5 cable for IP cameras.

When I installed all my analog cameras I used the cheap cat5 cable and this http://cctvdirectbuy.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=57&products_id=372

That saved me a lot, especially I didn't have to run power. I didn't know at the time that I could easily change over later to IP cameras as the right cables were in place.

 

[Kevin James]

Sounds like typical car wash operator doing everything on the cheap. To get the full HD quality from your system you’re going to have to replace your cabling with a high quality coax cable. Every connection your losing part of the signal.

Speaking of CHEAPSTERS! I was looking at a car wash that was for sale this last week and when the owner opened the equipment room door and turned on the lights I busted a gut laughing and he got pi$$ed. He had white Christmas lights lighting up his equipment room. He said the fluorescent bulbs went bad and he found the Christmas lights in the garbage.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Sounds like typical car wash operator doing everything on the cheap. To get the full HD quality from your system you’re going to have to replace your cabling with a high quality coax cable. Every connection your losing part of the signal.

.

Yep, Guess I should have spent a chunk of $ on the 40 or so cameras that didn't need new cable.
32 cameras still to go to see how old cabling works or what if any needs replacement.

 

[mjwalsh]

When I installed all my analog cameras I used the cheap cat5 cable and this http://cctvdirectbuy.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=57&products_id=372

That saved me a lot, especially I didn't have to run power. I didn't know at the time that I could easily change over later to IP cameras as the right cables were in place.

JustClean,

Your link's diagram shows Cat5e or Cat6. Does anyone have reliable data showing that cctvdirectbuy's preliminary approach for using RJ45 causes an actual loss of HD analog quality vs coaxial cable.

Since we at our location are leaning towards a future transition to more & more IP cameras with power over ethernet (POE) ... I agree with you that cctvdirectbuy's approach shown on their schematic seems to really make sense all around for long term options ... not just from an initial short term cost savings either.

mike walsh www.kingkoin.com

 

[mrfixit]

Recently upgraded cameras to 1080P (DVR as well) Used existing cables.

So far have done 46 cameras (3 Locations.) 5 or 6 cameras show Black and white in good light or have a greenish tint. Contractor says cables not HD and that is why.

What is a good inexpensive source for HD Cables? (I usually just buy what's on Amazon for the 600TVL cameras and they worked fine.)

Siamese on amazon - 52.00 free shipping

I've got crimps but I think it's easier to crimp f cable ends on and use the f to bnc adapters. They have screw bnc ends to make your own without the tool.

With cat 5 you need separate power lines.

You can cheat with cat5 and balun connectors, but the problem is the power when your over 50-60ft. The 22-24g is way too small, you can cheat by using a pair of pairs for power. If its 24g its too small major fire hazard... If its 22g cat5; with two pair for each + & - you'll have 19g, instead of the standard 18g pwr wires, also you have no speration and sheathing. .. Possibly against code in many places. I believe best practices using cat5 for cctv is to use a separate power supply line.

The Siamese is both in one for up to 200ft runs, really simplifies it.

 

[mrfixit]

JustClean,

Your link's diagram shows Cat5e or Cat6. Does anyone have reliable data showing that cctvdirectbuy's preliminary approach for using RJ45 causes an actual loss of HD analog quality vs coaxial cable.

Since we at our location are leaning towards a future transition to more & more IP cameras with power over ethernet (POE) ... I agree with you that cctvdirectbuy's approach shown on their schematic seems to really make sense all around for long term options ... not just from an initial short term cost savings either.

mike walsh www.kingkoin.com

No actually the quality can be better due to the noise cancellation twist. Just two pair of the cat5 can carry 100mg of data. Installation circumstances can come into play though. Shielded cat 5 would be the best choice, down side is if they are not power over Ethernet ip cameras, you need seperate power supply lines.

You could for instance, if you have a problem with a video cable, replace the video portion of a bnc with balun'd cat 5 and keep using the power on the old bnc cable, if it was ok and had no problem with power. Then you would be prepared for future upgrade.

 

[cwguy.com]

Cat5 is magical! I use it for a signal in my closet to my hd tv over my fireplace. There is a balun connector for basically any wire conversion.

You can actually purchase poe injectors.... there is not really a need for another wire run: http://amzn.to/1XdVaiQ

I have standard cameras and uses these: http://amzn.to/1Lyuxca to connect standard cameras to cat5 cabling. I strip everything.... then plug the bnc terminals into the dvr and the back of the camera.

They do sell bnc to cat5 balun connectors with poe.... but they are cumbersome and were hard to fit in my housings. Like this: http://amzn.to/1LyvBNg