Distributing baby-monitor video?  

I don't have a ton of experience in this area, but I will take a stab at some of your questions.

Colour cameras do not usually have low lux capability. In order to see in total darkness you will need a camera with IR (eg. Channel Vision CV5124).

There are few cameras on the market with audio. This, I have been told is due to legality issues of privacy. X10 has a line of cameras (B&W and colour) with audio embedded, but the resolution and lux is BAD!

The last part is easy. Use RG-6 (with RCA jacks) to send your video (& audio if you find a camera) to a modulator. The Channel Plus 5425 should fit your bill. Install the modulator near your media center as you need to route your cable/antenna signal through it. You can now program which channel each camera will be on.

Hope this helps!

Smarthome has most of the items you would need to do this. Here is a nice box that will take 4 cameras in and give you a single output that is either composite, S-video or VGa.
https://www.smarthome.com/7757.html
It also has the ability to put all 4 images on the screen simultaneously. You could easily route this signal as a composite signal and input it on one of the AV inputs on most TVs that would save using a modulator. Otherwise get a modulator and input either S or composite to the modulator and route as RF in the form of a single channel on a single 75 ohm coax. If you want color cameras with low lux and audio your best bet is to watch for them to go on sale at your local electronics store. You don't need digital or small flat panel fold out screens so look for the basics with low light capability. As far as see in the dark, that will kick the price up again and require that you purchase some IR illuminators like Sony has. Not sure what the life on them is. I would recommend defining the basic system and wiring for that.

..Doyle

I am trying to do the same thing. I can't decide between this kinda cheapo package http://shop.store.yahoo.com/salestor...sg12realt.html which I think I can put the monitor in the most used place, and then take the composite video and modulate it and put the quad picture into the CATV system on its own channel.

I think the alternative, is to buy 4 cameras (which would cost about the same $$ as the Lorex), plus buy a quad, but that won't get 2-way sound.

If the Lorex had a remote (I can't tell--doesn't look like it) then with IR repeaters you could view and control it from multiple locations, but you probably could only listen and not get 2-way audio.

The problem with all this crap is its big bucks on to spend on a flyer. Its hard to tell which stuff you need and will it work with other stuff. After I learn more, I will call some of the tech/sales lines, but it is hard to hold off buying until I get educated.

This is a great forum-I never even thought this stuff was accessible.

I would recommend using a black and white camera with an ir illuminator if you want the ability to 'see' in total darkness. The IR is invisible to the naked eye, so it won't throw any additional visible light into the room and you'll easily exceed your 15' range. Have the low-voltage sub run a siamese RG-59 (solid copper center with a copper braided shield), and 1 Cat5 to each camera location. You would mount a 3-channel modulator and a multiplexer in the distribution hub. Then take each of the camera's video feeds and split them in the hub to the multiplexer, and the modulator. Take the multiplexed output and feed that output into the 3rd channel of the modulator. This will allow each TV in the house to receive one channel with both pictures on a split screen, another channel with one room, and third channel with the other room. We've done this with many cameras feeding out to many tvs and it works quite well. For the audio you would use the second RG-59 or cat5 depending on your camera type.

I forgot to mention, since you'll be running 2 cameras each with a mono audio signal, you can also split those audio feeds at the hub and run 1 camera's audio feed into the left, and 1 camera's audio feed into the right channel of the modulator input that has the multiplexed feed. That will give you sound from both rooms on the same channel that has the split screen. I would suggest using the Channelplus products like the 5545 (stereo audio inputs and outputs) We're also in the San Diego area and are pretty familiar with every builder's prewire systems. If you want to e-mail me, I can probably give you more info if you need it (mailto:john.gonzales@ahtsolutions.com).

bsd107------------

Which development in San Diego did you purchase a new home?

bsd,

Check these out

http://www.smarthome.com/7603.html

I use them in my home as do some other members of this forum. I believe they meet all of your criteria. If you are interested, PM me, I'll give you some more info, and a source for purchasing them much cheaper.

Meeting your criteria:

1) These are B&W and have built in IR...They see ok in the dark as long as there is an object of sufficient size for the IR illuminators to bounce IR off of. In low light they are better. They have great resolution at 420 lines, much better than the 380 that most cheaper cameras offer. Smarthome doesn't offer them, but there is a version that comes in white for indoor use only.

2) These cameras have built in mic. The audio is superb. I have these mounted on the exterior of my home, and I can hear the neighbors down the street, their wind chimes, the kids playing in the backyard. At night I can hear the frogs and crickets at the pond about 100 yds back in the woods. For such an inexpensive camera, the audio is outstanding.

3) These cameras come with an included 60 ft cable. But the best part, if you open up the camera (easy, only two screws), the cable has an RJ14 connector and a terminal strip. Just use a single Cat-5 cable with an RJ14 crimped on the end, if you want to run your own cable. This cable provides video, audio, motion detection, IR illumination and power all in 6 conductors.

4) You can view the camera on any TV, VCR or any other device that accepts RCA composite inputs. The aforementioned cat-5 cable comes back to a small breakout box (included). Into this box, you plug in the 120VAC power transformer (included), and your RCA video and audio. You can also plug in a mic jack for picking up the motion signal. I'm using a Home Automation controller to switch cameras using the motion, but you can buy the VCR commander/camera controller with the camera(s) that will integrate the motion for your.

I did weeks of research on cameras, and this was by far the best bang for the buck and the most inclusive feature camera I could find. I've had them installed for a month now, and they have worked great.

bsd,

I've seen the phillips cameras as Radio Shack sells them also. They are not the same, but in that I have never used the phillips, I can't compare their performance. As far as wanting to see 15' in complete darkness, you'll need a pretty strong IR flood in the room. You can purchase IR floods for that purpose. You'll likely come out ahead going that route, vs trying to find a camera with an integrated IR flood of that power.

As far as your other reply, and what cables to run, You might want to consider at the least one RG6, one cat-5e and one 2 conductor 18awg. RG6 is fine as a replacement for RG-59, and it gives you the added benefit if you go with a camera that has a built in RF modulator, of carrying the signal better than RG-59. In my home, I pre-wired three locations. I ran one RG6 and one Cat-5e. Many members will recommend running an 18-2 also for power. I decided that if I needed to have remote power, it would likely be on a camera that used coax for video/audio and so I would double up on the conductors in the cat-5 and use it for the power feed. On retrospect, I probably would also run an 18-2 just to be safe.

Good Luck

Glad to hear. We don't install cameras with audio so we wouldn't be able to do much more than advise anyway. Like I said, feel free to e-mail or call if you have any questions. I can be reached at 858 518-5772.

Every cable has a purpose and there are differences between the RG-6 being mentioned and the RG-59 that I described. RG-6 will work, what I described is a better choice. If you're willing to overkill, then run 2 Cat5, 2 RG-6. Video should be transmitted along 1 coaxial cable, audio down the other coax, power through the cat5. You'll have an extra cat5 in case your camera transmits audio or video down the cat5.

RG6 connection will be the less expensive video distribution method to work with. Cat5 will require the use of baluns ($25-$50).

Have the trim crew put F-ends on all of the cables. At the camera end you will probably use an F->BNC converter (~$2), and at the distribution end, you'll use an F->RCA converter (~$2). Use good quality Y-adapters to feed to the modulator and multiplexer. Make sure the Y-adapters are long enough, and make sure the y-adapter cables are flexible. Depending on the size of the mouting box, you may end up putting a lot of tension on the wires which is a bad thing.

The two converters I mentioned above screw right onto the F-end. One end will look like the 'ANT IN' fitting on your VCR, the other end will be either BNC or RCA. They're very easy to put on.