DIPOL Weekly Review - TV and SAT TV, CCTV, WLAN

No. 33/2011 (Oct. 17, 2011)

10th Jubilee DIPOL Photo Competition has been adjudicated.

As every year, the entries were adjudicated by well-known photographer from Krakow, Mr. Pawel Zechenter, who decided on the 1st and 2nd place winners. Another prize was awarded by our Technical Department.
The first place was awarded to Mr. Michal Straszewski for the picture "Black and white vision". The juror was influenced by very interesting composition and skillful use of Photoshop, though usually he is a strong opponent of employing a computer to "improve" pictures. In this case, however, the manipulation created a new quality.
The second award went to Mr. Slawomir Gawryluk - for rendering the climate of a small town, a sleepy atmosphere, all under the "patronage" of satellite antennas.
The third place and the prize of DIPOL Technical Department has been won by Mr. Jacek Niwiński for one of the pictures from the "Transmitters, relay stations, receivers" series. The Technical Department proposes to add to the award-winning work a subtitle: "Another place to use multiswitches".
Engagingly about Antennas - 10th DIPOL's Summer Holiday Contest 2011
In addition to the main prizes, honorary awards were given to: Mr. Maciej Wojda (Antennas and more ...), Mr. Marcin Bakowski (Meeting), Mr. Jaroslaw Urban (Two Worlds), Mr. Stanislaw Ruminowicz (Antennas in old Lublin), Ms. Sandra Nowak (Windows to the world), Mr. Wojciecha Romanski (Antennas), Mr. Marcin Wolnik (A look at Morocco), Mr. Tomasz Grzyb (In a guerrilla village, Rest) and Mr. Jerzy Malicki (Worship no god but ...).

The artistic level of the works submitted to this year's competition was high and even. We thank the authors for a keen eye - these pictures show a lot more than just antennas, reveal the changes in our world, freeze the moments in the development of civilization. They say much about the people who mount antennas and a lot of about their users.

Weeks of video recordings in a fingernail.

In September, SanDisk made the world premiere of a new memory card microSD Mobile Ultra (15x11x1mm) with a capacity of 64 GB and transfer rate of 95 MB/s. Although this is not the first such flash memory on the market (the first company that announced 64 GB capacity in this format was Kingmax), its price will be much lower (about $220). This is another step in the development of the SDXC standard.
In the near future, MicroSDXC cards are to achieve 2 TB capacity and 300 MB/s transfer
In 2009, first SDXC cards were released by Toshiba. Currently on the market there are available cards with a capacity of up to 128 GB and transfer rates "only" up to 20 MB/s. Ultimately, the standard allows for 2 TB capacity and transfer rate up to 300 MB/s.

Memory cards with such parameters will revolutionize the secure storage of surveillance recordings from CCTV cameras. This process will take place directly in cameras and the DVR will only manage the system and provide redundancy. In many cases the redundancy may not be necessary and the monitoring center will only be notified about alarm events.
So far, the heart of any monitoring system, and also its most expensive component is the DVR or NVR (video server) based on the local or remote recording of surveillance data on conventional HDD drives. SATA II standard allows for transfer up to 3 Gb/s, and 2 TB hard disks are sufficient to record a few days of Full HD video coverage (1080p). In many cases it is not enough. Video recording is the main task of DVRs and NVRs, so the data storage technology they use is especially important for the performance of the CCTV systems. The answer to the increasing needs are three modern ways of archiving information: SSD, Cloud Computing, flash memory cards.
SSD (Solid-State Drive), based on solid-state memory similarly to flash drives, has no moving parts. Both SSDs and the SDXC memory cards will certainly find use in mobile solutions, where the unsatisfied need for capacious and robust data storage media has long inhibited the expansion of new functionality.

Protect 701 - not only for vehicles.

An installer was to create a system for monitoring board meetings of one company. The requirements included low cost, recording of high quality video and audio, as well as the mobility of the system - the meetings are held in different places.
Portable DVR Camera: PROTECT 701 (HD, H.264, SDHC/MMC, adjustable LCD screen)
Protect 701 is an ideal tool for recording conferences and meetings
To accomplish the objectives, the installer did not choose a PC-based nor IP CCTV solution, but the portable DVR camera PROTECT 701 M70701. The recorded video can have a resolution of up to 1280x720 pixels (HD Ready 720p) at 25 frames per second, which is sufficient for the impression of a good smoothness of movement of people and objects. The built-in high quality microphone allows for audio recording, the lens with wide viewing angle (120 degrees) is able to cover the whole room without using additional cameras.
The video and audio is saved as AVI files on an SD/SDHC/MMC card. The maximum supported capacity is 64 GB. The popular 32 GB SDHC card can hold about 11 hours of 720p recordings. The recorded material can be archived by connecting the DVR camera to a PC through a USB cable - the unit becomes a flash card reader then. The videos recorded by the device can also be viewed locally, or on an external monitor connected via HDMI cable.
With the ease of use, high-quality recordings and possibility of installing in any location, Protect 701 has proved to be the right choice.

Antenna system for areas with high signal intensity (up to 20 km from high and medium power DVB-T transmitters).

In this example the DVB-T signal is provided to two TVs, one of them capable of receiving digital channels (with built-in MPEG-2/MPEG-4 tuner) and the second an analog one, requiring an external DVB-T receiver. The good choice is the most functional and best selling on the market Signal HD-527 receiver A99252.
Inductive FM/TV 2-Way Splitter RI-2/1 FCoaxial Cable (75 ohm): TRISET-113 1.13/4.8/6.8 [1m]DVB-T Receiver Signal HD-527 (MPEG-2/4, PVR Ready) Coaxial Cable (75 ohm): TRISET-113 1.13/4.8/6.8 [1m]Outdoor Digital TV Antenna Signal HDA-5000 UHF DVB-T Antenna: DIPOL 3/21-69 DVB-T
Both antennas shown in the diagram, i.e. A6040 and A0315 can be mounted on a mast, but created for residents of urban areas and due small size they may be easily placed on balconies etc. The A0315 antenna can be successfully applied in open areas with direct visibility of the transmitter. In the case of obstacles, buildings etc. and receiving reflected signals, we recommend to use the Signal HDA-5000 A6040 antenna equipped with amplifier and having a wider reception angle.
When installing an antenna with amplifier, the user has to provide supplying voltage. The power supply is usually placed by one of the TVs. Such an installation requires the use of the appropriate type of splitter passing the voltage to the antenna, in the case above it is inductive splitter E2094 providing the DVB-T signal to the two receivers. It is possible to use a larger number of TVs/receivers by employing one of the splitters with a larger number of outputs.

ULTIMODE Building System - modern cable technology.

There are several ways to install fiber optic cable in a building:
  • connecting the distribution point via a separate optical cable with the distribution frame on each floor (high labor demand, need for a suitably qualified staff and fusion splicing equipment)
  • installing inside the building modular cable system (based on 5 mm tubes, one for each subscriber) and blowing in optical fiber(s) at the time of connecting the subscriber (the system is also labor intensive)
  • distributing easy access cable throughout the building (fast and easy installation with no need for fusion splices)
ULTIMODE Building System is a new solution to create FTTH networks in buildings (Fiber To The Home). The system provides a complete range of products for deployment of fiber optic links in each apartment/office, including "open space" offices and MDUs. It is based on easy access cables that do not require fusion splices at any stage of installation. The special design of the cables allows very easy access to the fibers through cutting windows in the jacket with a simple stripper (VC-VOT L5911) and pulling out the optical fibers at distances up to 25 meters. This enables the installer to do the job very quickly.
Installation of VertiCASA riser cables

The way of cutting access window in a VertiCASA cable. One window should be located on the top floor of the building and the second on the floor on which the subscriber is to be connected.
View of the window cut in a VertiCASA cable

The fiber designed for connecting the subscriber has to be gently pull out of the cable through the window on the top floor and cut.
The same fiber has to be gently pull out on the subscriber's floor.

Choosing the right camera mode.

In low light, day/night CCTV cameras switch from color to black and white mode. In this mode the cameras increase their sensitivity and can provide useful images in very bad conditions. However, in some situations the user may prefer color images, despite the low light levels. It is worth to test such cameras - often the color image below the switching threshold can be more suitable for surveillance purposes.
The image from u-cam 630 M11192 camera in auto mode. With the factory settings, we get high quality black and white image.
The image from u-cam 630 M11192 camera switched into color mode. Due to high sensitivity of the camera in color mode (0.1 lx), the light level is sufficient for a decent color image.
In most cameras with OSD the user can set the camera mode (auto-switching, color, black and white). More advanced models allow for adjusting the switching threshold, which enables the user to optimize the camera operation under real ambient lighting conditions or to optimize its cooperation with IR illuminators.
Day/night settings in the Sunell SN-BXC5930CDN M11209 camera

Video monitoring of auto dismantling yard.

The investor, due to some thefts and a desire to raise safety standards, decided to monitor the entire area with IP cameras. The contract has been executed by Milenium-IT company.

The requirements for the system were as follows:
  • high image quality,
  • unmanned operation,
  • stable, trouble-free operation,
  • smooth video,
  • the lowest possible costs of installing and maintaining the system.
View from the cameras (layout 9/9)
View from the cameras (layout 9/13)
The above requirements are fulfilled by Full HD cameras Sunell K1630 cooperating with UltiEye 3-8 mm DC F1.0 M2263 lenses and 8-ch network video recorder NVRmini K4108. All the devices form the IP video surveillance network using the 16-port switch TP-LINK TL-SF1016D N29926.
The window displaying the status of the cameras
The camera configuration window
The quality of recordings has fully complied with the requirements specified by the investor. The archived video with a resolution of 2 megapixels can be enlarged on the monitor screen to show details that would be indistinguishable in an analog CCTV system.
The monitoring system requires no operator supervision, it is completely maintenance free. If necessary, the archive recordings or the live video from the cameras can be accessed from anywhere in the world, using the dedicated client application or a web browser. Low energy consumption by NVRmini makes the cost of running the system about 7 times lower than in the case of a typical server.

Sharing ADSL connection with the use of a TP-LINK router.

It is one of the most popular ways to distribute Internet within the home, as most home users are connected to the Internet through ADSL lines (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line).
An example of a computer network based on ADSL connection in a single family home
The router (1) with integrated ADSL modem is responsible for distribution of the connection to multiple computers, via wired or wireless means.
List of equipment that can be used in such installations:
  • Device no. 1 - the device with access to the Internet, responsible for its distribution to multiple computers within the local network:
    • N2902 - wireless ADSL2+ (Annex A) router TP-Link TD-W8901G (with 4-port switch and AP),
    • N2904 - ADSL router with 4-port switch &802.11n AP (300 Mb/s) TP-Link TD-W8960N,
    • N2908 - wireless ADSL2+ modem router TP-Link TD-W8950ND (integrated with 4-port switch and 802.11n 150 Mb/s AP),
    • N2906 - ADSL (Annex A) router TP-Link TD-8816 (without WiFi),
    • N2907 - ADSL (Annex A) router with 4-port switch TP-Link TD-8840T (without WiFi).
  • Device no. 2, 3 - for wired access to the network from a desktop:
    • N2997 - PCI NIC TP-LINK TG-3269 10/100/1000 Mb/s,
    • N2998 - PCIe NIC TP-LINK TG-3468 10/100/1000 Mb/s,
    • N2999 - PCI NIC TP-LINK TF-3239DL 10/100 Mb/s.
New products offered by DIPOL:
HDMI Splitter Signal 3D 1x4
Panel Antenna: GigaEter 23 Econo (5GHz 23dBi)
Sector Antenna: GigaSektor BOX 5GHz 15dBi/120 HV
2MP IP Camera: HIKVISION DS-2CD853F-E
SIGNAL3D
HDMI splitter
1x4
H3215
Panel antenna
GigaEter 23 Econo
5GHz
A73504
Sector antenna
GigaSektor
5GHz 15dBi/120deg HV
A75125
2MP IP camera
HIKVISION
DS-2CD853F-E
K1443
Worth reading:
SMATV system with 240 outlets in the office of an electronics manufacturer.. One of the office buildings in Warsaw, where several floors are occupied by design offices of one of the largest electronics manufacturers, has been equipped with an interesting multiswitch system.
Due to professional purposes, the system is constructed from the highest quality components. The whole system providing signals to 240 outlets is based on TERRA MSV multiswitches...
You open the car and... see only Google in there. 250,000 km without accident, with only one fender-bender - a careless driver drove into the back of the car. It seems that the discussion - who are the better drivers, men or women - ends here: the winners are robots!
The cars that can drive themselves are a Google project, a modified version of the Toyota Prius. They are being tested on American roads. So far, the tests are carried out with human surveillance, because the law does not allow otherwise...
Event-triggered high quality recording. It happens that the footage recorded after motion detection, including the pre-alarm period, is not suitable for the identification of people, due to insufficient image quality.
The solution to this problem is to temporarily enhance the recording resolution. Such a function has been implemented in Hikvision-Ultimax DVRs of 7300 series ( M74040, M74080, M74160 ) and 8100 series ( M76080, M76160, M78080, M78160 ).
This unique solution is both simple and effective. For each channel, the user is able to define two parameters of the video...
DVB-T Receiver Signal HD-527 (MPEG-2/4, PVR Ready)