Modern Closed Circuit TV Design - a PDH Online Course for Engineers and Surveyors

Modern Closed Circuit TV Design

Course Outline

This course discusses the concepts, equipment selection and graphic representation of typical closed circuit television (cctv) system design for security and sharing of events to large audiences. The key principles are inherent limitations in the technology, available technology choices, system graphic representation and details of successful installation. Covert surveillance and entertainment applications are not included.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, the student will:

Be able to specify compatible components for a closed circuit television system.
Be able to sketch the system architecture, using standard symbols and descriptive terms.
Understand the differences between analog TV, IP-TV, VCR, DVR and NVR.
Be able to select an appropriate technology for each application.
Be able to specify television lenses in terms of mount, focal length, aperture and aperture control.
Be able to specify a television camera in terms of ccd sensor characteristics, lens mount, video signal form, power supply and enclosure.
Understand the strengths and weaknesses of viewing schemes, including pan, tilt, zoom, motion sensing, sequential switchers and quad multiplexers.
Be able to specify a television monitor in terms of screen size, resolution, bandwidth, video connection, power supply and enclosure.
Be able to review a closed circuit television design for obvious and subtle errors.
Be able to identify the key suppliers for each of the major technologies.

Intended Audience

This course is intended for professional engineers, architects and contractors. It will also be of value to persons with technical background who wish to extend their knowledge into new realms. Advanced electrical engineering principles are referenced but not detailed, as the comment "terminating both ends of the video transmission line avoids reflections." This refers to the specialty of transmission line theory, which deserves many hours of independent study for true understanding. The brief reference, however, is intended to emphasize the importance of terminations and give a guide for further study on the underlying principles.

Benefit to the Audience

A person who studies this material closely will be able to competently review a proposed cctv design. He will be able to create a reasonable scheme to be detailed into a detailed cctv design. Further work by the designer will be required to fully understand the Client's needs and survey various manufacturer's literature select the proper combination of features in each component or assembly.

Course Content

The course content is in a PDF file (648 KB) Modern Closed Circuit TV Design. You need to open or download this document to study this course.

Course Summary

Closed circuit television design is simple and forgiving. Analog signals with co-axial cables may be utilized, but analog signals over twisted pair is fully viable, including power and possibly using existing local area network (lan) infrastructure. Digital signals (IP-TV) exclusively over a lan is recommended for all but the most simple door answering applications. Inexpensive, very sophisticated video control hardware and software are available.

Related Links

For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites or web pages:

Broad range of cctv products - http://www.polarisusa.com

$50 B/W minidome; $89, 7-70mm auto-iris lens - http://shop.store.yahoo.com/easysecuritydepot/mindomblacwh.html, Easy Security Depot, 7640 NW 25th Street, Miami FL 33122, Att: Henry Balari, 1-800-308-3279

Extremely low-cost indoor cctv domes - http://www.baylornet.com/perl/b-ff2003%2026259%20%20Acrylic%20Plastic%20Rov%20Camera%20Dome%20Port%20Cover.htm

Low cost cctv accessories, dvr input card, wall mount monitor bracket, cameras - http://www.cctvvideo.com/bwseca.html

$169 color 9-22mm varifocal dome, $169, 4-camera quad - http://www.discount-security-cameras.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=261

$349 color, .06 Lux, 5-50mm, weatherproof "license plate camera" - http://www.eaglevision1.com/Zoom-Lens-Camera.htm

$185, 1,000-ft RG59 and 18/2 siamese cable - http://www.sonerik.com/ccameras.asp, SONERIK SECURITY, 10191 SW 138ct, Miami, FL 33186, 305 383-2299

West Penn siamese 2815B - http://www.westpenn-cdt.com/pdfs/CX74a.pdf

$89 5-50mm, manual iris f/1.4 varifocal lens - http://www.spytown.com/tam1355manva.html

$94, 8-ch sequential switch - http://www.pelikancam.com/cgi-bin/pelikancam/pdc.htm

$785, 6-ch camera server; $295 (IP-TV) DVR software - http://www.thomascomputer.com/catalog/cameras/stardot/netcam/pricing.html

Premier IP-TV supplier - http://www.axis.com/products/video/index.htm

Fiber optic converters and much more - http://www.blackbox.com/tech_docs/bb_explains/bb_explains.html

$30 Balun adapter, co-ax and power to RJ-45 - http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/searchdetail.asp?T1=132+0574

Flagpole for dome pan,tilt,zoom or 360-degree retrofit - http://www.wackersigns.com/

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDHonline.com or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered professional engineer. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.