Interfacing PC to BNC Security Cameras

Post here to ask any questions about hardware suitability, configuration in ZoneMinder, or experiences. If you just want to know if something works with ZoneMinder or not, please check the Hardware Compatibility sections in the forum, and the Wiki first. Also search this topic as well.
Post Reply
phillipwheat
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 10:48 pm

Interfacing PC to BNC Security Cameras

Post by phillipwheat »

I have a Flir DVR that got hit by lightning. I'd like to replace it with a Zoneminder installation. My question is, what is the best interface device to connect the ZM server to the BNC cameras? Is there a good balun gizmo?

I have a ZM install running 8 cameras at another property, but they are all Ethernet POE cameras.

Thanks!
mikb
Posts: 586
Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2013 12:34 pm

Re: Interfacing PC to BNC Security Cameras

Post by mikb »

phillipwheat wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2020 3:10 pm ... BNC cameras? Is there a good balun gizmo?
You may need more than a balun to get you out of that one. Don't be fooled by seeing cheap balun devices that can adapt a BNC (coax) to twisted pair (cat-5) that have no real electronics in them. They are JUST cable adapters ... all they do is correctly match the different cabling specs to use an existing cable run of cat-5 to sub in for a coax cable. Or v.versa.

If the cameras have a BNC plug/socket that could either be composite video, or a throwback to thin-coax 10base2 ethernet!

The cable may or may not have additional DC power superimposed on it.

How are they powered? (Up the same single BNC from the DVR? Separate wiring at the camera?)

You need to check the manual (or otherwise research) the exact model number of the DVR/camera to cough up some specifications for what the video feed is on the cable.

If it's standard composite video (PAL, NTSC timings) you could get away with a "capture card" or video to USB dongle. If you have multiple cameras, you may need one per camera. These used to exist as PCI cards (think Hauppauge, WIN-TV-PCI, based on Brooktree BT series chipsets), I suppose most people use a USB version now.

It may be nonstandard timings, in which case capture cards will possibly reject it as "bad signal". And worse, some DVR systems use a centralised clock/sync that they send TO the cameras to keep them in sync with each other. I don't know of any capture cards that will output that ...

It's possible, but pitfalls ... :)
User avatar
burger
Posts: 390
Joined: Mon May 11, 2020 4:32 pm

Re: Interfacing PC to BNC Security Cameras

Post by burger »

See https://wiki.zoneminder.com/Hardware_Co ... eo_Encoder

You connect the BNC to the encoder. That encoder has an ethernet connection and web server with the video streams. ZM records from that.
fastest way to test streams:
ffmpeg -i rtsp://<user>:<pass>@<ipaddress>:554/path ./output.mp4 (if terminal only)
ffplay rtsp://<user>:<pass>@<ipaddress>:554/path (gui)
find paths on ispydb or in zm hcl

If you are new to security software, read:
https://wiki.zoneminder.com/Dummies_Guide
phillipwheat
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 10:48 pm

Re: Interfacing PC to BNC Security Cameras

Post by phillipwheat »

Thanks folks! Looks like I'll just replace the FLIR with a like model.
Post Reply