When installing surveillance camera systems, one of the often overlooked, yet important factors that should be kept in mind is the cables connected between the cameras and monitoring equipment. Using typical coaxial cables for this purpose has many disadvantages, including: cost, difficulty of installation, and lack of organization. In this guide, we will examine the drawbacks of using coaxial cable for surveillance cameras, as well as how rack mounted video baluns can address each of those issues.
Using coaxial cables for surveillance camera installations has many drawbacks. Coaxial cable is relatively expensive, tends to be thick and difficult to install, and cannot provide power to connected devices. As the coaxial cables do not provide power, separate power lines must also be run to the cameras in order for them to operate. When you have a high number of security cameras, the costs and the number of cables that must be installed and managed quickly add up.
Video baluns connect between the coaxial connectors of the camera and the monitoring device, and convert the video signal so that it can operate through CAT5 or phone line cable. These types of cable cost significantly less than coaxial cable, so using either of them as a replacement can provide substantial savings. CAT5 and phone line are also not as thick or bulky as coaxial cable, and can be installed more easily. They can also transmit both video signal and power, potentially eliminating the need for a separate, additional power cable to be run for each camera. Rack mountable video baluns allow surveillance setups to be more organized, helping to eliminate tangled masses of cables.
| Step 1: Prepare a panel, video baluns, and screws. | ||
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| We carry 10-inch & 19-inch long rack mounting panels and various video baluns ( * Rack-mountable video baluns are found in the following section). The example showing above is a 19-inch panel with 9 upper holes and 12 lower holes. It can hold up to 5 wide video baluns (Left) or 12 narrow video baluns (Right). When using both types, there will be variations in numbers of baluns you can use, for instance, 5 wide ones and 2 narrow ones. Also, 10-inch panel can hold up to 3 wide video baluns or 6 narrow video baluns. The panels and the video baluns are sold separately. The screws are included with the panel. | ||
| Step 2: Slide the video balun in the panel. Just simply slide in your video balun to the panel. Match the screw hole of the video balun with the hole of the panel. | ||
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| Step 3: Screw in tightly. According to your needs, screw in as many video baluns as you want. | ||
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| Step 4: Finished. Your rack mounting setup is done! You can affix the panel to a wall or a rack. Mount the video baluns to your cameras and monitors. Now, you are ready to go! | ||
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Part # | Video connector | Passive/active |
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NVA-A-101-C | BNC (female) | Active |
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NVA-A-100-C | BNC (male) | Active |
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NVA-A-103-C | F-type (female) | Active |
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NVA-A-102-C | F-type (male) | Active |
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NVA-A-100-M | BNC (male) | Active |
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NVA-A-101-M | BNC (female) | Active |
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NVA-A-102-M | F-type (male) | Active |
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NVA-A-103-M | F-type (female) | Active |
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NVA-A-201 | BNC (female) | Active |
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NVA-A-201-ADA | BNC (female) | Active |
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NVA-P-101-RK | BNC (female) | Passive |
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NVA-P-100-RK | BNC (male) | Passive |
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NVA-P-103-RK | F-type (female) | Passive |
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NVA-P-102-RK | F-type (male) | Passive |
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NVA-902 | Component Video & Digital Audio |
Passive |
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NVA-902-AT | Component Video & Digital Audio |
Passive |
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NVA-P-201-ADA | BNC (female) | Passive |
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NVA-P-201 | BNC (female) | Passive |
Rack mounted video baluns can help to reduce the cost of a surveillance system installation, and help to organize cables and equipment. They can also eliminate the need for separate video signal and power cables for each camera, providing great value and flexibility. PI Manufacturing carries a wide variety of racks and rack mountable video baluns. Let PI Manufacturing help you reduce the cost and complexity of your surveillance system needs.