sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Security, Alarms and Paging Recommend an IP Camera

One of my customers operates a charter airport and wants a wide shot of the tarmac (to help keep track of the planes). This customer has chosen the location for the monitoring camera, and stubbornly refuses to consider any other area.

I feel that there may be a problem with their chosen location because the sun tends to set right where the camera would be pointed. I might be mistaken, but most cameras cannot adjust for sunlight directly into the lens. Camera monitors will "whitescreen" during these conditions, que no?

Further requirements are that (1) the camera has night vision, (2) that it's weatherproof and (3) that it be IP-based.

I find day/night cameras just fine (although night vision is usually limited to less than 100 feet). I've found weatherproof cameras and weatherproof housing. I've found cameras with IP interfaces. However, I've not found an all-in-one camera that does everything they want. Is there an amazing device somewhere out there that can accomodate their demands? One of the CCTV professionals that I spoke to says that this customer is smoking crack.

What say the experts on this board?

I'd say necessity is the mother of invention!

If you can't find a unit that has all of the above... maybe try to take the parts of both and "customize" an IP, Night Vision, Weather proof camera.

I can't imagine it doesn't exist somewhere already, but if not... grab the soldering gun and crack the cases


most of all have fun and keep us updated....

I'm off to Google up a camera with those requirements.

You wouldn't even need to crack the cases.

There are large IR bracket mounts where two large IR projectors are placed on both sides of the camera, You can find a day/night IP camera I'm sure.

Wired Outdoor CCD IP Camera with Night Vision


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Wired Outdoor CMOS IP Camera with Night vision


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Those are just a couple of the ones I found, from a quickie Google search... hopefully you can get more in depth with prices & quality, with more time.

Good luck!

You can take a look at something like This.

It doesn't look like that one has IP capability, but it sure does look like it has great IR balance!

I like the casing too.

That is true, but for what dagwood is looking for he may be better off with a traditional camera, and then just convert the signal to digtal for use on an IP system. You can use a unit like this. for the conversion. Now the direct sunlight issue, that is a tough one. You may just need to tell the customer it cannot be done properly in the location he wants, And suggest a new location. If he does not want to give in, it may be time to walk away. In the long run it sounds like it's going to be more trouble then it is worth.

I know this is probably a late post, but folks have been so helpful to me here that I want to make some effort to contribute where I can...

First, this presents some interesting challenges... they should be "doable" though, and if done, it would be quite a feather in your cap to take credit.

Secondly, it would be worth actually calling some manufacturers, such as Extreme CCTV. They may have had some similar projects and have something that they can "one off", but which they don't normally produce.

I think the above poster is right in that you'll be best served starting with an analog solution, and then digitizing the signal for IP access.

I also think you'll probably end up with a solution that incorporates two cameras, such as with a License Plate Recognition type cam.

You want good detail, and DoF during daylight... also with wide dynamic range and possibly the ability to "block out" anything over a certain light level. If this can be done with headlights and glass store fronts, it can certainly be done with sunsets that we normally "take out of the picture" via FoV.

At night, another low light sensitive cam should kick in, as we see with most of the higher end LP capture cams.

VERY interesting job... I wish I had something that interesting to work on (other than playing catch-up learning about telephone systems!).

Please keep us posted. I'd LOVE to hear how this turns out.

HTH - YMMV, etc.