Onboard CCTV advice

[3571]

Looking for some CCTV advice. I have a couple of 7" monitors connected direct to cameras, one in the engine room and one looking over the stern out aft.

They are of an age, I have no idea what actual system or type, it was cheap and cheerful eBay stuff and has BNC connectors between the camera cables and monitors. One of the cameras goes foggy at times in rain or poor weather, it always eventually clears but I assume it has just about done it's time.

I would like to go to slightly larger 9 or 10ish inch monitors. Does anyone know what would work just direct camera to monitor set up, no recording device or suchlike involved, lots of cameras seem to need to go through a recording device of some sort then to the monitor.

There seems to be millions of different monitors and cameras out there but deciphering what would actually work with what seems to be a bit of a minefield :-(

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[jrudge]

This is usually displayed on your plotter as opposed to a separate screen.

Unless the potter is very very old it will support video input

 

[Greg2]

I am looking to install a camera looking over the stern and don’t really want to feed it through the plotter as I want a separate screen that is on all the time so will be interested in replies to the OP

 

[Hurricane]

Maybe you could feed the monitors from a small PC.
There are loads of cameras (Digital IP and Analogue) that could feed into the PC.
Then some simple software (VLC will do it) to display the camera feeds onto the monitors.
Thats probably what I would do.

But the BIG advantage in this approach (IMO of course) is that the PC can do loads of other useful stuff.
For example OpenCPN (the free chart plotter navigator software) can provide a full backup to the normal navigation system.
I have a set up similar to this and we often use the PC's navigation instead of the main Raymarine navigation.
Feed it with 4G or WiFi and you can then use it as a ships PC - in port or away.
TV feeds, video from USB sticks - loads of stuff.

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about:-

 

[3571]

This is usually displayed on your plotter as opposed to a separate screen.

Unless the potter is very very old it will support video input

Thanks for this, it probably needs to be a stand alone set up as chopping and changing views on plotters wouldn't really work in this case.

It's on a commercial vessel and the various plotters (Olex etc) really need to be dedicated as do the monitors.

 

[3571]

Maybe you could feed the monitors from a small PC.
There are loads of cameras (Digital IP and Analogue) that could feed into the PC.
Then some simple software (VLC will do it) to display the camera feeds onto the monitors.
Thats probably what I would do.

But the BIG advantage in this approach (IMO of course) is that the PC can do loads of other useful stuff.
For example OpenCPN (the free chart plotter navigator software) can provide a full backup to the normal navigation system.
I have a set up similar to this and we often use the PC's navigation instead of the main Raymarine navigation.
Feed it with 4G or WiFi and you can then use it as a ships PC - in port or away.
TV feeds, video from USB sticks - loads of stuff.

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about:-

Many thanks for this informative response.

I am trying desperately to keep it as simple as possible as the old set up was, straight from camera to monitor if at all possible although I appreciate that may no longer be doable with advances in modern CCTV technology and the lack of compatable equipment left.

I have a toughbook buried in a cupboard somewhere aboard with OpenCPN on it, bought from London Chart Plotters a few years back as a back up if all other plotters went down.....none, let alone all, ever have but it was impressive the play about that I had with it when first purchased.

 

[Blue Sunray]

I was looking at doing this and had identified some of the systems in use on HGVs as a possibility, but in the end never got round to it and if I did so now would probably go the integrated into plotter route.

This is the sort of thing that I was considering: Vehicle Safety Camera Systems - TruckGuard

 

[Hurricane]

I was looking at doing this and had identified some of the systems in use on HGVs as a possibility, but in the end never got round to int and if I did so now would bobably go the integrated into plotter route.

This is the sort of thing that I was considering: Vehicle Safety Camera Systems - TruckGuard

The "Holy Grail" of these kinds of systems is to find a cheap "sunlight viewable" monitor - preferably something waterproof but "sunlight viewable" is the key.
Back in 2008, I built my existing system round Raymarine's G Series Monitors which were eye wateringly expensive but they are very "viewable" in sunlight.

If we could find a cheap monitor suitable for marine use, OpenCPN would be a very low cost plotter alternative. It even runs on a Raspberry Pi and takes AIS data.
There are lots of keyboard options but good cheap "sunlight viewable" monitors don't seem to be available.

 

[Alicatt]

I was looking at doing this and had identified some of the systems in use on HGVs as a possibility, but in the end never got round to it and if I did so now would probably go the integrated into plotter route.

This is the sort of thing that I was considering: Vehicle Safety Camera Systems - TruckGuard

The monitors there are not really that bright for direct daylight viewing at 400nit, better than a lot mind you, you would have to shade the screen in some way.
Getting an ultra bright display of 1000nit or even 2000nit is possible but not cheap, they are used for flying drones and at around £550 for a 5.5" 1000nit screen rising to £800 for a 8" 1000nit and £1100 for 8" ultrabright screen of 2000nit

Been too long since I speced out CCTV systems, I retired in 2005, IP cameras were just coming into professional use then and I'm still using good old analogue coax fed cameras at home here.

AS for the camera that is misting up, was always a problem with mobile CCTV systems that were not left switched on 24/7

One mobile unit that I was taken on to integrate the CCTV/Radios and computer systems in 1992

 

[3571]

I am looking to install a camera looking over the stern and don’t really want to feed it through the plotter as I want a separate screen that is on all the time so will be interested in replies to the OP

I ended up going with a couple of these off Fleabay, worked fine with the cameras plugged in direct to the monitor via the BNC socket -

10" Inch TFT LCD Display Monitor BNC AV VGA HDMI CCTV Securit FOR BUS/Truck/RV | eBay

And one each of these cameras from Amazon -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B075933F6H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SANNCE-800...8V909WWVCCN&psc=1&refRID=HYKPYJC2J8V909WWVCCN

I used the existing wiring, total budget around £135. The last similar cheap and cheerful (7" screens) set up was still going strong after ten years of around 250 x 24 hour days use per annum - issue free bar one camera getting slightly hazy in a small area at times....fingers crossed this set up does likewise.

Thanks for everyones advice and help.

 

[Hurricane]

Brilliant
I love it when people use this cheap and effective kit.
Just imagine how much something like that would have cost if it had the word "marine" stamped on it!!!

 

[Bouba]

Does anyone know of a good wireless system? I don’t need an expensive sunlight viewable monitor. If I can get enough cameras cheap enough I can close the curtains ???‍

 

[superheat6k]

Does anyone know of a good wireless system? I don’t need an expensive sunlight viewable monitor. If I can get enough cameras cheap enough I can close the curtains ???‍

Another Corvette owner has fitted these Anran, with a Mifi he can view them from anywhere, and can be panned through an almost limitless range of view angles.

1080P Wireless WiFi CCTV Indoor Pan/Tilt HD MINI IP Camera CAM Home Security IR | eBay

And cheap as chips. I'm thiking of one on my mast head and one in the cabin, alongside the Control and Protection system I am building on an indutrial PLC system. These wil also be viewable wirelessly from my flybridge, as well as via a VPN.

 

[Scubadoo]

Another Corvette owner has fitted these Anran, with a Mifi he can view them from anywhere, and can be panned through an almost limitless range of view angles.

1080P Wireless WiFi CCTV Indoor Pan/Tilt HD MINI IP Camera CAM Home Security IR | eBay

And cheap as chips. I'm thiking of one on my mast head and one in the cabin, alongside the Control and Protection system I am building on an indutrial PLC system. These wil also be viewable wirelessly from my flybridge, as well as via a VPN.

Are the Anran IR (infrared leds) invisible in the dark, if not it will show anyone nearby where the camera is located, there are other cheap cameras where IR is hidden behind a cover.

 

[Bouba]

Another Corvette owner has fitted these Anran, with a Mifi he can view them from anywhere, and can be panned through an almost limitless range of view angles.

1080P Wireless WiFi CCTV Indoor Pan/Tilt HD MINI IP Camera CAM Home Security IR | eBay

And cheap as chips. I'm thiking of one on my mast head and one in the cabin, alongside the Control and Protection system I am building on an indutrial PLC system. These wil also be viewable wirelessly from my flybridge, as well as via a VPN.

Thanks for that. I would use them as reversing cameras but the night vision gives them another role while at anchor. Very interesting.
Does anybody know if there is any delay that would make them unsuitable for reversing?