New to PTZ
- Thread starter goodolick
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fenderman
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a random tour is completely useless...
goodolick
n3wb
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it is not a random tour, it tours to 5 presets.... this still does not answer my question though, is it bad for the camera to leave it on tour?
fenderman
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Just as useless...no one can answer that...it should last a good long time....how long who knows, every moving part eventually fails. Regardless you are wasting your time and money with a tour like that.
goodolick
n3wb
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Well thanks. Not sure what this PTZ is going to do for me if I just leave it fixed then. I guess its just a fun toy to play with.
fenderman
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exactly...unless you spend the time and money to use motion sensors or other cameras to trigger the ptz as others have done...otherwise its an expensive toy you will play with for a week...in almost every instance you are much better off with multiple fixed cameras.
goodolick
n3wb
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Good advise... I can spend some money on some PIRs and set the camera to go to presets based on the motion detection.
BTW, I 8 other fixed cameras on the house. Mainly wanted the PTZ to be able to zoom to the street for plates. But, if I have a fancy PTZ, might as well use it to its potential, right?
Shockwave199
Known around here
Yeah, best to have it respond to either motion detection from a pir or another camera. About the only thing I didn't really use was constant tours on my home ptz. At work, I use the tour all day but at home it's different. I've had fun setting my home ptz to a slow scan during blizzards and all just to take in the sights. The biggest problem with a ptz that isn't manually monitored and moved on a more constant basis is that it does essentially become a fixed camera. Why that is because when the camera is pointing at a certain spot during a tour, it could be missing the big picture which could be where the intrusion or problem is taking place. It comes down to one superb frame for positive ID usually, remember. That, plus the fact that it can be awfully frustrating looking at a ptz playback tour when you know the event is only on one certain spot. That's why fixed cameras covering everything is better tha a ptz having to swing all over to do the same. But, I still love my ptz. I set it to two different positions during the day to cover potential problems at the street. I can move it around any time I need to and that really is almost like a luxury to have in residential. Zooming in on stuff is certainly great to be able to do when needed. But I mostly support my front door when it picks up motion, putting the ptz into a tour mode. The best home use for a ptz is when you have everything well covered by fixed cameras and the ptz is just there for added support.
My front door tour-
Slow blizzard scan. This storm reached 3' in snow in the end!
My front door tour-
Slow blizzard scan. This storm reached 3' in snow in the end!
goodolick
n3wb
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Awesome... looks like on the second video you have it set to a super slow sweep. Might not catch what you need, but, its still cool to see random events around house.
Shockwave199
Known around here
Yeah that's a slow scan purposeful just for the storm.
CaliGirl
Getting comfortable
I find the constant tours quite useful to the contrary. For those of us that want to see the weather and surrounding activity and not just criminal surveillance, the tours make great sense. For example I like to see what it going on at the boat ramp every so often or the dock or the house or the snow fall etc. I don't need to see those areas perfect 24/7 but nice to play it back and see around noon what the activity levels were.