PTZ servo noise

[jkajfes]

I'm thinking of eventually getting a PTZ camera, more to learn stuff than anything. I googled the topic and watched a bunch of videos and the one thing I noticed in a few was the loud servo noises as they tracked. A lot of the video yous ee have music to them or some other sound or no sound. Not many had the ambient room sound so it's been difficult to figure out just how loud they can be. Some looked like they were realtively quiet too.

I guess this is a factor of price and obviously where you locate them. Mine would be for home use not industrial and at the front and back fo the house... I just don't want to be in the the backyard relaxing on the deck and hearing the servos.

Some of the units appear to be quie large too, well sort of. I suppose it's a relative thing, and with the larger units I would imagine they'd make more noise...

I can't afford one of the brand name units over 1,000 maybe something from China, taking a chance so if anyone has some experience with them would you be kind enough to share please.

 

[fenderman]

Good dahua units are about 510 from china..yes you can get some junk in the 250 range but they will be junk and its a crapshoot as to how long they will last..There are some folks that picked some cheap ones up (on another forum) and the camera would not respond to image adjustment settings because they company used the wrong board....so they are stuck because shipping back is a huge expense..Dahua is a quality brand with a good reputation. I believe the dahua is also POE+ capable so that is another +..you dont need to run new/separate power..you can just use a poe+ switch (poe+ allows for more power than standard poe)
Check out wrightwood for a us based seller for a bit more, but you will get support and some warranty (not sure how long).
http://wrightwoodsurveillance.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_16&products_id=384&zenid=79652e8ca838ca3dfaed6a7f0c6a458d

 

[jkajfes]

thanks Fenderman... that's sort of the area I'm looking around 500 not much less and hopefully not too much more. Yes on the POE+ apsect. I also one where you mount sort of a flat plate on the wall first. Then there's a box you screw that on next and the box has a hinge along one vertical side which is what the arm mounts to and you can swing the arm to the left which allows access to the box. The box was deep enough that you could squeeze a small power supply into it. I thought the setup was rather ingenius. At the bottom of the box are two openings for running various cables one might need. Saw all this in a install video posted on YouTube...

I know the Dahua and it's on my list, still I'm curious about the amount of noise the servos make... any intel in this area? I'm going tos ee if I can skype the manufacturer I'm interesting in tomorrow... I think that noise level may also be tied to being less at a mid range price.
thank you for your patience and especially your time...

 

[networkcameracritic]

When I'm inside my house, 75' from the cameras, can't hear a thing. Up close, you will definitely hear it but it's not that loud. I played with one remotely for testing and the person in the room didn't even notice it on one of these - http://wrightwoodsurveillance.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_16&products_id=369

 

[jkajfes]

I just asked the question because I'm wanting to get a feel for how noisy they can be... I e-mailed the folks in china about the concern and they said don't worry. I don't expect it to be as quiet as a mouse but naturally I'm going to be pissed if it sounds like a honda changing gears... kidding.

 

[jkajfes]

I guess what might have triggered this paranoia was this footage...
saw it a number of days ago and thought holy crap... is this thing wired up right I dunno... to me that's not right but I have diddely hands on with them... like zero.

nice footage though towards the end... kinda kool 2:31 min. mark

 

[Shockwave199]

Noise transfers through to the inside of the house. You have to be mindful of where you mount them. Avoid mounting them on exterior bedroom walls. Even though it tends to be a muted whir sound, it's still a sound that can be heard from inside. It is best to pick locations where from the inside, it's not a room where you would be disturbed by it. I'll do a short video on the sound I get from mine I side. The noise is mostly during preset tours, where the camera jumps from spot to spot. Just panning or tilting during tracking isn't a problem. The noise could be mitigated by using preset scans instead of tours. From the outside, you'll hear the camera.

 

[jkajfes]

thanks shockwave... I may be screwed here because the wall I need to mount it on is indeed a bedroom wall which happens to be at the front of the house. just the way the town house is designed, it's what I'v got to work with. I could be making a mountain out of a mole hill as the unit hasn't arrived and according to the selling folks I don't need to worry. It's 50/50 at this point. I starting thinking about somehow Isolating it on it's bracket against the wall some kind of thick dense foam pad. Then I started thinking about the housing itself and the servos inside how much they'd transfer sound to the bell part of the housing. I'm trying to preplan but without the unit on hand it's difficult to assess. The window will definitely be open during the summer and hot times, winter/fall cold days much less of an issue.

The bracket is interest. It's not the original that normally ships with the unit. It's from another unit. I was browsing through ptz's on youtube looking for clean installs, where cameras are generally placed and how they're attached. I came across a short video of a bracket with a hinge, and a slightly deeper mounting box. The camera mounting bracket is hinged to this box and the box is deep enough for a power transfer to be inserted inside. and enough room to make other connections. Being my first install I can picture something not being quite right and maybe having to hardwire back to the camera for whatever reason. This setup will allow quick access to the camera cables and allow the camera to be be swung away to the side without having to do some kind of balancing act up on the ladder. I'm not as agile as I once was. I can still walk and chew gum but some times it worth keeping things simple and straightforward... I thought it was a great setup, what do you think? There's also a flat pre-plate you can put up first. If something's not right, undo the screws, swing the camera to the left make the hardwire connection to computer leaving the camera off to the side. Once the trouble shooting is done swing camera back and torque bolts.

here's a reference to the video I saw with this bracket....

 

[jkajfes]

shockwave I would be interested in hearing the noise from your unit. It looks similar to the one I'm getting in size. I don't know how easy it would be for you to record the sound it emits. don't need video just an audio recording probably would do just fine. Come to think of it I think I may have seen a video clip of you testing the unit before you installed it... I'll have to try and go back and find that video.

 

[Shockwave199]

The mounting box could be a good idea for easy access, and to help isolate noise transfer as well. If you put a flat rubber gasket between the back plate and the wall, even better. The video you posted of the noisy camera- mine sounds a lot like that although not quite as bad. But that whir when it pans is the same sound. That's what tranfers most to the inside- the panning whir. I'll try and get a video tomorrow of the noise from the inside. It's not objectionable, but in the still of the night it would be if you're trying to sleep. And open window, and you'll hear it for sure too. Exterior bedroom mounting should really be avoided. Here's my video. Forgive my dopey chatter, lol.

 

[jkajfes]

Yes that's one of the videos I watched because I was curious how one installs them. This isn't rocket science but there's definitely a few techniques to keep in mind before you start climbing the ladder. Mine is generally to make sure I've got all the tools and parts need so I don't end up making 3 trips to Home Depot before the end of the day. I knows there's a lotta tech installers on these forums and I'm sure they have their own refined techniques based on the hundreds of install they do. Each one is probably different but I'd assume patterns do develop in how they approach them. They're on a clock or can we say it's their offical job so they don't mess around.

I came across a few internal pictures. I saw that a belt type drive with a stepper motor is used in the style you have and probably the one I've got coming. That's what I was thinking a rubber gasket against the wall. I don't think they vibrate much or there may be little transmission in this area. As I said I think most of the noise will come from echoing resonating off the inside the bell. The ideal position for the unit is near a bedroom window. It's not a regularly used room more of a guest room if a friend or realtive drops by for a stay. I've weighed the options a possible guest once or twice a year for a day or two or 24/7 surveillance...

I've been wanted a setup for years and it reminds me of a line I heard from TV... "you can't keep snakes in your backyard and only expect them to bite your neighbours." I mean it's like... no it's never going to happen to me so I don't need it. The neighbourhood is good, been here for 35 years... but times are changing and some folks do some pretty crazy things... I mentioned the topic to a neighbour to see their reaction. They said if I could afford it I would have had it years ago. They're more the type to hire someone because they're not the type to do their own install and probably because of that they estimate a higher cost. I'm doing it myself because I understand the wiring skills. I'd replace the electrical cord on a toaster or can opener before I'd buy a new one. Lotta folks today, something breaks head for a box store. Nothing wrong with that as your time might be worth more but not for me. I like doing handyman stuff.

There's nothing urgent about your doing a video, even an audio recording's good enough but who's got those anymore... more like a complete camera system. nah I ramble like you wouldn't believe!

 

[Shockwave199]

We have come to think of the whir as the sound of safety, like a guardian angle watching overhead, lol. And remember, the camera doesn't make a sound if it's not moving. Well, I guess the fan for the heater/cooling does but that is not heard inside. But as much as you think a ptz will be moving all the time, it doesn't have to be. It can remain in one position and change a couple times a day to monitor different areas. You can keep it stationary when guests are over. There's all kinds of scenarios. Keep us posted with it all.

 

[jkajfes]

gosh you're right!... during the time or when that bedroom is in use a change to the program of that PTZ to minimize when it's moving, that's well just a great idea. Would have never thought of it on my own. I was told never to drive faster than my guardian angel could fly. I don't know about doing an install video when I get the PTZ. I don't get along with cameras generally. Like the last time I had an indoor setting outside. White balance... we don't need no stinking white balance! ya right...
I could take a few stills though and post those with comments...

I have to say this is really a great place to get help and ideas. I'm also thankful for some of the replies from the more knowledgeable members. They've been great with help especially answering newbie questions.

Did you use solid CT6 cable on your unit? I'm also wondering if I should get the sheilded type, the one that has the foil wrap inside that you peel away. I saw sveral type but I'm confused on which CAT6 one needs. I just re-watched the video you mentioned you used Cat5...

 

[Shockwave199]

Yes, but the cat 5 was only for power and communication, not video feed. I used the bnc from the previous camera that was in that spot for that. My camera is analog.

 

[jkajfes]

Hi folks...
just a small update here... My PTZ has arrived. I haven't had a chance to install it because I'm trying to decide exactly where I'm going to mount it and how I'm going to run the power and data cables... Maybe I'll get a chance to work on this on the coming weekend. In the meantime I've got it hooked up inside the house near my computer area and I'm trying to learn stuff from the manual that was sent... not a great manual but it's certainly better than nothing... It wasn't difficult to power it up, install a network cable and get it recognized and get into the camera menus to play around.

The one thing I wanted to say about this camera is WOW... All the worrying about how quiet it was going to be. With this particular one I can't hear it from 3 feet away! Even at two feet or 24 inches sitting at my computer while it tries to track what I'm doing it's quick and extremely quiet. I'm having trouble believing this. You could mount this thing in your bedroom and not here it moving about and I'm a light sleeper.

So in regards to mounting it outside a bedroom window or a location near one I or anyone else will never here it's movements, it's that quiet. They must've come a fair bit with the movement mechanisms in some of the designs... I was asked to tell how I like it and possibly supply some video footage. I think I might attempt to do this once I've had some time with it. I'm pretty new with security cameras but I'm really enjoy playing around with them. There are a lot of features to learn and I have questions like do you let the software built in the camera do the tracking, or do you try to find security software that does it or maybe it's a combination of both dunno... I think so, I'm playing with what I've got right now...

I've watched a bunch of tracking videos on youtube, some new some old and it seems they are really starting to improve the way these things track objects... some are pretty smooth the way they track, others are kind of jerky in movement. I think it's partly how you program them to do things... and I'm just getting into that... the ones with the powerful zooms depending on how they're mounted I suppose when zoomed in tight you can see a fairly bit of overall motion in the frame... where I plan to mount will be a pretty stable area... and not out in the open on a pole like in a parking lot... these things are realy cool to play with!

 

[nayr]

Ive got a black face dahua on the outside corner of my bedroom; it can be heard moving from inside but only if the room is dead silent.. its not loud enough to wake you up or anything. A TV or Snoring Dog easily masks it.. but if its dead silent you can hear it pretty clearly.

outside my wife can hear the PTZ move from a mile away it seems like; I can only hear it up close and if there is no background noise.

The camera stays fixed unless a sensor tells it to move; so noise isint any real concern.. I do avoid browsing through the neighborhood when my wife is trying to fall asleep, I have gotten repremanded by my old lady for watching a neighborhood cat one night as she was trying to fall asleep... Once she's out its perfectly fine.

 

[jkajfes]

Ive got a black face dahua on the outside corner of my bedroom; it can be heard moving from inside but only if the room is dead silent.. its not loud enough to wake you up or anything. A TV or Snoring Dog easily masks it.. but if its dead silent you can hear it pretty clearly.

outside my wife can hear the PTZ move from a mile away it seems like; I can only hear it up close and if there is no background noise.

The camera stays fixed unless a sensor tells it to move; so noise isint any real concern.. I do avoid browsing through the neighborhood when my wife is trying to fall asleep, I have gotten repremanded by my old lady for watching a neighborhood cat one night as she was trying to fall asleep... Once she's out its perfectly fine.

I guess replacing the wife with a quieter unit is not an option?...