| Author |
Message |
Guest
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 Posted:
Thu Mar 31, 2005 7:29 pm Post subject:
Using CAT 5 or CAT 6 for USB Extension |
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I'm trying to do a video surveillance project in Linux with PHP. I need
to record live video coming over USB. USB can only go so far without
putting repeater hubs in the drop ceiling, and that requires an
electrician to give me a plug for the adapter under the drop ceiling,
which is not desirable.
Has anyone experimented with getting the USB signal on/off CAT 5 or CAT
6 so that it can be run longer distances without needing a hub? Or
would this need some kind of stronger boost? Or what about coaxial? |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:03 pm Post subject:
Re: Using CAT 5 or CAT 6 for USB Extension |
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googlemike@hotpop.com wrote:
| Quote: | Has anyone experimented with getting the USB signal on/off CAT 5
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http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/searchdetail.asp?T1=131+0944&dept=&search=&child=
claims 150', though I've had really awful luck with USB extensions it
might be worth a try.
Tom's Hardware recently did an article on USB devices that hang off an
Ethernet, though I dunno about Linux drivers.
Why that particular camera, BTW? There are lotsa cheap Ethernet or
coax CCTV cameras available... |
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Robert Redelmeier
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:55 pm Post subject:
Re: Using CAT 5 or CAT 6 for USB Extension |
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googlemike@hotpop.com wrote:
| Quote: | Has anyone experimented with getting the USB signal on/off
CAT 5 or CAT 6 so that it can be run longer distances
without needing a hub? Or would this need some kind of
stronger boost? Or what about coaxial?
|
I don't have USB experience, but I believe there are two
separate issues: power and signal.
Power (5VDC & ground) doesn't travel well but can easily be
replaced by a powered hub at the endpoint. AFAIK, powerloss
is the first thing to cause USB to fail.
USB signals which should respond well to better treatment
like Cat6 cable.
-- Robert |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Mar 31, 2005 11:13 pm Post subject:
Re: Using CAT 5 or CAT 6 for USB Extension |
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| Quote: | Why that particular camera, BTW? There are lotsa cheap Ethernet or
coax CCTV cameras available...
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Yeah, some other people are telling me about this too by other avenues.
I'm turned on to this stuff by the cash potential, not because I knew
the technology a little. So I'm really green. I feel kind of dumb, but
I learn fast. I'm eager to get this going and convince the wife with a
demo that proves to her that this can work and that I can sell this
cheaper than anyone else can do it because I use Linux and inexpensive
hardware, and because everyone else jacks the price up really high.
So I'm going to have to look for coax CCTV or cheap Ethernet solutions.
I just didn't realize that these are cheaper than web cams when you
think of how much hardware you have to add to run a very long cable
with a USB web cam.
As for wireless solutions, that works with some customers, but not
others. Other customers who are more tech savvy realize that webcams
can be jammed with jamming devices.
Hey, thanks for guiding me this way, William. |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Mar 31, 2005 11:46 pm Post subject:
Re: Using CAT 5 or CAT 6 for USB Extension |
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I guess I have to counter this now that I have some more info.
I don't think Linux drivers are readily available or in good shape yet
for CCTV or Video over Ethernet. However, Linux has plenty of USB video
drivers, so USB is still a viable option if I can get distance. And
someone has now figured out a way to get USB over CAT5 for distances
larger than 100 feet:
http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp?SKU=CS11725&N=401
So I think I'm going to go this route unless someone talks me out of
it. |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:28 am Post subject:
Re: Using CAT 5 or CAT 6 for USB Extension |
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googlemike@hotpop.com wrote:
| Quote: | http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp?SKU=CS11725&N=401
So I think I'm going to go this route unless someone talks me out of
it.
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Looks good, but please reply when you get it and tell us how it works.
USB can have timing (latency) issues even if the signal integrity
holds up over the distance. I'd try it first with a short cable to
make sure the device is functional...
Also, before you spend too much time adding cost to your USB camera,
note that (for instance) the D-Link DCS-900 is only $82 from NewEgg:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=30-115-110&depa=0 |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Apr 01, 2005 3:32 am Post subject:
Re: Using CAT 5 or CAT 6 for USB Extension |
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| Quote: | Looks good, but please reply when you get it and tell us how it
works.
USB can have timing (latency) issues even if the signal integrity
holds up over the distance. I'd try it first with a short cable to
make sure the device is functional...
Also, before you spend too much time adding cost to your USB camera,
note that (for instance) the D-Link DCS-900 is only $82 from NewEgg:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=30-115-110&... |
Very good advice. Thanks! By the way, what has me excited about this
project with video surveillance was that I'm a Linux PHP/PostgreSQL
developer who's got the entrepreneur bug, and when my boss told me in
my IT Operations day job that they paid $30K for the 8 camera system
they have now, and heard it was $13K just to add 3 more cameras, I
said, d*mn -- I have to get my rear into that business. The same goes
for Asterisk PBX solutions on Linux -- we paid $80K for our current
call center PBX solution, and Linux solutions can be far cheaper and
yield high profits for Linux gurus who can get it going with Asterisk.
And then there's the topics of keyless door entry (card, thumb, etc.)
and timepunch, hooked through Linux, which can yield good profit too. |
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Dale Farmer
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Apr 01, 2005 8:21 pm Post subject:
Re: Using CAT 5 or CAT 6 for USB Extension |
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googlemike@hotpop.com wrote:
| Quote: | I'm trying to do a video surveillance project in Linux with PHP. I need
to record live video coming over USB. USB can only go so far without
putting repeater hubs in the drop ceiling, and that requires an
electrician to give me a plug for the adapter under the drop ceiling,
which is not desirable.
Has anyone experimented with getting the USB signal on/off CAT 5 or CAT
6 so that it can be run longer distances without needing a hub? Or
would this need some kind of stronger boost? Or what about coaxial?
|
There are USB extension boxes that will run USB over a couple hundred
feet of cat 5 UTP. When I priced them a year or so ago, each set was
something like a hundred USD. They are largely marketed to the security
camera industry, so you will have to find some specialist catalogs.
As for the price of video surveillance systems, most of the expense is
labor, both for the initial install and the service calls.
--Dale |
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