Trying to figure out if I'm understanding the PTZ controls correctly. I have a VD-EL630IR100L2812 vari-focal and a PTZ-HN03100-OD PTZ camera. Do I take both control wires and plug them into the A/B ports on the RS-485 block or can I only have one or the other controlled by the DVR? Reading the DVR manual, it seems that multiple cables can be plugged into those ports, but it doesn't explicitly say that. I couldn't find a forum entry that answered this question, either, sorry.

There is a blog post that speaks to "daisy chaining" CAT5 cable, but I've never seen that phrase used in regard to CAT5. Do you mean pig-tailing it, where one cable goes into the RS-485 port and then all my other CAT5 cables are attached to the pig-tail via wire nuts?

Thanks!

Hi,

Basically you can connect both cameras through rs485, the only thing you have to take in account is the address and protocol used in each camera. For example , the PTZ cameras has dip switches you can change to modify the address as well as the vd-el 630 camera, the vd- el630 camera address must be change using the internal control of the osd, this camera doesn't have dip switches, You will find the controller inside the camera. Once you have change the addresses (at least one of the cameras) to avoid conflict while connected together in the same port rs485, you must go to settings> PTZ settings in the dvr and assign the address and protocol to the channel where that camera is plugged in. This cameras by default support pelcoD for the protocol and baudrate will differ depending of the camera, for ptzs normally is 2400, and for the vd-camera will be 9600. You can change this to your needs either using dip switches, if available, or through the OSD. Once you have changed the address, baudrate and protocol, make sure you save your configurations, then you must go to that channel where each camera is plugged and by right click with your mouse; it will open a menu, choose pan tilt zoom to access the control. In there you can move the PTZ camera and to access the osd menu of the vd camera you must go to the channel where is plugged in, right click to bring the pan tilt zoom options and click the + sign under iris. Picture this button like your enter button, and use the arrows to navigate through the menus.

In regards of the term daisy chain, is referring at the way the cables must be plugged in when using multiple cameras with any type of cable, in that example was cat5. You can use 18/2 cable or alarm cable if you like. So, in another words , you can connect multiple cameras using rs485, but addresses must be different for you to control each camera individualy.

Regards,

Your Support Rep.

Thank you for your request. Your issue is well-known and we encourage you to visit our message forums for further guidance.

Regards,

Your Support Rep.