Home audio & video forum: Audio / Visual Networking

The old method of camera and analog signal is still used for this. And it is pretty cheap still. Are you aware of the step up in costs you are incurring?
Bob

I'm not sure what you mean. The only reason I was thinking Cat 5 is because I've got spools and spools of it left over from when they built my building.
What would "Old School" entail? I am open to any way that works.

Thanks for your help!

You have all the costs of video encoding to networking and more.

But let's say you had an old school video camera with NTSC or PAL. And let's say you were insisting I use cat 5. I can do that but will not vet my answer. Remember I do design work for CCTV systems. I am not an installer, I design this stuff. Sorry if this upsets you but I'll move fast from this point on.

OK, we have our PAL or NTSC video output of the camera. Now we need to get that part that puts that onto cat 5. There are too many of these things so I'll supply ONE and you can find the others. Here it is.

http://media.extron.com/download/files/brochure/CAT5br.pdf

Again, there are far too many versions of this and I don't endorse any one solution as there are many.

START SIMPLE with your camera and a monitor. Get that working on your bench then set up your extender on the bench then you are ready to do the real install.

Hope this helps.
Bob

Like I said above, I am open to any way that works.
If ditching the Cat5 is the way to go, then I will do that. I am really just looking for a way to somewhat easily get a video signal from the camera to 5 different locations. Preferably something that won't break the bank.

So if you have any advice on doing that, using COAX, or whatever I need to use, I would be thrilled to hear what they are.

I will be doing all the installation myself. Luckily when they built my building they ran spare conduit and pull lines, so getting whatever lines where they need to go is not a big issue.

Thanks for your help.

Chris

It's very old school with so much content on the web that you may be sipping from the fire hose with the usual overload.

But with your usual camera and video composite output you connect it up on your bench first then with that working move to your longer cables. At some point you need an video splitter or booster. I never plan ahead for that since many setups don't need it and the folk I work with like how that rolls. (lower costs.)

For those that must plan to the nTH detail, you go ahead with the amplifiers and splitters and let them pay.
Bob