Veracity PointSource Reviewed

Published Jan 10, 2012 00:00 AM
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If you are field testing or trying to determine how well a camera will work in a specific location, it can be a pain to setup - getting power, running cables, connecting a camera and laptop to a switch, etc. In our December Portable Power report, we examined the Veracity PointSource [link no longer available], a fairly unique device that provides a solution to this need. In this note, we excerpt our review and video demonstration of the Veracity PointSource.

Applications: The PointSource has a two prime uses, as we see it: (1) Short-term demos and testing, and (2) On-site configuration and aiming. While it is capable of powering a single camera for at least 4-5 hours, this duration is not long enough for running an all-day or overnight test, making it unsuitable for those needs. For aiming and configuration of cameras on site, we would expect, due to the intermittent nature of use, that it would be easily capable of handling a full day's use on a single charge. Obviously, since it only has a single output, applications requiring power to multiple cameras, or a laptop or switch, will need to seek another option.

We are not aware of anything quite like it, optimized for convenient temporary use of surveillance cameras.

Veracity's PointSource [link no longer available] is essentially a self-contained, battery-powered PoE injector, supplying a maximum of 15.4 watts (802.3af) to a single device. It may also supply 12VDC power via two spring terminals on the top of the unit, for cameras which are not PoE-capable. PoE is supplied through one of two RJ45 ports, with the other being a non-powered pass-through for connection of a laptop to the camera. The PointSource is lightweight so portability is not much of an issue. The PointSource can be found online for about $200.