Subscriber Discussion

Do I Need A Decoder From The Same Manufacturer As The Encoder?

SO
Sayed Omar
Apr 22, 2013

For a very special situation, I need to convert IP camera stream from PELCO to analog signal to be able to connect it to a DVR for recording. Do I've to use a decoder?, which model? Has it be compatible with PELCO or any decoder can work? Is there any other method to solve the situation?

Rv
Rogier van der Heide
Apr 22, 2013

So far as I have experienced, is that decoders work only for their own brand. Got an Axis camera, then you need an axis decoder. So I reckon you need Pelco decoder in order to get an analog signal of a pelco IP camera.

Afaik, there aren't any ONVIF decoders out (yet)

SP
Sean Patton
Apr 22, 2013

In general terms, like Rogier pointed out, both need to be from the same manufacturer. I know that Next Level Security Systems has an "open" HD-decoder, but I have no experience with it. I'm sure someone here can comment.

WT
William Trethewey
Apr 22, 2013

The answer to this question is the same answer as the age old debate what kind of underware is best "Briefs or shorts"? The answer: "Depends".

Pelco cameras support RTP in conjunction with the RTP Control Protocol (RTCP). While RTP carries the media streams (e.g., audio and video), RTCP is used to monitor transmission statistics and quality of service (QoS) and aids synchronization of multiple streams. For most Pelco IP cameras you can set the RTP address along with either unicast or multicast from a web browser. Any RTCP / RTP decoder can be used as long as it points to the proper IP address. The other concern is the encoding scheme, i.e. MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264 (Along with the H.264 profile selection, there are many options and not all are compatible with most decoders) Any decoder such as Mango, Axis, Dvtel will work as long as they support the encoding scheme you select.

So if you properly set up the camera, almost any decoder will work. For the easiest set up, use a Pelco decoder and it will setup the camera for you.

Clear as mud?

SO
Sayed Omar
Apr 22, 2013

I contacted PELCO, they have only one decoder but unfortunatly it's only working with their ENDURA S/W, and the IP connection I've is connected to NVR DSSRV, so no chance.

On the PC connected to the network, I'm able to see the video streaming, but I need to convert it to analog to record it with existing DVR, as I have another audio input to the DVR and recording will be for both A&V.

WT
William Trethewey
Apr 22, 2013

Contact Axis. They will set you up. You will have to setup the Pelco using the web interface or the Pelco utility. Then you will point the encoder to the camera IP and all will work. I have done this many times with Axis and mango encoders.

SO
Sayed Omar
Apr 23, 2013

William, are you speaking about encoder or decoder, as already I got network connection to the system switch where I'm able to access the camera by setting it's IP address using PELCO utility, then now I need decoder to convert from IP stream to analog video signal.

WT
William Trethewey
Apr 23, 2013

Sayed,

I am speaking of the decoder, an IP camera has the encoder “built in”. The fact that you are able to display video from the IP camera is a good start but it doesn’t guarantee the camera is set up so it will supply video to the decoder.

You need to get a video stream to the decoder. You need to install the decoder on the network, assign an IP to the decoder and point the decoder to the Pelco camera. The Pelco camera needs to be set up with a stream that the decoder can use. Some Pelco cameras have multiple streams and some can only do 1 stream at a time. For the decoder, the easiest setup is to set the Pelco to multicast (assuming your network can handle multicast) with a D1 resolution, frame rate of 30 FPS (25 for PAL) and MPEG-4 compression. Note the IP address and the multicast address of the camera. Go into the set up of the decoder and point it to the camera IP and multicast address. The video port (analog) of the decoder will have your video.

There are many variables that can cause problems and make this appear to not work (such as jumbo packets being enabled (Pelco camera’s default) when either the network switches and or router can’t use them, or the decoder can’t handle jumbo frames). I have used Mango, Axis, acti and Dvtel decoders with Pelco cameras.

So go to your distributor, get a decoder, and read the camera and decoder manual for setup instructions. If you set both to match it should work just fine.

One other solution I have seen used is to use a PC as the decoder. As you have seen getting IP video to display on a PC is fairly easy. If you get a video card for the PC that supports analog output (NTSC or PAL for example) you can record the PC’s video.

SO
Sayed Omar
Apr 23, 2013

Thanks a lot William, you gave me more than an alternative to start with, I'll start with a decoder from Mango, with one eye on graphic card for the PC.

Again, thanks for your valuable advices. I'll keep you posted with the results, just it'll take time to order the needed H/W.

SO
Sayed Omar
May 08, 2013

Dear William,

I received today AXIS P7701 Video Decoder, installed it with the PELCO camera and the switch, set the IP address correctly for the decoder and in the video source I pointed to the IP address of the camera.

I tried nearly all the possible settings in the camera encoder and the decoder but unfortunately I always got error in the connection. On the analog o/p of the decoder A display saying that it trays all possible settings of the video source without any success connection.

The only thing which I didn't try to lock for HTTP and HTTPS port, the AXIS manual says that the only important is the video source IP address.

I failed after 6 hours of trays.

Best regards

Sayed Omar

JH
John Honovich
May 08, 2013
IPVM

Sayed, have you tried calling Axis tech support and asking for help?

SO
Sayed Omar
May 12, 2013

John, I'm going to discuss the subject with both BOSCH and AXIS during Ifsec exh.

Thanks

WT
William Trethewey
May 20, 2013

Sayed,

I am sorry I missed your response. I have been out of country and out of contact with the internet. Did you get your problem solved? If not I have some thoughts for you to look at.

Can you receive the video from the Pelco camera using VLC media player?

Is the video from the Pelco in a format compatible with the Axis decoder? Usual needs to be D1 or lower resolution with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

What output are you getting from the Axis decoder? nothing, blank (all black or all white), color bars, etc

If you are still having problems write me and I will try to help.

Bill T.

SO
Sayed Omar
May 27, 2013

ThanIks Bill for your reply, I'm also out of my office for business trip for a week.

Regarding the decoder problem, I got these results from my last tests:

On the VGA o/p of the AXIS decoder, there was a black screen with a message saying "connecting to Camera IP: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx" the message last some seconds, then the decoder tries another settings (I guess H.264, MPG4,... ), then at the end the decoder failed to connect.

At the camera's encoder, I tried all the possible setting for frame rates even with the lowest possible one, I tried using the primeray streaming or secondry one, no way

Other settings for the decoder and encoder (there are too many settings), lead to the same result.

I tried the AXIS decoder with another IP camera from another manufacture rather than PELCO, I got the same result.

I contacted PELCO, they said that their own decoder (they have only one), is not compatible with any camera even from PELCO unless the camera is onvif. By the end of this year they'll produce one PELCO decoder which will be compatible with all PELCO camera.

I contacted AXIS they informed me that their decoder is only compatible with their camera, it may work with other brand but they can't gurantee the result.

Next week, I'll check if VLC can play the video or not and inform you

Thanks

Sayed

SO
Sayed Omar
Jun 06, 2013

Dear William,

I tried to stream the video fro the IP camera using VLC media player, but I failed. I adjusted the camera for D1, 10 frames, and tried other settings in both IP camera & VLC but I failed to display the picture.

When I entered the HTTP (http://192.168.1.80:2002/cgi-bin/admin/setup_main.cgi)of the camera in the VLC media / Open network stream / Network ... I only receive the login in window (user name and passwords ) then nothing happen.

Any help ?

Could you please send me your email so I can send you some attachments showing the screen configurations.

Thanks

Sayed

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