I have a client that wants a PoE surveillance camera than can also have a simultaneous 24VAC or 12VDC connection in case the LAN goes down. The camera should have an SD card slot to record locally. I thought I’ve seen these somewhere just can’t remember what make/model.
Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Lynn, good one. This is increasing difficult as more and more low cost cameras are going PoE only.
Hikvision has a minidome with both power options. So does Dahua I believe.
Do you have a brand preference? I believe Axis M series do not. Same for Sony.
Btw, manufacturers / reps, feel free to recommend your products. Make sure they:
(1) are really minidomes and
(2) support both PoE and 12V or 24V power
I've seen plenty that do, but are we talking about the camera automatically switching back and forth between the two? I think the one's I've seen you need to move a dip switch to select.
Luis & others, thanks for chiming in. I need the camera to automatically fall back the other power source if PoE drops. My client originally asked for the Axis M30 series but I know they don't do what I need. Cost is not the promary concern, I'd prefer something more 'top shelf' like a Sony, Panasonic, etc.
When my client asked for this feature, my original suggestion was to use a high-end switch with an external RPSU AND a UPS. But both those ideas won't help if the LAN cable is disconnected or cut (not sure why this would even happen, this is a high-end retail establishment) - but the client is alway right, right? ;-)
I'll looking into Hikvision and Dahua as well - thanks to all.
Lynn, thanks for the feedback. I scanned through the Panasonic minidomes here, but I could only find PoE only models. Maybe I missed some.
The Bosch IP Micro 200 does list both power options, 720p max.
Thanks John! I am going to reach out to my Hik and Bosch reps and get some samples! Only sure way to know is to test.
Lynn,
Panasonic wv-sw355, supports simultaneous POE and additional separate DC power input. The DC input acts as secondary reduntant Power supply and the camera can automaticaly store video on SD card should communication to the server fail.
Great form factor, extremely well built, excelent WDR, works well with Gentec, you would love it.
Remus
Remus, that is a very large camera.
Here's the size from the specs: ∅6-15/32" x 5-7/8" (H), 7-9/16" (W)
And here's an image:
If that counts as a minidome, then everything counts as a minidome.
Lynn, if you can accept a camera that large, there are many more options.
Thanks Remus - if anyone knows Panasonic, it would be you. I should have a pile of these in house in the next week or so, will certainly be able to test. The client I am looking into this for really needs a camera significantly smaller - think Axis M30 series size or the Panasonic Compact Dome Model # WV-SF135, neither if which I could tell do both power simultaneously.
I need the camera to automatically fall back the other power source if PoE drops...
Why fall back at all? What about having a small POE injector close to the camera powered from ac? Combine the LAN and local power and go in POE. If the switch fails or cable is cut (anywhere except for the inches long segment from the injector), your fine with no failover necessary. Works with any POE camera, assuming the AC is local.
I like that idea - have you installed cameras like this and tested the failover scenario?
Have you installed cameras like this?
Many times, but usually because there were no POE ports left on the switch...
and tested the failover scenario?
No, I never had edge recording set-up on them, so if the LAN was cut I was SOL, regardless if they were still powered or not.
If you are going to have it setup to be recording to edge all the time for redundancy, as well as to the VMS, it would be a pretty sorry camera that would stop the edge recording when the LAN stopped. But then again I've seen worse...
This way of doing the power is probably the least likely to cause problems because there is no failover of the power from source to source at the same time as the lan disconnect...
Though not common, one of the more frequent failure modes I've seen is that a power surge/strike/etc. gets coupled to the Ethernet port on the device and blows up the magnetics (usually just magnetics or PoE circuitry, not the whole device).
If you're going to power from a local AC source it's probably going to be cheaper and easier to just power the camera with AC or DC and forget the PoE injector (another component to fail).
The dual-power setup with PoE and DC provides more true resiliency, though it can make it harder to do any kind of full power cycle if needed.
If the camera is PoE only, then the local PoE injector is probably slightly more reliable, but significantly more expensive, than a PoE switch option.
Und A Manf brings up a good point -being able to remotely reboot the camera if needed. There are network enabled power strips and power supplies that could facilitate AC/DC power cycling. Then you'd have to coordinate on the POE switch side to temporarily bounce or disable the port while you AC/DC power cycle.
Though not common, one of the more frequent...
?
If you're going to power from a local AC source it's probably going to be cheaper and easier to just power the camera with AC or DC and forget the PoE injector (another component to fail).
It goes without saying that if you can plug in the camera directly to local power then you should do so.
The dual-power setup with PoE and DC provides more true resiliency, though it can make it harder to do any kind of full power cycle if needed.
It goes almost without saying that if you can plug in the camera directly to local power then you should do so.
If the camera is PoE only, then the local PoE injector is probably slightly more reliable,
Exponentially more reliable in the 'failure modes' cited by the OP, 'if the LAN cable is disconnected or cut', because the LAN cable need only be 6 inches long, and the injector can be put in a junction box behind the camera.
but significantly more expensive, than a PoE switch option
if you can plug in the camera directly to local power then you should do so.
Rukmini - thanks! I can test that scenario in my lab!
Hello Lynn,
Have a look at our product. Its great quality at a much lower cost then the Axis or Panasonic model. Supports PoE, 12VDC and has an SD card slot. 2MP with IR LEDs as well. Dimensions: 4.7ø x 3.5” (120ø x 88mm) Mini Dome Link
William, nice dome. Just wondering how these dual power units actually work.
How much cheaper are these domes?
Thank you Rummini,
Good questions, however our dome camera provides the power options manily for convenience, so therefore they are not hot-failover. We sell through distribution so you should be able to find this product around ~$225 at major distributors.
William, the lack of hot-failover is not necessarily a problem in this case as long as either
Do you know if #1 is true?
Item #1 is true in which in the event of a loss of PoE power, the camera will default back to 12VDC power. In addition, the camera can be programmed to record to the SD card upon loss of network connectivity.
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