Subscriber Discussion

RS485 Joystick Boot Ready To Control One Specific PTZ

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Fredrik Ahlsen
Oct 02, 2013

We have a client with the following requirement:

A PTZ camera connected to a screen and controlled by a joystick, all mounted on/in a container.
All equipment is usually without power, just on storage.
But when deployed they just want to switch on the power and everything has to be ready to use within 30 seconds:

  • The camera must show up in full screen on the monitor. (Analog camera connected directly to a monitor - OK)
  • The joystick must be able to control the PTZ right away. No log-in, no selecting of camera to control. Just power on and start controlling the only connected camera. So. any suggestion for a joystick that can do this? (The ones I have tried require log-in or selection of camera after startup)
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Brian Rhodes
Oct 02, 2013
IPVMU Certified

How long does the container need to be self-sufficient on battery power? If I understand your project correctly, all equipment is on standby/hibernation mode until it needs to be used. Why can't you leave everything up (perhaps turn off the monitor screen) and increase battery capacity?

MI
Matt Ion
Oct 02, 2013

Fredrik, I have a Capture keyboard/joystick that would do exactly this - auto-decects all attached cameras on startup, and defaults to controlling the first one found, as I recall (or defaults to the lowest ID number found - either way, if there's only one camera connected, no need to select it). Only requires login for administrative tasks. The longest part of the startup time with something like this would be the camera's own bootup/self-test procedure.

Couple this with an analog PTZ and a small-ish LCD or LED monitor that has composite input, and you're off to the races (LED is thinner, lighter, and more energy-efficient).

Matter of fact, you could probably use a low-cost LCD or LED TV, which would almost certainly have a composite (or A/V) input... I use a really nice little 7" HAIER portable DVD/TV unit as a service monitor, that would probably fit the bill, with its own internal battery and the ability to power off a 9-12VDC source.

Capture CPT-FTD2404CZ:

Haier HLTD7:

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Fredrik Ahlsen
Oct 21, 2013

Thanks guys. And sorry for abandoning my own tread for such a long time.

Brian: The equipment will be without power at all for long periods. No standby or hibernation is possible.

I also got another request from the client. That the keyboard/joystick can operate in +60 °C
Can Capture CPT-FTD2404CZ handle this. Or can someone recommend me a "heavy duty" PTZ keyboard/joystick ?

MI
Matt Ion
Oct 21, 2013

That unit lists operating temperature as 0 to 50c, storage temp of -20 to +60C (marketing cut sheet here - note that this also runs on 12VDC). I'd worry about the operator's survival more than the equipment's at 60C, though :)

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