How To Connect CCTV To Computer Monitor?

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lvmnhien
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 6:54 pm
Location: Calgary, Canada

How To Connect CCTV To Computer Monitor?

Post by lvmnhien »

I recently bought a used Nikon Labophot-2 microscope and it comes with the Sony SSC-C370 CCTV camera. I tried to connect the camera to the regular computer monitor through the VGA port but have not been successful so far.

I bought the BNC to VGA adaptor from eBay and tried the 2 modes (A and B) on the CCTV but the monitor did not receive any signals. I have tried with a few working monitors, but none picked up any signals from the camera. I have also tried the 2 BNC ports on the camera as well. The seller said the CCTV is in good working condition and from the cosmetic look and the red-light power indicator of the camera, I don’t think it is no longer working.

The set-up is as follow: microscope-camera-BNC cable-BNC to VGA adaptor-computer monitor. Is there anything that I miss? Please see some pictures of CCTV and its connectors and advise me on the problem. I hope that there is someone having used this kind of connection. Thanks.



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g4lab
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Joined: Fri May 23, 2008 11:07 am

Post by g4lab »

I don't think you have the right cable there for starters. I think that cable is intended to plug into a computer graphics card and send the video to a CCTV monitor. These were used with BNC rgb input monitors and rgb projectors to be driven by a PC.

You need to go straight from the camera to a BNC input on the Monitor. You haven't shown us the back of the monitors you wish to use.

Regular computer monitors are not designed to accept regular video without a box of circuitry in between.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-PC-Laptop-A ... 417179c8c4


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Key-Digital-KD- ... 2c6d2d8b4c


the links above show the kind of box you want. You need to go from NTSC component video also known as Audio Visual (ie. AV) to VGA.

The second one can do both directions apparently automatically.
There are a number of different conversions and many of these sellers are in Asia and don't speak great english. So it is easy to get confused. My chinese is not too good either. :D

lvmnhien
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 6:54 pm
Location: Calgary, Canada

Post by lvmnhien »

Thanks g4lab. I think the one in the first link may work but for the second one, there needs to be more adaptor as one end is the component. Regular monitor nowadays have VGA, DVI, and/or HDMI. The last two (DVI and HDMI) are newer than VGA, so I would not think the chance of compatibility is good. I have attached the connections on the back of my monitor. It has VGA (or sometimes referred to as D-sub) and DVI.

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But with either solution, I don’t think I can record the picture to the computer. I have searched and found the following item.

http://www.amazon.com/Sharx-Security-SC ... d+for+CCTV

This PCI card can accept BNC directly from the CCTV and it just needs to be plugged into the PCI slot in the computer. Also, it does come with software for recording. Let me know what you think.

Pau
Site Admin
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Post by Pau »

First, in order to test if the camera is working, I would plug it to the analog input of a TV or video recorder.
Pau

lvmnhien
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Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 6:54 pm
Location: Calgary, Canada

Post by lvmnhien »

Pau wrote:First, in order to test if the camera is working, I would plug it to the analog input of a TV or video recorder.
Sadly, my TV does not have a BNC input. I don't have any other video recorders. I have a few digital cameras but non has such input.

g4lab
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Joined: Fri May 23, 2008 11:07 am

Post by g4lab »

You can get a BNC to RCA connector to send the video to most TV unless they are so new that they don't have an RCA. (Yellow RCA video in) I think that second link will work. The seller says that it senses everything automatically and works in all possible directions. His ebay handle is an abbreviation of "home theater fan" so I think that is a fancy gadget compared to the first.

The thing you linked to will work too but you can buy one just like it that is USB 2.0 and you won't even need to open your computer. Buy it Now $7.00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-2-0-EASYCAP ... 005wt_1041

Ancient1
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Location: San Jose, California, USA

Post by Ancient1 »

This will allow viewing and capture on a PC.

http://www.directron.com/impactvcb.html?gsear=1
Eugene Cisneros

lvmnhien
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 6:54 pm
Location: Calgary, Canada

Post by lvmnhien »

g4lab wrote:You can get a BNC to RCA connector to send the video to most TV unless they are so new that they don't have an RCA. (Yellow RCA video in) I think that second link will work. The seller says that it senses everything automatically and works in all possible directions. His ebay handle is an abbreviation of "home theater fan" so I think that is a fancy gadget compared to the first.

The thing you linked to will work too but you can buy one just like it that is USB 2.0 and you won't even need to open your computer. Buy it Now $7.00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-2-0-EASYCAP ... 005wt_1041

Thanks g4lab. I do like the price of the USB one but not too sure how long it will perform. I think I prefer a tidy system, so I would go with the video card put inside the CPU.

lvmnhien
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 6:54 pm
Location: Calgary, Canada

Post by lvmnhien »

Ancient1 wrote:This will allow viewing and capture on a PC.

http://www.directron.com/impactvcb.html?gsear=1
Your suggestion will work for sure but I prefer to use Amazon as I have been a customer with it for long. I found the following one and decided to go with it. Hope it will work out ok.

http://www.amazon.com/Sharx-Security-SC ... y+SCXSC200

Thanks very much for the help.

Mitch640
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Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 1:43 pm

Post by Mitch640 »

Please tell me if this works. I have so far, tried everything but the PCi cards. I had heard they do NOT, despite all claims to the contrary, work with Windows 7. I have 64 bit. What is your system OS?

I have bought a DVR, which does record nicely, but made in China, it uses some video format that no one else in the world uses, so you can not play the video back on anything. waste of money. and, the images are really nowhere near as good as a DSLR, although Carlos and Francisco get some excellent results from theirs.

lvmnhien
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Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 6:54 pm
Location: Calgary, Canada

Post by lvmnhien »

Mitch640 wrote:Please tell me if this works. I have so far, tried everything but the PCi cards. I had heard they do NOT, despite all claims to the contrary, work with Windows 7. I have 64 bit. What is your system OS?

I have bought a DVR, which does record nicely, but made in China, it uses some video format that no one else in the world uses, so you can not play the video back on anything. waste of money. and, the images are really nowhere near as good as a DSLR, although Carlos and Francisco get some excellent results from theirs.
I will let you know if it works. I have seen many similar PCI cards on eBay but it is mentioned that they are not compatible with Win7, both 32 and 64 bit. I am currently using the later.

At least for the link I put it here, the seller states that it works with Win7 32 and 64 bit. I hope that the card holds up to that promise. Otherwise, it is really a waste of money and time.

lvmnhien
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 6:54 pm
Location: Calgary, Canada

Post by lvmnhien »

Mitch640 wrote:Please tell me if this works. I have so far, tried everything but the PCi cards. I had heard they do NOT, despite all claims to the contrary, work with Windows 7. I have 64 bit. What is your system OS?

I have bought a DVR, which does record nicely, but made in China, it uses some video format that no one else in the world uses, so you can not play the video back on anything. waste of money. and, the images are really nowhere near as good as a DSLR, although Carlos and Francisco get some excellent results from theirs.
What kind of CCTV camera are you using? I am thinking of using DSLR as well, but not yet decided. Do you mind elaborating on the system you are using?

Mitch640
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Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 1:43 pm

Post by Mitch640 »

I bought an EverFocus 720 TVL CCD Box camera. It works fine. If anything, it has too many in-camera settings, using little buttons on the back. My biggest problem with it, is it has a filter over the sensor, which I can get to, but It totally blocks off the actual sensor, which you can not get to because of that filter. Dust has gotten behind the filter and onto the sensor, and now, no way to clean it. It does not show when using a regular lens, but of course, it looks like huge paint splatters on your eyeglasses when used on a microscope.

I use a Canon T1i on my Fluophot scope, and it shows dead pixels like dust on the sensor, which can not be removed, for the same reason as above. Those dead pixels do not show at all when using a regular lens on the camera. The T1i is prone to burnt pixels, so do not buy that model or the T2i which had the same problem. The T3i seems immune, and all of these cameras have silent shutter option, so no camera vibration when shooting, although, I mainly use mine for video and there is no vibration from that.

On your Labophot trinocular tube, you will also need two full sets of tube extenders to get the proper distance from the top of the projector lens to the sensor of a DSLR like the T3i. Get the Chinese kind off of E-bay, with the Canon EF Mount, and you also need a T-ring for Canon EF and either the sleeve that came with the mechanism to mount an old film camera on the Labophot, if it had one. or use a short connector of PVC tubing of the right size to fit the trinocular hole. If you go this way, contact me for pictures to help explain all this. :)

If you have the funds, I would suggest the DSLR, one that can do video, cause they have a sensor about 8 times bigger than a CCD camera and can do at least 1280x720 and HD video.

lvmnhien
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 6:54 pm
Location: Calgary, Canada

Post by lvmnhien »

Thanks Mitch640
Finally, the PCI card has arrived. After the software was installed, it did not work at all. I was very frustrated. Then, I realized there is a note attaching to the manual showing how to get it work with Win7. Luckily, everything was alright at the end. I would say that you shouldn’t worry, should you wish to get a similar card. I have attached here a few pictures of the card and the microscope set-up I am using, namely microscope-CCTV camera attached using C-mount-BNC cable-PCI card-Computer CPU-monitor.

The picture’s quality from the CCTV camera is not that good. The slide is the antenna of the honeybee. I am thinking of getting a decent DSLR camera. With the small budget, I think I will get a used Canon 60D. Will the following adaptor be sufficient to connect the camera to the trinocular port? My objectives are all 160/-.

http://www.amazon.com/AmScope-Canon-Cam ... +canon+slr

I have seen the brand Amscope is very popular now. Could anyone using it please give me advice on their products’ quality? Also, I am thinking of keeping the Canon 60D permanently on the trinocular port, so does anyone know if I can get a AC power cable to keep the camera on constantly. I don’t want to take out the battery and charge often.


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Last edited by lvmnhien on Tue Mar 26, 2013 1:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

I think I will get a used Canon 60D.
Be aware that the 60D has a slight vibration at start of EFSC exposures (non-flash exposure in Live View). The vibration may soften your images when connecting directly to the trinocular port.

All other Canon cameras are completely free of vibration with EFSC exposures. You would probably be better off with a different model.

--Rik

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