The Advantages of Dual Video Outputs (Analog+CVI and Analog+IP)

I often get asked, “Why do so many of our CVI cameras have an extra BNC analog video out?” or with some of our IP cameras, “Why do I need a BNC analog video out?” Well, there are a couple of advantages that often get overlooked and they can save you some serious time and money in many cases. For example, they can save you time during the install process, they can save you money by working as a spot out, and they can save you trouble by offering you another way to back up your system at another location. The BNC analog out can also be utilized as an analog camera for those still utilizing an analog system. Below, I am going to outline and look over each of these options and see just how effective and versatile the Analog BNC out can be while providing you with an itemized list of the equipment used along with a pictures and a video of these items being displayed and tested for your convenience.

One of the first and most common ways of using a BNC out is by way of a wrist strap monitor. This can save you significant time on the install process by allowing you the ability to adjust the camera at its mounting location while viewing a live view picture of the cameras perspective. This saves you time from climbing down to the DVR to verify the position and if you’re an installer this saved time can translate over to saved money on the cost of your install. This simple Battery powered LCD is quite literally plug and play and allows virtual hands free viewing as you adjust your camera to its ideal location. For the purposes of this demonstration I recorded using an IPOB-TP2IR150L2812-B and our TP-WLCDM2 wrist strap monitor. I am viewing the monitor from the cameras IP connection and recording the desktop in order to demonstrate how this can be done. (See below)

Next we will cover an often overlooked installation advantage of a BNC analog video out which is allowing you a sort of spot out. Since most of our smaller units do not have a spot out (an extra output on the NVR or DVR that allows viewing of specific cameras without showing menus, usually used to deter theft and alert customers to surveillance) the BNC out on a camera can be utilized with a BNC LCD screen to provide the same effect of a spot out for that specific camera. This way your customers see only the camera’s view and only the camera you wish them to see. Allowing you to put camera views above your register without showing the rest of the DVR’s recording screen. You could also use a BNC to VGA or BNC to HDMI converter if you wish for a larger monitor. For the purposes of this demonstration, I am viewing the monitor from the cameras IP connection and recording the desktop in order to demonstrate how this can be done. I utilized our IPOB-TP2IR150L2812-B camera, an LCD-9-B LCD screen, a POWER-12V2A power supply, a PT-4 connector and RCA-M-BNC-F connector and a BNC-25 plug and play cable. (See below)

I’ve said it before but it bears repeating. contingency planning is virtually always beneficial in the security industry. Preparing for the unexpected is advantageous and the best way to do this is to plan for the worst case scenario. In this case we can take advantage of the BNC out to record on a separate analog or Tri DVR allowing us to record to separate locations. While the analog may be a lower resolution in cases where you have a drop safe or camera’ed high risk location having a separate backup can be advantageous when thieves steal one DVR and book it not realizing there’s a backup in the attic. Or to simply have a backup in case of a hard drive failure. Regardless of the event having a backup can be essential for many business and home owners. For the purposes of this demonstration I recorded using an IPOB-TP2IR150L2812-B, TRIDVR-ELE8ME and our LCD-19 monitor. I am viewing the monitor from the cameras IP connection and recording the desktop in order to demonstrate how this can be done while still maintaining your IP connection and NVR recordings. (See below)

There is of course one final way to utilize this BNC out and that is as an analog on its own. I still have an occasional but rare customer who prefer their older analog systems. While I generally encourage these customers to price out an HD-CVI system or HD-TVI system, this isn’t always possible so in these instances I recommend utilizing these older units with our newer cameras that still have analog BNC outs. These cameras can generally function the same way as the original analog systems and sometimes can be better suited than the originals. While technology has increased beyond that, many times certain unusual features become prominent that had never been done before. This is true with many of our motorized domes that have BNC outs such as our CVIOD-TP2IRZ or for example an auto tracker like in our IPPTZ Auto tracker that has a BNC out. As our inventory dwindles on analog cameras due to the phase out, it is helpful to know that you still have solutions for your older systems and as always we will continue to support you as we always have with our lifetime tech support and our customer service oriented staff.

If you find any of these solutions useful I recommend you check out my video posted below and/or you can contact our sales team for further details regarding how we can find and create this same solution for you. We consider it our specialty to think outside the box and come up with the best system for you.