Balun Recommendations?

I just got a quote from our FM group for putting in a new power outlet for our camera. Needless to say I am now looking for a balun solution instead, it should be cheaper.

I have found this solution on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C5TL62A/
has anyone used this model? Does it work with the D70 Commander?

It seems a bit expensive (but cheaper than an electrician), does anyone have another solution to recommend?

rogerscr wrote:I just got a quote from our FM group for putting in a new power outlet for our camera.

Strictly speaking, baluns only deal with signal, not power. It may be possible to extend the low-voltage power, but how far you can go depends on the wire size and the camera.

This one does carry power so it takes care of the primary issue while making the rest of the cabling easier as well.

I have also considered running control and DC power over a Cat5e/6 cable and running the video over a RG6quad cable. Twice the cables but I should be able to build the Cat5e/6 to power & serial adapters on my own. My main concern would be the voltage drop. According to this http://www.securityideas.com/howtocalvold.html I would loose 3+ volts over 100 feet of 22 gauge (the high end of Cat 6). The product above indicates I can run the cable up to 300 feet and only loose 1.5 volts (the camera needs 12V and they indicate a 13.5V source will run up to 300ft).

SLC sent us this camera kit http://www.vaddio.com/product/vaddio-ptzcam-70. The website indicates the power cord is 18V, giving me plenty of headroom for voltage drop. I will double check the power adapter when I am at the building again.

What do you think? Any other balun/combiner/etc recommendations to run video/serial/DC from our cabinet to the camera?

rogerscr wrote:What do you think? Any other balun/combiner/etc recommendations to run video/serial/DC from our cabinet to the camera?

Unless you find something else, I think you may be stuck with two runs of CAT5/6 to each camera - one for the video/balun and one for serial and power. If you find the baluns only use one pair, then you might be able to build your own combiner to combine all the signals into one CAT cable. But I'd do a mock-up run to be absolutely sure before telling FM to run only one line.

Then again having two cameras at one location may not be such a bad idea. In the grand scheme of things, wire is cheap. It's running the wire that's expensive. Running two is not that much more expensive.

rogerscr wrote:I just got a quote from our FM group for putting in a new power outlet for our camera. Needless to say I am now looking for a balun solution instead, it should be cheaper.

It seems a bit expensive (but cheaper than an electrician), does anyone have another solution to recommend?

I'm curious... Is there a concern about cost for a specific reason? Is FMG charging you for this install? Has FMG at this point told you they won't do it because of cost?

These work great for sending power over Ethernet, I have used an 18 volt supply to get 13 -14 out the other end of a 300 foot cable. At one time I had our whole stake center covered in Wifi (consumer grade AP's) using these.

As a matter of fact, I still have a few sets, yours if you want them. I no longer need them.

JohnShaw wrote:I'm curious... Is there a concern about cost for a specific reason? Is FMG charging you for this install? Has FMG at this point told you they won't do it because of cost?

Nah, they have just made it clear that all costs associated with webcast setup are the responsibility of the Stake so it comes out of our budget, not FMG.