What are the different types of CCTV lenses?There are four types of lenses for CCTV use: Fixed Aperture, Manual Iris, Auto Iris, and Zoom. If the area you wish to observe experiences infrequent changes in light, use a manual iris lens, which can be adjusted for light only by hand. If the area the Security Camera will be observing experiences frequent changes in light, use an auto-iris lens. These lenses adjust to light changes automatically. Auto-iris lenses come in Video or DC, and cameras generally support one format or the other. Be sure your lens matches the camera. To perform close-ups, get a zoom lens, manual and motorized zoom lenses are easily available from most retailers.
Which type of Security Camera should I use?A security camera can come in many different styles including dome, bullet, infrared and c-mount. The security camera that will work best for your application will depend on several factors such as whether you will use the security cameras inside or out, during the day, nighttime, or both.
Why is Digital Video Recording better then my VHS machine?The main advantages of digital recording are maintenance-free operation for longer periods of time and increased stream resolution. Consider a 24 hours time lapse VCR, which does the job in most cases. Every 24 hours, one has to change the tape, or program the VCR to automatically start over when the tape reaches the end. Time-lapse VCRs that record hundreds of hours on a tape - they just do not record every fraction of a second, but merely one image at every x seconds. If recording is not triggered by motion detectors, one can fail to catch the very important moment on tape. In another words, in order to record continuously (say 30 frames per second), there is only so much a tape can take. Digital technologies increase the storage ten or even hundred fold: a 60Gb hard drive stores live video for a week.
What is the name of the Apple App that I need to download for my iPhone?Go to iTunes store to download the free application for your iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad.
ASee
For Gadspot DVR models: GS2002/GS2101/GS2203/GS2006/GS2106/GS2206
(GS2002, GS2101 and GS2203 have to upgrade firmware)
Bubo Bubo
For Gadspot DVR models: GS2003/GS2102/GS2204
Useful technical terms
• WDR (Wide Dynamic Range)
The wide dynamic range (WDR) function of a camera is intended to provide clear images even under back light circumstances where intensity of illumination can vary excessively, namely when there are both very bright and very dark areas simultaneously in the field of view of the camera. WDR enables the capture and display of both bright and dark areas in the same frame, in a way that there are details in both areas, i.e. bright areas are not saturated, and dark areas are not too dark.
• IP66 (International Protection 66)
The first digit (6) indicates the camera is dust tight giving complete protection against any solid matter entering the equipment. The second digit (6) indicates the camera is protected against powerful jets of water meaning that a powerful jet can be aimed at the camera from any direction with no harmful effect.
• TVL (Television Lines)
TV Lines are the standard measure of an analog TV's Resolution. Rather than represent discrete locations on a grid, as Pixels in a digital Frame do, TV Lines indicate the maximum number of identifiable changes that can be produced along a single (horizontal) Scanline of an analog TV.
• ICR (IR Cut Removable)
Almost all modern camera elements are sensitive to Infra-Red light, which gives an automatic advantage when designing a night vision camera. However, Infra-Red is also visible during the day, especially from Sunlight.
The Infra-Red can be seen as a dull red glow. During the day, this wavelength of IR is interpreted by unfiltered IR cameras as a slight color shift, causing the image to deviate from true color.
Cameras with ICR work by implementing a physical Infra-Red filter that is removed by a small motor. When the camera enters day mode, the filter is placed in front of the camera element, filtering the Infra-Red and providing a true color image.
When the camera enters night mode, the motor moves the Infra-Red filter out of the way resulting in a black & white night vision image. This provides the advantage of a night vision camera with superior image quality during the day.
• LPR (License Plate Recognition)
LPR is an image-processing technology used to identify vehicles by their license plates.
• AGC (Auto Gain Control)
AGC is basically a form of amplification where the camera will automatically boost the image received so that objects can be seen more clearly. In normal light conditions the camera will display a normal picture. However, when the light quality drops below a certain level the camera will begin to boost the signal to compensate for the lack of light.
The advantage of this technique is that your camera will produce images in much lower light conditions than standard. The downside is that the amplification is not only on the usable data in the image but also the background noise. This means that the more you amplify the more noise you will see and the poorer the image quality will be.
• DNR (Digital Noise Reduction)
Image noise is the random variation of brightness or color information in images produced by the sensor and circuitry of a digital camera. In signal processing it is any unwanted data that is produced as an unwanted by-product of other activities and is not used to transmit the signal. In video signals this comes across as fine static or "snow".
DNR technology compensates for this, correcting imperfections in the image by removing a large percentage of this noise.
• OSD (On Screen Display)
OSD is a control panel on a monitor or television screen that allows you to select options and adjust component.
• FOG (Fog/Water vapor)
Fogproof
• AWB (Auto White Balance)
White balance (WB) is the process of removing unrealistic color casts, so that objects which appear white in person are rendered white in your photo. Proper camera white balance has to take into account the "color temperature" of a light source, which refers to the relative warmth or coolness of white light. Our eyes are very good at judging what is white under different light sources, but digital cameras often have great difficulty with auto white balance (AWB) - and can create unsightly blue, orange, or even green color casts. Understanding digital white balance can help you avoid these color casts, thereby improving your photos under a wider range of lighting conditions.
• 3AXIS
3-axis for wall or ceiling mounting with flexible angle viewing
How to set up Active X Control?You can find the instructions on How to set up Active X Control on the download' page under DVR category.
Active X Control must be set up properly in the Internet Explorer in
order to view images from the IP Camera.
Please verify the Active X
control for the Internet Explorer.
For IE6, please click here
For IE7, please click here
Where can I find the OSD Menu for 650TVL Cameras?Please go to: http://www.gadspot.com/download/650TVL_OSD_Manual.pdf
How To Measure A Camera's Field of View?Measuring your camera's field of view is vital to knowing how many cameras you need in order to monitor your premises. Deciding the necessary field of view prior to purchasing cameras can ensure that your final camera arrangement offers complete coverage without blind spots.
Understanding field of view requires an understanding of how security camera lenses are marked. Typically, a camera will include documentation specifying its CCD size and lens size. Typically the CCD is marked as 1/4" or 1/3", but other sizes exist as well. Lenses come in all sizes from a few millimeters to 200 millimeters.
After determining your lens size and CCD size, visit http://www.sweeting.org/mark/lenses/cctv.php and select your camera information. The on-screen calculator will provide details about the angle of view that the camera will have. Remember that viewing angle is a three-dimensional aspect, and each lens configuration has a different horizontal AND vertical viewing angle. Be aware that the viewing distance increases far away from the camera, so avoid blind spots by placing every camera within the field of view of another camera.
If you have discovered blind spots in your camera configuration, increasing your camera field of view is a priority. The easiest way to increase your field of view is to simply add another camera or change the existing camera arrangement. If this is not feasible, or you have not yet purchased one yet, consider purchasing a camera with a smaller lens that has a wider field of view.
How do I view my camera remotely?First, you will need to connect your DVR to your local area network using a router and standard RJ-45 Ethernet cable. Your DVR system will be assigned an internal IP address by your router, typically something like 192.168.1.25. You can get the internal IP address by opening your router configuration and checking for connected devices. Once you have your internal IP address, you can view any of your cameras from any computer on your network by opening Internet Explorer to your DVR’s internal IP, for example, http://192.168.1.25.
Next, you will have to open two ports on your router. The default ports are 9000 (for the camera streams) and 80 (for the Web interface). If these ports are not open, you will be unable to view your DVR from a remote location. To learn how to forward ports on your router, consult either your router’s manual or http://www.portforward.com. Remember that you need to forward these ports to the internal IP of your DVR system, which we discovered in the previous step.
Once you have successfully forwarded the ports, you can access your camera feeds by dialing in to your external IP address. To get your external IP address, simply visit http://www.whatismyip.com and write down your IP address, for example, 74.197.152.44. If you are on a cable or DSL connection, this address may change, so be sure to check once in awhile or use Dynamic DNS service. To view your camera remotely, you can open the corresponding URL in Internet Explorer, http://74.197.152.44, or you can use the included software that came with your DVR called Net-Viewer.
Remote viewing is available for both live and previously recorded feeds. Easily viewing your DVR feed remotely is just another benefit of using Gadspot for all of your DVR needs.
How do I use the Port Forwarding feature for remote access?You have to set "Port forwarding" in the router in order to share the device
outside of the network (remote view).
Basically, port forwarding is
forwarding the port(s) from the external IP address to a dynamic IP addressed
device (like a camera or DVR). The devices default port is 80. So, you have to
forward port 80 from your router to the device.
In a D-Link router, Log
into the router, go to Advanced > Virtual Server > choose Enable >
Name: assign any nam
How do I interconnect multiple DVR systems on the same network?In order to connect more that one DVR on the same network, please take note that
you must change the MAC address of the DVR aside from the gateway, DNS and IP
address. By factory default, the DVR will come with identical preset numbers. In
order to use more then one DVR, you must change the MAC address of all the other
DVR systems on the same network.
This can be done by going into the DVR
network/info menu options. There you may edit the MAC address and change it to
your speci
What is "NTSC" and "PAL" system?Depending on where you live, your country may use any one of three video standards:
* NTSC (National Television Standard Committee), developed in the U.S. in 1953, is used in North America, most of South America and Japan, and it provides video resolution up to 525 lines.
* PAL (Phase Alternating Line), developed in Europe in the early 1960s, provides up to 625 lines of resolution, and it’s used in most other areas of the world.
* SECAM (Sequential Color Memory), which also provides up to 625 lines of resolution, is much less common but is used in France and parts of Eastern Europe and Africa. (PAL usually works for SECAM.)
NTSC and PAL are not compatible. To make sure you’re choosing the right CCTV, be sure you know which video standard your country uses before you make your purchasing decision.
For your reference, to find out what video standard is used in your country, go to: http://www.gadspot.com.tw/download/signal_format.pdf
What is the main difference between all the 16 channels DVR?16CH GS2203V/2206V = DVR with VGA
16CH GS2203DV/2206DV = DVR with DV-RW +
VGA
Please check the product specifications for more details.
What is the main difference between all the 8 channels DVR?8CH GS2106V = DVR with VGA
8CH GS2106DV = DVR with DV-RW + VGA
Please check the product specifications for more details.
What is the main difference between all the 4 channels DVR?4CH GS2006V = DVR with VGA
4CH GS2006DV = DVR with DV-RW + VGA
Please check the product specifications for more details.
How do I setup my DVR on the network?1. From computer: Go to Start > Run > type cmd then press enter
2. From
command prompt: type: ipconfig then press enter
3. Have a pen and paper ready
and write down the ip address, subnet mask, and default gateway (please note not
to use the same ip address on your DVR, please change the last digit by + / -
1)
4. Hook up DVR to router.
5. From your DVR, go to Menu >
Network
6. On Network setup menu, configure the following:
• Type:
(Static)
• Port: (9000)
• Web Port: (Should use the same number as your
DVR’s model #, example: GS2002 would be web port: 2002)
• IP Address: (Please
use ip address from ipconfig w/ last digit change by +/- 1)
• Subnet Mask:
(Use same subnet mask from ipconfig)
• Gateway: (Use same gateway from
ipconfig)
• DNS: (Use same number as your Gateway)
• DDNS: (Please note
that you only use this function if you have a dynamic ip address from you
internet provider, you can contact your internet service provider to find out
what type of ip address you have, for dynamic ip address forwarding, please go
to www.dyndns.org)
7. Press Apply to save the changes you made.
8. Press
Menu on remote control or front panel until your DVR will prompt you to reboot
and press OK.
9. From your computer, open command prompt again (cmd) and
type: ping (DVR’s ip address) then press enter.
10. If you see reply 3 times,
then your network setting is good.
11. If you see request time out, please go
back to DVR’s network setup and verify your network settings.
12. If you can
ping the ip address, then open Internet Explorer and follow link below for your
ActiveX Control settings:
http://www.gadspot.com/faqdesk_info.php?faqPath=1&faqdesk_id=45
13.
After you configure your browser, type the DVR’s ip address on the address bar
with : and (DVR’s port number) then hit enter. Example: 192.168.1.50:2002
14.
You should be at the DVR’s Login screen now, please press login button to access
your DVR over the network.(there’s no need to setup a password on your DVR, the
default setting should be “no”). Setup is complete.
How can I change the IP address of my DVR using a TV?How to change IP address of DVR while connected to a TV
1. Hit the "Menu" button. If it asks for password, the default
password is 0000 (Press Enter 4 times)
2. Then press the Down button until "Advance" is
highlighted.
2. Hit the Enter button, then the Down button until you reach "Network"
How do I add, delete or edit user accounts?1. Open and access the DVR using Video Server E. Click on the System Config
button.
2. Go to General > Account. Click on the user that you would like to make changes to. Click on Add, Delete, or Edit.
3. Add or Edit the user account information. Click on "Ok" when you are done.
4. Hit "Apply" to apply changes.
I can only see a black square. Why? My DVR is connected to the router, but I can only see a black square in the Internet Explorer. Why?
You may need to download the lasted version of Codec Pack to display the video.
To download, please click here.
How can I access my DVR and see the images from public network?I can access my DVR from inside of my network but not from outside, how can I access my DVR and see the images from public network?
Most of the routers in the market will support “Remote Access via the Internet” to any internal devices and equipments such as computers, printers, cameras, and DVR.
Please contact your router manufacturer support, and inquire about the procedures to perform a remote port forwarding function. You will need to provide the port number and IP addres
Why does the power LED blink or flash on my camera?This indicates that the power adapter no longer supplies an adequate power.
Please replace the adapter with the same voltage/amp rating (12V 1.5Amp).
GadSpot will replace the power adapter within the standard warranty period.
Please contact our support staff for details.
How soon can I get my products?Our orders are usually shipped same day or next business day.
You have the full control of the delivery time and methods by selecting one of the delivery options GadSpot provides.
Gadspot ships orders by Federal Express (FedEx) and United States Postal Services (USPS).
Some of the available delivery options are:
Fedex Overnight (1 business day)
Fedex 2nd Day Air (2 business days)
Fedex Express Saver (3 business days)
Fedex Ground (1 to 5 business days)
USPS Express (1 to 2 business days)
USPS Priority (1 to 3 business days)
For more information about our shipping policies, please click here.
Can I see a demo of your products through the Internet?Yes, demo link is available upon request. Please submit a demo link request to info@gadspot.com.
What type of the hard drive does the DVR support, and how long can it record? Serial ATA (SATA) Hard Drives (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment).
You can obtain the recording time information from the DVR user manual.
To see the DVR User's Manual, please go to the downloads' page (click here)
Where can I find the user manual, or firmware of my camera or DVR?Please visit our download page (click here), or click the download button located on the right top corner on the website.
What basic components would I need to set up a basic DVR system?Here is the suggestion for the basic DVR system:
1. DVR (4, 8, 16 channel) example
2. Hard Drive (SATA Hard Drive) example
3. DVR Camera(s) example
4. BNC/Power Cable(s) example
You may also need one of the following items for video output in order to configure the DVR settings:
a. VGA Converter (D/V or BNC)
(If you connect the DVR to computer VGA monitor)
b. BNC/RCA-12ft cable
(If you connect the DVR to regular TV monitor which support RCA connection)
Note: DVR DOES NOT SUPPORT PLUG AND PLAY.
What is MPEG-4?MPEG-4 is the next-generation, global multimedia standard, delivering professional-quality audio and video streams over a wide range of bandwidths, from cell phone to broadband and beyond.
