Replacing balcony rail camera

[sotonfan]

I'm hoping to replace our balcony rail camera. It's an older Sony model BRC-300 PTZ, installed in 2011 - we use it for feed to the lobby and for backstage stage manager's rack monitor. (connection is via Extron/ethernet line).

Patrons complain that the image is really grainy - and they're right. I'm wondering if technology has moved on enough in the past eight years that I could get something better without breaking the bank. I am happy to buy used equipment a couple years out of date...

I know this question comes up from time to time, so apologies if I missed a recent thread on the subject.
Thanks for any advice!
Andrew

 

[Jay Ashworth]

I've got a PTZOptics PT-20X-SDI on the "front rail" of my house-with-no-balcony and it's pretty decent. I think we paid $16-1800 for it.

If you can live with the MPEG delay, you can do just PoE to it; though it does USB and SDI as well (or HDMI and SDI, I don't think you can have all 4).

 

[Ben Stiegler]

first question - do you need the PTZ, or would a fixed camera view be sufficient?
Second question - what's the resolution available in the lobby monitor, and what's the format/resolution the extron gear (model # = ?) is capable of delivering? And bonus - what's the stage mgr rack monitor model and resolution? Its a weakest-link-rules situation, so important to know what else might be getting in the way, or would stomp on the performance of your new camera.

 

[Ben Stiegler]

BTW, your current camera is 1 mega-pixel resolution with 50db S/N. If you want to save $ on the PTZ, also need to understand the distance from camera position to the stage, and the width of the stage/adjacent areas you want to show.

 

[sotonfan]

Ben, thanks for your questions. Weakest link point is well taken.
I don't think we need PTZ - as long as we get the right lens, or zoom things correctly to get a view of the whole stage, there's no need to be moving around.
The Extron extender is an MTP 15HD - so we've got ethernet going from the camera position to the stage manager's rack. From there, the signal goes into Crestron and gets sent around the building. If we needed to get a higher res extender, that would be fine.
TVs in the building are all running HD image - I'm thinking it's going out at 720p, but it might be 1080.

 

[rwhealey]

B
The Extron extender is an MTP 15HD - so we've got ethernet going from the camera position to the stage manager's rack. From there, the signal goes into Crestron and gets sent around the building. If we needed to get a higher res extender, that would be fine.

What Crestron equipment is the extender feeding? Does it have a DM or HDMI input free?

The Extron MTP device you are using only has an analog I/O and is obsolete. It would need to be replaced to be used with a modern camera.

Fortunately, you have a CAT5 running to the camera location from the stage manager's rack. Note that this isn't ethernet (it's not an IP network) - it is simply a point-to-point CAT5 cable. That CAT5 could be re-purposed to run several different video protocols. Likely the most cost effective option would transporting video from the new camera with the HDBaseT protocol. You could either buy a camera with a native HDBaseT output and put an HDBaseT receiver at the stage manager's rack or buy a new HDBaseT transmitter/receiver pair that has the correct I/O for your camera.

HDBaseT can also carry IP or RS-232 control signals so you could control a PTZ camera over the single CAT5. Unless you have a hardware camera controller, you would also need someone to re-program your Crestron system to add the PTZ control to your touchscreens (assuming you have Crestron touchscreens).

 

[ruinexplorer]

Do note that HDBase-T requires at least Cat5e cables. Since you have some older gear, just check on that as well.

 

[sotonfan]

Thanks, all. I appreciate all the advice. Sounds like it's time to pull the Extron MTP from the system and move to HDBase-T.
I'll try and report back next year... whenever my new budget lands.
Cheers.