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All specications are approximate. System Q Ltd reserves the right to
change any product specications or features without notice. Whilst
every eort is made to ensure that these instructions are complete
and accurate, System Q Ltd cannot be held responsible in any way
for any losses, no matter how they arise, from errors or omissions in
these instructions, or the performance or non-performance of the
equipment that these instructions refer to.
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The Advantage Of Using CAT5 Cable
CAT5 cable allows a tremendously exible way to install and distribute CCTV signals around
buildings and between locations. If for example you have two buildings over 1000mtrs
apart you could use one CAT5 cable to run 4 CCTV images from one building to another by
using active baluns. This provides savings on both labour and cable costs. Often you can
nd a spare CAT5 cable that is not being used but was put in originally as a spare data cable.
CAT5 cable is also easy to handle and quite low cost. New commercial buildings are often
“ooded” with CAT5 cabling, allowing tremendous scope to alter where and how CCTV
cameras are used without necessarily having to install new and additional cables. Computer
installation engineers use what are called“patch panels”and can also be used with great
success for CCTV installations. In this structured cabling system you have to work out where
CCTV equipment may be needed and install the appropriate CAT5 outlets nearby. It is also
wise to provide some local source (or potential source) of power. By bringing all the CAT5s to
one area and installing what is called a“patch panel” you can then re-distribute the signals
however you please.
Using The BAL604 & 654 Video Balun
The balun requires a pair of cores in the CAT5 cable to send each video signal down. The
BAL604 receive must always be at the DVR end of the installation. If the BAL654 transmitter is
use it must always be at the camera end of the installation and will only work with an active
balun receiver.
As The BAL604 and 654 are active baluns they will either need to be powered locally or by
using a separate cable.
One balun convert the unbalanced signal to balanced for communication across the
CAT5 balanced twisted pair and the second balun converts the balanced signal back to
an unbalanced signal. Therefore two baluns are always required. As a continuous signal is
required baluns cannot send the video through “hubs” or computer“switches” as they work
in purely analogue method rather than the digital “packet” method of hubs or switches.
This means that you cannot use baluns to send video pictures through existing computer
networks that use switches or hubs.
Step 1 Run in your CAT5 cable. This needs to be run between your camera and the rest of
your CCTV equipment. One CAT5 cable with 4 pairs can theoretically carry 4 video
signals, one per each pair of cores. It is good practice to run in more CAT5 cable than
you actually need as this gives exibility to add extra cameras, audio feeds etc.
Step 2 Identify the various pairs within the CAT5 cable. Four pair CAT5 cable has 4 easy
to identify pairs.
Step 3 Connect the SAME pair of cores to both the baluns using the terminal connections or
RJ45. Always adopt the same standard using the SOLID colour core as“-”and the
striped core as“+” when connecting to the balun terminals. It does not matter which
pair of cores you choose to use but they must be a pair and you must get the polarity
of the cores correct at the baluns (See diagram on page 5).
Step 4 Use a BNC–BNC lead to connect the BAL654 active transmitter balun to each camera.
Similarly use another BNC-BNC lead to connect the BAL604 active receiver to the
monitor or DVR etc.
IMPORTANT You may get a good picture when connecting directly into a monitor but a poor
or bright picture when connecting into a DVR or a quad. This is because
monitors are very “forgiving” with the level and quality of the video signal
supplied to it. Quads, Multiplexers and DVRs are far less forgiving and require
a near perfect video signal to give good results.
Options Available
PART CODE DESCRIPTION
BAL604 4Ch Active Balun Receiver
BAL654 4Ch Active Balun Transmitter
BAL604 & 654 - 4ch Active Video Baluns (Rx & Tx)
Other Products To Consider
Mini 1ch Passive
Baluns (Pair)
BAL102
2.1mm 500mA 12V
DC Plug-in PSU
POW150
For more information on pairing passive and
active baluns see online tip 317
317
Features
•Transmit Up To 2000m
•2.1mm 12V DC Socket (150mA)
•BNC Video Connections
•Twisted Pair & RJ45 Connections
•Brightness & Sharpness Control
•Range Control
Specication
FUNCTION SPECIFICATION
Bandwidth 8 MHz
Video
Connections
BNC Sockets
CAT5
Connections
Terminal Strips Or
RJ45 Sockets
Max Distance 2000m
Power 12V DC
Current 150mA
Power
Connection 2.1mm DC Socket
Dimensions 203 x 119 x 48mm