Cabling question/ Video and IR on CAT5

Thread Starter

izon

Joined Mar 17, 2013
217
I'm planning on running a remote controlled video camera (pan/tilt/zoom) from non line-of-sight location using IR remote extender.(Russound SLM-1K)


To reduce number of separate cables to run, I would like to combine the video and the remote control extension signals, from and to the camera, using one CAT5e cable.


So via a video balun on each end of a pair of conductors of the CAT5, I would carry my video signal to a recording unit. I also would like to use another pair of conductors in the same CAT5 cable to connect to an IR emitter to carry the IR signal to the camera's IR target.


My concern is if I wire things up this way, would it work OK without one signal causing trouble with the other.

Someone suggested the IR pulses could radiate into the video wires and cause some interference. I'm hoping that the twisted pair configuration of the wires would "cancel" those types of interfering signals.


Anyone done this or have any thoughts? Would be a lot of work to do the wiring and find it isn't going to behave properly.
 

pafitis

Joined May 8, 2015
16
What alre you trying to do....??? Telephones lines are 4pins and internet lines are 6 pins those are totally different things and should not mix them together.
You have spot where are telephone line is and connect you phone and where is the internet and connect it.
I believe a normal house don't need fancy boxes with sockets and lights and so on.
 

Thread Starter

izon

Joined Mar 17, 2013
217
Hi, thanks for the response. I think I explained fairly clearly what I am trying to do.

I've had experience with CAT5 cable in the security camera business and have run video on one pair of the
4 pairs of wires and also have run the 12vdc supply on another pair of the same cable and this has worked
fine and is commonly done in the industry. My only difference is having the momentary IR pulses from the
remote transmitter side by side on another pair of the same CAT5 cable. This is not in a home but in a
commercial application.
 

AnalogKid

Joined Aug 1, 2013
10,987
How long is the CAT-5 run? Also, what is driving the cable with the IR signals?

Crosstalk is a function of frequency, and frequency is a function of edge rate, or dV/dt. Driving the IR cable pair with a super-fast logic gate output probably will cause visible artifacts in the received video (assuming analog video here). A square waveform that is a little less square, more like a trapezoid, will have much less high frequency harmonic energy. I'm not talking about anything sloppy, just something with microsecond risetimes instead of nanosecond risetimes. So, what is the IR cable driver device or circuit?

ak
 

Thread Starter

izon

Joined Mar 17, 2013
217
Thanks for the input... you know a lot more about frequencies than I can remember. As noted in the first
message, it is a Russound SLM-1K Remote extender which is being used. Google it and you can read a bit
more about it. There is not much detail about the kind of information you are asking. My cable run will be
less than 50'. I'm not sure what the waveform shape of an IR signal from these look like or from any IR remote
hand unit as far as that goes. Would not think it is too precise at the cost of this equipment.
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,285
If you can run the IR as a true differential signal, then interference with the video is less likely.
You could likely use differential line drives and receivers such as the RS-422 for this purpose.
 

AnalogKid

Joined Aug 1, 2013
10,987
Now that I see what your are using, I get what your are asking. Are you extending the little receiver module through the CAT-5, or the SLM output to one of the emitters? In other words, is the SLM unit near the camera or away?

ak
 

Thread Starter

izon

Joined Mar 17, 2013
217
The SLM unit would be housed in an equipment rack where the video recorder unit is ... so camera is located away from the SLM unit.
Also this is composite video... analog, not digital signal.

But now that you mention it, I may also have the "target" or IR receiving rectangle mounted on a video monitor so there likely would also have a similar situation here. Video will be carried on CAT5 to the video monitor and also the IR signal picked up from the remote will travel on a 3 conductors of the CAT5 cable to the SLM unit. I think there is a 12vdc supply sent to the pickup target and a third "signal" line travels from it to the SLM main box.
 

AnalogKid

Joined Aug 1, 2013
10,987
Oh, you mean ***REAL*** video - !!!

Not a good idea to breakup the pairs, even if it means redundant grounds:
pair 1 - power
pair 2 - video out
pair 3 - remote out
pair 4 - remote in

ak
 

Thread Starter

izon

Joined Mar 17, 2013
217
I see what you are saying.

To clarify, there will be one CAT5 cable going to/from video camera with the composite video and, on the same CAT5,
the IR signal from the SLM main unit will go to the camera for control via IR signal.

There will be a different CAT5 cable going from the recorder's video out to the monitor via one pair.

Also a set of 2 pairs of wires in that same CAT5 will bring the IR signal from it's receiver
"target" and carry it to the SLM unit..... so there is some separation since it is information
going to/from two different locations.

How about one CAT5:
Pair 1 Video signal to recorder
Pair 2 IR info to emitter attached to the camera

Additional CAT5:

Pair 1 Video output from recorder to monitor
Pair 2 Plus 12vdc and common (neg)
Pair 3 IR signal and common

Would this have a better chance of working OK?
 
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