Used Cat5 Cable Runs to Home Location Instead RG59 Coax Cable for CCTV System

A customer contacted CCTV camera pros with the following questions / requirements for a new system:

While contracting construction, Cat5 cable was inadvertently used instead of RG59 coaxial cable for the CCTV camera system that we are planning. We are looking for 6 cameras with 600TVL or better and I am strictly a MAC user. We want motion sensing and possibly one or two camera to be wireless (difficult wiring). Can you please make a recommendation?

CCTV Camera Pros response:

Thank You for contacting CCTV Camera Pros. Using CAT-5 is not a problem even with CCTV Cameras. You can use video baluns to leverage the CAT-5 to run both power and video to CCTV cameras. Please take a look at these:

http://www.cctvcamerapros.com/UTP-CAT5-Balun-p/balun-pv5fm.htm

Our iDVR has an excellent Mac DVR client that is included and the recorder also supports motion sensing and recording. I think it is the best Mac DVR client on the market. Please take a look at the iDVR here:

http://www.cctvcamerapros.com/Internet-Video-Surveillance-DVR-s/424.htm

You can see some screen shots and a short video of the Mac DVR viewer software here:

http://www.cctvcamerapros.com/Internet-Video-Surveillance-DVR-s/424.htm#mac-dvr-viewer-software

Here are some 600TVL+ models that you can look at. You did not mention indoor or outdoor so I included links some of each of the best models that we recommend for indoor and outdoor surveillance.

http://www.cctvcamerapros.com/Dome-Infrared-Camera-p/dpro-9620vf.htm

http://www.cctvcamerapros.com/Outdoor-CCTV-Camera-p/bipro-s600vf12.htm

http://www.cctvcamerapros.com/Vandal-Dome-Camera-p/dpro-as700.htm

http://www.cctvcamerapros.com/Night-Vision-CCTV-Camera-p/bipro-s700vf50.htm

http://www.cctvcamerapros.com/Box-Security-Camera-p/pro-680dn.htm

Being that you are able to leverage your CAT-5, please let me know if you still need wireless. It does tend to complicate things and is not as reliable as a hard wired solution. I recommend avoiding wireless if possible, but we do have it as a last resort option.