PTZ camera coaxial control is very useful if you are using analog cameras.
Nowadays it's easier to control a PTZ (Pan, Tilt, Zoom) camera using IP protocol, but in the past with analog cameras extra cables were necessary.
CCTV professionals that work with traditional analog systems need to understand How to connect a PTZ camera to a DVR using wires and the RS-485 interface.
PTZ camera control over coax
The PTZ camera control over coax (A.K.A. PTZ up-to-coax) was created to make the camera installation and setup much easier.
Pelco was the first manufacturer to create and make this type of control popular.
The protocol was named Coaxitron and used to work only between Pelco cameras and DVRs (Digital Video Recorder) until others start implementing it.
After some time different cameras became compatible with the coaxitron protocol.
How the PTZ camera coaxial control works
Pelco created a PTZ camera coaxial control standard to use only one cable to send video and data (commands) to the camera, thus reducing cables and costs.
The idea is to stop using the old RS-485 standard that requires extra cables.
With PTZ coaxial control the DVR can send such data to the cameras.
As you can see in the diagram, the DVR works with its coaxial control protocol (CCVC) but is also compatible with Pelco Coaxitron.
In this example, there's a Hanwha DVR (former Samsung Techwin) which has its coaxial protocol.
Different ways to control a PTZ camera
It's possible to control a PTZ camera using a DVR or other devices such as joysticks and laptops or computers. As long as the main setup is working correctly.
The diagram below shows an example of a PTZ camera coaxial control via joystick.
The idea is very simple, as long as the DVR can control de PTZs cameras, other devices that connect with the DVR just a joystick can also control them.
The joystick sends the commands to the DVR which re-transmit them to the cameras. The same happens with a computer as shown below:
Other security camera manufacturers also created a version of the PTZ camera coaxial control. Hikvision, for example, offers its version of the protocol (based on a license from Pelco Coaxitron) and has an extra one called PoC (Power over Coax) that sends power to the camera using coaxial cables.
How to set up the PTZ camera coaxial control
The PTZ camera coaxial control setup is very easy.
Usually, the PTZ camera comes ready to work with the coaxial protocol.
You just need to get into the DVR menu and setup what protocol to use.
As you can see in the previous picture, the Hikvision-C protocol is available in the camera menu. If you are using a Hikvision PTZ camera just choose this one.
Video: How to setup PTZ cameras to a DVR using coaxial control
There's a video with the explanation on how to use the PTZ coaxial control:
Extra information:
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