| I have used/sold/installed a ton of PTZ cameras and I can tell you the Sanyo cameras will not give you a satisfactory video signal. Not to sound harsh but in the PTZ world there is a sharp and strict line between good and horrible. Also security cameras usually have HORRIBLE stepper motors in them. You get a jumpy pan everytime you move them. Henceforth you cannot pan while live and you might have a tough time zeroing in on a certain target. Think about it this way. A normal PTZ camera that I sell has no extra features. Just video out, the PTZF functions, and that's it. Maybe a card slot for different outputs. That Sanyo has oodles of security functions and extras and it's STILL cheaper than even the EVI-HD1 (the price leader in HD PTZ cameras). Somewhere they shaved off some serious money. My guess is that it's all in the optics and motor. Just because a camera shows 1080 lines of resolutions doesn't mean they will be GOOD. It could just be 1080 lines of crappy color.
As for Zactomo's suggestion of HD-SDI I heartily agree. I tried the whole match everything to VGA and it added crazy latency to the system. Your other option would be run it all in component HD. With your budgetary constraints I would look long and hard at going tripod cameras. Good PTZ HD is a very high priced endeavor and it may be best to go Tripod. Case in point, you can get Sony HDR-FX7 cameras for 2k or Panasonic AG-HMC150 cameras for 3k. Both would blow the Sanyo or Sony EVI-HD1 out of the water! You would have to spend 6k in the states to get a camera as good as these on a robotic body.
Well I will get off my soapbox. PTZ cameras are near and dear to my heart but PTZ HD is an expensive endeavor. You don't want to spend 40k on a PTZ system that you will hate, when you could spend 25k on a tripod system you will love. It might just end up being a waste...   |