星空传媒

The model we are focusing on is the 1325-MP, which presumably stands for mains-powered. Other versions are available that operate from a 12/24 volt DC/AC supply, with the option of standard, medium and high resolutions and a range of low-light sensitivities.

The 1325-MP is a high-end day/night model based around a 1/4-inch (753 x 582 pixels) CCD with a claimed resolution of 580 lines which functions down to 0.15 lux. Key features include a menu-driven on-screen display, moveable camera ident, automatic colour/monochrome switching at low light levels, auto/manual exposure and white balance systems, connection for an auto-iris lens and a wide range of picture adjustments.

It has a highly distinctive design with a two-tone metallic silver/dark grey finish. The lozenge shape is unusual too and makes a welcome break from the regiment of plain beige boxes, but without sacrificing functionality or build quality. Indeed it is arguably over-engineered for most applications and the case is one of the sturdiest constructions we have seen in quite a while.

The enclosure is made up of hefty looking alloy panels and mouldings. Mounting threads are fitted to the top and bottom panels and it comes with a detachable cable tidy for an auto-iris lens. It's not a weatherproof design but the parts are all close fitting so it should be well protected against the ingress of dirt or moisture.

Inside the case the mains power supply board is fixed to the top half of the unit, the camera control and video processing PCB sits in the lower half and the camera module is mounted on a moveable frame that provides the back-focus adjustment.

A fourth PCB on the left side handles the control, setup and on-screen display functions. All of the circuit boards are built to a very high standard and interwiring is kept to a minimum, using ribbon cables.

On the front there is a standard C/CS mounting thread for the lens. The back focus adjusting screw and hinged panel covering the setup controls are on the left side. On the back panel are a standard Telefunken mains connector, a green LED power on indicator, a BNC socket for the video output and a four-pin socket for the auto iris lens.

Below that is a seven-way spring terminal, though only three positions are used for a DC-controlled auto iris lens.

The use of a plug-in mains connection (a pre-wired mains lead and three-pin plug are supplied) is a mixed blessing: it simplifies wiring but compared with a captive lead there is the potential for the mains plug to work loose if the camera is subjected to vibration or mechanical shock.

Opening the cover on the side of the camera reveals a set of five buttons: pressing the Enter button brings up the main menu with seven options. Shutter has nine settings, auto and seven manual speeds, from 1/50 to 1/10000 second.

BLC is for the camera's backlight compensation system. This has six masks (Centre 1 & 2, doorway 1 & 2, top half and bottom half). The Sync option switches between internal and line-lock and Level is for setting up a DC-controlled auto-iris lens.

The Configure menu provides access to six sub menus for adjusting Aperture (vertical and horizontal), Gamma correction (0.45, 0.8 & 1), Pedestal (black level, nine steps), Chroma (colour saturation, nine steps), 'Colourcut' (permanent colour or colour/mono switching) and AGC (Off, 12, 18, 24, 30db and 'sens-up').

The Camera Title option is used to compose a text ident of up to 16 characters, which can be moved to any position in the picture area, and last but not least, White Balance, which has presets for Auto Tracing (2500 - 9500k and 2000 - 1800k) and Manual Set.

The on-screen displays and menus are a fair size, legibility is good and they are exceptionally easy to use; configuration should normally only take a few minutes as the camera will happily cope with most normal lighting conditions on its factory default settings.

Operating on the standard settings, low light sensitivity on our sample was truly impressive. It managed to produce a clear, useable image in very poor conditions.

Noise levels are quite high but there is still plenty of detail and the picture has a good dynamic range.

At normal lighting levels, in colour mode, noise levels are very low, the image is exceptionally clean and resolution is within a whisker of the manufacturer's specs at a little over 550 lines.

In natural light colour accuracy is mostly satisfactory but the white balance system tends to overcompensate in fluorescent light resulting in a slightly yellow tinge, but this is easily overcome using the manual settings.

Auto exposure control is responsive to rapid changes in lighting level. There is a small amount of overshoot but it settles down very quickly.

  Backlight compensation is a bit variable and even after careful selection of the presets it can sometimes be overwhelmed; nevertheless by jiggling the level and AGC adjustments it is usually possible to reach a satisfactory compromise.

Given the standard of mechanical construction it is not surprising that it is very stable and passed the intermittency and shock tests with flying colours.

What the manufacturer says ...
Siemens develops and manufactures world-class products, designing and running complex systems and tailoring them to customers' needs. Now a leading manufacturer in the fire and security markets, Siemens is actively developing a comprehensive line of CCTV video surveillance systems worthy of its reputation for quality and performance.

Fundamental to this is the introduction of a reliable, cost effective camera range to form part of its growing digital CCTV systems business.

The new range has been manufactured using the latest in camera production technology, with high performing electronics, a wide-ranging feature set, high quality professional images and ease of operation forming the foundation behind the concept. In addition, the cameras have been designed to look good wherever they are positioned. The modern housing and discreet colours blend in perfectly with any environment, whether the installation is ultra-modern or has a more traditional d茅cor.

The CCBC1325-MP is one of eight new cameras packed with usable installation features for some of the most demanding lighting conditions: adjustable electronic shutter, programmable backlight compensation, colour/mono switching, gamma/pedestal correction and auto/manual white balance adjustment as standard.

  It also has an easy-to-use back focus mechanism, 16 character camera ID in the camera and contoured lens cable management bracket to support the 1/3-inch range. Additional features of the 陆-inch range include greater backlight compensation flexibility, peak white inversion and an extended camera ID, which can be used in conjunction with the camera's RS232/485 remote programming capability.

  An alarm input on the camera can also trigger digital images to be stored locally in the camera itself, accessible via this remote control. The 陆-inch range is available in monochrome, colour and day/night variants.

All of the features are accessed through an on-screen menu with a simple navigation structure and easy-to-use keys. The cameras are fitted with quick fit terminals (LV) or push-in mains lead to speed up installation times.