Description
Challenge
A large defense company requested a remote visual solution that would be suitable for long-range surveillance. The customer required outdoor IP cameras with HD resolution and 30x optical zoom that could endure harsh environments in a wide range of extreme heat and cold temperatures. The cameras required a cold startup in as low as -26 °C ambient temperature, an operation that a standard outdoor camera would not be able to achieve.
Development
The InterTest team chose a Sony® FCB-9520L block camera that offered outstanding clarity with 12x digital zoom and 360x with optical zoom. With over 2.13 Megapixels, this camera was the optimal choice; however, the minimum operating temperature for the camera is -5 °C. A heating system would need to be implemented into the IP67 housings, as well as a thermostat to accurately regulate the internal housing temperature. A reliable and adequate power source would also need to be designed to accommodate all of the components.
Solution
InterTest engineers selected the Sony FCB-9520L block camera and paired it with the Z3 Q603-15 encoder board for this project, due to their combination of high performance, low latency, and reliability. The enclosure consisted of an outdoor IP67-rated housing to sustain performance in a wide range of rugged environmental conditions. To address the hurdle of ensuring camera start-up and continuous operation in frigid temperatures, two heaters were built into each housing, drawing a mere 250 - 280mA of additional current, thereby enabling low power consumption and bypassing the need to add a second power line. The final products were tested in a specialized freezer with a digital temperature preset to ensure the cameras could withstand the temperature demands.
Related Products:
XBlock® FCB-EV9520L 3G-SDI Full HD Indoor Zoom Camera
Z3 Technology Q603-15 Video Encoder Interface Board
