# Security camera's on Tivo?



## Skybolt (Mar 17, 2016)

I use to have my CCTV stuff working on MCE as a private channel. It was simply fed into MCE via an analog tuner card and had it own channel, worked flawlessly. I have since upgraded to a Tivo Romeo cable card tuner. I would like to add this functionality back into the mix as I miss being able to tune to channel xx and see my camera's. Have any of you Tivo owners done this in any way?

Thanks,
Orlando


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

Skybolt said:


> I use to have my CCTV stuff working on MCE as a private channel. It was simply fed into MCE via an analog tuner card and had it own channel, worked flawlessly. I have since upgraded to a Tivo Romeo cable card tuner. I would like to add this functionality back into the mix as I miss being able to tune to channel xx and see my camera's. Have any of you Tivo owners done this in any way?
> 
> Thanks,
> Orlando


Does the fact that a Roamio does not have an analog tuner matter?


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## Skybolt (Mar 17, 2016)

JoeKustra said:


> Does the fact that a Roamio does not have an analog tuner matter?


Why are you asking? I am asking if this can be done in some way.


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## JoeKustra (Dec 7, 2012)

Skybolt said:


> Why are you asking? I am asking if this can be done in some way.


I guess I'm trying to say that a Roamio does not have an analog tuner. If you can convert your CCTV signal to QAM it might be possible. An alternative is an older TiVo basic Premiere, which does have an analog tuner and can be networked to your Roamio,


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## Skybolt (Mar 17, 2016)

JoeKustra said:


> I guess I'm trying to say that a Roamio does not have an analog tuner. If you can convert your CCTV signal to QAM it might be possible. An alternative is an older TiVo basic Premiere, which does have an analog tuner and can be networked to your Roamio,


Ah, I was afraid you were going to say that. I like the Romeo too much to give up the online features it offers. Converting a signal to QAM is an expensive venture as well. I guess I can always just use the tv tuner on my tv's and broadcast it on channel xx. I was hoping to keep everything in the same ui ...

Thanks for you reply's.


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## jacksails54 (Jun 3, 2015)

Skybolt said:


> I use to have my CCTV stuff working on MCE as a private channel. It was simply fed into MCE via an analog tuner card and had it own channel, worked flawlessly. I have since upgraded to a Tivo Romeo cable card tuner. I would like to add this functionality back into the mix as I miss being able to tune to channel xx and see my camera's. Have any of you Tivo owners done this in any way?
> 
> Thanks,
> Orlando


Could you use a different input of your TV to handle your CCTV? Therefore, instead of going to "channel xx" to see your CCTV, you would go to input yy to see your CCTV. Just a thought....

Jack


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## dougdingle (Jul 4, 2007)

I've been looking at this as well. The only way I found to inject the output of the surveillance package is to push it through a QAM modulator (seems to be at least $500) on an empty channel if you can find one, or buy a decent notch filter to notch out one channel you hate. With a strong enough modulator output you could probably overwhelm one channel even if you don't notch it out, although depending on configuration there's also the possibility you'll be backfeeding your security footage to every cable customer in the neighborhood on your side of the pole amplifier on that channel. 

Frequency agile QAM modulators are unfortunately expensive.


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## Skybolt (Mar 17, 2016)

dougdingle said:


> I've been looking at this as well. The only way I found to inject the output of the surveillance package is to push it through a QAM modulator (seems to be at least $500) on an empty channel if you can find one, or buy a decent notch filter to notch out one channel you hate. ...
> 
> Frequency agile QAM modulators are unfortunately expensive.


Yes, that is what I came up with as well. I really don't want to use an input on the TV either, as that would only give me access on that TV.

The cheapest one I found was $800, I need to take another look. Thanks.


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## jerryez (May 16, 2001)

I connect my security system with HDMI cables directly to my HDTV. Then just switch inputs on the tv to see the security cameras.


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## dougdingle (Jul 4, 2007)

jerryez said:


> I connect my security system with HDMI cables directly to my HDTV. Then just switch inputs on the tv to see the security cameras.


I have a Roamio and three Minis, and if the security system quad split shows up as a cable channel to the TiVo, it will be visible on every TV in the house.

I don't want to get out of bed and go downstairs to the media room to turn on the TV to see what that noise was in the back yard, I'd rather just change to that channel on the bedroom Mini (or kitchen Mini, or den Mini, if I'm in those rooms).

Letting the TiVo take care of whole house distribution is a very convenient way to go if you have the money for a QAM modulator and can inject the security system into the cable feed as a channel.


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## JBDragon (Jan 4, 2004)

dougdingle said:


> I have a Roamio and three Minis, and if the security system quad split shows up as a cable channel to the TiVo, it will be visible on every TV in the house.
> 
> I don't want to get out of bed and go downstairs to the media room to turn on the TV to see what that noise was in the back yard, I'd rather just change to that channel on the bedroom Mini (or kitchen Mini, or den Mini, if I'm in those rooms).
> 
> Letting the TiVo take care of whole house distribution is a very convenient way to go if you have the money for a QAM modulator and can inject the security system into the cable feed as a channel.


You have a DVR solution where you can look on your Smartphone or Tablet from anywhere! If you wanted then Airplay to a AppleTV or Cast to a Chromecast that way to your big screen TV if you wanted. Trying to go through TIVO seems pretty limited in many ways, even if you can convert that analog signal to QAM.


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## dougdingle (Jul 4, 2007)

JBDragon said:


> You have a DVR solution where you can look on your Smartphone or Tablet from anywhere! If you wanted then Airplay to a AppleTV or Cast to a Chromecast that way to your big screen TV if you wanted. Trying to go through TIVO seems pretty limited in many ways, even if you can convert that analog signal to QAM.


I considered that smartphone/tablet solution, but for various reasons it won't work well for me. My experience with a couple of those systems was mostly negative - low frame rates, tons of latency despite having top notch wi-fi signals throughout the house. Most reviews of wi-fi based systems on places like Amazon, Newegg, B&H, are abysmal until the packages get _*really *_expensive, at which point I may as well buy a QAM modulator and get reliable hard wired real time video.


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## JBDragon (Jan 4, 2004)

dougdingle said:


> I considered that smartphone/tablet solution, but for various reasons it won't work well for me. My experience with a couple of those systems was mostly negative - low frame rates, tons of latency despite having top notch wi-fi signals throughout the house. Most reviews of wi-fi based systems on places like Amazon, Newegg, B&H, are abysmal until the packages get _*really *_expensive, at which point I may as well buy a QAM modulator and get reliable hard wired real time video.


Not sure what you're talking about. You can get any number of systems with say 4 camera's and a DVR type package, WIRED which is what you want and get a really good picture and those system, besides being able to watch to a TV using a HDMI connection from the DVR to your TV, you can also stream from the DRV to a smartphone, tablet, etc. Not sure what kind of low frame rates and tons of latency issues YOU are having.

I have this cheapo $40 camera in my garage so I could see if the garage door is open or closed. It's a CHEAP camera, a Wifi camera, and even with a little weaker signal, I can be on my iPhone and use the App and it'll be live real time and look great. I don't pay for the cloud service, I just use the free service and so it will just take snapshots of movement for me, generally like 6 frames which is enough to get a idea of what is going on, but if I watch LIVE, I can record on my phone. It looks pretty good for the cheap camera.

For better Camera's that I plan to mount Outside, I'll go with better, higher resolution camera's. A poor picture where you can't make out a persons face is worthless. They'll be IP POE camera's. As in WIRED, using a Ethernet Cable and also getting power over that same cable (Power Over Ethernet). Get a switch that also supports POE and makes things simple. Then there's any number of ways to record the video. FAST Frame rates, Great picture and No latency. You can get a DVR box that supports IP camera's, use your PC or NAS with a number of different Camera Security software. Which also allows you to view it on your smartphone or Tablet. If there is some slight Latency or even slower frame rates because you are on a cell network, WHO CARES!!! It real time and full framerates at your house anyway.

Not sure what you would want to even get QAM in the picture? I wouldn't use Wifi Camera's for real security anyway. In general you still have to plug them in for power. The ones you don't, recharging battery's get old fast.

If your Wifi and Latency is that bad, you have other issues.


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## hammer32 (Jul 4, 2001)

I had a similar setup with a Series 1 long ago. If you have the regular Roamio, with both QAM cable card support and OTA support, you might be able use an ATSC modulator. This one looks to be a bit cheaper at $299:

High Definition ATSC RF Modulator - Frequency Agile - HDMI Input Amazon.com: High Definition ATSC RF Modulator - Frequency Agile - HDMI Input: Home Audio & Theater


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## dougdingle (Jul 4, 2007)

Roamio Pro, unfortunately no OTA support. But I also has a similar system with my Series 2 TiVos.


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