General
Are RULE transceiver racks mountable?
Yes. The series of multi-channel hubs are rack-mountable and include the necessary hardware.
Will RF interfere with the video when using RULE devices?
No. The RULE signal is highly immune to interference. RULE signals are sent differentially. That is, the equipment is only concerned with the voltage difference between the two conductors. RF or other fields will still couple into the conductors, but will do so in each conductor equally. This Common-Mode signal is ignored by the RULE equipment, which has a 60 dB Common-Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR).
Wire & Wiring
What kind of wire do I need to use with RULE devices?
Use Unshielded Twisted Pair, Category 5 or better, 16-24AWG, stranded or solid. Using a multi-pair wire (six pairs or more) with an overall shield is OK.
Can shielded twisted pair be used?
Some customers have successfully used shielded wire up to a few hundred feet. However RULE does not recommend it. Its high-frequency roll-off will severely degrade the distance performance. Use of an amplified receiver can compensate for some signal loss. Multi-pair wire (six pairs or more) can have an overall shield without degradation.
Can the wire path have splices?
Yes. RULE recommends designing CCTV systems in much the same way as phone/data systems are designed. You can splice the wire or use 66-blocks or 110-blocks to make connections. Video can be sent through a dozen of these connections without significant degradation.
Can I transmit more than one video signal in a multi-pair wire bundle?
Yes. One of the benefits of using RULE transceivers is interference rejection. RULE video signals can reside in the same wire bundle as multiple video signals, ringing telephones, Ethernet, 24VAC, RS-422, RS-485, etc.
Can video signals be sent in opposite directions within the same wire bundle?
Yes, however, due to near-end crosstalk, there are distance limitations. When using Category 2 or 3 wire, do not send video in opposite directions within the same wire bundle more than 1000’. With Category 5, do not send bidirectional video more than 2000’.
Can Category 6 wire be used?
Yes. Unshielded Twisted Pair wire, Category 5 or better, can be used with NVT.
Can un-twisted wire be used?
Some customers have successfully used un-twisted wire at short distances. RULE does not recommend it due to its interference susceptibility.
Can I use spare pairs in an existing telephone system to transmit video using RULE devices?
Yes. One of the advantages of RULE CCTV is that the wiring for video can reside along with telephone system wiring. However, be sure to use “dry copper” pairs. There should be no dial-tone, 48 volts, loading coils, bridge-taps or switching on the chosen pairs.
Can I install my UTP bundle near RF antennas, fluorescent lights, motors, generators, or high voltage?
Yes. The RULE signal is highly immune to interference, allowing
it to be installed near these noise-generating sources. For life-safety and electrical code reasons, never install RULE in the same conduit as high-voltage wiring.
Supported Signals
Do RULE transceivers support “up the coax” pan/tilt/zoom controls?
Yes. When using passive transceivers to transmit and receive, "up the coax" control signals can be sent with the video up to 750’.
Can RULE devices transmit VGA?
Yes. The NTSC output of a VGA or SVGA scan converter can be transmitted using RULE.
How can I send video from one camera to more than one monitor using RULE?
There are a couple ways to accomplish this. One is to connect your video source to a distribution amplifier. This provides multiple video outputs for each input. Connect a transmitter and receiver to each wire run leading back to each monitor.
The alternate method is to send the video signal to the first monitor using a pair of transceivers. Then loop out of that monitor and use another pair of transceivers to continue on to the next monitor.
What is the supported bandwidth?
DC to 6 megahertz, clear channel
Do RULE transceivers support broadband RF/VHF/UHF?
No. Use demodulators and modulators to convert to base band composite video.
Can I transmit satellite or cable TV using RULE transceivers?
No. RULE transceivers do not support the wide bandwidth cable TV signal. However, a single channel can be sent if a demodulator and modulator are used.
Can I transmit a multiplexed signal on unshielded twisted pair?
Yes. That base band composite video signal is supported.
Can RULE transmit RS-422 or RS-485 signals?
RS-422 or RS-485 signals are hard-wired between the P/T/Z equipment and are not transmitted or received by RULE transceivers. The data signal may be sent on a wire pair within the same bundle as the video signal.
Troubleshooting
When transmitting video between passive RULE transceivers, the video is wavy and there is a dark bar that rolls upward on the monitor. Why?
This is the result of a ground loop. Use an amplified receiver (which has built-in ground lifting), or remove the ground at the camera end. Be sure that floating the camera conforms to local/regional and National Electrical Codes.
Why is the green light blinking on the active receiver?
This usually indicates a poor connection along the wire path.
Why is there a double image in my video?
Faint shadows of the original signal shifting to the right, or “Ghosting” occurs when there is an impedence mismatch along the wire. Verify that the monitor is terminated with 75
(not in loop-through). Check for and remove any bridge-taps (another wire pair connected to the wire run).
Why does my video look like a scrambled Cable TV signal?
This typically indicates reversed polarity.
