FAQ

Understanding Camera   What's the difference between "Video Drive" (VD) and "Direct Drive" (DD)? "Video Drive" (VD) and "Direct Drive" (DD) auto iris lenses are used to control the iris to keep a better image quality. A "Video Drive" lens is built in amplifier to convert the video signal from a camera for controlling the iris motor. A "Direct Drive" lens only includes the iris motor. So, this type of the lens is cheaper and the image quality depends on the output of the auto iris camera.     What's the difference between "Manual Iris" and "Auto Iris"? A "Manual Iris" lens is the lens with adjustable iris. Normally, it is used in the indoor environment where the light condition usually remains stable. You can adjust the F number to get the best image brightness. It is the most suitable solution for the indoor environment but you need to turn off AES function to avoid color rolling problem. An "Auto Iris" lens is the lens that automatically adjusts the focal length and iris. It is usually used outdoors since it can automatically adjust the amount of light passing through. In order to set the best image brightness, you need to adjust the "LEVEL" knob on the lens (for V.D. type) or at the rear panel of the camera (for D.D. type). Then, the lens will adjust the iris based on the pre-defined image brightness when the light condition is changed.     What is "Flickless"? This mode is used to avoid the flickering on your monitor because of the frequency differences between your system and light. Some countries use two different frequencies, and some countries use NTSC system but their voltage frequency is 50Hz. This function is enabled to not only prevent the flickering on your monitor, but also fix the shutter to decrease color rolling on your camera. However, since the amount of light passing through the lens is decreased, the sensitivity is also decreased accordingly.     What is "Automatic White Balance" (ATW)?   Typically, one object reveals different colors under different light conditions. For example, white paper becomes yellow when yellow light is projected on that paper. However, when ATW is enabled, white paper is still white through the lens and will not be affected under different light conditions. Your camera will tune the color difference automatically based on the specified white light.     What is Auto Gain Control (AGC)?   Auto Gain Control (AGC) will adjust the sensitivity of CCD pick-up elements automatically based on the light condition. When the light condition is dark, the sensitivity goes up and you can get a brighter display. When the light condition is too bright, the sensitivity goes down and you can get a darker display. When the light condition is normal, the sensitivity is also normal. "AGC" option means the sensitivity is normal; "MAX" option means the sensitivity of AGC goes to the maximum. However, the higher the sensitivity, the more the signal noise.