Public Discussion Forum

I have 2 video cameras on my Selene 57 that need replacing. For clarity I'm talking about video to help in docking and operating the boat, not security or remote monitoring. The existing cameras are old, low res, and the screens are small and failing. I'd like to connect them to my Timezero system and display them on a pilot house display.

Timezero is compatible with up to 4 AXIS IP cameras and converters (pan/tilt/zoom included), FLIR, fixed H264, and ONVIF cameras. It's probably safest to stick with AXIS products.

I currently have 2 cameras, one in the engine room and one on the arch looking back. The engine room camera is fine and I can monitor much of the engine room with it. The camera on the arch will allow me to see boats overtaking me, but it is no use in docking.

I know less than nothing about camera systems for boats, best places to mount cameras (that is easy to run wires too), and hardware to choose. I'm thinking one in the engine room, one on the arch looking aft, and either one or two under the boat deck (or sides of the boat?) for docking.

What camera equipment and mounting location has worked for you?

Thanks,

Richard

Untethered, 57-22

I have exact same setup as you. I did connect the arch to bigger chartplotter which helps but as u said, not great for docking. I am all Garmin stuff tho vs TimeZero. I tried streaming cameras to iPad for a bit but decided not helpful enough - tho it did work. You could instead try Nintendo remote driving like Steve Covington and you just wander around the boat while you dock using your wireless controller 🙂
Corey
Sent from my iPhone

We are the new owners of Asante, as part of the re-commissioning we upgraded the electronics to the latest Furuno XL system with NXT Radars. We added two Furuno cameras, connected through a Furuno switch, engine room and at the top of the mast looking aft. Mast gave us an extra 4’ of height compared to the arch. We have a hand held wireless remote so the high camera gives a good enough view for approaching the slip/dock. Camera resolution is great compared to the Raymarine cameras, (2018 vintage), on our previous Selene.

Phil Davies
Asante 5334

Hi Richard, If Timezero isn't too picky about the cameras, I just use Amcrest ip cams from amazon with my Simrad. No PTZ but 132 degree field of view gives good coverage and inexpensive. They may not last as long as an Axis but I can replace them many times over at $60 each. I've used them at home for years and the aft cam has been on the boat for two years, semi exposed, right at the edge of the cockpit roof. The attached ER image is in total darkness and the light in the center top is the other IR cam looking down the other side of the space. Normally underway I would have the ER lights on and they would be in color and much sharper. The are invaluable in the ER but don't replace regular underway visits. Today, during, pre-check, I found I had a leak on the silicon bellow on my exhaust. I tightened the clamps before we set out and I was able to watch it between ER visits while under way from my Simrad, computer and phone.

BTW, when pulling in Ethernet cable, use flat Ethernet cables. You can get several cables in the same space as a round one. I taped 4 together to a fish tape and pulled them from the cockpit through salon and galley, the pilot house watch bunk and forward to the helm in on shot. I just staggered the ends so the connectors passed through the tight spaces and corners one at a time. They also seem to slide better than the round, for some reason.

My POE switch is managed so I can login and reboot any of the POE devices on an individual port any time, from anywhere. Each port can be labeled so you can easily find the device. That comes in handy if a POE device glitches and you don't want to reboot everything or figure out what cable to remove.

Good luck

Joe

I believe the original post mentioned ONVIF capability. These are ONVIF. Until a recent rev they were not as easy to install on the Simrad system but once Simrad adopted ONVIF, they're pretty much plug and play. This may be the case with TZ. It might be worth a try as you can always send them back to Amazon. Richard, if our paths cross I have spares on board. We can drop one in and see if it works.

Joe