Reduce strain on camera whip cables

DVR Strain Relief Technique

It is very important to relieve the stress on your multi-channel BNC ('whip') cables that connect your cameras to the capture card port or BNC connections on your DVR . Without taking the excess weight off of this 'whip' cable (or the BNC connectors, in the case of an ET system or ETV-30-04 system), the cable or video capture card will fail prematurely and cause video loss and/or other troubles with your DVR /camera setup.

Fortunately, relieving this cable stress is quick, easy, and inexpensive. It requires 2 cable ties ('zip' ties). You should use a minimum zip tie length of 7” and minimum tensile strength of 50 lbs. These are available at almost any hardware shop or electronics shop and are typically black in color.

Take the first zip tie and wrap it around the entire bundle of BNC cables that are connected to your 'whip' cable or video capture card inputs. Make sure to close the zip tie tightly, however not so tight that it breaks or digs into the BNC cable sheathing. Snug is perfect.

Take your second zip tie and loop it through the first zip tie, then through the lid handle of your DVR . Secure it loosely, while maintaining support for the BNC cable bundle. For older DVR models that do not have a lid handle, you may need to connect the second zip tie to a solid, stationary object on the desk/rack/shelf that the DVR is mounted/installed on. Make sure that when the second zip tie is installed, the 2-zip-tie-system takes the weight of the BNC cable bundle off of the 'whip' connector or video capture card inputs.

You do not want the 'whip' connector to have any strain or tension on it at all after installation. The individual wires of the 'whip' cable should be loose and freely movable to avoid damage.

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