FloodCam Review
This review applies to VT38A "FloodCam" models that were purchased around July of 2006.
The FloodCam is a neat single unit that includes a Wireless Camera, a Motion Detector, a day/night sensor, and a set of Floodlights all in one unit that mounts and wires into onto an outdoor electrical box.
Pros:
- Nice combination of a wireless camera, floodlights, and a motion detector.
- The 2.4 GHz link used to send the camera picture looks OK (at a range of 40 feet).
- The motion detectors don't require batteries that will need to be replaced.
- The nighttime motion detector range is even greater than the 20-foot specification.
Cons:
- Camera can't see much at night. (Even with the floodlights on).
- Floodlights often don't turn off. (If motion was detected around sunrise or sunset the lights lock "on").
- Motion detector works correctly only at night. (It false triggers constantly during daylight).
- The FloodCam RF motion detection signals have a short range. (They don't reach a receiver ~40 feet away).
- Camera angle is usually too narrow to fully cover the area you want to monitor.
- Camera picture isn't very clear or sharp.
Details:
- Background
The FloodCam with the iWitness PC software looked like a good idea for keeping an eye on the car in our driveway, and for lighting up and monitoring the side of our house when movement was detected there. The plan was to use the FloodCam motion detectors to trigger both floodlights and the iWitness camera recording, which would record any activity using the cameras built into the FloodCams. I purchased the FloodCams in a package with ActiveHome Pro and the iWitness software, and mounted 2 FloodCams.
- 2.4 GHz Camera Link
The FloodCam uses a 2.4GHz wireless signal to send the camera picture. At the 40-foot range my computer's video receiver was located away from the FloodCams, the picture from both FloodCams was clear with no static.
- Camera
The camera in the FloodCams actually worked the first time I tried them (though I mistakenly thought they were not working at first). But it was dark when I first tried them, and I couldn't see anything at all (even though the floodlights were on) and so I thought that there must be some problem with my setup. When daytime came I could see that the camera in the FloodCams were actually working OK, though they were not very clear or sharp. (Focusing the cameras using the lens ring helped somewhat). The next night everything was completely black again, and I realized the cameras just couldn't see very well when it was dark. Even a large white car not very far away and illuminated by the floodlights was difficult to make out very well.
- Camera Picture Width
The width of the camera angle is about 60 degrees. For the areas I wanted to monitor this was not a wide enough picture to capture the entire driveway or the side of my house. It would have been nice if there had been another model (or an optional lens) that offered a wide-angle view.
- Floodlights
After a few days of playing with the FloodCams I noticed that sometimes the floodlights were staying on and not shutting off. I had them set to the minimum delay (about 1 minute). They would turn on when motion was detected, and usually they would turn off about a minute later. But sometimes when leaving in the morning or arriving home at night I noticed that the floodlights were already "on" before I approached, and would not turn themselves off, no matter how long I waited out of their view. The only way to get the lights to turn off was to send an "off" command to the FloodCam address, or to kill the power to the FloodCam. Using the published FloodCam reset procedure did not help.
After a while I realized that most often this "lights locked on" behavior usually happened at sunrise or sunset. The floodlights only go "on" if the FloodCam light detector thinks it's nighttime. If it's dark and motion is detected then the lights turn on. But apparently if during the time the lights are on the light sensor thinks that it's not night any more because it's too bright now, the FloodCam doesn't remember to turn the lights off and leaves them "on" permanently. Both of my FloodCams have this same behavior.
This "lights locked on" behavior will also occur if the floodlights (or a nearby object) reflect light onto the front of the FloodCam when they are turned on. Because if light from the floodlights shines into the light detector on the front of the FloodCam then the FloodCam apparently thinks it's daytime now and the FloodCam "forgets" to turn the floodlights off.
One work-around I am considering is to have a Macro that will send an "off" command to the FloodCam address a few minutes after they turn on (when motion is detected). That way the Macro would hopefully shut off the lights to override the problem with the FloodCam forgetting to turn the lights off. However this would also shut them off when continuous motion is occurring and so this isn't an ideal fix.
- Motion Detector RF Range
When the FloodCam motion detector sees something move it sends out an RF signal to report it. (I had hoped to use this signal to start the iWitness camera recording and recording with a VCR). This signal is picked up by either an RF transceiver, which translates the signal into a power line signal, or by a computer RF receiver. However none of the 3 different types of RF receivers/transceivers I bought could "hear" the FloodCam RF signal from ~40 feet away. Finally I took a known good RF transceiver and ran it outside under the FloodCams using an extension cord. Then it would work correctly. So it appears that to hear the FloodCam RF motion detection signals, the RF receiver used must be extremely close to the FloodCam.
As a work-around for this problem, I bought an additional RF transceiver (RR501) and mounted it in an outdoor socket next to the FloodCams. Mounting it within a few feet allowed it to successfully "hear" and retransmit the FloodCam motion detector signals into the house wiring. However since the VCR recording requires an RF signal to reach the VCR to start the recording, I have not been able to make the VCR recording work.
- Motion Detector Triggering
The FloodCam motion detector seems to work OK when it's dark outside. It will detect motion, turn on the floodlights and camera, and then turn them off after the delay that was set. However during the daytime the FloodCam motion detector appears to be fooled by the sun's bright light, or by the sun warming the ground, or by some other daylight effect. During daytime, by watching the "Activity Monitor" screen I can see the FloodCam motion detector triggering on and off all day, even though there is no object moving where it is pointing. As soon as the sun sets, the motion detector starts working correctly. Both of my FloodCams showed this behavior. This seems to defeat the idea that the FloodCam motion sensors can be relied on to trigger the iWitness camera recording software for daytime recording. The motion detector would probably work OK for this at night.
Overall the FloodCam is a neat idea that seemed like a good all-in-one camera & motion detector & floodlight solution for illuminating areas you wanted to keep safe, and recording video of what was going on whenever motion was detected. However problems with the motion detector, motion detector RF transmitter range, light sensor, floodlights, and the nighttime camera visibility have made getting this idea to work somewhat difficult. It is my hope that the floodlight shutoff, RF range, and daytime motion detection problems can someday be fixed, perhaps along with better camera sharpness, a wide angle lens, and better night time visibility.
Update: 01/28/2007 (Additional feedback after 6 months of trying to make the FloodCams work.)
The FloodCam floodlights have been frustrating. While washing my car in my driveway during bright daylight, I've observed that the FloodCam floodlights sometimes turn on due to my movements, even though they are not supposed to. After they turn on during daytime this way they do not turn off by themselves, they stay on indefinately. I have the FloodCams set to not turn on during daytime (but sometimes they do anyway). When this happens the floodlights then won't turn off, apparently because the Floodcam on/off circuit has a problem that doesn't allow the lights to be turned off during daylight. This is ironic, as it appears the control is working backwards, it sometimes allows the lights to be turned on by movement during the daytime (which it shoudn't), and then will not turn them off after the set delay (because it's daytime!). So this problem with the FloodCam light sensor circuit seems to be the cause of the "lights locked on" behavior that many people have reported.
I have tried to create a workaround for this by setting the computer macros to always turn off the lights 5 minutes after the computer sees the signal that the lights have been turned on by the motion sensor. This seems to work, and seems to prevent the lights from being "locked on" during the day. However it is a crude workaround; the lights should not come on during the daytime; and even if they did they should shut off after the delay. The light sensor part of the these FloodCams seems to just not work correctly.
So my conclusion is that the floodlight part of the FloodCam can only be made to work if you are willing to have the floodlights come on during daytime. If you set the light control to allow daytime floodlight operation (all the way counter-clockwise to tell it to ignore the light sensor and turn the floodlights on day or night when any movement is detected) then the FloodCam lights will turn on when motion is detected and turn off after the delay time. The day/night function seems to be completely broken, and if you set the control to not turn the floodlight on during daytime all it seems to do is to prevent the floodlights from turning off after a motion has turned them on.
The camera seems to work, though it takes a lot of adjustment of the reciever to get a clear signal from it. I seem to be close to the maximum range of the receiver (the receiver is on the window sill about ~40 feet away from the FloodCams along the same wall). I have adjusted the focus again several times, but they are still not very clear or sharp.
[TTA Edit: Formatted a very well done review for improved readability and impact.]