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Author Topic: ANY1 else added IR infra red to their X10 cams. I have.. works great!!  (Read 10581 times)

MrMike

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  • Helpful Post Rating: 1
  • Posts: 6

I searched this forum for IR MODS but didn't find anyone stating they have done it.
I know for a fact if you use the X10 NightWatch Wireless Low-Light B/W cam and want to add IR (infra red) to them it can be done VERY EASY.
X10 has a few others that will work too but requires more than normal ability and equipment to preform.

 Either add them (I have experimented and tested both 940nm and 850nm Infra Red LEDS) to the cam (I put them Ninja pan n tilt) or put them in a location you want to light up ,,, Ive built separate IR emitters for the NINJA pan n tilt units and also incorporated them onto the cams and remote locations.Just depends on your application. MINE ARE ALL BUILT FOR OUTSIDE in the rain/ice weather.
Hard part was figuring out how to have the ability to turn the IR's on and off using the X10 vanguard software and the hand held remote control (at home and viewing remotely) and then gettin your power from the camera and OR the NINJA pan n tilt.
But adding it to their software and using a button already on the remote just took a little reading and testing and a few beers. >!

DEPENDING on the exact type of LEDS you use you can make the IR lights totally invisible to the naked eye or they can have a faint low red glow to them.
You might want to use multiple Emitting angles together, this way your getting flood and spot beam properties at the same time with only using a very few LEDS.
Ive got mine set up to cover FLOOD 10ft wide at 10ft away and Beam spot for distance 25ft wide at 30ft to 60ft away at the same time.
Even on the darkest nights it looks like very bright daylight (thru the computer monitor and Home TV).
AND foggy nights are awesome, IR penetrates the fog and doesn't bounce back at you like a flashlight,,, letting you see "INTO THE FOG"

I even built a few Battery powered mini IR emitters that can be placed anywhere (in a vehicle, on a tree or fence, corner of a building) and they can be controlled by motion detection or by remote. They can stay "on" constant for about 40 hours or if you use motion detector or remote they have lasted me from 6 to 11 months.
Then just change the batteries, the mini IR units i built are smaller than a .357 mag cartridge.
I even built one LED emitting unit using SUPER BRIGHT WHITE LEDS, kinda a spot\flood light that rotates with the camera on the Ninja Pan N tilt.
Its very annoying and UNFRIGGEN real how bright it is if your outside and I turn it on and aim it at you. 380,000mcd per led and there is 15 of them tightly stacked.
 Even added a "strobe flash" pattern option to it like the Swat and Military use to disorient the enemy and added a few Ultraviolet and red/green high intensity LEDS. Pretty funny to watch the local cat or dog get STROBED and blinded then they freeze up for about 10 seconds,
then they try to run off my property but end up running SMACK head long into a tree or fence post B:(.    rofl

But after a few nights of doing that I don't have cat foot prints on my vehicles windshields or unwanted dog turds on my lawn :)%.

The local Sheriff dept. was going door to door one night to see if there was anyone Else's vehicles that had been broken into and parked in my driveway to walk up to my front door to knock, I had the bright white strobe unit set to work from the motion sensor and he tripped it,, After it scared him and blinded him and he got calmed down and his sight came back to normal he asked about my cameras and I invited him in,
 HE LOVED IT.. He actually ordered 3 camera units with pan n tilts and had me modify and install them for him at his own house.

Make sure you order your LEDS EXCATLY as you need them ,, Here's my basic suggestion that you should start with.
#1 Source Material: InGaN  if your using them outdoors.
#2 Emitting Color or specific nm: between 800 to 1000 nm (infra red)
#3 Luminous Intensity-or MCD-or LUMENS: the higher the better
#4 Viewing Angle that is needed for your application. example (2q1/2 --  F=100mA -- would equal 40Deg emitting angle)
#5 your available power parameters
 MAXIMUM RATING UNITS
DC Forward Current 100mA
 
Peak Pulse Forward Current (1)150mA
 
Avg. Forward Current (Pulse Operation)100mA
 
Operating Temperature
 -40 to +100 C
 
Storage Temperature
 -40 to +120 C
 
Lead Soldering Temperature
 2600C for 6 seconds
(1.0mm or 0.63 inch from Body)
 
Depending on your power source for them you might have to add a resistor.
But if your any kind of electronically inclined....and got a few common tools...
 It should only take you an hour or 2 to make you own INFRA RED emitter from scratch for your X10 NightWatch Wireless Low-Light B/W cam .
If you got any questions just email me or post it here.
If ANYONE else has done any IR modifications to their X10 units please let me know. Maybe we could swap info.

Mr Mike™
mrmike_in@yahoo.com


« Last Edit: May 16, 2011, 08:31:33 AM by MrMike »
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