X10 Community Forum
📸Cameras & Camera Software => Camera General Discussion => Topic started by: chris on February 02, 2005, 10:49:03 AM
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Hey gang.
This seems odd to me. My system has been
running fine for well over a year.I have 3
cams, 1 robotic B/W, 1 robotic color and 1
stationary color. The robotics are outside
and mounted upside down. The cam codes are
color outside A-1, Color inside A-2 and
outside B/W A-3. What is happening
(started about a month ago)Cam A-3 has
seemed to take control. I no longer can
remotely switch between the cams. Cam A-3
is the only one on the PC or TV screen. If
I unplug A-3 I can switch between the other
2 cams just fine. I tried changing the A-3
code to A-4, no differance. I unplugged
all cams changed all codes and the B/W is
always dominant no matter what the code.
There have been no power outages and no
known power surges. I also use 3 TV
receivers one with audio, 2 transceivers,
The PC receiver and PC video/USB converter
and a video commander II. I made no
changes to the system, the cam 3 A-3 take
over just happened one day. Any help is
appreciated. Thanks. Chris
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Hi,
Try changing the house code. I bet someone
has X10 equipment or a remote/motion sensor
near your house and it's switching your
cams. Hope that helps.
John
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Thanks John, I will try that. The cams are
not switching when the B/W cam is plugged
in. If I unplug it the switching works
fine.
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Try switching the Power Supplies - to see
whether it's the camera or the power
supply. It's probably the power-supply.
Can you switch the dominant camera "off"
instead of trying to switch to another
camera?
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I had that identical problem two months ago.
I tried swapping the power supply, changing
the unit code among the power supplies,
modifying the multiview program settings,
etc., trying to find clues. I even swapped
two cams and the problem stayed with the cam
location. An upstairs intercom was found in
the on and locked position, no doubt causing
lots of signal interference. Once turned off
the cameras sequenced normally. I think the
camera "off" signal never got to the bad cam
location due to the interference. The cam
that stayed on had the strongest video signal
of the four cams since it was closest to the
interface, so even if more than one cam was
on the signal from the bad location would
override. Interference can do strange things.
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Thanks Jeff and Win. I will try swapping
the power supplies when I can. The wires
are up in the eaves, not the easiest thing
to do. One thing I forgot to mention is
that cams A-1 and A-3 are on 110v extension
cords. The interference issue is a real
possibility. I have no intercoms. Maybe
the neighbor installed something. I
probably can not get that info. I do have a
microwave, 2.4ghz phone, 900mhz phone and a
2.4ghz wireless access point that is not
always on. Cam A-2 is the closest cam to
the receivers. This would theoretically be
the closest Then cam A-1. Cam A-3 (the one
that appears domanant) is the furthest
away. There is 1 receiver near A-3(family
room) and 2 receivers (1 with audio)and 1
pc receiver (cm19)in the computer room. I
use the CR-14A remotes. Nothing with the
home electronics has changed. This problem
just happened one day. If the power supply
switch does not work I can considering
moving the cam but that would involve
extending the power line. Thanks Guys :-)
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One other thing I found helpful in
troubleshooting: Turn off breakers in the
main box to exclude areas of the house which
may be causing interference..that's actually
how I found the area at fault, and located
the problem. Of course, the breaker for the
interface area must be left on, but others
can be turned off one at a time. Good luck.