X10 Community Forum
📸Cameras & Camera Software => Legacy non Wi-Fi X10 Cameras => Camera General Discussion => Wireless Cameras(non IP) => Topic started by: statewins on March 03, 2006, 03:47:23 PM
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I set aside my XCam2 two years ago after failing to get it to set up. It worked on one TV, then we moved and I couldn't get it to work again. After an hour of fiddling around today and switching up configurations, I always come to the same screen on the TV. With the camera plugged in and the receiver connected to the TV via the video cable, there is a black screen with scrolling horizontal bars that appears once the set is turned on (when I press power on the camera receiver it changes from a black screen to this). Is this a common problem? It happened on both TVs I used and with different camera plugged in, so I'm leaning towards a receiver problem (I also used two different coaxial video cables and no change). Anybody have any suggestions? I don't want to put this stuff away and give up for good!
Thanks,
Peter
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Any chance it is near a wireless network or 2.4 Ghz cordless phone? If so try turning them off as a test. let us know if that helps.
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That's the problem, I do have 2.4 GHz wireless phones in the house, our whole phone system is set up as such. Is there any way to get around the interference besides removing the phones? It's heartening to know the equipment functions. Is there any way to use the two devices in conjunction with one another? Thanks for the help so far!
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Have you tried all 4 channels avilable on the cameras. Under the little rubber hole plug on the cameras and the switch on the bottom of the receiver. Match both to A B C or D.
You may find one that works better than the others.
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I tried all four channels, with noticable changes in interference, but still nothing close to an actual picture. If there's nothing I can do I'm fine with that, but I don't want to throw this stuff in the corner if I can put it to good use, you know?
Thanks,
Peter
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Might try picking the farthest code on the reciever and then hooking up the phones and manually reset the phone code while operating the video, hopefully the phone will see it and choose a different code?
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I recently purchased iWitness and one Nightwatch Low light camera.
Didn't really have any problems getting it to work.
These are some things that I had learned during my setup.
My current setup has the wireless camera and receiver approximately 30-35 feet away from each other
with little to some obstruction between the 2.
When I first set up the camera and receiver, both were in the same room
approx 12 feet from each other, with no obstruction. (proof of concept setup)
2) My wireless router is set to channel 11
Approximate Freq from wireless router"
Channel 1 2399.5 MHz - 2424.5 MHz
Channel 2 2404.5 MHz - 2429.5 MHz
Channel 3 2409.5 MHz - 2434.5 MHz
Channel 4 2414.5 MHz - 2439.5 MHz
Channel 5 2419.5 MHz - 2444.5 MHz
Channel 6 2424.5 MHz - 2449.5 MHz
Channel 7 2429.5 MHz - 2454.5 MHz
Channel 8 2434.5 MHz - 2459.5 MHz
Channel 9 2439.5 MHz - 2464.5 MHz
Channel 10 2444.5 MHz - 2469.5 MHz
Channel 11 2449.5 MHz - 2474.5 MHz
3) x10 Freq for channels A-D
Information Here - http://www.x10.com/support/faq_camera.htm
A-2.411 GHZ
B-2.434
C-2.453
D-2.473
4) My particular model Cordless phone according to the manual
operates in the 2402MHz to 2480MHz
5) I set both Vid Receiver and camera to Channel A
6) On initial setup in same room, quality of picture was very good,
adjustments on either the Receiver or Camera antenna would
result in vertical thick black lines.
7) I set the camera up in an outdoor position, and mounted the Vid Receiver w/
USB video adapter to the computer.
There is some obstruction between Camera and Video Receiver, and had to adjust
antennas on both Camera and receiver alternately to obtain optimum picture.
8 ) This worked fine for day one.
Day 2 there was a bit of rain, and I do have cover for the Camera (and the Power Supply is inside)
but noticed that when I turned the units on, all I got was a black screen.
I also forgot to replace the small rubber cap on the Channel selector on the Camera,
so it is possible that moisture got inside.
9) I switched Channels from A to B all the way to D on each unit
and still received the black screen.
I went back to A on both units (black screen) and then switched the
Video Receiver to Channel B. (Camera was still on A)
I then received a crisp picture.
Something was no longer aligned, but I figured it was just
an anomaly.
I then tried stepping down the Channels on the Receiver
as I also stepped down the Channels on the Camera (always 1 less than the Receiver)
and continued to get a crisp picture.
Receiver Camera
B A
C B
D C
Later I noticed the same black picture, I switched both the Receiver and Camera back to A, and got the same crisp picture as before.
Not sure why both units were off on the actual frequency, but I thought it was interesting.
I also noticed in my environment that both units work fine on Channel A
when the cordless phone is On (talk)
But playing with the other channels that both units were set to;
B, C or D
that as soon as I pressed the Talk button on the Cordless Phone (dial tone)
I would get all vertical lines.
If I changed Channels on the phone while it was on, the picture quality returned.
So I guess the only time that you would potentially get interference from the
Cordless Phone is when it is on, but not off.
Right now, Channel A works fine with no interference from
wireless router or phone.
Well long write up, but I wanted to provide as much detail
about my experience as possible.
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This is an example of why I chose to stick with 900mHz cordless phones. What I am wondering is: Will a 2.4gHz phone system interfere with other modules in the home? :o
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The only products that I am aware of that X10 sells that operates on
the 2.4 GHz signal are the wireless Cameras/Video Receivers, perhaps the Video/ Receiver package for
Entertainment/TV.
All other module/transceivers operate on 300MHz.
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I set aside my XCam2 two years ago after failing to get it to set up. It worked on one TV, then we moved and I couldn't get it to work again. After an hour of fiddling around today and switching up configurations, I always come to the same screen on the TV. With the camera plugged in and the receiver connected to the TV via the video cable, there is a black screen with scrolling horizontal bars that appears once the set is turned on (when I press power on the camera receiver it changes from a black screen to this). Is this a common problem? It happened on both TVs I used and with different camera plugged in, so I'm leaning towards a receiver problem (I also used two different coaxial video cables and no change). Anybody have any suggestions? I don't want to put this stuff away and give up for good!
Thanks,
Peter
Well I had the same problem and after trying all the different settings A-D just decided to give my new 2.4 phone system to my sister and bought a 5.8, please note that most 5.8 phone still use 2.4 but only while communicating from the handset to the base so the only time you might get interface is when you're talking, I opted for the hybrid because a true 5.8 is really hard on batteries Uniden says that a 5.8 handset can only stay off the charger for 3 or 4 hours, and the batteries have to be replaced yearly. I was used to like 3 days!! And because I really only use my cameras when I not home for security it doesn't bother me. I tried everything before I ditched my NEW PHONE SYSTEM but nothing worked. So if you really what the camera system and most wireless ones are 2.4 you're have to go to a 900 or 5.8 GHz system, 900 doesn't have enough bandwidth to allow for multiple phones which is what I have so it's looks like 5.8 might be your only solution. Hope this helps
Tcj
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I set aside my XCam2 two years ago after failing to get it to set up. It worked on one TV, then we moved and I couldn't get it to work again. After an hour of fiddling around today and switching up configurations, I always come to the same screen on the TV. With the camera plugged in and the receiver connected to the TV via the video cable, there is a black screen with scrolling horizontal bars that appears once the set is turned on (when I press power on the camera receiver it changes from a black screen to this). Is this a common problem? It happened on both TVs I used and with different camera plugged in, so I'm leaning towards a receiver problem (I also used two different coaxial video cables and no change). Anybody have any suggestions? I don't want to put this stuff away and give up for good!
Thanks,
Peter
I had this problem with a camera once, and it turned out that I had used the VCR commander power supply for the camera. When I put the proper power supply on the camera, it worked fine. Not sure if you have the VCR commander, but it has the same size of plug. I think the camera PS has the higher current rating, but I could be backwards.
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We just bought new wireless phones as our old one died. The new one is a Uniden 6.0 and X10 operates like it's not even there.
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I also switched to the Uniden Dect 6 phones. The wireless cameras now work great. I also added an external antenna to the video receiver which is in my Attic. This made reception much better. This in combination with the external CM15A antenna makes the system pretty reliable.
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I to just recently installed a 4 phone Panasonic Dect 6 phone system and X10 and it play nice together. :)
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I to just recently installed a 4 phone Panasonic Dect 6 phone system and X10 and it play nice together. :)
Sounds cool... -:)
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Sorry for hijacking this thread but I am not impressed.
I have tried everything myself in getting my wireless cameras to work in my house and nothing works. I have disconnected my 2.4Ghz phones, shut the wireless internet off and I still get crappy signal. I can make out the faces of peopel once they get about 3 feet away adn see the outline of the body from 20 feet away and the signal is flickery. Honestly unless it improves this camera setup is a total waste of money and I won't reccomend this to anyone.
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I went the Dect 6 phone route too. There was no way I could see to get past the 2.4's. Plus Dect 6 is better anyway and no cheaper than a 2.4. Furthermore, for the price of these x10 cameras, I didn't expect reception and reliability that I could have paid hundreds of dollars for. Anyway, I know that's that meat salesman at the door! Go away meat salesman!
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Sorry for hijacking this thread but I am not impressed.
Honestly unless it improves this camera setup is a total waste of money and I won't reccomend this to anyone.
X10 has a pretty good satisfaction guarentee. You should not have a problem getting you money back.
"flickery" implies weak signal or interference. Any way you can get the receiver closer to the camera or aim the antennas at each other better? How many walls between camera and receiver?
X10 cameras are very inexpensive for a reason. They use "CMOS" pick-ups which are lower resolution and less light sensitive than CCD pick-ups. Obviously X10 does not advertise this fact, which may be why they are pretty liberal in their return policy.
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I just got xcams. When i have it plug in my WIFE goes out. I haven't tried changing the channels yet on the camera. My room is upstairs where the receiver is the camera downstairs. I unplug them all still no WIFI. I hate to go and spend the money for new Router.
This is what i have on Wireless
Phone
baby monitor
Davis weather station
belkin Router 2.4 ghz
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I have noticed that on setting B and sometimes D of the video sender, which operates in the same manner as the camera, and sends a signal for the receiver to pick up, n these settings it can occasionally throw off my Linksys wireless router and make it completely invisible totally blocking the signal, my neighbors router too, so that's a large area of interference, but on the other settings it is not interfering at all, just not a clear signal
Has anyone had good results in a small indoor location using a color camera wireless with ninga (IE the planet cam they have for sale currently) connected to a laptop with active home and iwhitness?
Hoping to use one in my place for remote monitoring while away, once I figure out how to use the audio/video receiver with a computer not just the video receiver
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I have noticed that on setting B and sometimes D of the video sender, which operates in the same manner as the camera, and sends a signal for the receiver to pick up, n these settings it can occasionally throw off my Linksys wireless router and make it completely invisible totally blocking the signal, my neighbors router too, so that's a large area of interference, but on the other settings it is not interfering at all, just not a clear signal
Has anyone had good results in a small indoor location using a color camera wireless with ninga (IE the planet cam they have for sale currently) connected to a laptop with active home and iwhitness?
Hoping to use one in my place for remote monitoring while away, once I figure out how to use the audio/video receiver with a computer not just the video receiver
Just change the channel on your router it will fix it. The same thing happen to me and it fix it.