Recording with Vanguard - Help Please

[Drews]

I finally got my cameras working with the TM751. Tested it with the remote and a TV and it worked so I replugged it back inot the computer and tried reinstalling the software and it works now.

Anyway, my current problem. I have a motion sensor set to B1, I have tow cameras set to B1 and B2 and can switch to them no problem via the mouse, and the remote. My setup, a 4 grid view with the two cameras, I have B2 active, I take my hand off of the B1 motion sensor and the B2 grid switches and starts showing the B1 feed. After a minute, about 50% of the time the B1 gird cell will become active with the B1 feed. In the meantime, there's lots of frame freezes. I have my Vanguard preferences set to take a snapshot every hour and my B1 motion detection set to take snaps every second for 30 seconds. When the motion detector tells it to switch to cam B1 I don't get any recordings. The only way I can record anything is to have "Take a snap every 5 seconds" set at the preference level. Who wants that? I don't. Also, if I set the B1 motion detector prefs associated with camera B1 set to record a video, I don't get and recorded video at all. I can however get a recording if I manually click on "Record" at the bottom of the screen. Can anyone please help me? I'd like to be able to have the B1 sensor tell Vanguard to seemlessly switch to cam B1, have it not only switch cams, but have the image show up listed under B1 cam in the software right from the word go, not under B2 cam in the software, and be able to record either 1 second snaps or a video.

Thanks

[MichaelC]

One problem I can see off the bat is that X10 motion sensors have not just a motion detector in them, but also a light sensor. If you have the motion sensor set to B1, the light sensor will cause an On command to be sent to B2 when it gets dark and cause a B2 Off command when it gets light again.

Covering and uncovering the sensor with your hand might trigger this behaviors. If you have the MS16A this can be turned off, but if you have the MS15A you have to disable the light sensor to get this to stop.

You might want to try troubleshooting this setup using a PalmPad or other remote control set to House Code B so you can take the motion detector out of the equation. Turn everything off, then send B1 on and see what happens.

[Drews]

Thanks, that may be the problem. I have the MS14A sensors. The battery operated remote control works great. No problems with that, it seems to be a problem with the sensor, and that may be the problem, the dusk dawn.

How do you disable the dawn/dusk sensor on the MS14A? Do I have to disconnect wires?

One problem I can see off the bat is that X10 motion sensors have not just a motion detector in them, but also a light sensor. If you have the motion sensor set to B1, the light sensor will cause an On command to be sent to B2 when it gets dark and cause a B2 Off command when it gets light again.

Covering and uncovering the sensor with your hand might trigger this behaviors. If you have the MS16A this can be turned off, but if you have the MS15A you have to disable the light sensor to get this to stop.

You might want to try troubleshooting this setup using a PalmPad or other remote control set to House Code B so you can take the motion detector out of the equation. Turn everything off, then send B1 on and see what happens.

[TakeTheActive]

...How do you disable the dawn/dusk sensor on the MS14A? Do I have to disconnect wires?

Some days I question why any of us bother to exert the effort to write FAQs and Tutorials...

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[Drews]

Sorry, I already checked the documentation and got it switched.

On another note. I have my cameras switching regularly and even spaced them a bit so now I have them on B1 and B3 even though I have dusk/dawn turned off. I get the cameras switching no problem, but the camera the software thinks it's on in the 4 view grid is still off about 50% of the time. The feed will switch, but the new feed will show up in the old grid (ie. B3 will show up in B1) which if I ever get the recording working will be a problem because it'll be recording on say B1 but the action will be on B3.

...How do you disable the dawn/dusk sensor on the MS14A? Do I have to disconnect wires?

Some days I question why any of us bother to exert the effort to write FAQs and Tutorials...

Google Is Your Friend



Home Automation Knowledge Base