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[RBeach]

I just received my 2 new Nightwatch cameras today.  In anticipation of getting them installed, I figured I would test them out before running any cables to make sure they work.

Video was about as expected for the price range (as I have had similar from X10 many years ago), but the audio has left me tone deaf.  I plugged up the first camera and got some awful high pitch squealing noise.  It would want to seem to come and go (mostly stay).  I tried the other camera to see if it was maybe just a bad camera.  The second did the same exact thing.  I then decided I should take them over to my Dad's house to see if maybe I could get a different outcome.

After testing both cameras on a total of 3 different TV's, I am getting the same thing.

Any suggestions?  By the way, I am plugging them directly into the TV's audio/video input.

I had 2 of these B&W utility cameras about 12 years ago that worked flawlessly.  Unfortunately, they were left when we moved about 10 years ago.  Has the quality control suffered on these lately?  Am missing something I should or should not be doing?

[HA Dave]

What your hearing is called feedback. The microphone in the camera is hearing the audio on the TV... which then creates a loop that increases in volume as the TV amplifies the sound.

Move the cameras away from the TV and the squealing noise will disappear.

[RBeach]

I tried that.  I unrolled the cord and stretched it out as long as I could and still got the same squealing noise.

I'll mess with it again this weekend and see what results I get.

[Brian H]

If you turn the volume on the TV to 0% and then slowly raise it. Is the noise gone until you hit a certain volume level?
That would also indicate a feedback condition.

[RBeach]

I got both cameras installed yesterday.  All I can say is that it is hot as crap in an attic, especially when you have black shingles, and the outside temp is pushing 90 degrees!

Anyway, all is well.  No issues with feedback at all.  Although I wish the picture was better, you can't expect HD quality from a utility camera that was on sale for $20! LOL!!!  These are for just monitoring a walkway and a vehicle anyway.

Thanks for the input.

[Brian H]

Thanks you for the update and I am happy to read they are working for you.

[nybuck]

Big thumbs-up from me. 

Way to go on the wired camera choice.  You should have a rock-solid signal as long as your wires stay intact.