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[SteveRF]

Anyone using the Color Flood Cams with AHP ?
Are they any good ?  Is the resolution good
enough to monitor a deck or pool area ?
regards,
SteveRF

[anonymous]

I had a hard time with my flood cam. Living
in alaska I had a hard time adjusting the
dusk dawn and motion sensitivity.

[SteveRF]

I am dissapointed that there was not more
comments on the flood cams... maybe that
should tell me something..smile...
SteveRF

[ykz_pilot]

I am using several cams with AHP.  One is
the Floodcam.  My only complaint is that it
it the only camera that has no mic.  The
colour and quality of picture is excellent,
however, I would like a wide angle
version.  

[SteveRF]

To Steve,
Thanks for the info...
When you have time, I'd love to hear more
about the cams you are using and what you
think of each.  I'd like to be able to keep a
watch over the deck/pool area and parts of
the yard.  I hear other remarks about the
poor picture quality when viewing anything
over 15-20 feet.  Thanks for your time !
regards,
SteveRF  

[ykz_pilot]

Hi SteveRF,

15-20 feet?  Not here.  When I shut off all
my cameras I can pick up the camera from a
house across the street and over one house
who has X-10.  I see them and hear them
talking clear as a bell.  The mics are
quite good in the cameras.  The only thing
is you need to understand that many devices
use the same frequencies, so you might have
intermittent lines on the screen when using
a cordless phone, microwave, wireless LAN,
etc.

I have about 11 cameras ... some Ninja,
some low-light, some wide-angle, and one
floodcam.  I have one on the shed in the
back yard more than 100' from the house
pointed at the house (low light).  This is
numbered the same as the rear outside lamp
which turns on with motion in that zone.  I
have a wide angle at the side of the house
so it catches the neighbour who likes to
incite my dogs to bark by screaming at them
and beating the fence with a club.  This
recording came in handy to use in case of a
court case but he stopped once he knew I
had it.  I have the floodcam over the
garage and a Ninja on the corner under the
eaves that sweeps the entire street
constantly.  There is also a low light
pointed at the front door.

I breed Chameleons and use the AHP to
control the 2 lamps and one fountain at
each Chameleon station (15 in total).  They
go on and off every day so they are all on
the same one unit number.  If you use AHP
make sure every activation and deactivation
uses the new "repeat" feature to ensure the
action takes place.

[ykz_pilot]

I also use a Ninja to view the puppies my
German Shepherd just had from any remote
location.  And I can turn on the lamp over
the whelping box too thru the 'net.

Currently I have Pan & Tolt Pro, Webview,
and MultiView.  I am waiting to hear back
from X-10 about whether or not iWitness
will give me any further functionality, or
what exactly it will replace (if anything).
No reply yet ... I am surprised they don't
give that info on their site.

Also, they make you buy another Ninja,
remote, motion sensor and PC interface for
$69+$10 shipping so I have to buy all those
things which I already have multiples of in
my "X-10 storage area" in the garage with
all the other stuff I got with the many
camera packages I bought.  I have 2 extra
Ninjas 3 extra PC interfaces and 6 extra
motion sensors already - not to mention all
the VCR commanders, receivers, remotes,
etc.!  Too bad they wouldn't let us buy
just the software for say $19.99?  I don't
really need to pay for shipping things I
don't want just to get a software
download ... poor sales options.
Too bad because the product is great.

[ykz_pilot]

The colour is quite good, but you need
light.  If you are going to operate in low
light conditions make sure you use the
Nightwatch, which is only black & white but
still for monitoring activities and for
safety, why would you need colour?  I would
think if you have a pool, then you might
want to have at least one low-light, and
then have colour ones as well if you want.

I have motion sensors near each exterior
light and camera so that the system
switches to whereever there is motion.  If
you want a dedicated camera on the pool
area you might want to use a separate house
code so that you can have any one TV/VCR
dedicated to that one camera, and it will
not switch to other cameras on movement.

I hope this helps ...

[ykz_pilot]

Sorry for the multiple messages but this
forum just hangs if the message is too
long ... no error displayed, no
notification of why it is hanging.

Typical sloppy coding from these "PC
people".

[SteveRF]

Steve,
Many thanks for such a nice review...
Sounds like you have had success with the X10
cams... I assume the Xcam2 ?  I really do not
know much about the different version they
offer. I guess I will have to wade through
all the advertisements and and just see what
is what.  Thanks for the advice about the low
light B&W version.  Sounds like you have a
lot going and are really getting some use out
of the cams.  I have a small workshop located
about 200 feet from the house and would like
to be able to pan and tilt all of that area
as well as the entire back yard (3 acres).
You didn't say much about the clarity of the
different cams but I take it that you are ok
with the resolution/quality etc... I am
thinking about the iWitness option but I
still want to be able to view on a TV so I
may hold on the iWitness... actually, I
better start taking a good look at all the
options and see what may fit.... Right now I
am thinking I need a night watch around the
pool area and a ninja P&T in the same area.
I appreciate and welcome all your thoughts
and ideas !  OH..I am on the Gulf Coast, high
humidity and under cover... should that be a
concern ?
Regards,
SteveRF

[ykz_pilot]

The camera bundles should come with the
receiver which will work on any TV.   The
software is a bonus to view on a
computer ... however, if you have a Vaio,
or other computer with a TV card in it, you
can use that card with the TV receiver and
view and record without any software or
even a VCR.

The quality on all of my cams is
excellent.  The picture couldn't be
clearer, except when the light is low.

I am amazed at the quality of the video and
sound with the size they are.  The Wide-
Angle cams will distort slightly anthing
close to them but they are good for seeing
wide areas.  I believe all my cams are X-
cam2 instant on.  They always shipped me
the instant on whether I ordered them or
not.

If you have a problem with the 200 feet -
you might want to set up a LAN at your
house, and run ethernet out there, set up
an old PC with Win98 (if you don't have one
there) just running the Pan & Tilt Pro
software, then try using the Pan & Tilt Pro
remote access?

Another option would be to get the signal
extender.   If there are no obstacles in
the way I can't see the distance being a
problem but I can't say I've tried it.

Let me know how it goes ...

[SteveRF]

Steve,
Thanks again for all the excellent info !
I'll start watching the packages X10 offers
more closely now and get something in the
mill in the next week or so.  I'll be sure
and let you know how it works out.
Thanks again for all the effort and information.
Regards,
SteveRF

[ilbecker]

I am trying to record in Iwitness from a web cam and it does not record.  The above post reference a fix that will be made and that was last yer.  Is there still a problem with iWitness recording from the Flood Cam

[Tuicemen]

It is so nice to see new users digging deep into the forum in search for an answer!
You should be able to record from a flood cam but there are still issues with controling them with the lights!
A little more info is needed about your setup !
Can you view your cams just not record from them?

Can you take snap shots?

What Operating system are you using?

Problem may just be the codec your using, try changing that!