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[chasd1]

Hi all, i am pretty new with all the x10 gear. i have purchased the wvr36 video receiver, wxc15 wireless camera. i have the receiver connected to my tv and get a picture but it flickers a whole lot; so bad it really is unusable. what can i do to get a good picture with these cameras?

thnaks for any tips

[tjdavj]

Welcome chasd1,

It sounds like you may be experiencing some form of interference that is affecting the wireless link between your camera and receiver.  You can try setting up the camera next to the receiver and see if you still have the flicker. 

Also, do an search on the forum for interference, and you should find a few articles that will point you in the right direction.

HTH

[JimC]

what can i do to get a good picture with these cameras?

This is not an unusual problem with the X10 wireless cameras. You may find that moving the receiver just a couple of inches or rotating it will improve reception. If this does not work you might want to try and see what is causing the interference. It could be cordless phones, wireless routers or baby monitors. Just about anything that transmits RF has the potential to be a problem. In my case my cordless phone, when in use, totally wipes out the picture.

Good luck   

Jim

[EL34]

There are tons of problems with wireless camera's.
I don't even mess with wireless anymore, only wired cams.

Here's some of the items I have found that mess with wireless signals.

Telephones in the 2.4ghz range are really bad. Even your neighbors phones can mess with your signal. When the phone is off the hook, it sends out a signel every few seconds that meses up the signal. When you are talking on the phone, it tottaly screws up the signal.

Microwave ovens are the worst signal trashers I know of.

I have had drive by cars mess with my signals, not sure what that is all about unless it's some sort of radio in the car.

Since I went all wired, I have had clear crisp camera signals.

[HA Dave]

There are tons of problems with wireless camera's.

Ah come on... not a ton... 6-700 pounds tops.

I also have mostly wired cameras. But the wireless cams can have some real advantages too.

I also have a wireless (computer) network and wireless phones. And the set-up of the wireless cams may take a little trial and error, or just plain fiddling. But you should be able to get a nice clear picture chasd1. There are also other threads on this forum that deal with the wireless cams.

Let us know as you make progress (or not) chasd1, so we can be of more help.

[Don N]

As others have already said chasd1, it does take a little patience and experimenting to get acceptable pictures from the wireless cameras.  I have two wireless cameras and they work well.  But it took some effort to reduce interference, adjusting of the camera's antenna, location of the receiver, selecting the best channel, etc.  But it's possible.  Do a search on the forum, if you haven't already.  You will find lots of discussion and solutions.  Come back to the forum after you've tried some things and I'm sure we can help.

[EL34]

I should have mentioned that the reason I gave up on wireless cams is because I run security software.
The software detects pixel motion changes and then triggers camera recording.

The probelm is that any sort of screen motion, like telephone, microwave oven picture distortion problems, triggers the security software to start recording video.
I ended up with lots of junk .avi camera files.
Got to be a pain reviewing all the bogus film footage.
The hard wired cameras solved that problem for me.

x10 camera applications would not have that problem.

[HA Dave]

The software detects pixel motion changes and then triggers camera recording.

Yep, that would make wireless cams useless! Run the microwave.....create an AVI file.

[Brian H]

Wow. Cook your dinner and get a video? 

[HA Dave]

Wow. Cook your dinner and get a video? 

Well... I don't know about dinner. It was my understanding that microwave ovens are an office appliance used for reheating coffee and popping prepackaged popcorn.

However, I use cordless phones, a wireless (computer) network, AND I use the X10 video sender/receiver PLUS X10 wireless camera. I get a great picture from the X10 wireless camera on two separate TVs. A great picture that is, UNLESS I am warming-up my coffee.

If running a 24/7 cam with software that detects pixel change, that then triggers camera recordings. Yep I could see where that could be a problem. I also have an IP cam that wirelessly connects to my computer network. It has firmware that will detect motion (through pixel change) and email me a short video. Unless I keep the room [the IP cam is in] dark I end up spaming myself.

I think wireless cameras mixed with todays pixel detection software could be difficult for most household applications.

[EL34]

One of the first things I did before I canned wireless was to get rid of my 2.4ghz phones.

I went up to 5.8ghz phones and this eliminated phone problems but there were other strange picture distorting problems that happened when some cars went by the house, microwave oven as was mentioned.

Too many devices work on the 2.4ghz band area.